FAMILY
My Grandmother Ellen Owens married my Grandfather Bernard Hogan on 28th of March 1937 at St Anthony`s church, Scotland Road, Liverpool. Her parents where John Owens and Sarah Ann Cain, who married at St Anthony`s Church on 26th August 1905. They had a son Austin born in 1908 and my Grandmother Ellen born 11 January 1912. John died during WW1, he was the son of James Owens from Strokestown, Roscommon and Ellen from Dublin. Sarah later married Richard Sudworth on 14th October 1916 at Our Lady Of The Reconciliation Church in Eldon Street, with whom she had a son called Richard ( uncle Dick ).
Sarah Ann Cain was the daughter of John Cain and Mary Hennessey, Marys parents where James Hennessey born 1822 in Ireland and Mary. James was a plasterer by trade. John Cain's parents where Michael Cain born 1816 in Ireland and Margaret Daily born 1814 in Ireland, Michael was a Cotton Porter. Sadly on Christmas Eve 1874 Michael Cain died of bronchitis at 42 Gordon Street, Everton, Liverpool. Margaret was made a widow but died herself a few hours later. They were both buried at Ford Cemetery, Liverpool on 27 December 1874 and although they had public burials they are at least in the same grave.
_This field in Ford Cemetery contains the Public Burials. There are no headstones, but it is nice that nothing has been allowed to cover the graves. Michael and Margaret Cain are buried together here along with a few more of my ancestors. Never Forgotten When In Our Hearts.
_My Dad remembered his Nanna Sarah, and said that when the air raid
sirens went off in WW2 she would hurry everyone including the men into
the Air Raid shelter that was in their road ( Kew Street ) then she
would go back to her flat on the 2nd floor and hide under the kitchen
table. He recalls she was a cleaner at the Westmoreland Arms ( later
known as Dolly Hickey's Pub ) and how she would take him into St
Anthony's church every day, where she would clean the pews. He would
moan " nobody spent more time in that church than me, not even the
priest ". Then he told me about the time when he was waiting for her to
come home one February night in 1945. My dad was 6 and heard his Nanna
Sarah singing in the street ( after a few drinks in a local pub ) in his
excitement he raced along the landing to the top of the stairs, looking
down he saw his Nanna climbing the steps, then to his horror he saw her
fall backwards. Sarah banged her head in the fall and sadly died in
hospital. Sarah had suffered from fits in her life and when she took one
a spoon was placed into her mouth to stop her swallowing her tongue.
Her Grandaughter Anne has that spoon and you can see teeth marks in it.
Sarah Ann Cain
_My Grandma Ellen was only 3 when she lost her father John in WW1. As a
young woman she went to work as a chambermaid in hotels in North Wales,
Llandudno I believe, before returning home and meeting my grandad. My
Grandparents had my father Bernard in 1938, then the war came and my
Grandad never came home again. He had ordered flowers for my nan for
valentines day weeks in advance while he was at war in Italy. Sadly
he died on 25 January 1944 and Nanna recieved the news by telegram on 18
February, the next day his flowers arrived five days late. Her brothers
where both at war, Austin on the Merchant ships bringing in supplies
and Richard serving with the Army in France and Burma, thankfully both
returned home safe. My dad recalled his uncle Richard ( uncle Dick )
coming back from the war and staying with him and his mum. Uncle Dick
was one of my grandads best friends and was devastated by his death in
WW2. Dick had carried a photo of my grandad in his Army pay book
throughout the war. My dad says he slept on the couch and would wake up
screaming and his Mam would go and comfort her brother.
The photo of my Grandad Bernard from the back of Uncle Dick's Army pay book
My Nanna Ellen's school leaving report from St Bridget's
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So Nanna ( known to all as Nellie ) and my dad got on with life together, he told us how they used to shine the Lino in the flat. Nanna would tie a towel around my dads bum like a nappy then push and pull him all over the room so as to rub in the wax, he said it was great fun and that the lino was like a death trap as it shined so much. He would go to the Throstles Nest Pub to get his mam 5 ciggies from the lady who sat behind the pub door, she would wrap them in a paper bag. He mentioned how he and his mam could buy a whole sunday dinner without going in a shop " you could buy anything in the pubs and on the streets, and much cheaper" he would say. And as for crossing Scotland road " you think its mad now? you should have tried dodging them friggin horses". He also remembered the family parties and how the adults would dance and the kids would get stood in the fire so as not to get stamped on " In the bloomin fire " he'd say.
Ellen and my dad were evacuated to Hollywell in Wales during WW2 when the Blitz took full hold and a few of the family seem to have followed. They wrote and recieved letters from my grandad in Malta and hoped for his safe return. Coming back to Liverpool my dad became a pupil at St Anthony's school.
So Nanna ( known to all as Nellie ) and my dad got on with life together, he told us how they used to shine the Lino in the flat. Nanna would tie a towel around my dads bum like a nappy then push and pull him all over the room so as to rub in the wax, he said it was great fun and that the lino was like a death trap as it shined so much. He would go to the Throstles Nest Pub to get his mam 5 ciggies from the lady who sat behind the pub door, she would wrap them in a paper bag. He mentioned how he and his mam could buy a whole sunday dinner without going in a shop " you could buy anything in the pubs and on the streets, and much cheaper" he would say. And as for crossing Scotland road " you think its mad now? you should have tried dodging them friggin horses". He also remembered the family parties and how the adults would dance and the kids would get stood in the fire so as not to get stamped on " In the bloomin fire " he'd say.
Ellen and my dad were evacuated to Hollywell in Wales during WW2 when the Blitz took full hold and a few of the family seem to have followed. They wrote and recieved letters from my grandad in Malta and hoped for his safe return. Coming back to Liverpool my dad became a pupil at St Anthony's school.
_My Grandma Ellen and my dad in Hollywell, during evacuation. Notice my Nan's hair, 30 odd years later Star Wars would pinch it for princess Lea.
These two photographs where sent to my grandad in Malta, he would have had them with him when he died in Italy, before they where sent home to Ellen.
The photos have inscriptions on the back and read " Lots of love from Nellie and Baby " and " This is Bernard outside the house where your mum and Win are staying, and the dogs name is Queenie. He takes it out every day on the lease "
These two photographs where sent to my grandad in Malta, he would have had them with him when he died in Italy, before they where sent home to Ellen.
The photos have inscriptions on the back and read " Lots of love from Nellie and Baby " and " This is Bernard outside the house where your mum and Win are staying, and the dogs name is Queenie. He takes it out every day on the lease "
Ellen had to carry on bringing up her son alone, she found work at 'Kirkland and Jennings' on Hardman street ( Kirklands bar ) and whilst here she met Arthur Graley who was working there as a Baker. They fell in love and married at St Patrick's church, Park road. Arthur Patrick Graley was born in 1909 to James Graley and Ann Crowley. Both from families with long connections to the Dingle and Ireland. The Crowley's came to Liverpool from Cork. Arthur would make Birthday and Wedding cakes for the family.
When Ellen and Arthur married my father was given the option of changing his name to Graley, he chose to remain a Hogan. The family now moved to the south end of the city in the Dingle, my dad would take the bus to St Anthony's school Scotland road as he wanted to stay with his friends, but by the time senior school came around he chose to go to St Patrick's school on Park road, where his football talents started to show.
Ellen and Arthur had their first child Kenneth in February 1948, Sadly Kenneth was very ill and died 3 weeks later at Alder Hey hospital. He was buried at Ford Cemetery with his grandma Sarah on 4 March 1948. In four years Ellen had lost her husband, mother and child, how she coped I will never know. I admire my Nanna's strength for carrying on with life. Ellen and Arthur had 4 more children Arthur, Jimmy, Anne and Michael and lived at 24b Kings Gardens, later moving down into the Childwall Valley. My nan was incredible at cross words and if you put a paper down she would finish it in minutes.
My Nanna Ellen And Asleep On Llandudno Beach As Grandad Arthur Smiles On
My Nan's brother Austin had fallen on a cup as a young lad and injured his eye so badly that it troubled him for the rest of his life. He joined the merchant Navy and served before, during and after WW2. Later he tried to get my dad to join, telling him it was a great life and how he would see the world. Austin got my dad his enlistment papers and all he needed was a parents signature so off he took it to his mam who ripped it up saying " your not going " and that was the end of my dads Merchant Navy career. Austin married Margaret Mcinerney in 1930 and they had 5 children Marie, Josie, Eileen, John and Austin. They lived in Hopwood street.
I have found records of Austin serving aboard a few ships. In 1932 he sails with the " BALTIC " on the following dates 25th Jan 1932, 23rd Feb 1932 and 22nd March. The Baltic was part of The White Star Lines weekly Liverpool to New York Service.
_ BALTIC Seen Here At Liverpool. Photograph Courtesy Of Norwayheritage.com
Austin Owens with his Daughter Mary at her wedding
_Austin signed on to the ship " BRITISH TRADITION " on 22 September 1942
in New York, USA. The ship sailed as part of convoy NG.309 on 27
September and called at Curacao in the Caribbean Islands. The convoy
contained 24 merchant ships with no escorts. " British Tradition "
arrived back in New York on 24 October 1942. Then the ship left New York
on 26 October with a cargo of gas as part of convoy HX.213, and arrived
in Liverpool on 10 November. The NG series sailed from New York to
Guantanamo from August 1942 until May 1945. A special NG convoy sailed
to Trinidad in December 1942.
Two pics of LA PAMPA Austin Sailed With Her In 1944
My Nan's other brother was Richard Sudworth ( uncle Dick ) Who married Ann Hughes and they lived in Hartley close. My dad told me how Dick used to stick his finger up the fire and brush the soot onto his teeth then rinse them, he said he saw a few relatives cleaning their teeth this way. He and his uncle Dick where best of mates. Dick once worked as a Rag and Bone man and would bring the horse and cart into Kings Gardens when visiting his sister, My Nan would tell him to get it out of there, but the kids thought it was pretty cool. In 1966 my dad was at the FA cup Semi Final at Burnden Park to Watch Everton beat Manchester United. When Everton Scored a guy jumped on my dad and they celebrated together, hugging and cheering, then my dad looked up and said " uncle Dick ". They had not known each other where at the game, yet had found themselves when the goal went in.
Francis Cragg
_My Granma Ellen had a cousin Francis Cragg who was born in Liverpool
in 1924. He signed up with the Merchant Navy during WW2 as Ordinary
Seaman LT/JX 265126 aboard " HMS BEDFORDSHIRE " A fishing trawler
launched in Teeside in 1935 and taken over by the Admirality in August
1939.
By 1941 the Americans were losing many tankers and other shipping to German U-boats active off the east coast of the USA. During March and April 1942 the U-boats had caused huge loss to shipping, cargo and men. The US navy had no real anti-submarine fleet so the British Admiralty answered their plea and agreed to lend them twenty four anti-submarine trawlers. These British trawlers would come under American command and be used for patrol and escort work.
Two trawlers HMS Bedfordshire and HMS ST. Loman were sent out on the 11th May 1942 off the coast of Ocracoke to look for a suspected U-boat that was in the area. As night began to fall, they were at times within sight of each other while travelling at around six knotts. Unknown to them they had already been spotted by a U-boat who decided to attack as they thought they had been detected by one of the trawlers. Two torpedoes were immediately fired at ST. Loman who spotted the torpedo's tracks in the water, and immediate took evasive action. The Bedfordshire was not so lucky, and on the morning of the 12th May 1942 at 0540, two more torpedoes fired from U-558 found their target. The Bedfordshire stood no chance and sank with the loss of all on board, including my Nan's cousin Francis Cragg who was just 18 years old.
By 1941 the Americans were losing many tankers and other shipping to German U-boats active off the east coast of the USA. During March and April 1942 the U-boats had caused huge loss to shipping, cargo and men. The US navy had no real anti-submarine fleet so the British Admiralty answered their plea and agreed to lend them twenty four anti-submarine trawlers. These British trawlers would come under American command and be used for patrol and escort work.
Two trawlers HMS Bedfordshire and HMS ST. Loman were sent out on the 11th May 1942 off the coast of Ocracoke to look for a suspected U-boat that was in the area. As night began to fall, they were at times within sight of each other while travelling at around six knotts. Unknown to them they had already been spotted by a U-boat who decided to attack as they thought they had been detected by one of the trawlers. Two torpedoes were immediately fired at ST. Loman who spotted the torpedo's tracks in the water, and immediate took evasive action. The Bedfordshire was not so lucky, and on the morning of the 12th May 1942 at 0540, two more torpedoes fired from U-558 found their target. The Bedfordshire stood no chance and sank with the loss of all on board, including my Nan's cousin Francis Cragg who was just 18 years old.
HMS BEDFORDSHIRE With Whom Francis Cragg Served
_Sam Nutt was serving aboard the Bedfordshire as a Stoker. On May 10th
1942, Sam had been on shore leave and was due to join the ship next
morning. That night while leaving a bar in Morehead City, he was
arrested by two policemen and locked up in a cell without an
explanation. He missed the sailing survived the war. Sam recalled " I
think they were a dam good crowd, we lost a good bunch of lads. You can
always easily replace a ship but not 35 men "
_ The crew of The Bedfordshire. I am not certain if Francis Cragg is in the picture
A short film about the Bedfordshire is available on the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKvkm2hZICg
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKvkm2hZICg
_
My Grandfather Bernard Hogan was the son of John Hogan and Mary Flaherty. John was born in Dublin and died during WW1, his parents where John Hogan a Cooper by trade and Margaret Jones from Dublin. They came to Liverpool between 1884 and 1891. I have found it almost impossible to trace the Hogan's further back in Ireland, but I will carry on and hopefully one day they will emerge. Mary Flaherty was the daughter of Thomas Flaherty and Winifred Grady. The Grady's dropped the O from O'Grady when they arrived from Galway, Ireland. Winifred was the daughter of Thomas Grady and Ann Melia. Thomas Flaherty was the son of Bernard Flaherty and Honora Sheridan who married in Ireland before the Famine left them with no option but to head for Liverpool.
My Great Grandma Mary Hogan ( nee Flaherty ) coped with a lot of hardship throughout her life. Her own mother Winifred ( grady ) died in a tragic accident. On 20th December 1898, Winifred was cooking a christmas pudding at the family home of Myrtle View. Sitting to relax in a chair next to the fireplace, she fell asleep, and her dress caught alight. They where a poor family, and had to take Winifred through the streets to the Liverpool Workhouse, as it was the only way she could recieve treatment. Sadly she passed away the following day, aged just 39. Her husband Thomas had some kind of breakdown, and could not cope, so my great grandmother Mary had to take charge of the family. She was aged just 14, yet she managed to get all her brothers and sisters ( apart from one ) out of the workhouse, and to care for her sick father.
Mary managed to keep the family together, as well as holding down a job in service to a Sea Captain so the family could survive. Sadly the one child she could not save from the workhouse was her brother Thomas. He was sent to a orphanage, where he died aged 12. Mary also had to cope with losing her husband and son to the world wars, and her other son Thomas was to pass away in middle age. Mary said she only cried three times in her life, when she lost her boys, her husband John, and two sons Bernard and Thomas. Between 1915 and 1917 she lost her husband, father and youngest sister Winifred. Like my Grandma Ellen she never let her hardships in life effect others and remained a loving family devouted person.
Mary was very old fashioned with White hair in a bun, long skirts and always wore an Apron. She was a typical " Mary Ellen " and wore a Black Shawl when she went to church or the shops. Mary lived in Ashfield Gardens off Silvester street, top floor flat, no lift until she passed away aged 94. The flat had the old fashioned black grate that she kept in immaculate condition. She never had a television at home choosing instead to listen to the radio and even in her 90's had a constant thirst for knowledge, wanting to discuss current affairs and know how the stock market worked. She was also an avid reader. Her grandaughter Carole believes that had Mary experienced different circumstances in her life then she would have made a real name for herself. reading her story I think she already has.
Mary's father Thomas Flaherty had a brother Edward ( Teddy ) who moved to Australia around 1910. Sadly before the family moved his daughter Sarah, a child with long hair below her waist, was drying her hair by the fire when it caught alike. Little Sarah died from her burns. Teddy took his family to Australia and by the 1930's they where in Newcastle, New south Wales. Two of his sons ran a Showboat on the river. Some of the family where members of the Melbourne underworld in the 1950's and some spent time in the notorious Pentbridge Gaol in the 1930's.
Another Flaherty family member was my Grandad's cousin Thomas Flaherty who became a priest and went to Nyasaland, Africa as a missionary. Father Flaherty liked a tipple of the hard stuff. He took the service at St Silvesters church for the funeral of my great Grandma Mary Hogan in 1978 and whilst at her house asked could he take her camode for one of the old people in his parish, with the answer " yes " he tied the comade on top of his car and it was later seen driving down Scotland Road with him a little unsteady after a few tipples. He is buried at St Peter and Paul churchyard in Crosby.
Father Thomas Flaherty
Mary Flaherty's brother was Bernard Flaherty who served in the Army with the Lancashire Fusiliers possibly in the Boer war, and during WW1 with the Liverpool Kings as private 26632 and as private 306752. One record list him as a deserter, so it seems he decided he had had enough of the trenches and somehow made his way home. Once there he must have realised the trouble he was in and he rejoined the Liverpool Kings, making no attempt to hide his identity. He suffered terrible gout and would sit in a wheelchair outside his house in Christian street, Liverpool taking bets. He married Sarah Molloy in 1901, but sadly she died young. He married his second wife in 1918, her name was Delia. Bernard was a gambling man, he not only took bets but he liked to gamble in china town in the chinese gambling house where they played a game called packa pou, I think it was a game to do with numbers. He was well liked by the chinese, everbody called him barney but the chinese called him barly. One night Delia went to china town looking for him for money, but she could not enter the gamblehouse as it was unlucky, so she asked the man at the door to go and get him out. The chinese man said to delia ' Barly not here, barly he not here' it seems he went in and barney told him to tell Delia he was not there and thats excactly what he done . he came out to Delia and said [barly] he say he not here . so delia trundled off most annoyed.
Another time Barney was walking home with someone and there was Delia on the balcony threatening to jump off, and Barney bet the man a ten bob note she would not do it. Barney would bet on anything even a fly on a wall. He had gout very bad in his later years and one of his grandsons was a bit of what we would call today a wild child who did not fear anyone. It seems Barney could not walk and was huge, I am told he had hands like shovels, but any way it seems his grandson knew where he kept his money and was always pinching it, apparently he took a white five pound note as Barney went to the loo, as you know the toilets were on the landings next to the flat and as he saw his Grandson running away there was barney waving his stick shouting ' stop theif , stop the robbing bastard ' Barney got his revenge on his Grandson in the end. One day his Grandson came home from the Army, he was in the Black Watch and was supposedly home on leave but was in fact AWOL, He went to barney's and the military police came and was hiding in the toilet on the landing when Barney snitched on him. The police pulled him out and as they were taking him out Barney was shouting abuse at him ' You'll get whats coming you robbing Bastard '
Barney was very frugal he was with his money. His Grandson Bernard ( by then living in Old Swan ) remembers that when he was fifteen he went down to Gerard Crescent to see grandad, and he gave him two bob for his birthday. Grandad called him over and said, ", Here lad, here's a couple of bob for your birthday, and don't spend it all together. You know you're the only one called after me". He said Barney used to have a row of three halfpenny pieces along his mantelpiece and when four of them used to visit he would tell them to take one of them. It was a good job rock was cheap, or one of them would have been disappointed.
They were not innocent visitors though, four of them were truants and they used grandad's as a place to hide from their mam. The culprits were Mary, Bernard, Veronica (Ron) and Joe. They would bunk off school in Old Swan and go to Barney's, they would tell him it was anything from Saint Oswald's birthday to his marriage or any other human occasion they could come up with. Grandad once said to them," How many bloody days does this Saint Oswald fella have, the kids down here don't have that many holidays". To which they would protest in horror that they were telling the truth. Honest grandad!
Barney's second wife Delia was about fifteen years younger than him, and she was quite partial to a drop or two of the hard stuff, particularly when everybody else was buying. His Grandchildren recall ' We laugh about it now but when we were all younger she would often come to visit us in our home in Old Swan, and it took a while for us to suss out why she always wanted to make my mam a cup of tea. She spoke quite funny and she had the oddest expressions. Our house had the bathroom off the kitchen, and when my older brothers would be getting ready to go out with mates or on a date with their latest girl friend she would suddenly say to my mam, "Would yer like a cuppa tea er er um Sarah, I'll go and make one". She used making the cup of tea just so she could corner the lads coming out of the bathroom and she would ask outright saying, "Yer aven't got a couple of bob to spare ave yer lad"?. Of course they couldn't really refuse if she put it like that. She did it with each brother old enough at the time to be earning a wage, and we found out afterwards that with each cup of tea and each brother she went out half a crown better off than when she came in. Sometimes as much as seven shillings and sixpence, and that was pretty good money then and ensured she had quite a few tots of the good stuff.
Barney died and the day of the funeral came, and all the family are there. From all accounts Mary Hogan had paid for the the funeral because Delia, ( Barney's second wife) didn't have the money to pay for the funeral herself. The cars arrived and people were called out to go in the cars when all at once Delia goes into a faint and can't attend the service. Mary Hogan asked a relative to stay with Delia until they came back and of course she agreed and Delia was put to bed. They were really concerned about Delia and were puffing the pillows up on the bed when they got the fright of their life when Delia suddenly opened her eyes and asked if they had all gone yet. When asked if she was OK she said ' Shhhh, I didn't want anyone to know he had any money ' She was lying on wads of money he had saved over the years. They could not believe it and would not tell Mary as she probably would have strung Delia up.
Barney's Grandaughter Maureen told me this story about how the Flaherty family survived one of the worst bombings in Liverpool during WW2.
The date is the 12th of March 1941 and Hitler decides yet again it would be a good idea to bomb those cocky Scousers. Lace Street became a target, and whether by accident or design sadly 125 people died that night. The tenements where we lived took a hit and one end of the street was almost totally demolished. Our Frank and Veronica both got buried under the rubble. Ron was there for a few days until she was dug out, and I was thrown out of the window about five or six weeks old, and was caught by a priest from Holy Cross.
Picture the scene. People dying, houses ablaze and in our case building ready to collapse. The only way out is through the window either by climbing down the building or jumping down because the stairs are gone. The whole family are almost out with just what was on our backs, but here is where the black humour comes in. My dad decided he had to turn back for the canary the family pet and a quantity of sausage my mam had managed to get. My mam is almost hysterical and is shouting for him to get out but my dad's philosophy is that you can't leave a defenceless bird to die in a burning building, and he wasn't leaving the sausage which was for the dinner that night because everything was rationed. Can't argue with that can you?
Mary's sister Annie married John Shirley who ran a coal yard on Latimer Street and they lived around the corner at 11 Calvin Street. John served during the Boer war and was crippled badly during WW1 at Passchendaele with the Kings Regiment and walked with a terrible limp. I talked to John and Annie's daughter Teresa in 2006 and she told me that her father John could be a right sod at times with her mother. He used to deliver the coal to his own house and he would charge Annie the full going rate, she he got nothing for nothing from him. She said my great grandma Mary would come around with a bag of Custard cream biscuits and over a cup of Tea Annie would tell her sister her problems. Teresa said that if her father came home Mary would give him such a glare that he made himself scarse. John Shirley was probably friends with my great grandfather John Hogan as he is listed as a witness at his wedding. Teresa also said that my grandad bernard along with his brothers and sister where lovely people, she was 13 years younger than my grandad. She told how he would place bets and his mam would fret as nobody else in the family gambled and she did not know where he got it from? he liked the dog racing and would give Teresa half -a-crown which seemed a fortune to her when you could get sweets for only ha'penny. She said she was heartbroken when she heard he had died in WW2.
_Mary's Sister Annie Shirley and her Brother Bernard Flaherty in Lancashire Fusilier uniform
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John Shirley died 28 August 1948 leaving £1131 pounds ) shillings and 2 d to his wife and the Coal yard to his son Bernard. Annie made a trip to Lourdes to fulfill a lifetime wish. Bernard Shirley kept the Coal business running and in time changed from horse and cart to the lorry.
John Shirley died 28 August 1948 leaving £1131 pounds ) shillings and 2 d to his wife and the Coal yard to his son Bernard. Annie made a trip to Lourdes to fulfill a lifetime wish. Bernard Shirley kept the Coal business running and in time changed from horse and cart to the lorry.
_Bernard Shirley sitting left. Note Calvin Street on the Coal lorry door. Below John Shirley in WW1 uniform.
My Grandfather Bernard Hogan had two brothers John and Thomas along with a sister Winifred. John ( middle name Gerard ) was a Cooper and made Barrels around the Albert Dock area. He married Sarah Anne Grant ( known as Cis ) in 1938 at St Joseph's church. Sarah was the daughter of John Grant and Catherine Callaghan, the Grant family originated in Scotland. After WW2 they moved across the river to Birkenhead and ran the Dock Hotel Pub for many years and later retired to Oxton. Many family members would help out at the pub at busy times and when John and Sarah took a holiday. Their children where Paul and Mary, Mary married an American Airman named Jack Geis and they lived in Ipswich, France and later settled in Texas U.S.A.
The Dock Hotel Pub. John and Sarah Hogan ran this pub for many years
Sarah and John behind the bar that they ran for so many years
Jack Geis pulling his last pint at the pub
John and Sarah in the smoke room at the Dock Hotel
Mary ( nee Hogan ) and Jack Geis at their home in Ipswich
_Thomas Hogan Married Winifred Basson and they had 3 children, Elizabeth (
Betty ) John and Susan. Tommy worked around the docks in the local
shipyards for many years before he and a friend where employed to
install pipework for air vents inside coalmines. He would travel up and
down the country, being away for many weeks on end. One time whilst away
he had his teeth taken out and was fitted with a false set. On his
return to Liverpool his daughter susan was waiting in the street for her
dad to come home, then she saw him and ran to him in all excitement,
then she ran into the house scared of him. The sight of his choppers had
convinced her that this was not her father, but she soon came round.
His son John remembers him talking about his brother Bernard ( John's Uncle ) Who died in WW2. Tommy told John that if anyone needed sorting out then it was Bernie who would go and have a word, and if need be sort it out by other means. Tommy played football for a local dance hall team called " The Jazz
Eleven " and like the rest of the family was a full blown Everton fan.
Tommy Hogan on the right in Jazz Eleven strip
_The Jazz Eleven FC ( Thomas Hogan sitting center middle row ) The trophies suggest they must have been a pretty decent team.
_They dont pose like this anymore. The Jazz Eleven with Thomas far right in front of the goalkeeper ( Is that the actor Phil Daniels far left Ha Ha )
When Thomas was working in the mines in Sheffield he took ill and had to have heart surgery, Susan remembers her father being in Mill Road and Broadgreen hospital and says at Broadgreen she was not allowed in the ward and had to wave through the window to her dad. His son John remembers watching his dad play football. Thomas's health began to decline and sadly he passed away in 1964 aged just 49. Susan and John have wonderful memories of him of on family days out at Otterspool and New Ferry open baths with picnics on the grass, as well as playing in Stanley and Sefton parks. Winifred was only 44 when Tommy died and the kids became her life. Susan recalls " mum worked so hard to provide us with a warm family home, we where far from rich but never went without"
_ Winifred ( nee Basson) and Thomas Hogan. Below on their wedding day
Tommy with Nephew Bernard ( My Dad ) and Niece Mary
Tommy with his Daughter Susan at 59 Chambers Street, Everton
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Winifred Hogan was born in March 1917 just 3 months before her father John was killed at war, sadly father and daughter never had the chance to meet. Winifred married Hugh Griffin and they had 2 children Philip and Carole. Hugh was a very keen sportsman and played semi professional for Accrington Stanley before WW2. His daughter Carole remembers that there was an exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and her dad Hugh was shown in a football team called Darwin FC. He was a good boxer and always very fit until 1960 when he had an accident at the docks and almost lost a leg. Hugh was very musical and played the piano by ear and could also play the accordian, banjo, mouthorgan and spoons. He loved his cars and was another Evertonian.
Winifred was very stylish and had a passion for hats. She was very artistic and loved dancing, food and cooking. Win also shared her birthday with my dad, he being born on her 21st. My dad would joke to her " you cant hide your age from me ". She did a lot of things later in life including presenting " Pause for thought " on the radio ( radio Merseyside ) as well as having a book of her thoughts published. Win learnt to swim when she was 60 and was very involved with the church and a group called Cursillo. Win would talk about her brothers and Philip and Carole would say they where like the Walton family on TV as they never argued. She did mention that all 3 brothers where useless at DIY.
Winifred Hogan was born in March 1917 just 3 months before her father John was killed at war, sadly father and daughter never had the chance to meet. Winifred married Hugh Griffin and they had 2 children Philip and Carole. Hugh was a very keen sportsman and played semi professional for Accrington Stanley before WW2. His daughter Carole remembers that there was an exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and her dad Hugh was shown in a football team called Darwin FC. He was a good boxer and always very fit until 1960 when he had an accident at the docks and almost lost a leg. Hugh was very musical and played the piano by ear and could also play the accordian, banjo, mouthorgan and spoons. He loved his cars and was another Evertonian.
Winifred was very stylish and had a passion for hats. She was very artistic and loved dancing, food and cooking. Win also shared her birthday with my dad, he being born on her 21st. My dad would joke to her " you cant hide your age from me ". She did a lot of things later in life including presenting " Pause for thought " on the radio ( radio Merseyside ) as well as having a book of her thoughts published. Win learnt to swim when she was 60 and was very involved with the church and a group called Cursillo. Win would talk about her brothers and Philip and Carole would say they where like the Walton family on TV as they never argued. She did mention that all 3 brothers where useless at DIY.
Winifred Griffin ( nee Hogan )
_ Winifred's daughter Carole was working in Belgium in 1997 and started
to make enquiries about her grandfather John, she thought it would be
wonderful if she could locate his grave. After contacting the CWGC she
established where he was buried and made plans to take her mother over.
It was very moving as Winifred at the age of 80 was able to say goodbye
to the father she had never met.
Winifred with her Brother John Hogan in Texas U.S.A
Winifred and her Brother John going to the races
Only a small photo. It shows Thomas Hogan on the left and Winnie and Hugh Griffin on the right.
_
Johan Petter Johansson was born in Sweden, but left his homeland as a young man in search of work and found himself in Liverpool. Johan is my Great Great Grandfather and whilst in Liverpool he changed his name to John Peter Johnson probably to fit in with society. It was not uncommon for settlers to change foriegn sounding names into something more English. Johan's father was also called Johan and was born in Sweden around 1815.
Johan worked as a Mariner and met Jane Quick who he married at St Barnabas Church, Toxteth in 1869, their children where John Henry, Peter, Richard, Mary Ellen, Matilda and my Great Grandfather David. Jane's parents where Peter and Mary Quick, Peter was born in Hale and worked as a Flatman on the river Mersey. By 1881 he was 75 and unable to work, and had to put himself in the hands of the Toxteth Park Workhouse (later the Sefton General Hospital at 126 Smithdown Road, Liverpool) Sadly Peter died the following year while still at the workhouse. A terrible ending for a man who had worked his entire life. Johan Johansson later ran a Cake Confectioners shop in Wolfe Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. Maybe he sold some Swedish style cakes?
My great grandfather David Johnson was a dock labourer who married Emma Belcher Daly in 1909, Emma's father was James William Daly. David and Emma's children where Alfred, Henrietta, Eliza, Thomas, Florence and my grandfather David who was born in 1916 and worked as a Cake confectioner and a Bottle worker. He married my grandma Mary Hughes on Christmas day 1937 at St Gabriel's church.
My Nan was born at the Liverpool Workhouse Hospital on Brownlow Hill in 1914, to Ann Hughes with no fathers name listed. I believe however that Ann was not a Hughes and was giving her child her fathers name as my nan's wedding certificate list her father as Hugh Robert Hughes who is deceased by 1937. I would assume that Ann was pregnant outside of marriage and later married Hugh. I do have a possible surname for Ann that I am waiting to confirm. Hugh Robert Hughes we believe came from Llanfyllin, Denbighshire, Montgomeryshire, Powys Wales and worked as a Fireman on the docks.
Mary and David had four children David, Marian, Nancy and my mother Rita May as well as adopting Margaret and Rita Keane. My mother and father married at St Patrick's church in 1959. My Mum's brother David was in a group with Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers and they practiced at times in my nan's back yard, however David never became a pop star.
Johan Petter Johansson was born in Sweden, but left his homeland as a young man in search of work and found himself in Liverpool. Johan is my Great Great Grandfather and whilst in Liverpool he changed his name to John Peter Johnson probably to fit in with society. It was not uncommon for settlers to change foriegn sounding names into something more English. Johan's father was also called Johan and was born in Sweden around 1815.
Johan worked as a Mariner and met Jane Quick who he married at St Barnabas Church, Toxteth in 1869, their children where John Henry, Peter, Richard, Mary Ellen, Matilda and my Great Grandfather David. Jane's parents where Peter and Mary Quick, Peter was born in Hale and worked as a Flatman on the river Mersey. By 1881 he was 75 and unable to work, and had to put himself in the hands of the Toxteth Park Workhouse (later the Sefton General Hospital at 126 Smithdown Road, Liverpool) Sadly Peter died the following year while still at the workhouse. A terrible ending for a man who had worked his entire life. Johan Johansson later ran a Cake Confectioners shop in Wolfe Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. Maybe he sold some Swedish style cakes?
My great grandfather David Johnson was a dock labourer who married Emma Belcher Daly in 1909, Emma's father was James William Daly. David and Emma's children where Alfred, Henrietta, Eliza, Thomas, Florence and my grandfather David who was born in 1916 and worked as a Cake confectioner and a Bottle worker. He married my grandma Mary Hughes on Christmas day 1937 at St Gabriel's church.
My Nan was born at the Liverpool Workhouse Hospital on Brownlow Hill in 1914, to Ann Hughes with no fathers name listed. I believe however that Ann was not a Hughes and was giving her child her fathers name as my nan's wedding certificate list her father as Hugh Robert Hughes who is deceased by 1937. I would assume that Ann was pregnant outside of marriage and later married Hugh. I do have a possible surname for Ann that I am waiting to confirm. Hugh Robert Hughes we believe came from Llanfyllin, Denbighshire, Montgomeryshire, Powys Wales and worked as a Fireman on the docks.
Mary and David had four children David, Marian, Nancy and my mother Rita May as well as adopting Margaret and Rita Keane. My mother and father married at St Patrick's church in 1959. My Mum's brother David was in a group with Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers and they practiced at times in my nan's back yard, however David never became a pop star.
My Parents wedding at St Patricks Church, Park Road 1959
_
Sadly I do not know very much of my mother's side of the family and the only photo that survives is this one from my parents wedding day. Next to my mum is the best man then my nan and grandad Johnson standing behind their 4 other daughters Rita, Margaret, Nancy and Marian. Next to my dad is the Bridesmaid then Nan and Grandad Graley with grandad holding their son Michael, in front are their sons Arthur and Michael and daughter Anne. To the side is Winnie Hogan and great grandma Mary Hogan. At the rear is Uncle Dick and his wife Ann along with Austin Owens and his wife Maggie.
My dad Bernie worked as a wood turner until he was called up for national service in 1956, serving with the 19th field regiment of the Royal Artillery in Hong Kong and Gemany. Like his father and grandfather he became a Gunner and once the Army saw his football talent they had him playing for them. Grandad Graley saw him play and said he really was that good, scoring up to 9 goals a game. It was whilst playing for the Army that my dad injured his knee, an injury that would trouble him for the rest of his life. It probably stopped a promising football career and would lead to operations in later life. His leg had been pumped with cortisone and he told us " dont let then near you with that stuff ". My Dad worked at Standards and for the Liverpool cleansing department where he became a union leader, he had also been the union leader at Standards. He later took up bowling to help keep his knee fit and became very good at it, I have his trophies at home. In 2006 he had a knee replacement operation at Broadgreen Hospital and was kept awake for the surgery. He told us in great detail what went on " It was like a garage in there, all thumping and banging with loads of tools " just a few weeks later he was at a family party jiving away with his sister Anne, nothing stopped him from doing anything. His cousin Carole recalls that he used to send her home postcards from Hong Kong and that he also brought her a music box back with him.
Sadly I do not know very much of my mother's side of the family and the only photo that survives is this one from my parents wedding day. Next to my mum is the best man then my nan and grandad Johnson standing behind their 4 other daughters Rita, Margaret, Nancy and Marian. Next to my dad is the Bridesmaid then Nan and Grandad Graley with grandad holding their son Michael, in front are their sons Arthur and Michael and daughter Anne. To the side is Winnie Hogan and great grandma Mary Hogan. At the rear is Uncle Dick and his wife Ann along with Austin Owens and his wife Maggie.
My dad Bernie worked as a wood turner until he was called up for national service in 1956, serving with the 19th field regiment of the Royal Artillery in Hong Kong and Gemany. Like his father and grandfather he became a Gunner and once the Army saw his football talent they had him playing for them. Grandad Graley saw him play and said he really was that good, scoring up to 9 goals a game. It was whilst playing for the Army that my dad injured his knee, an injury that would trouble him for the rest of his life. It probably stopped a promising football career and would lead to operations in later life. His leg had been pumped with cortisone and he told us " dont let then near you with that stuff ". My Dad worked at Standards and for the Liverpool cleansing department where he became a union leader, he had also been the union leader at Standards. He later took up bowling to help keep his knee fit and became very good at it, I have his trophies at home. In 2006 he had a knee replacement operation at Broadgreen Hospital and was kept awake for the surgery. He told us in great detail what went on " It was like a garage in there, all thumping and banging with loads of tools " just a few weeks later he was at a family party jiving away with his sister Anne, nothing stopped him from doing anything. His cousin Carole recalls that he used to send her home postcards from Hong Kong and that he also brought her a music box back with him.
My Dad Bernie in Hong Kong, on the left laying down, Joking around as usual
_ My Dad skillfully rides the motor bike in Hong Kong, Well not really its on a stand
A few of my dad's bowling trophies
The familiar sight Of my Dad On a picket line giving It what for
My dad as a young child, taken at Jerome's
_My Dad as a young boy, and below one of him in in St Anthony's school uniform not looking too pleased with the photographer.
_Ok Fair Is Fair, here are a few cringe photos of little old me. At my Holy Communion showing a fantastic pair of footballers legs, and holding someone's dog in our back garden.
_Christmas 1965 the beautiful baby is yours truly with my Brother Bernard and Sister Tina. I look like I only have one leg.
This Page is dedicated to all my wonderful ancestors who make me what I am