Victor Denton

[searching_family_history]

Hi Pete

So pleased to hear from you so soon.  I am in a rush this morning.  100th Anniversary of Anzac Day here and it is the most magnificent, glorious sunny day (eat your heart out!).  Just re-read what I wrote to you and saw a big mistake I had made.  My grandmother's maiden name was Margaret Alice Cowburn and her mother's maiden name was Taylor.  From memory her first name was Sarah and she was a sister to Alice Ann (Denton).

I will respond in more detail either later today or within the next couple of days. 

Kind Regards
Trish

[searching_family_history]

Hi Pete

I was going to attach a couple of photos but I am having problems attempting to do so - a case of old dog and new tricks so I will drop that idea and wait until I am able to email you instead.

After a lot of brain racking I remembered where some of my family history was, not that I have much.  Okay, my grandma Denton, as in Margaret Alice Cowburn, was a daughter of John Cowburn and Sarah nee Taylor.  Sarah was born in 1859 and was two years older than her brother Thomas.  It would appear Thomas married a Hannah HARWOOD, is that correct?

I know my grandmother had three sisters and I think two baby brothers may have died in infancy but I am unsure of this.  I know the sisters names were Eliza - mum wrote to her for something like 70 years and she would have been in her 90's when she died who married a Rimmer and they had one son John who also married and had just one son Michael who died in his 30's;  Emma who died in the 1940's from cancer I think and Ethel. 

Grandma was sent to Australia in 1908 to care for her dying aunt Alice Ann Denton.  Someone travelled here with her and this lady was known as Aunt Poll - mum was never able to establish just who she was.  Sadly, my grandmother never saw any of her family again.  She died on 30 May 1961 aged 76 years from kidney failure a result of being a diabetic.

I have photos of both sets of my great grandparents so will email these to you when I can.  My grandmother looked very like her mother.

I don't suppose you know what the first couple of lines on that headstone were by any chance. Where is this headstone located?  Thank you for sending it through.  I can assure you it is greatly appreciated.  I will contact a couple of my cousins in Toowoomba about this.  Perhaps someone else other than me may be interested.

Must go.

Kind Regards
Trish

[Pete51]

Hello Trish

What a sad story about your Gran, sent all the way to Australia to look after her poorly Aunt and to never see her family again.

As we all know the name Taylor is probably one of the most common names in the English speaking world and it is just by a stroke of luck that your grandmother was living with her grandparents, William Taylor and Margaret Taylor nee Gregory when she was 15 years old in 1901. Margaret Gregory, our 2nd great grandmother was born in Ormskirk around 1830. Had she been born in Bolton it would be very hard indeed to make a connection with our families as there were so many William and Margaret Taylor's living in Bolton at the time.

My great grandfather, Thomas Taylor was indeed born in 1861 but he was married to Alice Anne Robinson in 1885. The photo below is from his wedding day. I would love to see the photo's of Thomas's sibling.

When I took the photo last year of the tomb stone I didn't really take much notice of what was missing but it did say Peter Denton at the top. I will take another look at it in the next couple of weeks and try to make some kind of jigsaw with the pieces,as they had started to crumble a bit with age. I'm so pleased that I found the stone as it would have rotted away over the next few years and probably become intelligible. The grave is in Tonge cemetery, Bolton,Lancashire.

Bye for now Pete.

[Pete51]

Hello Trish

Your Gran had an Aunt Poll (Polly being short for Mary) Mary Taylor b.1853 married John Homer. They had one child William Homer who was sadly killed at the battle of the Somme on the 7th of July 1916 (Victor Denton's 1st cousin)

Mary was widowed sometime before 1901 and was still single in 1911. Her son Wiiliam Homer married in 1907, so it's quite possible that Mary probably had a lot of spare time on her hands and made the trek to Australia with her niece?

Bye for now Pete.

[searching_family_history]

Hi Pete

What a wonderful photograph.  Thank you so much.  The sad part for me is my mother missing out on all this information.  She would have loved to have been a part of all this.  Had no idea that Poll was the name used for Mary.  Might have to check the shipping records there to see if there was a Mary Homer on that ship with my grandmother Margaret Cowburn.

I know exactly what you mean about the name Taylor being one of the most common names in the world.  A bit like Jones in Wales.  That is why I gave up trying to trace the Denton/Taylor family history.  At least I know for sure I had the William Taylor and Margaret Gregory bit correct.

I knew my grandmother who was known by her second name Alice, lived at some stage with her grandmother and had come to the conclusion it was on the Taylor side.  Apparently her granny used to hit her quite often until one day my granny stood up to her and told her if she ever hit her again she would leave.  My granny's mother Sarah had to go back to work so that is why someone else had to look after Alice.  I don't know who looked after my granny's sisters though.

I can see I will have to join Ancestry.  I have been putting it off for years and I have so much information stored in boxes (and in my head!).  I have bits of info written down here, there and everywhere.  The problem is finding the time to do it all.  I suspect you are of a similar vintage to me.  I recently celebrated my 21st birthday for the third time.

I did not know about William Homer (Jnr) being killed at the battle of the Somme.  All such a tragic waste of life.

I am going to attempt a photo or two again.  Heaven only knows what you will or will not get.  I think I might have worked it out.

Till next time I will say goodbye for now.

Trish

[searching_family_history]

Hello again

Briefly just to attach a couple more photos.  Some time ago I used my camera to photograph these from the photos mum had.  I have just been on a major witch hunt to try to find her copies without success.  Must have found everything else but them.  Unfortunately the camera flash has affected them a bit.

Bye
Trish

[Pete51]

Hi Trish

Brilliant photo's of your Gran's I've seen the Victor one's a while ago but thanks all the same.

I'll leave you with these shots I took this morning in Tonge Cemetery. I think it said Peter Denton at the top but I'm sure if you go to "Deceased on line" (Tonge cemetery) for a small fee you can find the all the names and dates who were buried there.

Do you mind if I use the photo's on my Ancestry site?

I will private message next as I also have more photo's and info for you.

Regards Pete.

[searching_family_history]

Hi Pete

Sorry for the delay in responding.  I had a busy day yesterday.

Yes, you certainly may use the photos on Ancestry.  Wish I knew when the one of Alice Ann was taken exactly because it may have been in the 1890's for all I know.  I am still on my witch hunt trying to find these photos.  As you can imagine I am quite annoyed with myself.

Received a surprise package in the mail yesterday from another Denton cousin.  He had someone do some research on Victor and this person subsequently wrote a book.  The book is basically about the 2nd Light Horse Regiment and includes copies of all Victor's service records.  I had previously discovered the book last week when I was googling Victor's name and thought it was extremely good of Neil to send each of the families of his father's siblings a copy:  well, this is what I am assuming he meant he was doing because he only enclosed an extremely brief note.  I last saw him in 2008 at mum's youngest sister's funeral where you seem to meet up with all your rellies!

Thank you for taking the photos of Tonge cemetery.  I shall add them to my collection.

Am attaching a photo taken at the old home about 5 km to the north of Nobby township.  The photo was taken in 1928.

Till next time, keep safe.

Kind Regards
Trish

[searching_family_history]

Hi Pete

Yea, I found the photos!  As soon as I can I will scan them into my computer though there were only a few and I have already attached most of them.

I have great doubts the photo of my grandparents which was supposedly taken on their wedding day was actually taken on that date because grandma would have been six months pregnant by then unless the photo is hiding that fact.  It was not uncommon for couples to set up house in earlier times and hope the minister arrived to perform the nuptials before the baby came.

I have photos of John Cowburn, grandma's father and another of Eliza Cowburn at 17 years.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Kind Regards
Trish