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Hi, I met Reginald several times in my lifetime. The last was when Hazel bought him to see me. Bertha kept in contact with my paternal Grandmother Annie Pilcher nee Cowdray, here in her birthplace where I still live. It was Annie that bought up Flora Kate, Arthur, Bertha, Ada and Leonard after their Mother left to set up home with Stephen Pannell Norrell. Together Henrietta Cowrdray taking Hettie Nellie their youngest, had five more children of which only two survived a boy and a girl. Annie also kept in contact with Flora Kate (Florence) up until Flora's death and also with Jessie. Very good to hear from you. I was born a Pilcher my Father also a only child, and Reginald visited when I was a child also. Very good to hear from you, Diane x

Hi Maggie,
                   thank you for that, I will check my records but I would say without a doubt this is the right family. Thank you very much for the time you have taken.

                        Diane

Bessie May Cowdray was born Easebourne, Midhurst, Sussex often wrongly transcribed Eastbourne, circa 1876. The family went on to live in Singleton, Sussex. Bessie was one of eleven children, her mother Henrietta ran off with a Stephen Pannell Norrell and had five more children of which only two survived. The family mostly lost touch with each other, I am now in contact with four and would love to share photos, certificates etc with the others if we can find them. I am the last to live in Singleton.
 Bessie's conection to Oxfordshire is that after marrying a Frederick Spong in the Epsom district of Surrey the family moved to Bicester Market End. In the 1901 Census there is a Frederick Junior aged three and a Bessie M Spong aged 1.
 I am hoping that someone may have or may be researching this family or that someone could let me know what became of this family. I would dearly like to be in contact to share info, thank you for your help, below is a photo of my gran Annie born 1880, Bessie's younger sister,

                             Diane

Hi Pauline,
                  one child Reginald Harbottle, mother Cowdray born 1923 when Bertha would have been 34. Through contact from Canada with the grandaughter of the youngest child (Hettie Nellie), I have a picture of the children below. However Hettie born 1891 was taken when her mother Henrietta ran off with a young man (Stephen Pannell Norrell) from nearby East Dean and was renamed Norrell. This was my skeleton in the closet, my grandmother said she had three younger siblings so I did not know about this until eighteen months ago when I started researching. Infact Henrietta had five more children by the name of Norrell, only two survived, she never divorced and became known as Norrell in Burnham, Bucks where they settled. Penny told me Hettie had a lot of problems when she got married as she had no proof of birth and she never knew that her real name was Cowdray or that she had ten other siblings. I find it all very sad and it has made it very difficult to share all I know with the whole Cowdray clan. I also have contact with one of the grandchildren of one of the two surviving Norrell children.
 Bertha's sister Ada Blanch Cowdray and brother Arthur Henry also reportedly married Hampshire.
 Penny was not forthcoming in helping with Bertha which is sad but there you are,

                                Diane

I believe Florence is my Grandmothers long lost sister born Florence Katherine Cowdray, Singleton, Sussex 1884 to James and Henrietta Cowdray. In the 1901 census she is living with her married sister Jessie Barber, Edmonton (ancestry- Condray!). Also known as Flora Kate, any help appreciated.

                               Venusian