South Africa to Bilston

[Marion Johansson]

Hi Rosi,
What a story !!! Yes, the tree that I come from is the oldest brother of the family ie George Cyril Plummer Hesom who was the brother of Doris, Isabel,Dudley and Norman. He was my grandfather, so that makes you my great aunt! My mom whose name was Rae Cynthia Hesom , Now Rae Cynthia Montgomery, was the youngest daughter of Cyril as he was called and my Gran ,Eilleen  May Albers. The oldest daughter being called Wendy Belle (I think). She is now deceased but my mom is 76 and living in south Africa. Dudley has a daughter who lives in England, Margaret Carboni and I have given her this website name. Also My mom's cousin Norma George, who is the daughter of Norman. Gee I get confused with all this, you are right I need my mom here to help my memory. Have to get some ink so that i can print this all out.  Will have to continue this another day! Cheers.

[peep]

Hello all. What interesting reading this makes. I can't believe that my enquiry regarding my great aunt Ida Constance should end up bringing so much to light. Even my husband is interested! As a matter of interest I understood that George Hesom married Elizabeth Wade on 28th Sept 1841 in Rugby and in 1843 George Thomas was born, then Robert followed in 1845. These two lads were then put aboard the Nile Steamship with Alice Wade and the rest of the Wade family. Fascinating stuff. All the best Patricia.

[peep]

Hi again Who was Georgina Hesom b1880, d 1958 father Robert ,his wife being a Newbolt?

[rosi]

Hi All

Thanks for all that info Marion, gee I've never thought of myself as being old enough to be anyone's great aunt!!    Actually, we are probably more like second cousins-once-removed!  Will work it out when I get a chance!  Sorry, I got your generation wrong, you did tell us that Cyril was your grandfather and not your dad - I just forgot, what with all these generations, names and relationships (and the fact that I do have greying hair)!  Can't stop now as I have work to do but will continue next time. 

Peep, I will see if there is a Georgina, she is possibly in Robert's line.  Will let you know next time.  I'm sure you and I are second cousins aren't we, if our parents were first cousins?

Cheers, Rosie

[peep]

Hi Rosi. You are always so busy. Yes that does make us second cousins. I have some newspaper cuttings about the Bowen family, however I am very poor at typing so I will have to get wound up. Did you know that Ida's twin brother was Named Horace? For a time he was Music Master at a well known school just up the road from where I live. He also did quite a bit of composing, some of which was published. I have a book that she gave to him called Music Study In Germany. Inside it reads. "To dear Horace with  much love from  his sister  Ida C B. Christmas 1902" Patricia. ps. Did you have a look on the website for St Leonards Bilston?

[rosi]

Hi Patricia
I see you are on line at the moment ... I was just about to post something to you on the site!    Sorry, I have been very remiss about responding to your various postings, all of which  have made for fascinating reading - thank you so much for all the info you have supplied and are still going to supply I'm sure!

In answer to one of your earlier queries re Elizabeth Wade (1817-1852) my tree shows that she married Robert Hesom and that their son, also Robert, married Ann Newbold and together they had 6 children - George, Walter, Newbold, Lilian, Owen and Georgina, who you were also querying. 

Yes I did know that Ida's twin was Horace but not all the other information about him, thanks for all that.  It sounds as if he was a very talented young man, what a shame he died so young.  I would love to know more about him.  What is the name of the school where he was Music Master?

Growing up I had no idea that Ida had had such a tragic life and suffered so many losses, although I did know about the two babies she lost.  I only ever saw her smiling, she was a very dear little person - my name for her was 'Danny' - I still picture her towards the end of her life, sitting at the window of her first floor apartment in Rondebosch (Cape Town) smiling down at me as I arrived to visit her.  Now, of course, I have so many questions to ask her ...!

Yes, I eventually remembered to have a look at St Leonard's Church, what a lovely little church it is and it sounds as if it looked that way at the time of Ida and Robert's marriage as well.  Fancy you being baptised there also. 

Did you receive the private mail I sent you last week? 

Looking forward to hearing from you again.  Till then, best regards, Rosie.

PS  I must remember to tell my cousins and other relatives about this site, they will be equally interested. 

[peep]

Hi Rosi. I have found some old photos and I am going to try very hard to get them on this post! These children are Ida's nephews. Alan the eldest, Bernard next,Kathleen, and then last my father Ronald. Their father was Alan Lewis Bowen who died in 1921 leaving his wife with four youngsters. The three eldest were sent off to school and my father stayed at home. He was areal tyrant,  but  very much favoured by his grandma. His mother could not cope with his escapades, and much to his grandmas chagrin she eventually packed him off to school  to join the  the others. Apparently gt gran said "He will go away over my dead body!" His mother retorted with. "What will be!" Anyway my father was always a free spirit from start to finish. Never a dull moment, but he always had time for his mother, and his siblings. The first photo is them as children, the second is them as young adults.

[peep]

Me again. All of those people in the photographs are dead. As far as i know only my grandfather (alan Lewis) your gran Ida and Kendrick had children. Kendrick had two girls. My relatives knew nothing of this until a school reunion some years ago, by which time my father had died. Anyway we had a reunion about twelve months ago. I shall send you a personal message. Bye for now. Peep.

[peep]

Hi Rosi. Is one of these ladies Ida?