Harry Bridle and Adeline Martha Coome

Photo © JThomas (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Exeter Guildhall, Friday, 15 November, 2024

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

Harry Bridle (b. 7 Aug 1887 in Stoke Canon, Devon), son of William Henry Bridle and Emma Lucas, married Adeline Martha Coome (b. 1887 J Quarter in EXETER Volume 05B Page 102), daughter of Henry Lewis Coome and Eliza Catherine Gibbs, at the Registry Office, Exeter, Devon, on 9 Mar 1907. (In 1907, the Exeter registry office was likely located in Exeter Guildhall).

Harry and Adeline Bridle had 13 children:

1. Harry Bridle b. 8 Jul 1907 S Quarter in  ST THOMAS Vol 05B Page 43
2. Winifred Adeline Bridle b. 17 Oct 1910 D Qtr in ST THOS Vol 05B 38
3. Dorothy Agnes Bridle b. 10 Apr 1912 J Qtr in BRISTOL Vol 06A 281
4. Frederick Bridle b. 14 Dec 1913 (1914 M Qtr BRISTOL Vol 06A 267)
5. Edwin Bridle b. 23 Aug 1915 S Quarter in BRISTOL Vol 06A Page 283
6. Adeline Bridle b. 1919 S Quarter in EXETER Volume 05B Page 114
7. Lilian Elsie Bridle b. 1922 M Quarter in EXETER Volume 05B Page 128
8. William Bridle b. 1923 M Quarter in EXETER Volume 05B Page 118
9. Betty Emma Bridle b. 1925 D Quarter in EXETER Volume 05B Page 118
10. Arthur Bridle b. 1927 J Quarter in EXETER Volume 05B Page 101
11. Douglas Bridle b. 1929 J Quarter in EXETER Volume 05B Page 98
12. Peggy Bridle b. 1929 J Quarter in EXETER Volume 05B Page 98
13. Joan Bridle b. 1931 in Canada

In 1911, living at 10 Channons Hill, Fishponds, Bristol, Gloucestershire, were Harry Bridle (23) Tailor maker and Adeline Bridle (23) Sewing machinist tailoring. Their son, Harry Bridle (3) was staying with his Uncle Mark Bridle in Stoke Cannon, Devon; while Winifred (5 mts) was with her grandparents, Henry and Eliza Coombe at 8 Sivell Place, Heavitree, Devon.

During WWI, Private Harry Bridle #21488 from Stoke Canon, Devon served with the Royal West Kent Regiment. (Originally #30894 with the Gloucester Regiment.) We know this because in 1936 Harry applied for the reissue of his discharge papers and medals that were lost on the boat going to Canada in 1930. It's only the paper trail of that application which preserves his service records (that otherwise would have been lost in 1940). He originally enlisted in 1915; examined in Bristol, on 1 Jul 1916, Harry Bridle was 28 years and 10 months old; previously a Tailor (Foreman); then 5ft 5¾in, 129 lbs with a 38in chest. He was mobilised on 25 Aug 1916 and posted to the Gloucester Regiment the following day, being posted to France on 1 Jan 1917. He transferred to the Royal West Kent Regiment on 1 Apr 1918.

Harry Bridle was wounded in action on 21 Sep 1918. On 28 Sep 1918, he was admitted to the Middlesex War Hospital in Clacton-on-Sea (this was a convalescent home connected to the Middlesex Hospital in London. It was located on Holland Road, opened in 1896, and was used during World War I to care for returning soldiers). After 3 days, he was transferred to Oakwood Hospital (Oakwood Hospital was a psychiatric hospital in Maidstone, Kent, that was used in World War I (WWI)) for a further 39 days. The reason for the stay was that he had suffered a shrapnel wound to his right arm. He returned to duty and was finally demobilised on 29 Apr 1919.

The date and venue of Harry and Adeline's marriage is listed in his Army record, along with names and birth dates of their first five children. We can also see why there's a gap in the births between 1915 and 1919!

In 1921, living at 23, Morgans Buildings, Wonford, Exeter, Devon (see here for an image of Dryden Road (then known as Morgans Buildings). c1905) were Harry Bridle (33) Tailor; Adeline Bridle (34), Harry Bridle (13) Errand Boy; Winifred Bridle (10), Dorothy Bridle (9), Frederick Bridle (7) and Adeline Bridle (1). Their then youngest son, Edwin Bridle (5 yrs and 10 mts), was a patient at the The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter, Devon.

On 29 Apr 1927, at the age of 19, eldest son, Harry Bridle, giving his last address as 18 Widgery Road, Exeter, departed from Liverpool on the Cunard Liner, RMS Andania (1921), bound for Montreal, Canada.

SS Montclare (later HMS Montclare) of The Canadian Pacific Line (CP Ships)

On 16 May 1930, Harry Bridle (42) Tailor, giving his last address again as 18 Widgery Road, Exeter, embarked on the SS Montclare of The Canadian Pacific Line, at Southampton, England, bound for Quebec, Canada, accompanied by Adeline Bridle (42) Housewife; Winifred Bridle (19) Domestic; Dorothy Bridle (18) Domestic; Frederick Bridle (16) Shop Assistant; Edwin Bridle (14) Errand Boy; Adeline (10), Lilian (8), William (7) and Betty (4) all at School and the youngest three toddlers, Arthur (3) and twins, Peggy and Douglas (1). 

This event made the family momentarily 'famous' in various press outlets as the Largest Emigrant Family. The Daily Herald, on 17 May 1930, led with the headline FAMILY OF 13 EMIGRATE, "An Exeter family of 13 sailed from Southampton to Canada yesterday. The father, Mr Harry Bridle, aged 42, a tailor, said he was emigrating on the advice of a son who had done well in Canada. The children's ages range from 19 to one year." The Portsmouth Evening News of the same date added, "... they are the largest family to emigrate this year under the Government £10 assisted passage scheme."

In 1931, the family were living in Scott Street, Brampton, Peel, Ontario, Canada, with Harry Bridle (44) Tailor; Adeline Bridle (44), Harry Bridle (24), Winfred (20), Dorothy (19), Frederick (17), Edwin (16), Adeline (12), Elsie [Lilian Elsie] (9), William (8), Betty (5), Arthur (4), Douglas and Peggy (2).

On 20 Jul 1951, Adeline Bridle (63) and Harry Bridle (~60) arrived in Southampton, England, having sailed, tourist class, from New York on the RMS Queen Mary of the Cunard Steam-Ship Company. The address they gave in England was 32 Mount Pleasant, Exeter, presumably to visit family.

Harry Bridle died, aged 77, on 24 Oct 1964 and was buried, on 26 Oct 1964, at Brampton Cemetery. 

His obituary, published 12 Nov 1964 in the Mount Forest Confederate Newspaper reads:

Local Resident's Father Dies After Long Illness 

Harry Bridle, father of Harry Bridle of Mound Forest, passed away at his home in Brampton on Saturday, October 24, after a lengthy illness. He was 77. Mr Bridle was born in Devon, England, and had lived n Brampton for thirty-four years. Before his retirement he was a tailor. Joining the army during the First World War he served from 1915 to 1919 and during the Second World War from 1940 to 1944. He was a member of the Christ Anglican Church, Brampton, and of the Royal Canadian Legion. Surviving are his wife; six sons, Fred, Arthur and Douglas of Brampton; Harry, Mount Forest; Edwin, Freelton; and William, Peterborough; and seven daughters, Dorothy, Mrs W Powell; Peggy, Mrs J Mulholland and Joan, Mrs R Clancy, all of Brampton; Winnie, Mrs C W Raine, Toronto; Adeline, Mrs G Hall, Burlington; Elsie, Mrs H Hale, Streetsville and Bettie (sic), Mrs N Nedelcoff, Weston. The funeral was held from the McKillop Funeral Home, Brampton, on Monday, October 26, and was on charge of the Rev. F J Bournes. Interment was in Brampton Cemetery. The six sons were the pall-bearers.

Adeline Martha Bridle died in 1966 and is buried with her late husband.

(How am I related? Harry Bridle's eldest brother, William Bridle, married my Great-Grand Aunt, Lucy Jane Stone.)