Thomas Simon Oliver Bailey and Ada Mary Hartwell

Clifton Suspension Bridge

At almost 42, Thomas Simon Oliver Bailey (b. 1 Oct 1869), son of Thomas Bailey and Lucy Elizabeth Ann Fudge, married the 25 year old, Ada Mary Hartwell (b. 1886), daughter of Thomas Cooper Hartwell and Julia Adelaide Hodges, at St Paul's Church, Clifton, Bristol (photo) on 4 Sep 1911.

Thomas Simon Oliver Bailey had enlisted, at the age of 14, in the Royal Marines on 22 Nov 1884, in which he served until 20 Feb 1896, having attained the rank of Corporal in 1894. On 21 Feb 1896, he signed up for 12 years with the Royal Navy, as a Ship's Corporal, from which he was pensioned on 16 Dec 1909.

In 1911, Thomas Bailey, from Stonehouse, Devonshire, listed as 40, was a boarder in the household of John Milton Mann (53) Fine Art Dealer, in Clifton, Bristol and was employed as a Toll Collector by the Clifton Suspension Bridge Company. Meanwhile, Ada Mary Hartwell (24), from Chadbury, Worcestershire, was in service as a domestic cook in Long Ashton, North Somerset, just outside the boundary of city of Bristol urban area.

Thomas and Ada had two children:

1. Dorothy Ada Bailey b. 1912 D Quarter in BRISTOL Vol 06A Page 8
2. Stanley Thomas Bailey b. 1914 S Quarter in BRISTOL Vol 06A Page 7

Then along came the First World War and Thomas Bailey was re-engaged by the Royal Navy in Aug 1914, until his final discharge on 1 Mar 1919. 

Records show Thomas and Ada and both children in Plymouth in 1921.

Ada Mary Bailey died, aged 40, in 1927 in Plymouth Volume 05B Page 427.

Thomas S O Bailey is still listed in Plymouth in 1939 (yet to access) and died, aged 79, in 1948 D Quarter in PLYMOUTH Volume 07A Page 634.

Arthur Wilton Day and Louisa Jane James

South Beach, Weston-super-Mare
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Ian Capper - geograph.org.uk/p/6392467
South Beach at Weston-super-Mare with Birnbeck Pier

Arthur Wilton Day (b. 29 Dec 1879 in Chipping Ongar, Essex), son of Arthur Stephen Day and Mary Ann Ray, married Louisa Jane James (b. 31 Jan 1880 in Highbridge, Somerset), daughter of Joseph James and Emily Young, at St Stephen's church, Villa Street, Walworth, in the 4th quarter of 1900. The former St Stephen's Anglican church, was a large church (allegedly seating 2000), built c. 1866 (architect H Jarvis) and demolished c. 1956.

Ebner Street, Wandsworth
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Derek Harper
geograph.org.uk/p/3069437

In 1901, they were living at 23, Ebner Street, Wandsworth, with Arthur Day (21) Gas Fitter, Louisa Day (21) Lilian James (17) - Louisa's sister - an Incandescent Mantle Packer and Henry White (22) Window Cleaner, from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, Boarder. 

In 1911, still at the same address at 23, Ebner Street, Wandsworth, we find Arthur W Day (31) Gas Fitter, Louisa J Day (31), Cecil A Day (24) Clerk Columbia Phono Corp - Arthur's brother - and his sister, Daisy R Heckman (30) described as "Married Deserted 7 Yrs".

If Arthur and Louisa had any children, it hasn't [yet] been possible to determine.

By 1921, it appears they were living in Bristol and Arthur Wilton Day died, aged 58, in 1938, in Bristol.

In 1939, Louisa Jane Day, widowed, was a Paid Companion, living in the household of Charles and Julia Burnett at 141 Richmond Road, Bristol.

Louisa Jane Day returned to her Somerset roots in her retirement, it seems, as she died, aged 79, in 1959, in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset.

Frederick John Bridle and Florence Melita Louisa Coleman

Medjez-El-Bab Memorial Verity Cridland, CC BY 2.0

Frederick John Bridle, youngest child of John Lucas Bridle and Alice Brewer, married Florence Melita Louisa Coleman, in Bristol, in 1934. 

They had a daughter in 1935. And in 1939, we find them in Wells Road [Totterdown], Bristol, with Frederick working as a "Labourer Arp Shelters". 

Frederick John Bridle (30), Driver, Royal Army Service Corps, son of  J. and Alice Bridle; husband of Florence Melitia Bridle, of Totterdown, Bristol, died on 9 Feb 1943. He is buried at Medjez-El-Bab War Cemetery, near Majaz al Bab, Tunisia. (During World War II, Tunisia was the scene of Operation Torch (8 November 1942 – 13 May 1943), which was the Allied invasion of North Africa. CWGC Commonwealth War Graves in Béja & Medjez-el-Bab, Tunisia, North Africa.)

Frederick's widow, Florence M L Bridle, died in 1988, at 78, in Bristol.

John Lucas Bridle and Alice Brewer

Stoke Canon Post Office & Stores
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Bill Boaden - geograph.org.uk/p/4054054

John Lucas Bridle, son of Henry Bridle and Emma Lucas and younger brother of William Bridle and Mark Bridle, married Alice Brewer, in Exeter in early 1899. Alice, born in Newton St Cyres, on 29 Jul 1881 and baptised there on 2 Oct 1881, was the daughter of Thomas Brewer from Morchard Bishop and Sarah Heywood (who had married in her parish of Witheridge, on 31 Aug 1873.)

John and Alice had five children:

1. Emma Bridle born 29 Apr 1899, bap. 18 Jun 1899 in Stoke Canon
2. Frances Annie Bridle born 12 Dec 1900, bap. 6 Feb 1901 in Stoke Canon
3. William Henry Bridle born 1902 (Died aged 2, and was buried on 14 Apr 1904 in Stoke Canon. Curiously, the burial record specifies that the child was "unbaptised" and that "Burial Service not used".)
4. George Henry Bridle born 6 Jan 1906, bap. 18 Mar 1906 in Stoke Canon
5. Frederick John Bridle born 18 Dec 1912, bap. 22 Feb 1913 in Stoke Canon

All of the children's baptisms list John as a Paper Maker.

In 1901, John Lucas Bridle (21) Paper mill labourer, Alice (19), Emma (1) and Frances Anne (0) were living at Channings Court, Stoke Canon.

And in 1911, having moved to The Square, Stoke Canon, were John Bridle (30) Paper millhand, Alice (30) Paper sorter, Emma (12), Annie (11) and George (5). 

In 1915 the village of Stoke Canon, just north of Exeter, was the centre of a bitter strike. [...] Workers were in dispute over a pay claim and recognition of the National Union of Printing and Paper Workers. Charles Tremlett, Managing Director of the Stoke Canon Paper Mill, responded by sacking the workers and evicting them from their tied cottages. With nowhere else to go, the union bought the families tents and they were forced to camp in a local field. The strikers won widespread support from around the area. The village schoolteachers took up the cause and funds were raised to support the families.

Among the strikers (pictured here) were John Bridle and family, who lived at The Square. The Bridle family must have moved on, as there's a note on George Henry's school record, dated 15 Oct 1915, which says "Left the Place".

In 1939, John Bridle, Incapacitated and Alice, were at 17 Philip Street, Bristol.

John L Bridle died in 1956, aged 77; Alice Bridle in 1964, aged 83. 

James Shopland and Loveday Jane Stone

Bridge and Uplowman church
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © David Smith - geograph.org.uk/p/4097757

Loveday Jane Stone, third daughter of Frederick James Stone and Loveday Jane Land, married James Shopland, son of James Shopland and Caroline Sydenham, at St Peter’s Church, Uplowman on 2 Nov 1904. Witnesses were Mary Ann Stone, the bride's sister and Frederick James Stone, most likely her father. 

James Shopland's father, James Shopland (1850-1908), was a Wheelwright and Carpenter of Chevithorne Village, Tiverton. In 1901, James Shopland (16) had been employed as a Dairyman's Labourer to Samuel B Thornton, residing at The Island Cottage, Lowman Green, Tiverton. Then, on 8 Jun 1901, adding two years to his age and claiming to be 18 years and 3 months, James Shopland, enlisted for Short Service in the Devonshire Regiment and served until 7 Jun 1913, when he was discharged at the end of his first period of engagement. James' record says he passed classes as Mounted infantry, Certified.

From 23 Jul 1902 until 21 May 1903, James served in South Africa, in the aftermath of the Second Boer War. Then from 22 May 1903, until his discharge, he was assigned to Home, presumably actual home, as a reservist:

1. Frederick James Shopland born 19 Nov 1905, bap. 17 Dec 1905 at St Peter's Church, Tiverton, as the family's address at the time of this baptism was 3 Adam's Court, Barrington Street, Tiverton. In 1927, he married Elizabeth A P Cox and in 1939, they were living at 131 Eden Grove, Bristol. Frederick James Shopland died in 1971, in Weston-super-Mare.
2. Loveday Jane Shopland, born 14 Feb 1907, bap. 17 Feb 1907 at Cove. In 1928, Loveday Jane Shopland married Leonard Southcott in Bristol. Their address in 1939 was 34 Pylle Hill Crescent, Bristol. Leonard Southcott died, aged 47, in 1950, in Bristol and in 1952, Loveday Jane Southcott remarried to a James J Basten-Rank. James J B Rank died, aged 68, in 1966, in Weston-super-Mare. Despite this second marriage, her death in 1995, in Taunton Deane, is registered under Loveday Jane Southcott. 
   
3. Albert Geoffrey Shopland born 21 Jul 1908. In 1930, Albert Geoffrey Shopland married Annie Richards in Bristol and in 1939 were living at 3 Chessington Avenue, Bristol. Albert G Shopland died, in Britol, aged 35.
4. Sidney Arthur Shopland bap. 27 Feb 1910 at Bickleigh. On 13 Jun 1929, Sidney Arthur Shopland enlisted in the Royal Artillery. Haven't been able to find a marriage, but Sidney A Shopland died, aged 58, in 1968, in Bristol.
5. John James Shopland born 1911. There is more than one John Shopland in the relevant areas and none specifically listed as John James, so it hasn't yet been possible to isolate relevant records for him going forward.

Seckerleigh Farm
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Derek Harper - geograph.org.uk/p/1767262

In 1911, the family, living at New Cottages, Seckerleigh Farm, Halberton, consisted James Shopland (27) Farm Labourer, Loveday Jane (27), Frederick James (6), Loveday Jane (4), Albert Geoffrey (3), Sidney Arthur (1) and boarder, Robert Charles Harris (38) Farm Labourer, from Penzance, Cornwall. 

In 1939, Loveday Jane Shopland (née Stone) was living at 34 Pylle Hill Crescent, Bristol, with her daughter, Loveday Jane Southcott. She was listed as married, but there was no sign of James. Loveday Jane Shopland died, aged 56, in 1941, in Taunton, Somerset. James Shopland died, in Bristol, in 1955.

Pylle Hill Crescent
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Thomas Nugent - geograph.org.uk/p/2566288