Remembering my mother - IRENE 1923 - 2007

Our mother, Irene Lehane, died on Sunday 01st July 2007 at the age of 84 years at her home in 67 Finian Park, Shannon, Co Clare, Ireland. The family agreed that the many photos in existance, some over one hundred years old, would be used to tell the story of her life. And what a remarkable life it was.

Irene grew up in London in the 20's and 30's, an only child. At the age of 15 she was working, she met her future husband Arthur Dodson and married at 19yrs, had one child, Ian and was widowed at 21yrs. She lived through the trauma of the Second World War, the rationing, the constant bombing of London. After the war, working in London Airport, she made contact with Terry Lehane in Ballygireen Radio Stn Shannon. Irene converted to the Roman Catholic religion, despite trenchant opposition from her family, married Terry and moved to Ireland. She had nine more children and fostered another. Tragedy struck again when Irene was widowed again at the age of 49yrs.Despite this Irene had a tremendous faith in God which she tried to instill in all of us. Against all the odds she reared the family single handed finding time to do voluntary work with the Shannon Society of Care. She encouraged us in everything we did. Our Mother was a truly remarkable woman and this album of photographs features the significant events in her life together with the many happy times with her family. This is our tribute to our mother.

Florence Dodson - Marking the grave Oct 2007

As promised Theresa and I returned to Broadway Cemetery in Peterborough on 09th Oct 2007. I brought with us from Ireland a commemorative plaque to mark the grave of my great grand mother Florence Dodson. We bought a bag of ready mixed sand/cement in a B&Q store in Peterborough, a large bottle of water in a local corner shop and with a group of vagrants drinking wine in the cemetery for company, we proceeded to dig out a small section of earth. We mixed the cement on a piece of plastic and bolted the plaque into the cement thus marking the exact location of the grave. We will return at some future date and see if it has survived the elements.

Death of my mother Irene Lehane 01st July 2007

My mother died peacefully at home at 67 Finian Park, Shannon, Co Clare, Ireland at 12noon on Sunday 01st July 2007. She was surrounded by her family who had looked after her during her illness. She had battled bravely with cancer for 12 months. Irene was laid out in the sitting room of her home where family, friends and neighbours came to pay their respects. Her funeral took place to Lemenagh Cemetery after Requiem Mass on 03rd July 2007.

Locating Florence Dodson's Grave MAY 2007

My great grandmother Florence Dodson was born in Yaxley in 1871. She gave birth to Herbert in 1892 and subsequently married John William Rycraft in March 1896. Florence developed TB and entered Peterborough Infirmary where she died on 26th Sept 1904 aged 32 yrs. She is buried in Broadway Cemetery Peterborough which Theresa and I visited previously but failed to identify her grave as the graveyard was overgrown and many graves were unmarked. We went again in May 2007 and met Steve Tyler an administrator from the Crematorium who would help us to pinpoint Florence's grave no 3222. He brought the Burial Register and a map of the cemetery and we quickly eliminated the duplicate grave with the same number. Using the map and register and by identifying the graves in the immediate vicinity we were able to pinpoint the exaxt location of Florence's grave. We planned to return and mark the grave.

Tracing the Challis family in Canada

My Great, Great Grandmother Elizabeth Buckea (1835-1896), after her first husband Wm Collins died, married John Alfred Challis in 1873 in Bethnal Green. They had one son John Richard Challis born on 19th Oct 1875 in Shoreditch. He emigrated to Canada where he met and married Mabel Eugenie Black (born in Jamaica) on 12th Feb 1916 in Toronto. I located the marriage certificate. They had two children Mary,born abt 1920 and John(Jack) born abt 1923. They lived at 151 Langford Ave, Toronto for many years and John and subsequently Mabel corresponded with my grandmother Elizabeth Jones in London. John Challis died on 11th July 1929 and is buried in St John's Norway Cemetery Toronto. I have a copy of the death cert.

I have been in correspondence with Eileen White who is in charge of research at St John's Norway and she has kindly assisted me with further information. Mabel Challis died in Nov 1963 at the age of 74 and Mary Challis died in Oct 1988 aged 68 and they are buried together. Eileen has sent me a photograph of the gravestone, shown here, (with the snow brushed off) with the names of John and Mabel engraved on it. I am now trying to trace John (Jack) Challis who moved away from Toronto to work. He would now be about 84 yrs if he is still living. He or his family may have old family photographs or letters which would be of great interest.

The Huntsman - Issue No 53

The Journal of the Huntingdonshire Family History Society featured my letter to the Editor - A Satisfied Member - I joined the HFHS in Dec 2004 hoping to make use of the Society records and member services to further explore the origins of the Dodsons of Yaxley. Little did I think that, when my family interests were printed in issue 51 of the Huntsman six months later, I would get an e-mail from Margaret Long of Yaxley alerting me to the research she had carried out some years ago for James Dodson of Bath. I was astounded to find that his grandfather Samuel Dodson(1868-1946) was a brother of my great-grandmother Florence Dodson(1871-1904). We are both descended from their father George Dodson, landlord of the 'Bluebell' inn at Yaxley and his wife Margaret (Smith). Following an exchange of e-mails we met in Bath in Sept. last year and James opened a bottle of champagne in honour of the occasion. My wife Theresa and I spent a very enjoyable day with 'cousin' James exchanging family data. James is coming to visit us soon in Ireland.
This is all due to the HFHS and Margaret Long of Yaxley whom we also met on our trip. We plan to be in Yaxley again soon and hoping it will coincide with a Society meeting in Huntingdon.

Dodson Family History

Having spent a considerable amount of time over the past few months, often late into the night, scanning old photographs and typing copious notes, I have now produced a Dodson
Family History. This document of 50 pages includes 9 generations of the Dodson family commencing with George Dodson (1761-1839). There are notes on each descendant in the direct line including pictures and copies of documents. I have sent hard copies to Margery and Muriel in Canada and to my mother in Shannon. My cousins Arlene, Jackie and Anita and their children and grandchildren can add the details for their generations by utilising the FTM software and I can supply a CD of the Dodson Family History.
I will be bringing a copy with me when Theresa and I visit Paul in Australia from 19th March to 21st April 2006.

Meeting David Jones after 60 years!

Theresa and I travelled by train from Woking to London to meet David, my mother's first cousin, on 19th Sept 05.We met at the Family Records Centre in Myddleton St. This was the first time we had met in over 60 years although to be honest we cannot remember the first occasion. We are both in a family photo taken in 1943 to celebrate the diamond wedding anniversary of George and Emma Jones at Forest Gate. I am a baby in my mother's arms and David is sitting at the front of the family group.
We had a lot of catching up to do. David is retired and living with Angela and has been doing a considerable amount of work on the Jones family tree. He has spent a lot of time researching records in the FRC and the London Metropolitan Archives and exploring graveyards in the Greater London Area. We visited the FRC and the LMA which are adjacent to each other and he outlined what records are available in each. We had an enjoyable day together. Since I returned to Ireland Dave has identified 62 Buckea family members, some of them related to Elizabeth Buckea (mother of Emma Jane Jones). This should keep us both occupied for some time to come.

Visit Yaxley and meet Margaret Long

Theresa and I were delighted that we included Yaxley on our itinerary. We met Margaret Long, a wonderful lady, in her home and she made us very welcome. We discussed the Dodson family over tea and she was able to provide a copy of the photograph, taken c1900, of the Blue Bell Inn (Landlord George Dodson c1860-1895). Also a map of Yaxley c1904 showing the various pubs and a copy of the liquour licences issued in 1878. Also an extract from George Dodson's grand- father's will (also George Dodson) made on 16th Oct 1826. We discovered that Margaret and Eric Day had co-authored a beautiful pictorial history of Yaxley entitled 'Portrait of Yaxley' which was now out of print but she had a copy which she showed me.

Margaret brought us to St Peter's Church where we met Church Warden Stephen who gave us an expert insight into the history of this fine building. We viewed the baptismal font where so many Dodson children were baptised over a period of a hundred years. When we left Margaret it was with regret and with an invitation to come and visit us in Ireland. We will meet again.
We then had an opportunity to see the present house formerly the Blue Bell Inn situated on The Hill beside The Green. I walked around the area and took some photographs and thought that I must be walking the same paths as George Dodson's family including Florence my great grand- mother over a century ago. I will visit Yaxley again next year.

FOOTNOTE: I received a phone call from Margaret when we were back in Ireland to say that she had sourced a copy of the book 'Portrait of Yaxley' for me and that made the whole trip worthwhile.

Meeting James Dodson for the first time.

While on holidays in the UK Theresa and I visited Bath on Sat 24th Sept 05. We followed the directions given by James and having parked the car we met James Dodson on the street. He brought us back to his appartment on the ground floor of one of those magnificent Bath terraces. He opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate the meeting of two branches of the Dodson family after a period of over a century. We then spent several hours exchanging family information and found that James is 67 and has 4 children. He grew up in Thrapston in Northamptonshire and his father Samuel Warren Dodson died when he was 8 months old. His grandfather Samuel Dodson was a brother of Florence Dodson my great grandmother. James is a zoologist who has retired from lecturing for some years and is pursueing his interests in archaeology and history. He provided lunch in his appartment which we thoroughly enjoyed. Theresa was impressed by the beautiful sash window with working shutters which looked out over a green with the river beyond. Having recorded our meeting on camera we took our leave. Thank you James for your hospitality and we look forward to you coming to Ireland to stay with us possibly in May next year. I know we will return to Bath. A great Dodson family day all due to Margaret Long in Yaxley who put me in touch with James. Thank you Margaret.

Finding a Dodson cousin in Bath

I joined the Huntingdonshire Family History Society in Dec 2004 hoping to make use of the society records and member services to further explore the origins of the Dodsons of Yaxley. Little did I think that within 6 months I would get an e-mail from Margaret Long in Yaxley alerting me to the research she had carried out on behalf of James Dodson in Bath. Having made contact with James I was astounded to find that his grandfather Samuel Dodson was a brother of Florence Dodson my great grandmother. In other words we are both directly descended from their father George Dodson and mother Margaret Smith who lived in Yaxley. We are presently exchanging e-mails and I hope to meet James Dodson when we are in England in Sept.

Keeping up with the Jones'

When Theresa and I were in London in 2004 we visited my mother's first cousin Don Jones in Dagenham. This led to a contact with Don's brother David who was also researching his own family history. Since then we have been in contact by e-mail sharing information on the Jones family. David has carried out most of his research on the ground in London, which he has shared with me, while I have had the benefit of my mother's memories of her mother (Elizabeth Jones) and great grandparents (George Jones and Emma Jane Collins). My mother's collection of photographs has also helped to fill in the gaps. I have yet to meet David Jones and we hope to get together when I am in London in Sept.

At the graveside in Bari, Southern Italy

It was with some apprehension that I approached the War Cemetary in Bari. This was the end of a long promised journey. Such a peaceful place, so many headstones, all these young men, what a waste. Theresa and I searched for Arthur's grave, pausing to read the incriptions, over 2000 in all, and suddenly there it was beside his friend Jack Holt. They both died together in Sicily in April 1944. As I knelt beside my father's grave, such mixed emotions, the regret at not knowing him, the desire to find out all about him, the need to make sure his sacrifice was not forgotten. I thought of the words spoken at a remembrance ceremony attended by my mother and recorded by her.


"They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them"

The Canada Connection

When Theresa and I visited Canada I was excited about meeting my Dodson aunts and cousins who I had not seen for many,many years. We were not disappointed as everyone made us so welcome. I sat with Margery on the settee as we explored the Dodson history over three days. Her memory of childhood events and wartime experiences and romances was as sharp as a pin. Arlene provided some great family fotos and showed us some new tricks in a wheelchair. Our stay with Jaqueline was delightful and when she produced the Robinson/Richardson family bible which yielded so many facts about Mabel Robinson's family I was astounded. I never knew it existed and the old photos were a bonus. Reminiscing with Robert and Muriel about the war years, their romance and marriage was so interesting and I really appreciated receiving my father Arthur's wallet from Muriel. And finally a visit to Anita who was so welcoming to her home on Vancouver Island and more fotos for the family tree.
Let us not leave it so long again.