Hi Everyone, I'm New to this Thread,
I'd like to Share the Story if its Ok of my Great-Grandparents "David Flynn" & Emily Flynn(Nee)Cooke
David was Born in 1875 in Birmingham, to Parents David Flynn Snr & Esther selina Warrod,
He was Baptised at St, Chads Cathedral in Hockley, B,ham, he came from a large family that endured the Great Irish Potato famine, his father, David Flynn Snr came here with his mother & siblings before 1860 & settled in B,ham,
My Great-Grandfather David flynn married my Great-Grandmother Emily Louisa Cook in 1902,
But Emily Cook was first married to David's elder Brother Edward Flynn in 1892 at St, Thomas Parish in Birmingham city centre,
Edward & Emily had two children together Lena(Cissie Flynn) & Edward Jnr Flynn, But On the 1901 Census Emily & Children were living at her parents Charles & Louisa Cooke home, But it stated Emily Flynn as Widowed and living at, 15 hunters Vale, In Aston Mannor,
Edward Flynn Snr died In 1898 aged 27yrs old,
We also believe Emily & David's marriage was Illegal as its was against the law in 1902 to marry your Brother's widow, they married in the Catholic Religion of which my great-grandmother Emily had to change too,
David Flynn Jnr first Joined the Warwickshire Reg & then the Duke of Cornwall's lite infantry in 1891 attestation in Bodmin, aged 19(Real age 16) On the 16th Aug 1891, nba 3343,
David was living with his brother Daniel Flynn & family in ladywood when he first joined up,
David flynn fought in the Bore War, Cape Colony, Africa & India, of which he gained medals, King & Queens medals with Claps, I just can't imagine the horrors of what he went through & how hard that must of been for all of those back then, Especially all those years in service,
David Joined up aged 16yrs of age, but told them he was 18yrs old, which many did back then,
David & Emily Flynn, lived on whitmore St, in hockley, where they had 5 children including my Grandfather David Flynn( three Generations of David Flynn's)
Amy Flynn(Children With Emily & Daivd Flynn) 2nd Brother
Mable Flynn
Ivy Flynn
David Flynn(Grandad)
Joseph Flynn,
Edward Flynn Jnr
Selina Flynn(Cissie Flynn)(Children with Emily & 1st Bother Edward Flynn)
David retired from Army service in 1903,
But Joined up again aged 42yrs old on Special Orders as a reserve in 1914 with the 1st Battalion Royal Monster Fusiliers,
and Ended up in Italy, But sadly on the 11th of February 1918 he died of Pneumonia,
My poor Great-Grandmother Emily left widowed again with 5 young children & Receiving that dreaded Document from the War office telling her that husband David had died, She & Children were living On Aston St, in Hockley in 1918
We still have the War document that was sent to my great-grandmother from the war office over 101yrs ago, Which ill add on here,
David Flynn was Buried in Arquata Scrivia Communal Cemetery Extension In Italy where he still lies in a commonwealth war grave,
I've added some documents,
David Flynn's in Communal War Grave in Italy,
A Post Card sent to elder daughter Amy Flynn from father David from Italy which i still have(101yrs old)
1911 Census on Whitmore St, Hockley where the family lived,
and a photo of Whitmore St, hockley
And a Picture Of Villa Street, Hockley, Where my Great-Grandparents & Grandfather & Siblings Lived
Also the Original War Document i still have that Informs my Great-Grandmother Emily that her Husband had died, Its 101yrs old
I feel incredibly proud of my great-grandparents, especially David Flynn for all that he endured & did for this country
Least We Forget