Garston, Lancashire

[Mr. Tibbs]

Sorry, Sue, I've somehow missed these last posts, and carswhitehead-I thought when you wrote "Cheers" that you didn't want to continue the dialogue.
Sue-we've been in touch before, a few years ago, and I sent you some photographs of the TENCHes at the time but the communication came to a halt.
One of William Revely Tench's brothers was Anthony TENCH: my great grandfather.
I was very interested and would love to know more about William's career as an engineer.  In 1901 when he and most of his family are living in Rye Hill, Newcastle upon Tyne, he describes himself as a pier erector and I wondered if at that point in his career, he had anything to do with the rebuilding of the pier at Tynemouth in Northumberland.
William and Anthony seem to have kept close ties-Anthony is staying with William and Margaret in 1901 and Margaret is visiting Anthony and his wife Mary Ann in 1901.  When William was planning to go to India, he sold a house at Alston, Cumbria to Anthony.
Keep in touch.

[Suzicals]

I have been doing a bit of research into what I had already found.  His Son John A Tench 1877 - ? was trained by him and worked for him too.

William worked for messers F Morton and Co Ltd, Liverpool from approx 1890 - 1895 (maybe earlier as he was a clerk in 1881, possibly for same company)
He had his own company W R Tench and Co, Engineers and Contractors, Manchester from apporx 1895 - 1908 when he died. 

I could not find any evidence of him working on the rebuild of the pier at Tynmouth.  Possibly, he constructed the crane used in the rebuild.

His family life is not as pure and one would think, when my grandmother Isabel was small she was told her mother had died and was brought up by Mary Bell nee Wilkinson, but as we know Isabel's mother Margaret was living with your Gr Grandfather in 1901.  William was having an affair with Mary Bell, and their marraige in 1902 was bigamous, as she was still married to her husband John Bell and of course William was still married to Margaret. Marg married again after William had died in 1908.

I didnt know about the house he sold to Anthony in Alston. 

Sue

[garstonite]

I have read most of the posts and thought i would send you what i have
William was my Great grandfather he was born 1848 died 30th may 1908 in india, he was married to Margaret Kellet 1850 - 1925 they married in 1871 in Sunderland they had 9 children they lived in Garston (Island Road) in 1891 the youngest of the children Isabel is my grandmother she died in 1977.  He was a an erecting engineer and peir constructor in 1901, he and his son John where involved in building railways in India.  He married Mary Bell (nee wilkinson) in 1902 in Doncaster, tho it was not legal.  He was works manager of Messrs F Morton & co Liverpool 1891 - 85.

you might both find this of interest - from Garston Historical Society

In 1880 Messrs. Francis Morton and Company Ltd. established the Hamilton Iron Works on the river side site continuing upstream from the shipyard. This site had previously been developed with some style by a Colonel Hamilton from Windsor (Berkshire) who built non-collapsible lifeboats of pressed sheet metal using special hydraulic equipment. Some remains of the Colonel's sea wall and dock still extant are testimony to a high quality of stonework reminiscent of Jesse Hartley. Francis Mortons became a very large concern exporting pre-fabricated iron and corrugated buildings all over the world - buildings which included barracks, stations, schools, warehouses, sports pavilions, churches and barns. Mortons also built bridges, piers, tanks, barges, jetties and pontoons. They provided the heavy iron work for Clarence Dock Power Station, Stanley Abattoir, Brunswick Dock Grain Silo, No.1 Hanger at Speke Airport, Everton Football Ground stands and last but by no means least, the Liverpool Overhead Railway (LOR). The last remains of the LOR iron work can still be seen (though recently truncated) bearing the Morton name plate in the new hotel wall of the converted Wapping Warehouses. Girders weighting 88 tons for the Speke Road road-over-rail bridge were the largest ever produced at the time.

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

In 1880 Messrs. Francis Morton and Company Ltd. established the Hamilton Iron Works on the river side site continuing upstream from the shipyard. This site had previously been developed with some style by a Colonel Hamilton from Windsor (Berkshire) who built non-collapsible lifeboats of pressed sheet metal using special hydraulic equipment. Some remains of the Colonel's sea wall and dock still extant are testimony to a high quality of stonework reminiscent of Jesse Hartley. Francis Mortons became a very large concern exporting pre-fabricated iron and corrugated buildings all over the world - buildings which included barracks, stations, schools, warehouses, sports pavilions, churches and barns. Mortons also built bridges, piers, tanks, barges, jetties and pontoons. They provided the heavy iron work for Clarence Dock Power Station, Stanley Abattoir, Brunswick Dock Grain Silo, No.1 Hanger at Speke Airport, Everton Football Ground stands and last but by no means least, the Liverpool Overhead Railway (LOR). The last remains of the LOR iron work can still be seen (though recently truncated) bearing the Morton name plate in the new hotel wall of the converted Wapping Warehouses. Girders weighting 88 tons for the Speke Road road-over-rail bridge were the largest ever produced at the time.
Many thanks, Garstonite. You have been so helpful over the years.

[Mr. Tibbs]

It good to hear from you again, Sue.  Your information is great.  I think William must have advised and trained my great grandfather too: initially a haulage contractor, he added housebuilding to his skills.
It is seems cruel that Isabel was told such an untruth.  Maybe Margaret was seriously ill and unable to cope.  I thought that Margaret had died 1901-1902 but I can find no evidence.  Who did she marry?
I have found reference to William in the Freemason records-a lot of the TENCHes appear too have been freemasons.
The house in Alston was called Hillside; my cousin tells me that it was an hotel.
Pat

[Suzicals]

Pat

I think Margaret moved out because of Williams adultery, I found a marraige to a Thomas Liddle, and her death at 1925, I have not substanciated it properly but i believe its her.

My mum tells me that Mary Bell, had told mum's mum that her previous huband John Bell was not a nice man and used to beat her.  I think its one of those family events that we will probably never know the full story.

I tried looking for  grave in Delhi for William today, no luck unfortunately.

Sue

[Mr. Tibbs]

Good morning Sue
The Margaret who married Thomas LIDDLE is another branch of the family: Margaret E.TENCH from the family of George TENCH another generation back.  George (a blacksmith) and his family left Winlaton to find work in Sunderland in the shipyards.

I wondered if Margaret had travelled to India with William and died there, which would explain the lack of a death in this country.  I'm stumped really.  Plus, I don't know where to look for William's grave?

I noticed in a post to carswhitehead that you mentioned "Jack" would look for the graves of Thomas and Richard in France.  Were you referring to Richard William, son of William Reveley TENCH?

Can you tell me more about William's work and is there a way that I can help you.
Pat

[Suzicals]

Pat

Thanks for the info about Margaret, i was wondering if it was correct.  I am not sure she travelled with William, however it did start me thinking that she went abroad with one of her son's.  Possibly John A Tench who lived in India for a while building railways, or even James R Tench who went to Oregon and became a naturalized American, building bridges there.

I found a web site that shows some info on F. morton and co. http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Francis_Morton_and_Co I have looked a little through it but its quite extensive.

Jack, my youngest son is taking a trip to Belgium/France with school next year, to visit the battlefields and cemetaries.  He is going to look for William Revelly Tench's sons Richard Tench, who is remembered at Thiepval Memorial, and if possible George Thomas Kellet Tench who served with the Australian Infantry who is remembered at Bellicourt British Cemetery.  Also my gr uncle from my father's side of the family John Groome who is remembered at Tyne Cot.  And if i can find any more I will send him with the details

I'll keep looking with regard to Williams career and if i find anything new I will let you know

Speak soon

Sue

[Mr. Tibbs]

Hello Sue
Thank you for the Francis Morton info.  It looks like I'll be taking a trip to the Maritime Museum in Liverpool, more searching too in India and Canada.  A while ago, I found James Renwick TENCH in Canada on census records-Sue when he first arrived, he stayed with his brother Richard William, who was already there, having emigrated 1906-1907.  Richard became a naturalised citizen in 1918-a civil engineer.  He married an Ada WATSON from here in the northeast and had three sons, died in 1968, in Vancouver.
The Richard that you have found was the son of William R's brother, James.  Richard died 1915 commemorated Thriepval; also Richard's younger brother, Thomas died 1917 Ypres.