Genealogy Chat

Thank you everyone for all the help you have given me couldnt have done it without your help thats another problem solved till another one looms up Joyce

Hi Joyce, Edmund married a Bailey or a Curtis - his marriage is on FreeBMD. In 1915 there is a Portsmouth birth: Blanche L McDowell, mother's maiden name Bailey. I know it's not proof but I think it's safe to conclude that Edmund married May Louise Bailey. If you want to buy a certificate, I would go for May Emily McDowell's birth JFM 1906 Portsmouth 2b 458 to prove she's Edmund's daughter (you would also get the wife then too!) NB The cemetery guy who told you Mary Emily should have said May Emily. Janice

Janice You are a gem so Mary emily coward b 1906 must be edmunds daughter should I buy the certificates to prove may louise bailey is edmunds wife I was told may and harry were married in liverpool ??? Joyce

phew..thats a relief. Karen

Hi Karen, I know this happens but, in this case, the bloke at the cemetery said that the other 2 were relatives - he just didn't say what kind of relative! Janice

just to throw a spanner in the works.....i have a great aunt buried at Milton cemetery in Portsmouth..she died in 1931 but there are also two others buried with her....no relation but only about 10yrs after....the man at cemetery thought that whoever was in charge of cemetery at the time had not bothered to look for great aunts rellies and just let someone else be buried with her....... Karen

Looks like Edmund may have married a May too!!! May Louise Bailey is one of the options for Edmund's marriage and there is a McDowell birth in Portsmouth with mother's maiden name Bailey. Edmund and May could be the parents of May Emily which means that Edmund is buried with his daughter and son-in-law. Janice

OK. On FreeBMD May and Ernest are the twins born 1905. May Emily was born 1906. Presumably they have different parents - do you know who? Janice

Hi Joyce, May Richards who died in 1997 was just May, born 14/5/1905 according to the indexes. Alfred William Coward's wife was May E. Who were the 2 Mays? Janice PS Please will you delete the big space above lol!

There are no McDowell - Richards marriages in 1923.

Hi Joyce, We were assuming that the May who married Alfred Coward was the daughter of Alfred and May McDowell. That marriage was 1928 so doesn't tie in with what you were told. I'll do some checking on what you've added and get back to you. Janice

Elaine and Janice Have I got the wrong dates for my May McDowell then ??? mine was born 9/6/1905 (twin to Ernest) she married harry richards 1923 she died 1997 son harry junior b 1923 commited suicide my auntie Ivy McDowell mays sister gave me these details but she was getting a bit vague perhaps may remarried many thanks Joyce

Hi Joyce, No. In the 1901 census Alfred Ernest McD and his wife May are in Portsmouth and Edmund (single) is lodging with them. Both men are ship's cooks in the navy. May E McD is born in 1905 and we think she is Alfred and May's daughter. In 1928 May, the daughter, Edmund's niece, marries Alfred William Coward. Does that make more sense? Janice

sorry just got in had a agm tonight thanks very much janice elaine and libby for all your replies I am a bit confused now william henry mcdowell b 1847 married editha rundle b 1847 eliz b 1869 alfred ernest b 1871 died 1949 married may mary wyatt b 1881 died 1960 emily b 1875 edmund b 1879 died 1926 edmund lived with alfred ernest in portsmouth so this must be emilys daughter Joyce

The McDowell father was a boiler maker. Perhaps he made ships' boilers and that's why they went to Portsmouth - to the Naval base. Devonport is also a naval area so it could have been a job transfer.

You're too quick for me Elaine lol!

Janice At guess I would agree May McDowell who married Alfred Coward was the daughter of Alfred & May McDowel and the niece of Edmund. That would explain the family connection on the buriel plot. Husband & wife buried with her uncle. Shame May never remarried, she was a widow for nearly 60 years. Cheers E x

May Emily McDowell's birth is on FreeBMD so it's not a 2nd marriage.

Do you think she could be Alfred and May's daughter then - Edmund's niece?

and.... Births Mar 1906 McDowell May Emily Portsmouth 2b 458