Florence Amy Bosco, Born 28/6/1885/1887. Died 1965. Trying to find her maiden name.

Question

Only have her and family on 1939 Electoral register.

Comments

It would be much easier to get some help if you upgraded to full membership (free!) and started adding your family, with an idea of birth date and where she was born.

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Dear Gill Whitehouse, she was born as stated on 28/6/1887, and died sometime in 1965. Where she was born is a family rumour, of London, where in London I have no idea. I have found very little trace of her. It says she died at the age of 80 in 1965, which means she was born in 1885, and not 1887 as it is stated on 1939 electoral register for Pudsey, Leeds.

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Without any profiles, there's nowhere to add any information found. She seems to be linked to Allen Leopold Bosco but there's no sign of a marriage. Did she have any children? The death age was probably a guess from whoever reported it, so the 1939 census is probably more accurate.

He seems to be married to someone called Dolly in 1911 but no marriage found for that either.

Sharing link 1911 census
: Frederick Abberley    Head    Married    M    30    Baker & Confectioner & Deliverer Of sand    Whetley Raks, Cheshire
: Agnes Priscilla Abberley    Wife    Married    F    31        Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire
: Helena Janet Abberley    Daughter        F    8        Cheadle, Staffordshire
: Frederick John Abberley    Son        M    7        Cheadle, Staffordshire
: William Ernest Abberley    Son        M    2        Cheadle, Staffordshire
: Henry Aurther Reglani    Boarder    Married    M    23    Traveller Assistant    Lowerbroughton, Staffordshire
: Dolly Reglani    Wife    Married    F    23    Dancer    Garton, Manchester
: Allen Leopold Bosco            M    23    Traveller Assistant    Chesterfield, Derbyshire
: Dolly Leopold Bosco    Wife        F    19        Southport, Lancashire

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000747/19050103/215/0007 Leeds Mercury - Tuesday 03 January 1905
At Thirsk yesterday, Allen Leopold Bosco, an itinerant professor of legerdemain, was committed to Northallerton Quarter Sessions on a charge of obtaining food and lodgings under false pretences.  An ostler, ordered a month’s hard labour at Westminster for not maintaining his wife, said he had been in St. George’s Workhouse, and he found life much better there than working outside on 22s, a week.

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003869/19480807/008/0008 Huddersfield and Holmfirth Examiner - Saturday 07 August 1948
Allen Leopold Boscoe (70) travelling showman Scotthall Road Leeds. (Organised fake wrestling match) That makes him born about 1878

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002340/19010412/064/0017 The Showman - Friday 12 April 1901
It was with great regret we heard of the death of Leopold Bosco, at Miles Platting Fair Ground, at 2 a.m. on Monday morning. (Must be a relation or father)

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19470925/036/0003 Yorkshire Evening Post - Thursday 25 September 1947
ALLEN LEOPOLD BOSCO travelling showman, of Scott Hall Road, Leeds, was fined £35, with 4 guineas costs, at Rotherham to-day for allowing two girls to enter his show such manner that no entertainment tax was paid. His wife, Florence Bosco, was fined £10 for aiding and abetting.

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Thank you for all that  information. Leopold Bosco was Allen Leopold's father, born1864 in Salford, Lancashire. Died in 1901, as stated. Allen Leopold Bosco, and Florence Amy Bosco, had three children. Allen Bosco, born 21/3/1919. Died 1996. Joan F Bosco, born 18/4/1920. Betty Bosco, born 8/7/1921.

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Once again thank you, yes they kept the snakes in a wardrobe apparently ! Jeaney, would be I suppose Joan Florence. She was the middle child, Betty being my aunt, the youngest of the three. I suppose changing the surname once in a while helped when they kept getting in trouble with the law ?

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Let us know how you get on. I love the "snakes in the wardrobe" - I knew someone who kept a python in the bath (I wonder what they did with it when they wanted a bath!)

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I know snakes can swim, but might be a bit awkward !  Later on, they owned and ran a boxing booth. They were travelling showmen/women. There seems to be more about them in newspaper articles, than in official records. There does not seem to be a marriage certificate for Florence Amy, and Allen Leopold.

Answer 1

"on 1939 Electoral register." England then?

Comments

Dear Sue Crerar, yes, sorry forgot this goes out everywhere !

She place they were registered was Pudsey, Leeds, Yorkshire. But family rumour says she came from London, what part of London, I have no idea ?

Answer 2

Here's a theory, but needs more research.

In 1910 he was found not guilty of a charge, named as Alan Morton, showman.
The record lists 4 other charges (some in the newspapers above) named as Allan Bosco, Allan Boscoe, Allen Boscow, Alan Boscow. Sharing link

If so, this could be them in the 1921 census (I haven't found them as Bosco in the 1921 census)

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBC/1921/RG15/18121/0355/07&expand=true 1921 census
: James Winrow    Head    M        28    Ormskirk, Lancashire, England    Underground Wireman Telephones    G P O Telephones
: Lillian Winrow    Wife    F        25    Southport, Lancashire, England    Home Duties    
: William Henry Winrow    Son    M        5    Southport, Lancashire, England        
: Dorothy Winrow    Daughter    F        3    Southport, Lancashire, England        
: Allen Morton    Boarder    M        39    Shipley, Yorkshire, England    Motor Lorry Driver    Own Account
: Florence Morton    Boarder    F        34    Islington, London, England    Home Duties    
: Joan Florence Morton    Boarder    F        0    Southport, Lancashire, England 

Two possible births for the children on the 1939 census:

MORTON, ALLAN         BIRCH     
GRO Reference: 1920  J Quarter in CHESTERFIELD  Volume 07B  Page 1607
MORTON, JOAN  FLORENCE       BIRCH      GRO Reference: 1921  J Quarter in ORMSKIRK  Volume 08B  Page 1737

Possible birth for Florence:

BIRCH, FLORENCE  AMY       -     
GRO Reference: 1887  S Quarter in ISLINGTON  Volume 01B  Page 206

Still no marriage found.

Comments

Dear Gill Whitehouse,

Thank you ever so much, I think you,ve cracked it ! It looks like her maiden name was Birch then. Nobody in the family knew what it was. The use of the surname Morton did not help matters. Once again thank you.

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You're welcome, it was fun! Bear in mind that it's still only a theory though :)

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A few more bits that I forgot to add.

In 1926 he was in Warwick
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004779/19261029/037/0003 Stratford-upon-Avon Herald - Friday 29 October 1926
— " I did not know that was doing wrong," pleaded Allen Bosco, showman, who was charged at Warwick Borough police-court on Tuesday with allowing Jeaney Bosco, a little girl of four years and ten months, to be in premises for entertainment, for the purpose of being exhibited for profit, at Warwick Mop. A police witness said that he was present at the show on Saturday night, and watched the little girl. She took four snakes out of a box and put one in her mouth. Then defendant held up a snake five feet long, and placed it round the little girl’s neck.

In 1929, in Bedworth, Coventry (victim of theft this time, he had gone to London)
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000337/19290924/103/0004 Coventry Evening Telegraph - Tuesday 24 September 1929

Answer 3

From the information posted by Gill Whitehouse and the information taken from the 1939 Register it would seem that Allen Leopold Bosco/Morton was a 'showman' attached to a Fairground.  There is a 'Romany and Traveller Family History Society' which claims to be 'the first - and still the only - British Family History Society for people with Romany Gypsy, Traveller and Fairground Roots' which could be of help/interest.

https://rtfhs.org.uk

Comments

Dear Anonymous Baker,

Thank you for your reply.

I shall try that web site again, now I have a bit more information. It came back blank the last time.