FAMILY FOTO 35 - MURIEL FRANCES HOLMES (nee SEAMAN) (b.1920 - d.2006)

(Muriel Frances Seaman)

From today, the title of these posts are going to change. I'm moving the focus away from them being 'Friday' photos to 'Family' photographs instead. The past few weeks have been a bit frantic for me for a number of reasons, and I've found it impossible to keep to my weekly posting schedule. Hopefully, doing this now, I should be able to remove some of the pressure and leave me with a little less guilt than I have been feeling of late!     

The post today gives details of my great-aunt, Muriel Frances Seaman, who was related via my paternal side of the family.

1920 - Muriel Frances Seaman was born on 1 Nov 1920 in Liverpool, Lancashire. She was the fifth of six daughters born to Joseph Frederick Seaman and Sarah Ann Smith, my paternal great-grandparents. Only one of her sisters was younger than herself - Daisy - who was born in 1922.

1939 - In the 1939 register Muriel was found to be living with her parents, at their home in 4 Lily Grove, Wavertree. As well as Joseph and Sarah, her brother William and sister Daisy were also in residence. On the original register entry, her name had been given as Muriel F Seaman. This surname had been crossed out however, and the name 'Holmes' entered, with a date of marriage being written alongside of 3 January 1945. Muriel's occupation at the time that the register was taken was given to be a 'general office clerk'. 

1944 / 1945 - According to the marriage indexes, Muriel married Dennis E Holmes in the 4th quarter of 1944. This is contrary to the evidence of the note made on the 1939 register entry which states that their marriage date was 3 January 1945. This fact is also confused by the fact that she featured on the Electoral Register for 1945 by her maiden name of Seaman. The actual marriage certificate would need to be ordered to try and resolve this discrepancy.

1944 / 45 - The couple were reportedly married in St Cyprian's church, Edge Hill, Liverpool. The church itself is still standing, although it has now been converted into a modern block of flats for student accommodation.

1944 / 45 - Married Dennis Edwin Holmes in Liverpool on 3 January 1945 (evidenced by a note made in the 1939 register). The couple went on to have at least three surviving children.

2006 - Records were found in the Death indexes stating that Muriel passed away on the 13 November 2006. She was 86 years of age when she died.

Both Muriel and her sister Daisy were known to my father, Charles Seaman during his lifetime. He went to visit them on a number of occasions, although sadly I can't recall if he ever took my brother or I to meet them. I know that at least one of them used to live in Woolton village quite near to where we live now, in Cavell Close, which is off School Lane in the village, although unfortunately I now cannot be sure which sister it actually was.

FRIDAY FOTO 18 - SARAH ANNE SMITH

(Sarah Anne Seaman - nee Smith - 1878 to 1951)

This is photo of my great-grandmother, Sarah Anne Seaman (nee Smith). She is pictured standing against a painted backdrop whilst leaning on wooden railing; an apparently posed shot taken in a photographers studio. Unfortunately, no details of the photographer are shown on the original photocard, which appears to have been cut to fit into a frame at some point.  

Sarah was born in 1878 in Liverpool, the eldest child of James Smith and Margaret McCartney.

On the 1891 census her occupation was listed as a dressmakers assistant. She was only 13 years of age.

On 15 April 1900, Sarah married my great-grandfather, Joseph Frederick Seaman in St Dunstans Church, Edge Hill, Liverpool. She was 22 years of age, the same age as her new husband.

In the 1901 census the couple were living at 56 Wendell Street, Toxteth, Liverpool; just off Smithdown Road, occupying 4 rooms in their home. There is an existing property in Wendell Street, a former 'two-up, two-down' terraced house which could therefore be the home of my relatives. However, I am still to confirm when these properties were actually built.  

At the time the census was taken the couple were living in the property with their first child... Mary Cecily Seaman, who was only one month old. The couple went on to have another nine children between them.

 

Sarah Anne died on the 3 October 1951 in Liverpool and is buried in a marked grave (above) in Allerton Cemetary, Liverpool.

#familyhistory #genealogy #sarahanneseaman #seamanfamilyhistory 

FRIDAY FOTO 16 - MARGARET ELEANOR GRAHAM LAIT

Margaret Eleanor Graham Lait, my grandmother on my father's side of the family, was born in Liverpool in 1901. Margaret was the third child of ten in the family of Charles Graham Lait and his wife, Eleanor Kaye.

MEG, as I affectionately know her, married my grandfather Joseph Seaman in September 1928 in St Catherines Church, in the Edge Hill district of Liverpool. The couple had five surviving children, the sixth-- my aunt, Joyce Seaman-- unfortunately passed away as an infant.

In the 1939 Register, MEG's employment was listed as being 'unpaid domestic duties'-- in other words, she was a housewife in the family home. At the time the record was taken, the family were living in 54 Moorgate Street, Edge Hill... just across the road from the railway station. 

Margaret died in Sefton General Hospital Liverpool in October 1947 of heart failure. She was only young at forty-six years of age. 

According to information from my uncle, Margaret was employed at one point in her life as a confectionery worker in a sweet factory (see photo above). MEG is pictured here on the left with one of her co-workers. Two things stand out for me looking at this photo-- the first is the highly-polished shine on my grandmother's shoes, and the second is the woman sitting at the rear by the cart, who was basically photo-bombing the couple, around 80 years before the term was even invented!  

Finally... the name 'Graham' in my grandmother's name referred to the maiden name of her own grandmother-- Mary Ann Graham, who had been born in 1853 in Raithby, Lincolnshire. And both my parents agreed that I should be named Graham in honour of my grandmother.  

SEAMAN / LAIT - MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE - 1 SEP 1928

St.Catherine's church, Edge Hill...
pictured in 2006 before it was demolished
to make way for new housing.

Below is the marriage certificate for my grandmother and grandfather's wedding. This took place at St.Catherine's church, Edge Hill, Liverpool in 1928.

At the time Margaret LAIT was aged 27 and Joseph SEAMAN was 26. My grandfather's occupation was said to be a carter at the time they were married.

Joseph's address was given as 4 Lily Grove, Edge Hill... and Margaret's was 23 Moorgate Street.

Joseph's father's occupation was listed as a labourer, while Charles Graham LAIT was listed as an engineer.

Marriage Certificate - SEAMAN / LAIT - 1928