Warwickshire Traveller
Brummie babby
My grandmother was Iris Maud Teasdale (born ca. 1914, Walsall). Her first husband was one Mr. Oswald Eastwood, a business partner of her father and reputed to be a distant relative of the American movie star bearing the same surname.
Her second husband was my grandfather, Mr. Francis (Frank) Menzies, a self-employed auto-technician who largely spent his married life in the Sparkhill area with Iris. Frank was born in Aston, but had lived in Kings Norton before joining the army transport corps.
Iris attended the (private?) Walsall Girls School and her father was John Teasdale, a master tailor of Pleck, Walsall. John had the sole contract to make all of the local police uniforms. John's wife was Lavinia Amelia Cope, daughter of Hyla Cope. Intriguingly, John had apparently served in a Scottish infantry regiment and adorned the shop premises at 20 Kingsley Street Pleck (still standing but now a private home) with his military kilt. During his military service he had befriended Rudyard Kipling in South Africa.
John Teasdale's own father was called John and was born in Llanrwst, Wales, in about 1837 ('John Senior'). The family was living in Wales after moving from Sheffield and after having moved there from the Durham area. It is reputed that John Senior's own father was the youngest son of a north-east England squire; John Senior's father apparently inherited nothing and was a good shot and a good swordsman. John Senior was a currier (leather worker) who owned a business on the 'Rough' of Walsall Common.
It is believed that, between marriages, Iris had a daughter who was adopted and who was taken to America; she might have lived in Illinois or Texas. Iris' marriage to Frank Menzies in 1946 produced three daughters (Paulene, Barbara and Audrey) and a son (Dennis aka Robert). My mother is Audrey.
Any further information regarding these Teasdales of Walsall and latterly of Birmingham would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Her second husband was my grandfather, Mr. Francis (Frank) Menzies, a self-employed auto-technician who largely spent his married life in the Sparkhill area with Iris. Frank was born in Aston, but had lived in Kings Norton before joining the army transport corps.
Iris attended the (private?) Walsall Girls School and her father was John Teasdale, a master tailor of Pleck, Walsall. John had the sole contract to make all of the local police uniforms. John's wife was Lavinia Amelia Cope, daughter of Hyla Cope. Intriguingly, John had apparently served in a Scottish infantry regiment and adorned the shop premises at 20 Kingsley Street Pleck (still standing but now a private home) with his military kilt. During his military service he had befriended Rudyard Kipling in South Africa.
John Teasdale's own father was called John and was born in Llanrwst, Wales, in about 1837 ('John Senior'). The family was living in Wales after moving from Sheffield and after having moved there from the Durham area. It is reputed that John Senior's own father was the youngest son of a north-east England squire; John Senior's father apparently inherited nothing and was a good shot and a good swordsman. John Senior was a currier (leather worker) who owned a business on the 'Rough' of Walsall Common.
It is believed that, between marriages, Iris had a daughter who was adopted and who was taken to America; she might have lived in Illinois or Texas. Iris' marriage to Frank Menzies in 1946 produced three daughters (Paulene, Barbara and Audrey) and a son (Dennis aka Robert). My mother is Audrey.
Any further information regarding these Teasdales of Walsall and latterly of Birmingham would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.