Neal relations at Cuckoos Cup, The Wrekin

Brookstone in Leeds, Manchester, New York and Tonypandy

One of the earliest articles on Cutlock and Co was about tracking down the background to the Brookstone family, connected via great great aunt Lily Osborne’s husband Jonny. See Finding that elusive Jewish connection.

Jonny’s younger sister Eva,  born about 1883 Leeds, gets a mention there, but I couldn’t be sure where she went after 1901. With a full Ancestry sub I can now be confident that a voyage to New York in 1920 was indeed hers, with the full passenger list giving the right place of birth. She gave her previous address as Manchester, and eldest brother Louis can be found in that city in the 1911 census at Fermi Street, Cheetham, working as a fruit hawker. (Unfortunately no sign of Fermi St now.) Was she staying with that family? Rather than give this brother as ‘nearest relative or friend’, however, the passenger list has Harry Kay (friend) with an address in Crummock St, Hightown, Manchester. Another place I can’t find on a modern map, although the street appears in genealogy sources with both Hightown and Cheetham given as the district.

Brother Jonny is married by 1911, and living in Tonypandy, recorded as a House Paperhanger and Painter. Other sisters are probably married, but the remaining Elias Brookstone should be findable somewhere.

Eva herself is so far untraceable in the 1911 census. And her last known whereabouts are the place she was down to stay after arriving in New York,  on 11th July 1920 – cousin’s Mrs Annie Stein, 107 Forest Avenue, Buffalo. I can’t find her in the 1930 USA census, but it is quite likely she would have married. Marriage record availability varies from state to state, but a trawl on Ancestry and familysearch doesn’t come up with anything at all plausible.

So any help appreciated, on Eva B or her cousin Annie Stein.

Note: This Eva, sister to Jonny Brookstone and born about about 1883 Leeds, should not be confused with Eva, daughter of Jonny, born 1917 Tonypandy.


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4 responses to “Brookstone in Leeds, Manchester, New York and Tonypandy”

  1. Bill Richards avatar
    Bill Richards

    Hi, I am 74 and I remember Eva Brookstone but she was then properly Mrs. (Harry?) Lofthouse. They kept decorator’s shops on Court Street, Tonypandy (Corner house, probably No. 1) and also on Tonypandy Square, just a door or so away from J. W. Richards the Chemist at a corner of the Square. I will look on my local discs and see if there is a record of them being buried at Trealaw Cemetery.

  2. Bill Richards avatar
    Bill Richards

    Further to the previous comments about Eva Brookstone – Lofthouse I can confirm the following:

    Eva Lofthouse buried in Grave F1257 Trealaw Cemetery aged 62 in 1980 and similarly Harold Walter Lofthouse aged 68 in 1979. I was employed at Cambrian Colliery before opening my own business at 4, Dunraven Street, Tonypandy and my mother’s brother married into the Pritchard family of the Bush Houses. One of these Cornelius (Connie) and his wife Lizzie (still alive) kept a general store there for many years after the war until the houses were demplished. Hope this is of use.

  3. ahcutlock avatar
    ahcutlock

    Thanks for your comments Bill – good to have your memories of Tonypandy and Bush Houses.

    I should have added a note to this piece to make it clear that the Eva who went to America isn’t the Eva Brookstone who married Harold Lofthouse – the only offspring of Jonny and 2x great aunt Lily. I’ll add it shortly!

  4. ahcutlock avatar
    ahcutlock

    Thought I’d see if I could find Cornelius Pritchard’s family. Looks like he was born 1917, mother’s maiden name Thomas. This tallies with the 1911 census where father Cornelius and Rachel (Thomas) appear at 23 Bush Houses, having married 1910 (one child at census time, Bridget, 5 months).

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