John Sweney and Alice Taylor

Pentonville Prison
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © N Chadwick - geograph.org.uk/p/6643449

John Sweney (b. 12 Dec 1867) son of John Henry Charles Sweeney and Susannah Harvey married Alice Taylor (18) daughter of Frederick Taylor and Ann Elizabeth Swaden, at Saint Matthew, Salmon Lane, Limehouse Fields, on 29 Mar 1886. Witnesses were George Taylor and Annie Taylor.

John and Alice had seven children:

1. Frederic Sweney (sic) b. 1887 J Quarter in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 435. Died aged 17 in 1904 J Quarter in WEST HAM Vol 04A Page 37
2. John Sweney b. 1889 M Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Vol 01C Page 554. Died age 1 in 1890 D Qtr in MILE END Vol 01C Page
3. Alice Sweney b. 1891 J Qtr in MILE END Vol 01C Page 506
4. Emma Sweney b. 1893 S Qtr in MILE END Vol 01C Page 522
5. John Sweney b. 1896 S Quarter in FULHAM Vol 01A Page 272
6. Thomas Sweney b. 1899 S Qtr in WEST HAM Vol 04A Page 6
7. Rose Sweney b. 1903 M Qtr in WEST HAM Vol 04A Page 35

TAYLOR is the mother's maiden name on the births of all of their children.

In 1891, at 79, St Ann's Road, Mile End Old Town we find John Sweney (24) Slater; Alice Sweney (24); Frederick Sweney (4) and Alice Sweney (3 mts).

The Globe of 29 Mar 1901 reported: ALLEGED ATTACK ON A WIFE

At the West Ham Police Court today, John Sweeney, 36, a tiler, of 3 Shaftesbury Avenue, Plaistow, was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on his wife Alice. Mr F Stern prosecuted. The wife, who attended for the first time, said her husband came home in the small hours of the morning of March 22 and was the worse for liquor. He threw on the table 3s 6d, saying that that was all the had got left out of half a sovereign, and she would have none of it. He threw a tumbler at her, then a pair of boots and a chair, but these articles missed her. He went on to punch her about the body and hit her across the arm with a chair. He told her to "Sling her hook" and threatened to finish her. She screamed, but though other people were in the house, no one went to her help. She became dazed, and the last thing she remembered was seeing him lifting a mahogany table over his head. When she recovered she found herself half-way through the window (on the ground floor), and when she moved she fell on the pavement. At the station she was seen by the divisional surgeon. He had been convicted before for assaulting her. Prisoner, who alleged that his wife was addicted to drink and neglected the house, was remanded.

Eastern Counties Times, 30 Mar 1901: FORGIVEN HIM TOO MANY TIMES

At the West Ham Police Court on Saturday, John Sweeney, 36, a tiler, of 3 Shaftesbury Avenue, Plaistow, was charged with assaulting his wife, Alice, by kicking her, striking her with some blunt instrument, and throwing her through a window. PC Butcher 711K, was on duty in High Street, Plaistow, early on Saturday morning, when he heard screams proceeding from Shaftesbury Avenue. On the way to the house he saw a woman, bleeding, and calling for help. From what she said to him, he went into No. 3, Shaftesbury Avenue, and saw the furniture all broken up, and prisoner sitting in the room. The officer made him put on his things, and go to the station, as his wife accused him of assaulting her. When at the station he said to his wife, "Don't charge me this time, Alice, and I will never chastise you again." The woman replied that she had forgiven him too many times. She was too ill to appear that morning, and a remand was asked.

John Sweeney, who had been received into custody on 23 Mar 1901, appeared again at West Ham Police Court on 19 Apr 1901, charged with Maliciously wounding Alice Sweeney. He pleaded guilty to Common Assault and was handed a 3 Calendar Month sentence in Pentonville Prison.

At the time of the 1901 Census on 31 March 1901, therefore, John Sweeney (36) Prisoner, Married, Slater from Plaistow was clearly on remand and indeed was listed at His Majesty's Prison in Holloway, Islington. 

Nevertheless, at 3 Shaftesbury Avenue, [Plaistow], West Ham there was an entry which appears to say "family removed", but this is crossed through and the following people are said to be present: James [John] Sweney (35) House tiler (Slater); Alice Sweney (35), Fred Sweney (14) Tiler's labourer; Alice Sweney (10), Ethel [Emma] Sweney (8), James [John] Sweney (5) - birthplace Fulham - and Tom Sweney (2). Obviously, John (who was not called James) couldn't be in two places at once - and somehow I trust the prison to know who they had under their roof - and I cannot speculate why Alice may have been trying to show that her husband was still at home, but along with the other errors, one does have to wonder who was 'on the sauce'.

In 1911, John Sweeney (41) Slater from Limehouse was living at 33 Heckfield Place, Fulham, with Alice Sweeney (41), John Sweeney (14), Thomas Sweeney (12) and Rose Sweeney (7). This census confirms that the couple had seven children, of whom five were then still living and two had died. 

In 1921, John Sweney (54) Slater was at 107, Lawrence Avenue, East Ham with Alice Sweney (54), Rose Sweney (18) and Thomas Sweney (24) Slater.

Alice Sweeney died, aged 65, in 1931 M Qtr in WEST HAM Vol 04A 233.

In 1939, at 107a Lawrence Avenue, Manor Park, Newham, East Ham, listed as Charles J Sweeney, Slater Tiler (Retired) - this is clearly John and even quotes his birthdate of 12 Dec 1867 - with a John J Watson (assume Lodger).

John Sweeney died, aged 77, in 1944 S Quarter in FULHAM Volume 01A Page 248. Interestingly, at FindMyPast this same record, with the same references, has been transcribed twice: once as Charles Sweeney and once more as John Sweeney, so I am convinced this is our man. 

George Daniel Tompson and Alice Oldfield

St Andrew's Church, Whittlesey
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Tiger - geograph.org.uk/p/924937

George Daniel Tompson (b. 1885 in St George in the East, London), son of Dan Tompson and Sarah Jane Baker, married Alice Oldfield (b. 1879 in Whittlesey), daughter of George Oldfield (Licenced Victualler and Blacksmith. Pubs in East Delph were the Anchor, The Three Fishes and the Hare and Hounds, but records don't show which one George Oldfield kept) and Caroline Hemmaway, in the parish of Whittlesey St Andrew, on on 29 Mar 1910.

On 7 March 1908, George Daniel Tompson had sailed from Liverpool, on the Lusitania and arrived in New York, to Ellis Island, on 13 March 1908. The passenger manifest shows the 22 year old bricklayer's intended destination had been Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. However, there's a line through his name, so it looks as if he was refused entry to the United States. Quite when, how and why he ended up in Toronto, Canada instead remains a mystery, but clearly he set himself up there, then returned for his bride.

House on the right 133 Morrison Avenue, Toronto, Canada

After their marriage in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire in 1910, in 1911, George, with wife Alice, were back in Canada, where, on 25 Apr 1911, Alice gave birth to a stillborn son at 133 Morrison Avenue, Toronto, Canada.

On the 1911 Canadian Census on 1 Jun 1911, living at 133 Morrison Avenue, Toronto, were George Tompson (27), Alice Tompson (32), Richard Oldfield (26), Walter Oldfield (22), Charles Oldfield (19), William Tinkler (26) and Fred Tinkler (26), the last two being boarders. Richard, Walter and Charles Oldfield were all Alice's younger brothers. Richard and Walter were Bricklayers Labourers and Charles a labourer. Alice's three brothers hadn't been in Canada long, as they had been listed on the 1911 United Kingdom census on 2 Apr 1911 in their father's household. Pure speculation, of course, but it would make sense if, having arrived in Toronto around 1908, George Daniel acquired the plot in Earlscourt and built the house at number 133 Morrison Avenue in the intervening years before going back to England to claim his bride once he'd prepared a home for them. The workforce of brickies' labourers turned up a year later and they built the house at 131 Morrison Avenue ready for Dad to move into in 1912. Possibly. Maybe.

George and Alice went on to have at least these children:

1. Stillborn son b. 25 Apr 1911 at 133 Morrison Avenue
2. Daniel George Tompson (Dan) b. 23 May 1912 at 133 Morrison Avenue
3. Ruth Tompson b. 3 Sep 1914 (d. 2008)
4. Richard Tompson (Dick) b. 18 Mar 1916 at 131 Morrison Avenue
5. Charles Gordon Tompson (Chuck) b. 20 Mar 1919
6. Walter Tompson (Wally) b. 11 Mar 1921

In 1921, George Daniel Thompson (36) was living at 124 Hatherley Road, Toronto (which, once more, he may have built) with Alice (41), Daniel George (9), Ruth (6), Richard (5), Charles Gordon (2), and Walter, 2 months.

In 1931, George D Thompson (46) still at 124 Hatherley Rd, with Alice (51), Daniel G (19), Ruth (16), Richard (15) and Charles (12) and Walter (10).

George Daniel Tompson was also listed at 124 Hatherley Road, in the Toronto Centennial City Directory in 1934 and their son, Daniel George, was listed in that directory at that time as a teacher at a York Public School. 

Alice Tompson (90), wife of George Daniel Tompson, died at Riverdale Hospital on Thursday, 26 Jun 1969. The announcement of her death, in the Toronto Star, lists her as the dear mother of Mrs Ruth Blackman, Richard, Walter and the late Daniel and Charles and that they had nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Alice's brother Richard Oldfield was also mentioned by name. Alice was interred at Westminster Memorial Park.

George Daniel Tompson (88), beloved husband of the late Alice Oldfield, died on 16 Aug 1973. His obituary lists his children Ruth Blackman, Richard, Walter; Charles Gordon and Daniel George both pre-deceased and that he was the "loved brother of Ivy, Nellie and Toots" (his three younger sisters: Ivy Maud Tompson, Ellen Hoile Folville Tompson and Amelia Mary Tompson.) 

(Obituaries via Christine Miller of GIN AND GENEALOGY).

Dennis Blackman son of George Blackman and Ada Alice Young, married Ruth Thompson (with an H in her name), in Fairbank, York, Ontario, Canada on 29 Oct 1937. Born Dennis Leslie James Blackman in 1911 D Quarter in READING Volume 02C Page 665 and bap. 15 Oct 1911 at St Luke's Church, Reading, Berkshire, he emigrated to Canada with his parents and older sister, Dorothy Margaret Annie Blackman, sailing on the S/S Ausonia from Southampton, arriving in Quebec, Canada on 14 Jul 1913.

Daniel George Tompson married Dorothy Adeline Bryant on 30 Apr 1938. Daniel George Tompson, Head of Science Dept., York Memorial Collegiate, died suddenly on Friday, 19 Nov 1965 at Humber Memorial Hospital. His obituary mentions two sons, his parents, 1 sister and 2 brothers. Daniel is buried at Westminster Memorial Park. Dorothy died in 2009, at 96.

Charles Gordon Tompson married Irene Mary McQueston (b. 1919), daughter of John McQueston and Annie Holmes, in Toronto on 18 Dec 1940. Sergeant Charles Gordon Tompson (25), B/69674. Mentioned in Despatches. "C" Sqn., 3rd Armd. Recce. [Reconnaissance] Regt., of the Governor General's Horse Guards, R.C.A.C., was killed in Italy on 18 Dec 1944. He is buried at Villanova Canadian War Cemetery, Villanova di Bagnacavallo, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Plot VI, C, 3. Second World War Book of Remembrance. From his obituary: "Sgt. Charles Gordon Tompson, 25, of the Governor General's Horse Guards, Reconnaissance Unit, was killed in Italy on Dec 18, according to word received [from his wife] the former Irene McQuestion, 522, Delaware Ave. Born in Toronto, Sgt. Tompson attended York Memorial Collegiate. Before enlisting in October 1939, Sgt. Tompson was employed by Timmins and Timmins brokerage firm, a member of the GGHG Reserve Sgt. Tompson trained at Camp Borden and arrived overseas in October 1941. He went to Italy in May of the next year. He saw action at both the Hitler and Gothic Lines. Sgt. Tompson was the son of Mr and Mrs George Tompson, 124 Hatherly Road. Surviving besides his wife and parents are two brothers and one sister; Lieut. Richard, who was wounded at Normandy and had just returned to Canada [as a stretcher case]; Flt. Lt. Walter, stationed at Ceylon, India [now Sri Lanka] and Mrs Ruth Blackman of Toronto. A brother-in-law [Ruth's husband], Sgt. Major Dennis Blackman is stationed in England with GGHG."

It appears that Richard Tompson married his brother Charles' widow, the former Miss Irene Mary McQueston, but [as yet], I've been unable to find a record of the actual marriage. Richard Tompson died peacefully on Sunday, 13 Oct 1996 in his 81st year. Irene Mary Tompson died, at 80, in 1999.

LAC Walter Tompson married Gladys Marion Tulloch (b. 22 Sep 1924), daughter of Walter Edgar Tulloch and Mildred Ann Hermiston, in Blind River, Algoma, Ontario, Canada, on 17 Feb 1942. Gladys Marian Tompson died, aged 90, on Sunday May 3, 2015 and Walter Tompson died on Sunday February 5, 2017, at the age of 95. (Links include bios.)

124 Hatherley Road, Toronto