The Laconia Incident

Hi Cousins
Just an update, Dad [Ted Johnson] has received a call from talkbackthames informing him the Alan Bleasdale drama and the documentary with Ted in it will be shown in January 2011, as and when I get any actual date I will let You know.
Dad has asked if anyone out there has got a photograph of his dad, if so can you post it on the blog and I will print it off.
Thank You
Ray

Renee & Kate + Johnsons

Taken about 2005, Ted with 2 of his sons Barry & Brian who called on Renee and met cousin Kate.

Ray,Just spent some time reading through it all-how great to see photo's of Henry Dowling's family in America.

Hi Everyone
I have now uploaded all the emails etc for the Dowling Clan, if you wish to print any off it may be better if you save to your own PC then you can mess about with them size wise.

Ancestry

Email

email

Email

email

One of many Emails, if you double click it You should be able to read it.This came og Margarets mum who I think was 91 at the time.

Our American Cousins.

Looks Like Margaret & Husband 5th 6th top row.

Margaret Husband & Daughter

Chauncey,Anne,Margaret.

4 Generations

The lady top right is Margaret with her mum Edna, Margarets son and maybe his 2 children.

The Dowling Family

The Dowling Family Picture, Sent over from America by Margaret. Looks like Henry Dowling top row 5th from left?

HELP!

About 4 years ago because my brother Barry had searched the site of the latter day saints he received a letter from Margaret Adams [nee dowling] she sent me a lot of pictures and the Dowling family tree in the form of a zip file which is very interestig and goes back to the 14th century. The Pictures above are Henry Dowling [Marthas Brother?] and his wife Margaret Dowling [nee Jenkins] The zip file is great and has a lot of names that I know, so it must be the right family tree.
Margaret tells me she had 3 older brothers John,Alan & Neil who was killed by a hit and run driver near Haydock 1964. I feel sure You will all know who Margaret is, but because there is so much to take in I am starting to loose the plot. I will put all the information I have on the blog and maybe you will be able to relate more to it all than me

The Laconia

The Laconia, sunk by a German submarine in 1942 in the south Atlantic, Ted was taken to a prison camp in Casablanca when he remained until the yanks came and set them free. Later seen in a bar talking to a pianist called Sam.

Letter to Martha

The letter received by Martha 1942, as the ship her son Ted was on The Laconia had been sunk by a German submarine.
Early next year [2011] a 2 part drama written by Alan Bleasdale will be shown on tv, I think it may be on channel 4. There will also be a documentary shown which Ted will be talking about his experience, as it became known as The Laconia Incident.
Last month a film crew from talkback thames came up to dads house to film him talking about his experiences at that time. when I get any information as to a positive date I will post it on this blog.

Hello cousin Ray,
Helen here. Vera's(your Dad's sister) youngest,
Great that you are in touch with us all, as Gerry says we are all Martha's family. It was an"epic," journey from Wallasey to Lydiate/Maghull, in those days a long way.I always remember when I was little Uncle Ted coming over to visit and knowing he had lots of sons and ONE daughter.I think I remember Barry coming with him.Glad to hear about your Dad,I think he actually came see me at this house once.What was the name of the band you were in?There is definitely music in our family,one of my sons plays guitar quite well, the other is into music tech and writes stuff and plays a bit of guitar/piano-I learnt the piano aged 40!!! My brother Jim's daughter's are very musical and all play piano to a high standard,one is in Ireland and plays fiddle in a music group(in pubs!!!).Love to see any other photos you have ,the ones you have posted are great.keep in touch -cousin Helen

Ted & Eileens Wedding

Ted & Eileen Johnson on there wedding day held at St Pauls Church Seacombe Wallasey, I think it was about 1944.

Remembrance Day

Ted Johnson
Taken in 2005 just before going to release a load of white doves on behalf of the Wallasey British legion on Remembrance day.

Butchers Shop

This pic taken of Ted outside his dads butchers shop in Westminster Road Kirkdale which was bombed in the war and has remained in the same state ever since.

The Johnson Gang.

As promised for Gerry.
The Johnson boys in 2004, a very rare get together, Brian, second from the right home from Australia, and Ian first on left home from Holland=back row Les,Ray, Brian=front row=Ian,Paul,Barry,Ted

Marg or Dolly ?

Have posted this picture I brought back from dads, it has Marg written on the back , but I now know from Gerry it's Dolly.
Thank you Gerry for your reply, I will post pic's of the Johnson clan soon.

Hello to all my cousins

Hello to all my cousins,
My name is Ray I am the 3rd son of Edward [Ted] Johnson. I thought I would share with you all this picture of grandma, Dad seems to think it was taken on holiday but he doesn't know were. Sadly I only met grandma once or twice, the reason being I was brought up by my other grandma Daisy Cooper, and each time dad made the epic journey from wallasey to liverpool I may not have been around, You may see I have named all the johnson family shown in the picture further down the blog,as you will see I am not on that photo either, do you think they were trying to tell me somthing?
My dad is 87 now and still lives in wallasey with Barry my eldest brother, although dad has AMD he is fantastic and it is he who looks after Barry.
Dad is a member of 3 clubs and goes out every weekend with 2 woman and gets home about 1 am in the morning [I'm going to have to have a talk to him] by which time I have been in bed 3 hours.
I now take dad to see aunt Renee every 2 or 3 months which I think they both enjoy.
Last week I met Kate and Andy for the first time, and we had a good chat about Kate being a singer and myself being a professional drummer in a band for 20 years, all very interesting, I think I must have some of the dowling genes in me, and Kates son also in a band. Dad loves music, and every day when I visit him it's like walking into the Grafton as the music is so loud the first thing I do is turn it down.
Dads house is a very happy house, and people are always calling on him, and Even neighbours from long ago still call.
I live in birkenhead and have been married to Kath for about 35 years we have 2 children and 2 grand children.
If any one needs to contact me please contact Kate and she will give you my email address
I have just sent kate a lot of information about the dowlings in America which I feel sure she will put on this blog.