David Colbron Man of Mystery

[Craig Semplis]

To Annette many thanks for using ur valuble credits, the info about Tenement St  is correct I know but its a small industrial est now as I tried to find it a few years back where in the street they actually lived as for the rest ie Kelso I'm speechless great thanks from Craig. Just incase anyone can help I'm with Forces war records but when I search for David Colbron in Royal Navy it comes up a blank I don't have his service No but even so thought it may have something about him being as he was at Chatham during the war, as my mum remember something as he said he went to visit a sister?? in Wandsworth during the war.

[torilar]

Took a look at 1911 census under Caldron as suggested by Annette and the family are listed at 40 Tenement Street

James  39  Coal Porter
Helen   37
Helen   17  Printing worker
Jane    15   Shopkeeper
James  11
Joseph  7
David    4
Mark     2

Census says they have been married for 17yrs and have had 7 children 6 still living.
There is another family called Colborn also listed 1911 George F Colborn  aged 52,  Rachel 55,  Rachel 22 and John 15

[Craig Semplis]

To Torilar and all who have tried to assist in solving this mystery thankyou for your Scots kindness  not quite sure how to thankyou, but thanks for your interest I know its Colbron but don't know a thing about my Grandad's family it is a bit of a taboo subject -- aren't families strange!! I knew him only a little as we moved from Edinburgh when I was 2 and tho I saw him afew times he was never close as he had a stroke, so never heard about his family I will print these off and when I see my mum soon I will try to ask more, I know he worked at Leith Docks and think I was told once he was a freemason, I don't know why but I get the feeling something happened to him But to share a better side of his character when Rock Around The Clock came to Edinburgh  he took my mum 5 times to see it he liked Rock n Roll despite his age, it is almost like a part of him died. regards Craig

[loobylooayr]

Hi Craig,

Hope you get to the bottom of your mystery.
Just wonder if with David's obvious love of music if his ten years was spent chasing the dream of making it as a musician. You know he was with The Evening Follies at some point during that missing gap.
Perhaps he was travelling around the country playing theatres and seaside piers.

Have you tried the British Newspaper Archives online searching for either David himself or The Follies during the 30s.
Looby

[tidybooks]

Hi Looby and all,

I think ev had looked at the British Newspaper Archives earlier, and she did get a hit on 1936/37 Evening Follies, but I don't think our man of mystery was mentioned by name. I think I will try with the name variants that we have found.

Tom

[Craig Semplis]

Yet another lead saw a small advert from 1930's of a small theatre advertising The Evening Follies in Birkenhead promoted by someone called Arthur Lloyd, but no photos or list of names and this was the week before the theatre closed down, my search continues.

[torilar]

I just Googled Arthur Lloyd and there is a site dedicated to him ....He must have been famous...I haven't looked at it yet but it might be useful.

[loobylooayr]

Yet another lead saw a small advert from 1930's of a small theatre advertising The Evening Follies in Birkenhead promoted by someone called Arthur Lloyd, but no photos or list of names and this was the week before the theatre closed down, my search continues.

Hi Craig,

Arthur LLoyd was a Scottish music hall performer and stage producer who died in 1904.
But I found the ad referred to on a site dedicated to Lloyd's life and career -
 http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/BirkenheadTheatres.htm
If you examine the ad closely you will see - The Evening Follies  devised and arranged by Reg A Maddox.   The ad also refers to The Famous 1934 Llandudno Evening Follies. Maybe another venue to research.

Looby

[jacmacam]

Hi Craig

I have just seen your message and responses regarding David Colbron.  My Granny lived at Bangor Road, Leith, and there was a Colbron family living in the same stair.  I can just remember Mrs Colbron and I know there were several daughters but a think only one son.  I think they were all around my Mum and her siblings ages - born between 1915 and 1925.  I can't remember the girls names but the son was David Colbron who was known as Davie.  My Mum and her sister died years ago but from what I remember them saying about Davie - he seemed to be a happy-go-lucky type.  I also noticed someone mentioned the family living in 'Tenement Street'.  I'm sure this should be Tennant Street which runs off Bonnington Road - and Bangor Road runs parallel with Bonnington Road - just two minutes walk between them.  These streets still exist but the old properties in Bangor Road and Tennant Street were demolished in the 1960s along with that same part of Bonnington Road. I think at the time my grandparents lived there, they and many of their neighbours had relatives living in the streets close by so the 1911 census might throw up some information for you.  Hope all this helps.

Jacmacam