The Sinking of the Laconia= NEWSFLASH

Hi Cousins
Just to let you know, Alan Bleasdales 2 part drama " The Sinking of the Laconia" will be shown on the 6th & 7th of January at 9.0pm on BBC 2. The documentary with my dad in it will be shown on the 8th of January at 7.30 pm on BBC 2.

Thank You
Ray

Hi everyone,

I am not a descendant of Martha Dowling, but of her brother Henry Dowling (my granddad). I am happy to be included on this blog. I would be glad to help with any ancestry questions if I can. I would love to see some more old photos of the old folks.

Thanks!
Margaret Griffin Adams

Newsflash

Just letting everyone know that Margaret Adams(Henry Dowling's grand-daughter -he was Martha's brother)in America has added some comments and family history information to the first photo's posted.

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.

Just found this Jackie & I Wedding Day 4.9.1971: see who you can spot on this photgraph.A.Vera & U.Peter. A.Rene & U.Tom. U.Bill & A Noreen .U.Bill Taylor & Many others ???

3rd October 1967-This Day

Martha passed away on this day in 1967.(I seem to have this date in my head-if I am wrong let me know)

Isle of Man holidays

Around 1970...Vera (my mum and Martha's daughter) at the back.
Patricia (O'Donnell), me,Dave Jobe, Jenny(Vera's daughter-my sister)
Sharon Jobe and David Jobe(Jen and Dave's children)




Early 1960's...Douglas, Isle of Man
Nell(Peter Breithaupt's sister) Peter Breithaupt(Vera's husband) Vera(Martha's daughter)
Vera (Peter and Vera's Daughter-my sister) and me.


Vera and I by the Legs of Man- the flower bed not the pub!! 1960'ish

This post is not strictly Marthas Blog but seeing Gerry was her son in law I'll post it anyhow.It might be interesting to some members of the family.The two photos are of Gerry(my dad) in Burma 1945 & His Bat Man Christofer

Shinooka (NCOS had a Batman in the 82nd Nigerian Regiment)Dad used to tell us of Christofers Bravery & when at the end of WW2 & they were all repatriated to their own countries Christofer wrote to my father (He was an educated Christian) To say he had been chosen by Nigeria to represent his country at the Victory Parade in London.Unfortunately Dad was at the time in a bad way & was in the Liverpool Hospital of Tropical Medicine & couldnt make it down to London but I have a copy of the letter (albeit rather old & faded now) which if anyone would like to see it give me a ring.

O'Donnells on the front lawn at Barnes Drive

Rene, Mark, Simon, Joanne, Stephen and me. A sunny day in Lydiate sometime around 1972.

Rene O'D with her girls

Taken on holiday in the Isle of Man sometime around 1963.

Not quite Bay Watch!

Looks like this could be Crosby beach. Tom O'D (my Dad) with Alan and me.

Some old Photo's of the O'Donnells

Just had a dig around some of Mum's old pictures that I had scanned a while back. This is Rene, Tom and Alan enjoying ice lollies. You can just see the Weld Blundell Pub, Lydiate in the background.

Cine pic 2

This is another from cine-Jen's wedding this time.

Cine film photo's

Love all the old photos of Aunty Doll and Uncle Gerry.


This is from an old cine film so just trying it out and will try and do more,it is a bit blurred but it is Jim and Marie's wedding reception at The Swan, Aughton.
Vera (young!!) is in the foreground and I think Jim is behind and is that Uncle Tom (far left) ...not too sure of the rest.

Photos Taken at the end of W.W.2

Dad & Gegs Aged 4 Sitting of the Banks of Manchester Ship Canal ( Near Barton)




Doll & Gerry a couple of months after his homecoming :-
on holiday in Flixton 1946 in Aunty Henny & U.Barty's
back Garden



My Dad & I with Uncle Barty & his two Grandsons by M.S.Canal
Doll took the Photo.

The Whitehead Girls 1963 with our New Morris Minor

Ron, Sal & Sue 1963 with our new car !!!!
(The only registration i can still remember)

Doll (Various Snaps) before W.W.2

The top two photos were taken 1939 - 2 years before
she married Gerry.
The lower photo was taken outside our family home
(at the time) 38 Lathom Road. Doll is Left with her
future Mother in Law Molly ( Granny Whitehead) &
Dads sister A.Monica, still alive aged 99 in September.

Camping in the 1930's

In this photo can you spot Uncle Tom O'D ( Back Left)

& My Dad Gerry ( Front Centre). This was taken when they were approx 20.-y.o. at Appley Bridge Nr.Parbold.I don't know if thay had met Marthas 2 Glamerous Daughters at this

stage but I know they were pals in Scouts See Dark photo below full of indistinguable Scouts about 1930 -31 but they are

in there somewhere. ( My Dad told me when he was alive)

The O'Donnell gang

This is a great shot of us all in May/June 2010. It was fantastic to get together - we must do it more often.
From the left Tom, Alan, Kate, Patricia and Susan

What a Night Gerry 60 Birthday

Aunt Rene & I ( Heads cut off) with Marthas

Grandchildren & 3 Great Grandchilden

Three Very Glamerous Ladies 2007

Pat : Kate : Susan Looking very glam : Martha would have been very proud

The Whiteheads & Breithaupts approx 1955

Vera -Martha's daughter

1.Vera posing with her bike!!! Does anyone recognize where this is??
2.A young Vera
3.Vera and Peter Breithaupt(I think this was their wedding photo).