Eveline Mary Bowyer was born in 1894 at Sunninghill, near Ascot in Berkshire. She was the oldest child of Henry and Annie Bowyer (nee Simonds). Henry was a carpenter. At the 1901 census Eveline 6 years old was living with her parents and her baby sister Emma at Milborne Cottages, Sunninghill, Berkshire.

In 1901 Evelyn’s paternal grandmother Emma Bowyer (nee Slann ) aged 54 was a widow living next door with 3 of her 13 children, Benjamin aged 18, Frank aged 11 and Evelyn aged 16.

At the 1911 census Evelyn is a housemaid in the home of Dr Thomas B. Dakin at Henley-on-Thames, Berkshire, about 16 miles from her family home. Her parents were at home in Sunninghill with Evelyn’s younger siblings, Emma 10, Margaret 8, Jonathan 6, George 2 and newborn Frederick.

On 9 May 1917 Evelyn was unmarried and staying at Alverstoke in Hampshire when she gave birth to a baby boy she named Henry Evelyn Bowyer after her father Henry. She falsely claimed that she was married on the birth certificate and reported the father’s name as Thomas. It seems likely that gave her baby up for adoption to the National Children’s Home named ‘Stokesmead’ at Alverstoke.

In 1918/1919 Henry was adopted by Percy Spencer Yates and Clara Eveline Yates (nee Rolley) from Sheffield, Yorkshire. Their only child William had died at the age of 8 in 1915. Henry’s name was changed to Dennis Yates.

On 12 June 1921 Evelyn married Frederick Edmonds at St Mathews Church, Brixton. Frederick was a Decorator.

I would love to hear from anyone who can give me more information about Mary Evelyn Bowyer and her family.

Giles Yates
Sydney, Australia
30 Oct 2009