Genealogy Chat

Leonard and Irene not a match for me. Irene's name is Irene Evelyn

Dora has all the Oz info........................this is one reason why responding by PM is NOT a good idea.........wastes time

Name Irene Evelyn Thompson
Death Age 64
Birth Date abt 1923
Death Date abt 1987
Burial Date 2 Jul 1987
Burial Place Takeley, Holy Trinity, Essex, England
Source Description Burial Register; Service of Church: Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials; Incumbent; Takeley, Holy Trinity; Parish Records;1920-1989

Bernard Ralph Gilham was born in Surrey in 1919.
In 1960 he emigrated to Australia, accompanied by wife Mary V Gilham (1938) and a son Peter (1959) with possible middle initial M, though really unreadable on record.
Bernard died in Australia in 1996.

If that's the right man, perhaps they couldn't marry if he was still married to Irene.

I don't see a marriage to Mary in the UK, and no UK birth record for Peter, unless he was registered under his mother's surname.
Perhaps she had been married before.

Peter M Gilham
in the Fremantle, Western Australia, Passenger Lists, 1897-1963
Name Peter M Gilham
Departure Place Southampton, United Kingdom
Arrival Date Nov 1960
Arrival Place Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia
Vessel Fairsky


Peter Gilham
in the UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960
Name Peter Gilham
Gender Male
Departure Date 8 Oct 1960
Departure Port England
Ship Name Fair Sky
Shipping Line Sitmar Line Genoa
Destination Port Melbourne, Australia
Master C Sand

Deaths 1987 (>99%)
THOMPSON IRENE EVELYN 5AP1923 UTTLESFORD 9 3249

Maiden name should be on death cert...................but bear in mind that any info on there is only 'as known' to the informant.

Thanks AG.

Dora has responded by PM…….have asked her to post on the thread.

1939 is the right woman so we have DoB to work on

The woman who married Leonard Brooks in 1947 was Irene Ethel Gilham, born 1921.

Irene died 1994, and Leonard in 1995, both of an address in Denston, Suffolk.

Not sure where you've looked

Have you eliminated this entry? On freebmd..........................

Marriages Dec 1947 (>99%)
BROOKS Leonard A Gilham Essex S.W. 5a 547
Gilham Irene E Brooks Essex S.W. 5a 547

Under what surname was the daughter's birth registered?
And where was she born?

Did Gilham divorce Irene?

If not, she couldn't legally re-marry as long as he was alive

When did he die?

EDWARDS, IRENE EVELYN BELSHAM
GRO Reference: 1923 J Quarter in DARTFORD Volume 02A Page 1156


Marriages Jun 1942 (>99%)
Bristow Irene E E Gilham Surrey N.E. 2a 147
Gilham Bernard R Bristow Surrey N.E. 2a 147

1939?? (For accurate DoB if it's the right woman) Birth cert will confirm

Irene E Bristow 05 Apr 1923 Female House Parlourmaid Single 33 10

Please can anybody help with info on Irene? Edwards was her birth name but used the name Bristow. She was born in Dartford in 1923, in 1942 she married a Bernard Gilham and they had a son Raymond. She left them and in 1946 had a daughter, then did the same, she left again. Reaching out hoping someone might be able to help. Possibility she could have remarried more than likely did. Any help would be appreciated Dora