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I have only recently joined the site, so excuse me if my response is no longer relevant.

I am researching a Cobb from Angus County, who was the mother of:

Henry Bruce Cobb Ellenband, born 7 April 1907 at Glasgow (illegitimate)
Father: Maurice Henry Ellenband, Advertising Contractor (b. Salford 1873, m. 1918, d. 1939)
Mother: Joan Cobb, Table Dresser.

I have followed a number of false trails (name variations, many Cobbs), but I may now have identified the mother as:

Joanna Cobb Donald, born 13 March 1876 at Rescobie, Forfar (illegitimate)
m. Christina Donald, Domestic servant
f. not shown

I believe she appears in the household of John and Sarah Cobb at Macgregor St, Brechin in the census for both 1881 (Joanna, age 4) and 1891 (Joan, 15). In both, she is shown as granddaughter, which suggests that one of sons in the house was the father.

In the 1901 census Joan Cobb is at 1901  Newmarket, Suffolk (Servant, 21). It says she’s from Brechin, the family home. Perhaps she did not know her true birth details.

I have not traced her in the 1911 census. However, her son is recorded at 'Harborne', Moorend St, Cheltenham, the home of Thomas Parker (58), his wife, and 3 daughters. His name is shown as
Hendry Bruce Cobb Ellinband (spelling differences), aged 3, a visitor.

Joan Ellanband (spelling difference) appears in the 1913 and 1914 Electoral Rolls for Glasgow at 1407 Argyle St.

In formation suggests that Joan and her son lived for some time in Gloucestershire where, at some point, he becomes known as Bruce Hayden. Around 1925, he and his mother, who is now known as Joan Wilson, move to Sussex with a William Wilson.

William Wilson was a car dealer in Shoreham and Joan ran a cafe. Her son, Bruce Hayden, got into journalism - he had a chess column in the West Sussex Gazette 1929-32.

William Scott Wilson died (55) 21 October 1935 at Shoreham, Sussex.
Joan Wilson died (80) 16 September 1961 (80) at Molesey, Surrey.
Bruce Hayden died 25 October 1997 at Kingston, Surrey.    

I have no record of a marriage by Joanna/Joan to the father of her child, Maurice/Morris Ellenband.
Neither do I have a record of a marriage to William Wilson.

In the 1939 Register, Joan Wilson gave her dob as 10 March 1880, which doesn't fit with anything in Scotland's National Records.

A fascination story about William Wilson appeared in The Worthing Herald of 26 October 1935, giving considerable information about his background, including his birth in Dundee. I won't list all the details here, but I am happy to share them (and anything else) with anyone who is interested.

I am following up with that research, which included the fact that he had a brother who served with Liverpool Police and who had retired with the rank of Superintendent shortly before Wilson's 1935 death. 

Any help or suggestions appreciated.
   



 

 

Hello Monica.

Her parents were Robert Kirkpatrick and Agnes, m.s. Smyth[e], who married in Ireland in December 1876.

I latched on to Eliza after extensive searches in the online British Newspaper Archive and ScotlandsPeople, and after seeing the family tree that included John Reid. I looked for deaths in Argyll that might fit the details (Eliza/Elza/Elizabeth).

The last mention of 'Mrs Reid, Innellan' was in the May 23 1958 chess column of the Glasgow Herald. Her death was registered at Dunoon, with a home address in Kirn. Of course, there may have been another move after their arrival in Innellan.

I posted something to a Blantyre family history site, but without success.

Although I am the Chess Scotland historian I live in Canada, so local research is not possible. And, as mentioned, I cannot be certain that this is the correct Mrs Reid, but if you don't try...

Alan