Terrific to hear from you Ann,
I know what you mean by brick wall! The Todds are an elusive lot.
Todd connections:
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We are keen to try and find evidence which would confirm a family relationship between William Alexander 'Lex' Todd ( your Great grandfather ) and John Todd (my Great Grandfather). They may have been brothers but as yet we aren't 100% certain, though I think it is almost there.
The Evidence so far
A Mr & Mrs W.A. Todd sent wreaths to the funerals of John Todd's parents in law, as reported in the Belfast Newsletter.
At the marriage in 1883 between John Todd and Elizabeth McCammond the church register notes a Lec Todd was a witness. I think this may have been a transcript error and should have said Lex.
At the marriage of William Lex Todd to Catherine Dow COWAN in 1879 in York St, John Todd is recorded as witness.
Samuel Todd is recorded as the father of both John and of William Alexander at their weddings.
John Todd was Managing Director of Gibson Co. Ltd, jewellers, Belfast. L P has a letter written by Alexander (Lex) Pearson Cowan in 1918 in which he mentions Gibson Jewellery!! Lex Cowan was a son of James Cowan (brother of Catherine Dow Todd nee Cowan). He served in Australian Army in Europe during WW1 and visited the Todd family in Belfast when he was on leave in March 1918. He wrote a fabulously detailed letter back to his parents in Australia updating them about everyone in the Todd family and in one section he writes:- ‘In the evening at the kind invitation of Willie Todd (of Gibson’s Jewellery warehouse) we went to the pictures and to ‘The Carlton’ for supper’.
Willie Todd, who my mum remembers well, also worked for Gibson Bros. And indeed my mum says The Carlton would have been a popular place for the family to go to. It was directly opposite Gibson Bros in Donegal Place, Belfast.
coincidences? -
the Todd family connections with ‘building’ and Lord Mayors of Belfast:-
John Todd married Elizabeth M’Cammond, daughter of Wm. M’Cammond, whose occupation was ‘builder’ and was Lord Mayor 1894-95
Muriel Todd, daughter of Wm. Alex. Todd, married Robert Steven Boag, an architect, and grandson of Sir Robert Boag, Lord Mayor 1876-77
Kathleen (Catherine) Todd, daughter of Wm. Alex. Todd, married Thomas Houston, an architect
The 6 daughters William Lex and Annie Cowan were: Annie Cowan Todd (b. 1880); Ethel Elizabeth Todd (b. 1882); Catherine Todd (b. 1884); Jessica Kinloch Todd (b. 1886); Isabel Muriel Todd (b. 1888) and Margaretta Millar Todd (b. 1891). the first girl was named after her maternal grandmother Annie Dow Cowan. So perhaps the second girl would be named after her paternal grandmother, Elizabeth McCammond?
John and Lex both ran 'shops'/businesses in Belfast City centre only 5-10 minutes walk apart.
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Just by way of explanation, I've added your WA Todd's family to the online
tree with the note that we do not yet know if he is indeed related to John
Todd. I thought that by including them Ancestry.co.uk might come up with
some evidence.
If it turns out he isn't a relative then he can be removed, however, I'm
hopeful we will find some definitive proof.
I think you may know LP and CM from Melbourne? They have kindly sent much info to add to what I already had.
Please feel free to email me, I think you can get it on Wikitree?
My family Tree is on Ancestry.co.uk and is called "Tree June 2014"
there are lots of details there and some great photos. Look in the media gallery for each individual.
all the best
Eddie
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