William Allen

Florence Emily EVANS

Miss W. Allen, Biography, Evans , , , , ,

Florence Emily Georgina EVANS was the fifth child born to George and Mary Ann Evans nee LEE. She was born on 2 June 1878 in Croydon, Surrey, England and two years later was baptised on 27 June 1880 along with three other children living at the same address. One was her sister Louisa but I still need to find out if the other two children (surname Dry) were related somehow. [1]

 

Surrey History Centre; Woking, Surrey, England; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: 2809/1/3

Florence’s siblings:

  • Thomas George – born 1871 at Eltham, Kent
  • Albert Edward – born 1872 at Eltham, Kent
  • William Jonathan – born 1874 at Eltham, Kent
  • Alice Maud – born 1877 at Norwood, Surrey
  • Louisa Elizabeth – born 27 Dec 1879 at Croydon, Surrey
  • Frederick Charles – born 1888 at Croydon, Surrey

According to the 1881 census, the family were living at 34 Cross Road, Croydon and the father George was a coachman. Six children in family still living at home. The Dry family had moved out by this time and another married couple, William and Eliza Ridley, were also living at 34 Cross Road.

34 Cross Road Croydon in 2021. Is this the same house the Evans family lived in in the 1880s?

On the 24 August 1885, Florence’s sister Louisa was admitted as an infant to the Salter Hill’s School which was very close to 10 Berridge Street where the family was now living. There is no mention of her transferring from this school and it is found that Louisa died in 1887. Maybe it was an accident while at school. I could find no mention of Florence being at this school. [2]

By the time of the 1891 census, the family were living at 120 Livingstone Road, Thornton Heath and her father was listed as a coachman/groom. Also at home is brother Thomas, a domestic coachman/groom, her brother Albert a plumber, her brothers William and Frederick as well as Florence aged 13.

On 31 January 1897, Florence gave birth to her first child Frank Earnest Evans.

Florence married William Elvis Allen on 5 February 1900 at the Parish Church of Thornton Heath in Surrey. They were both 21 years of age and William was a carpenter. They were both living at 120 Livingstone Road in Thornton Heath. The fathers were George Allen, a bootmaker, and George Evans, a coachman. The witnesses were Florence’s parents. [3]

Between October and December in 1900, Ethel Maud Allen was born, their first daughter.

According to the 1901 census, William, Florence, Frank (now Allen) and Ethel were still sharing a house with George and Mary Ann Evans and two of Florence’s brothers, Albert a soldier and Charles (born as Frederick).

It is at this point that Florence’s life starts to change. Florence was now 6 months pregnant when her husband William died from smallpox at the Croydon and Wimbledon Smallpox hospital on 26 March 1902.  Between April and June 1902, her daughter Ethel also dies – I need to find out if that was also from smallpox. Then on 27 June 1902, her son William Elvis Allen was born.

Florence now has two young children to look after Frank aged 5 and William a newborn without a husband to bring in the money. Hopefully she was still living with her parents who would give her help.

At some stage Frank was put in a boarding school in Croydon but in June 1904, his guardian is now Mary Ann Evans and she is living at 13 Belvedere Road with Frank now attending Woodland Road School in Lambeth. But two months later, he is transferred to the Boys Department. [4]

On 12 April 1905, Florence remarried. Her new husband was Frederick Edward Bray. At the time of the marriage they were both living at 13 Penrith Road. Frederick’s father also called Frederick was a gardener. They were married at St Paul church in Thornton Heath.

13 Penrith Road via Google Streetview, accessed December 2020.

Florence’s children

  • Frank Ernest Evans 1897-1978
  • Ethel Maud Allen 1900-1902
  • William Elvis Allen 1902-1974
  • Albert Edward Bray 1905-1988
  • Kathleen Florence Bray 1906-1995 married name Hansford
  • Charles Frederick Bray 1909-1971

At the time of the 1911 census, Florence was living with her second husband at 124 Livingstone Road. She has three children with him and two of her earlier children living there in four rooms. Her husband Frederick is a general labourer with Croydon Council. Another family, the Osborn couple and a baby, also living at same address are in only two rooms. [5]

In October 1931, a letter from a lawyer in Australia relating to Florence’s son, William’s first wife Emily Daisy Green applying for divorce, was sent to Florence c/- 57 Stanger Road, South Norwood which was the most recent address known to William and Emily.[6]

The 1939 register shows Florence and Frederick living at 31 Ferndale Road, Croydon with her son Frank (still single) from her first marriage. Frederick and Frank general labourers using heavy vehicles. Frederick works with the Corporation of Refuge Destruction while Frank is with Engineering. [7]

In 1940, after 35 years marriage, Florence’s second husband dies and 10 years later Florence also passes 10 October 1950 aged 72. According to the index of wills and administration, Florence leaves £573 4s 3d to her daughter Kathleen. Florence had been living at 35 Furze Road, Thornton Heath at the time of her death. Her son Frank, still single, was living there when he died in 1978. [8]

 

Sources: All found on Ancestry.com

  1. Surrey History Centre; Woking, Surrey, England; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: 2809/1/3
  2. London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; School Admission and Discharge Registers; Reference: LCC/EO/DIV08/SAL/AD/008
  3. Certified copy of entry of marriage in my possession, since June 2020.
  4. London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; School Admission and Discharge Registers; Reference: LCC/EO/DIV08/WOO/AD/007
  5. The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 Enumeration District: 31
  6. Copy of divorce letters in my possession, December 2020.
  7. The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/1274C, Enumeration District: CLAJ
  8. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995, Surname Range: Aaron-Byworth 1950

 

Irene Ellen Gertrude SMITH

Miss W. Allen, Biography, Dawson, Smith, Somers , , , ,

Irene was born 23 July 1909 on Bruny Island as the eldest child of Edward Robert Smith and Irene Ellen Somers or Clark. Through DNA testing, it has been proved that her father was actually a son of Alexander and Hannah Dawson nee Sutton who lived in Queenstown, Tasmania.

Tasmania, Civil Registration of births 1899-1912, Port Cygnet

Irene had 14 younger siblings born between 1910 and 1931. The family mainly lived in Hobart, Tasmania but from 1918-1921 spent some time in Scottsdale, Tasmania where her father was a sawyer.

In December 1918, Irene and her younger sister Madeline won prizes at the Scottsdale State School annual concert.

Marriages

In early 1932, Irene became pregnant and married William Alan Wyatt on 11 April, later giving birth to her only child Robert Wyatt in November 1932. By late 1934, William (whose first  Tasmanian wife had died in September 1931) had deserted Irene and baby Robert, and headed to unknown destination (later found in NSW married for a fourth time).

Irene worked as a cleaner and general housemaid at Heathorns Hotel then later the Albion Hotel. This involved living on the premises, so Robert was looked after by a foster mother for most of the time, Mrs Avery in Goulburn Street, Hobart. Irene did not have much furniture in her little room but there was a small carved black table that is now owned by Robert (Bob). She also had an Hawaiian steel guitar under her bed and many songbooks that she collected throughout the war years.

It was while working at Heathorns that Irene met Ernie Bond who lived in a home in the Rasselas Valley near Adamsfield. Irene wrote a diary about her trip on horseback along the track to Adamsfield. This diary is held by her son Bob.

Irene sought a dissolution of her marriage in 1945 due to desertion. A decree nisi was granted on 21 March 1945. A decree absolute was granted in October 1945.

In 1954, Irene married a second time to a Polish immigrant Mikolaj Hrydziuszko, who had arrived in Australia in 1948 after World War II.

Irene and Mike travelled to Japan on a cruise returning with lots of little mementoes. They are buried together at the cemetery in Pontville, Tasmania where many Polish graves can be found.

Memories of Irene

These are from her son Bob (B) and grand daughter Suzanne

  • Always well dressed and usually wore her hair up high in a bouffant style
  • Loved going for walks around Hobart
  • Kept her house immaculately clean and smelling fresh
  • Went downhill quickly once her blindness stopped her walking everywhere
  • Took lots of photos of her with her sister Madeline and her children – have her photo album with these
  • Was concerned about her brother Jack or Bomber as we knew him – he sent occasional letters or postcards often censored by the army (B)
  • She was a smoker and always smoked Turf cigarettes (B)
  • Would often call into her parent’s house in Liverpool Street while taking Bob home to his foster mother (B)
  • Hated picnics, sand, ants, cold! (B)
  • Had a steel guitar, but I never heard her play it. Did crosswords, I still have her well-thumbed dictionary. (B)
  • I never saw her really upset. I wagged school and was expelled from Lansdowne Crescent School, sent to St. Virgils, must have cost her a lot. (B)
  • Mike (her second husband) found she left the stove on, would get up at all hours and wander about. I insisted that she be cared for in a nursing home, it was too much for Mike. Went into a nursing home in Star St. and was well cared for there. Was almost blind, and hated the dog at the home that would come close to her picking up crumbs. Mike used to take her out most days and give her sandwiches. He persevered with her taking her to the domain or the Waterworks. (B)
  • I used to visit her in the home during my lunch hour when I worked in town. She would be just sitting in a chair. Often told me that no-one ever came to see her even though I knew Mike had taken her out that morning. I confess that I was often in tears walking back to work. She died peacefully in the home. (B)
Ernie Bond’s residence at Rasselas Valley
Bob, Irene and Jack before heading off to war
Nan's birthday
Irene’s birthday with her sister Pat and her husband Eric Gates from Adelaide.
Nan and Mike ready for trip overseas
Mike and Irene ready for their trip overseas

Who was William Elvis Allen?

Miss W. Allen, Biography , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

After many years of searching, a close DNA match has finally given me information on my grandfather William Alan (Allen) Wyatt. From many records now shared between Dennis (and his half sister Carol), Kylie, Julie, Bob and Kevin, we are now all descendants of :

William Elvis Allen

Life in England

My grandfather was born to  parents William Elvis and Florence Emily Allen nee Evans and the birth registered in the third quarter of 1902. (Certificate has been ordered) Unfortunately, our William lost his father before he was born (death registered in first quarter 1902 and certificate ordered)  Florence had two other young children Frank Earnest aged 5 and Ethel Maud aged 1 to look after. I wonder if she had to go to a workhouse for a while as there is a record for a Florence Emily Allen age 24 being discharged to the infirmary at the Lewisham Workhouse on Friday 3 October 1903? Need to check if the children were there or if this is just a red herring.

When our William was baptised on 24 June 1903, the family were living at 120 Livingstone Road in the parish of Upper Norwood in Surrey. It is mentioned on the baptism record that his father had been a carpenter and was deceased. Looking at the 1901 census, living at the same address were William and Florence, children Frank and Ethel but also Florence’s parents George and Mary Evans and two of their sons, Albert and Charles.

In 1905, things were looking up for Florence and her children as she married Frederick Edward Bray in April. They quickly had three more children Albert, Kathleen and Charles.

By the 1911 census living at 124 Livingstone Road were Frederick and Florence Bray, their three children and two step children Frank and William. Something has happened to Ethel. Our William was now around 8 years old, his brother Frank about 14. Frederick was a general labourer working for the Croydon Council.

We next find William Elvis Allen joining the Royal Navy at age 16 and serving on the Ganges II as a boy. Research shows me this was a training ship for young boys and was at Shotley, near Ipswich, north east of London. As part of the war effort, the boys were helping with building and moving submarine nets.

National Archives, England, ADM/188/821 image 490

 

Image found at https://pbase.com/hms_ganges_museum/pre1920

It looks like after his first six month service test, he was invalided out due to chronic diarrhoea and deafness.  So what was William to do now? War had ended, maybe time to use his new knowledge of the sea and head to a new country – Australia – a land of sun, sea and sheilas.

England to Australia

We find him leaving London, early January 1919, on the ship SS Demosthenes heading to Albany, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney dropping off Australian troops in each port. As this is the time of the influenza epidemic, the ship goes into quarantine at each port until it is cleared.

StateLibQld 1 108808 Demosthenes (ship)

At this stage, he is 17 years old and is registered as a steward’s boy. On board is 175 crew including some especially serving the troops on board. Troop members are not mentioned by name on the passenger list. He finally arrives in Sydney on 15 March 1919. We don’t know if William left the ship at this time or went back to London via Colombo, Bombay and Port Said with the passengers, meat carcasses and fruits loaded on the Demosthenes for the return voyage.

There are more mentions of a W.E. Allen on board Demosthenes arriving Sydney

  • 19 September 1919 as assistant steward born London age 18
  • 4 October 1919 as an assistant steward aged 18 born Thornton Heath

But there is mention of a W.E Allen age 19 being an assistant steward on the ship SS Themistocles (sister ship to Demosthenes) travelling from Southampton to Sydney and arriving on 8 March 1921. There were 613 passengers on board being looked after by 222 crew.

These records are found at Ancestry.com under the New South Wales, Unassisted Immigrant Passenger Lists – 1826-1922.

Life and marriages in Australia

Sometime during the years 1921 and 1924, William met his first wife Emily Daisy Green. There is a Miss Emily D Green found on the passenger list for the Demosthenes departing Southhampton on 9 February 1921 bound for Sydney but there is no crew list for this voyage. According to her later divorce papers, Emily Daisy had met William 3 or 4 years before they married. He had been a steward on a boat but was put off the boat before they married. Maybe this news article shows the cause for his dismissal as a steward if this is our William Allen.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140012687

 

William and Daisy married on 12 April 1924 at Registry Office, Newtown, Sydney. At this time, he was working as a steward near Kings Cross. As William did not stay long in one place, they never had their own home. Instead Daisy and the two children born to her and William lived with other people on the North Shore of Sydney. The first son William Elvis John Allen was born in 1924 and the second son Frederick Henry Allen in 1925. By 1939, when Daisy petitioned for a divorce, she had not heard from William since 1925 when he had joined Royal Australian Navy at the urging of the family where Daisy was living. Her final contact was with the chaplain of the ship Penguin. She had been getting a monthly allotment but none after William disappeared. There is also a record in the National Archives Australia for a William E Allen – Application for covering approval of an irregular payment. This will need to be checked out as it might relate to our William.

Records show William enlisted on 19 May 1925 for a period of 12 years. He joined with the name William Alvis Allen maybe his English accent caused the misspelling.  He was born in Thornton Heath, London on 27 June 1901. William passed three Naval exams in 1925/1926. His record shows he served on the following ships:

National Archives of Australia; Canberra, Australia; Service Cards for Petty Officers and Men, 1911-1970; Series: A6770

I can’t find any reference to the ship Cerberus in 1925; nor the Penguin in either 1925 or 1927; Brisbane was refitted as a training vessel and in Victoria at HMAS Cerberus base in 1925/1926; Sydney took on its normal peacetime activities 1926/1927 including a trip to Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup period; Marguerite was a naval reserve training vessel visiting NSW, Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland.  A remark on his record says “Run at Sydney 11 – 10 – 27.  SC filed”

A warrant for William Elvis Allen is found in the New South Wales Police Gazette on the 4th January 1928.

From DNA results, we have William moving to Tasmania and now going by the name William Allen (Alan) Wyatt. According to the Denison Electoral Roll (in Hobart) for 1929, William was living at 160 Goulburn St and was a labourer. Also living at this address were Ellen Sarah Avery, Keith Henry Avery and Oscar Clyde Goldsmith Avery.

According to his marriage certificate to Jean Violet Ward on 5 December 1929, Alan was age 25, a bachelor, occupation was a steward. He was born in Sydney NSW and his parents were Alan George Wyatt and Florence Emily Wyatt nee Evans. Jean and Alan were married at the Registrar Generals Office. Two children were born in the next two years, Alan and June, before their mother passed away in September 1931.

 

During the two years of this marriage, William was in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve (RANR) and according to his certificate of service with them, he was born 27 June 1905 in London, England. When he joined up on 3 February 1930, he was living at 3 Allison Street, Hobart with his wife, Jean Violet Wyatt nee Ward. He was a steward, could swim and was Church of England in religion. His description was 5’8″ with dark hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. Keith Avery was also in the RANR at this time training with William.

He spent only 27 hours in drill training at the naval depot in Hobart, he was of very good character but his ability was inferior. After 30 June 1931 he was not assessed and his 3 year engagement expired in February 1933. By the time of the electoral roll in 1931, Alan William Wyatt (reversal of name) was living at Allison Street also and he was now a steward.

It is at this time that Emily Daisy Allen nee Green starts divorce proceedings against William Elvis Allen.

After the death of Jean, William marries my grandmother Irene Ellen Gertrude Smith in Hobart at Holy Trinity Church on April 11, 1932 states his age at last birthday being 30 and his occupation as a steward. He was a widower, his wife dying in 1931 and he had two living children. He was born in Sydney, New South Wales. His parents were Alan George Wyatt (a licensed victualler) and Florence Emily Wyatt (nee Evans).  My father was born in November 1932 and two years later William deserted my grandmother and my father.

According to my grandmother’s petition for divorce in 1945, William was working at Hadley’s Hotel as a steward and they had been living in a flat in Hampden Road. She was deserted by William shortly before Christmas in 1934.

According to DNA match, William now heads back to New South Wales but using the name Alan William Wyatt. Alan is next found marrying in November 1936 to Stella Wilby Parrish at Wollongong St Michaels church. He is now a lorry driver living at Port Kembla and age 36, yet still a bachelor. He was born in Scotsdale – which could be either Tasmania or Western Australia. His father, George Wyatt, a hotel keeper is deceased but his mother Florence Emily Wyatt is still alive.

On 8 June 1940, Emily Daisy Allen finally got a decree absolute from William Elvis Allen and on 2 October 1945, Irene Ellen Gertrude Wyatt got her decree absolute from William Allan Wyatt.

It seems Alan has decided to settle down and no longer has anything to do with the navy. Instead he is found in the New South Wales Electoral Rolls:

  • 1937 billiard Saloon proprietor living at 23 Kembla Street, Port Kembla
  • 1943 and 1949 a labourer living at Shellharbour Road in Port Kembla
  • 1954 and 1958 a clerk living on Wentworth Estate in Wollongong
  • 1958 a railway employee living in Kully Street, Warrawong
  • 1972 a railway employee living in Bent Street, Warrawong

Even though the family moved around a bit, Alan and Stella remain married until his death in 1974.

Thanks to the following people

Without the help of Bob – my father, Kevin – dad’s half brother, Kylie and Julie – daughters of Kevin, Dennis – dad and Kevin’s half nephew and Carol – Dennis’s half sister, I would not have been able to piece together the story of my grandfather. There are still things to check and certificates to wait for but I think we have sorted out the story of William Elvis Allen. Below are photos of William, his sons, Bob, Kevin and Frederick and his grandson Dennis. I think the resemblances prove the DNA matches.

Readers: Hope you have enjoyed my biography of my newly found grandfather who has been my brickwall for many years. Who is your best brickwall in your research?