Charles William BEAK, was my grandfather. I do not have my Genealogy notes at hand, so I am going from memory. When he was about 17-21 Grandfather married an Evelyn Mac Gregor in London, and they had a child. Grandfather attended Eton and Oxford, neither of which is far from London. He must have taken her to Great Somerford House Manor to meet his parents, who did not approve of the marriage as she was a servant. Grandfather was young, and his father arranged for him to become a midshipman and he left England. An unusual choice for someone who was a severe asthmatic. I am sure that Grandfather would have left his wife with financial means, as he was a responsible and generous man.
The Census in 1881, states that Charles was 17, single, and a Sailor. The person advising the Census would have been his Father.
If Grandfather had a 'mishap sufficient to die', I am not aware of it, and would have to research the ship.
He told our family that his wife drowned herself and the child in a lake on the property. I searched microfiche for all churches and cemeteries within say 30 miles of Great Somerford. There was no mention of her death. Nor could I find a marriage in London. I would have searched Mc and Mac. I saw the original records and signatures.
I suspect that his father had the marriage annulled and financially provided for Evelyn McGregor to go somewhere, and keep her silence to continue to receive a financial payment. He may even have arranged a marriage for her, which would have been the most likely scenario in that day and age. His father married the governess after the death of his wife Susan Amelia Smith. This would not have pleased my Grandfather.
Grandfather was a severe asthmatic. He became ill in a southern port of Australia, and the ship left without him. He followed it up the eastern coast of Australia to Brisbane, but it had already left port. I don't know what roads existed at that time, and travel would have been by horse, carriage or boat. He wrote to his mother, and received the news of the demise of his wife and child. He may have suspected what his father did. He never returned to England. His mother sent him a trunk and monies, probably a substantial amount.
Grandfather inherited the estate, Great Somerford House Manor and environs, farms and monies etc. He shared his inheritance with his siblings. All brothers except one, migrated to Australia. Grandfather was on good terms with his family members. I corresponded with the brother who remained in England. He was a Church of England Minister.
My Grandmother was Dora Australena Callanan, called Lena. She was an Anglican, Irish aristocrat. Charles was her second husband, she met him prior to her first marriage, and declined his proposal, and married Alexander Gauld a ship's captain from Scotland, who subsequently died, leaving 2 children. My Grandfather proposed again, and was accepted. They had 2 children. Bobby died, leaving my Mother Thora. Her half brother, Alec Gauld died in Belgium after surviving Gallipoli, and his brother died as a child. Grandfather was adored by my mother and siblings. He died the year before I was born.
It appears to be the Beak Family searching for my Grandfather's first wife. Has anyone contacted any of the Mac Gregors?
Has anyone been able to trace the Beak Family prior to 1400?
Jill 27/03/2019
