Rhoda Lillian Crowther - Harwich

[jdean]

Its my first time posting on this site. I am trying to find out more about my great aunt Rhoda Lillian Crowther nee Dean. She was born in Cawnpore, Bengal, India in 1905.

The family last heard from her when she lived in Harwich in 1963. She was married to a man named Crowther who was in the services and based in Aldershot in 1947.

She had a daughter named Ruth Lorna Jackson or Middlemiss from a previous marriage. I have used family search and ancestry.com and not found anything about her time in England and when or where she died.

I am hoping that somebody who has access to the actual records will read this and be able to help

[crisane]

The ship's record of her return to England in 1947 gives her age as 34 so born 1913. is that incorrect, had she knocked some years off her age?

[jdean]

Yes, I've found that she did that a lot. Her daughter Lorna was travelling on the same boat. Her surname 'Middlemiss' is the name of Rhoda's previous husband who adopted Lorna. Her name is sometimes given as Ruth Lorna.

To add to the confusion, Rhoda gave her father's name as Harold Jackson on a marriage certificate, when his name was actually Harold Dean.

I've found a little about Rhoda and her marriage to Cyril Edward Middlemiss, thanks to Penny Kendrick who is also researching her. I would still like to know where she ended up, and whether she had any surviving children

[Milliepede]

How about the marriage in Lucknow Bengal in 1822 when she was 18 - do you have that one?
Spouse is shown as Simeon Lawrence Swing age 26. 
Her father Harold Dean his father Charles Swing.

[jdean]

Yes, 1922 you mean!

I've been unable to find anything about Simeon Lawrence or the rest of the Swing family, and I am not sure if he was in India by himself. They either divorced, or he died before 1937 when Rhoda married Cyril Edward Middlemiss.

At this time she had taken the surname 'Jackson', and even mentioned her father as 'Harold Jackson' in the marriage certificate

[Milliepede]

Oops only 100 years out    She could have had more marriages in that time!

It's interesting, I do wonder where the Jackson name came from, and you say her daughter was called Jackson (sometimes) 
What year was daughter born?

Rhodas mothers maiden name or maybe her mother remarried    Mother was Alice Mabel and looks like they possibly had other children in India which you may know about, Wesley Marvin 1906 and Harold Tom 1907.

Hope you find out some more 

[Milliepede]

There's an S L Swing with daughter Kathleen Mary Swing who died 13 April 1923 Lucknow age 0 

[Annette7]

Looks like she died in June qtr. 1990 at Colchester, Essex - her name is shown as Lorna Rhoda Crowther b.27/3/1913 (the year concurs with the birth year shown when she returned to England but I note on familysearch that she was indeed born on 27th March albeit 8 years previously in 1905.   I'm guessing that Mr. Crowther was probably younger than her.

An Ellis James Crowther bc.1908 arrived at Bristol from India on 21/3/1946 - I note he died Aug.1987 Colchester (born 7/3/1908) and wonder if this was possibly Rhoda's husband.

Annette

[Milliepede]

So she married in this country in 1937 not India.

Rhoda L D Jackson  could the D be Dean?
Cyril E J Middlemiss