Welsh Connection

In the late 1800's and early 1900's many Welsh people (as well as Irish) came to Liverpool to find work.    One of these was Sidney Dando, probably originally from South Wales. He married Ellen Williams on Tuesday 10th July 1883 at St. Peters Parish Church, Church Street, Liverpool.    Both of their addresses were given as Queen Street with no numbers indicated, in the parish of Liverpool.    It is likely that this was an accommodation address with his future father-in-law Owen Williams's ship being docked at nearby Princes Dock. Sidney's occupation was given as a mariner and so it is also possible that he served on the same ship as his future wife.    The age of both bride and groom was stated to be 22 years, the bride signing the register in the Welsh form "Ellin".     The marriage was witnessed by Elias Williams and Margaret Williams.     There is a photograph of this wedding showing the bride and groom with the bride's parents.

Ellen Williams was born on 27th May 1858 at Portmadoc (Porthmadog), North Wales to Owen Williams, Master Mariner and Margaret nee Williams. Ellen's birthdate is therefore at variance with her age on the marriage certificate.

By 1896 the couple were living at 7 Stockbridge Street, Everton, Liverpool when Sidney Dando purchased a burial plot , Number 428 Section 26, at Everton Cemetery, Fazakerley for £2 on 21st December 1896.    The document is countersigned by John Houlding (Founder of Liverpool F. C.) on behalf of the Burial Board. In this plot was buried Owen R. Dando who died on 16th December 1896 and was said to be three years old. Another son who was also called Sidney was born to the couple in 1889 and on 12th July 1899 they had a daughter who they named Mary Ellen.   In 1905 the family were living at 24 Herschell Street, and Sidney senior was now employed as a dockgateman, an occupation which was considered to be a good position as this uniformed force was responsible for dock security.

Sidney and his family moved again in 1921 to 18, Wylva Road, Anfield but by this time his son Sidney was married to Mary Owen and they were living at 15, Faraday Street, his occupation being listed in the Liverpool Street Directory as a joiner and later in 1937 as a shipwright of 19, Thurnham Street.    Sidney junior and his wife Mary had two children - Gladys, who married a Mr. Gutteridge but had no children and Sidney Owen Dando, born on 17th December 1921.  Sidney Dando junior died in the early years of the second world war and his family had to move from Thurnham Street due to bomb damage.    Mary Dando moved the family home to 12 Edith Road, Anfield and she died aged 62 years on 23rd February 1951 and was buried in Everton cemetery with both her in-laws.    Sidney Dando senior had died on 11th April 1940, age given as 81 years and his wife Ellen on 26th September 1942 age 84 which corresponds with her birth date.    The grandson Sidney Owen Dando continued to live in Edith Road and he later married Florence Little.     They had three children.     A son David, born on 23rd August 1948 and four years later celebrated the birth of twins, a boy Philip and a daughter Glenys on 8th June 1952.

Mary Ellen Dando, called 'Nell' by her family, worked in the office of W. H. Venmore, Estate Agents as a typist and in 1928 was 29 years old when she married 'Jim' Doig.    He was still living three roads away at 18, Miriam Road with his widowed mother Davina.

 
Wedding Pictures of Ted Heron and Eva and Bert Doig and Blanche

The marriage took place at the Welsh Calvanistic Methodist Chapel, Anfield Road on August 4th 1928, the groom being described as a Poor Law Clerk whilst his wife was given as a stenographer. Sidney Dando, the brides father, was stated to be a retired Dock Gateman.    The 'best' man was 'Jim's' youngest brother Stanley whilst the chief bridesmaid was H. E. Edwards. The couple went to live at Wylva Road with the brides parents who, by then, were in their late 60's.

For the 1928 -29 football season Jim Doig continued to be correspondent for Walton Hospital and was also given in the Annual Report as Football Captain of the First Team.    Both First and Second teams won their leagues, the former gaining promotion from the Third to the Second Division of the I Zingari leagues.     The team also reached the semi-final of the Liverpool Amateur Cup.

League Matches :- P 26; W 23, D 2, L 1; F 149, A 34; Pts. 48.       

Cup Matches :- P 7; W 5, L 2; F 33, A 18;               Totals :- P 33; W 28, D 2, L 3; F 182, A 52.                                                                                                                                    

The top two goalscorers were Jim H. Doig 64 and Bertie Doig 31 whilst Stanley Doig who played in defence also scored 2 goals.    In this report Stanley Doig was listed as a member in his own right whilst T. ('Ted') Doig is given as a 'Relative' Member.    It is not known whether 'Ted', by now nearing 40 years old, was playing as a goalkeeper for one of the three sides.    At the conclusion of the Annual Meeting of the Officers Guild on Monday 24th June 1929 the medals for the I Zingari League Division Three and the Alliance were presented to the First and Second Eleven players respectively.     The success of the teams was also celebrated by a well attended Dinner.

In the summer of 1928 in a secure job and nearing thirty years old 'Jim' Doig was contemplating marriage to a local Anfield girl who was, however, of Welsh parentage.

Jim & Nell with Eric

The birth of 'Jim' and 'Nell' Doig's first child, a son whom they called James Eric Doig, occurred on 5th October 1930, a day also noted on the world stage by the disastrous crash of the British airship, the R 101.    In 1934 on 2nd February the birth of twins, a girl who they named Dorothy Pamela and a boy called Peter Kenyon was celebrated by the family.    Could it be coincidence or perhaps heredity that 'Nells' nephew Sidney Owen Dando also had a family that mirrored this one with a son followed by a twin boy and girl

Dando Roots.

William Dando was born in or around 1815 in Bridgwater Somerset, the son of Thomas Dando a mariner.
In 1839 he married Eliza (sometimes spelled Elisa) Burge, originally from North Petherton and the daughter of Joseph Burge, an Agricultural Labourer.

The 1841 census lists them living with one-year-old son William in the Union House, Bridgwater, one of the country's most notorious workhouses. William senior's occupation is given as Sailor.

In 1842 the couple gave birth to a daughter, Elizabeth Dando.

The family continued to live in various buildings at the workhouse until 1861 or later, with William senior listed as a labourer in both the 1851 and 1861 census records. During that time at least five other children were born, but sadly and almost certainly attributable in part to the prevailing conditions in workhouses of that era, at least four died before progressing beyond their teens. Eliza herself died in 1860 and William junior in 1852.
On the 10th November 1858 Elizabeth, still only 16 and unmarried, gave birth to Sidney Dando in Bridewater, Somerset. No father is named on the birth certificate.

Nothing more is known of Elizabeth, but it is believed that Sidney Dando moved to South Wales. The 1871 census lists a 13 year-old Sidney Dando working as a collier and lodging with a Johns family (originally from Cornwall) in Aberdare, Glamorgan. Moreover it was believed by several of his descendants that he did originate from South Wales.

Sidney's occupation was given as a mariner when he married Ellen Williams on Tuesday 10th July 1883 at St. Peters Parish Church, Church Street, Liverpool. Both Bride and Groom's addresses were given as Queen Street (with no numbers specified), in the parish of Liverpool. It is possible that this was an accommodation address with his future father-in-law's ship being docked at nearby Princes Dock. It is also possible that Sidney served on the same ship as his future wife. The ages of both bride and groom were documented incorrectly as 22 years. Elias Williams and Margaret Williams witnessed the marriage and there is a photograph of the wedding showing the bride and groom with the bride's parents.
Ellen Williams was born on 27th May 1858 at Portmadoc (now Porthmadog), North Wales to Owen Williams, Master Mariner and Margaret nee Williams.

Sidney Dando junior was born to the couple on 11th September 1887 and by 1891 the family were living at 7 Stockbridge Street, Everton, Liverpool. The census of that year however omits Sidney senior from those present in the house, indicating that he was probably away at sea at the time of recording. Ellen’s sister Margaret was present and included.
1891 census Frederick Dando; Mary A. Dando; Sidney age 12; Mabel age 10. Combe Hey, Somerset. ie son born about 1879. CHECK

Owen Rees Dando was born to Sidney and Ellen in 1893, but survived only until l6th December 1896.
For Owen's burial, Sidney purchased a plot (Number 428, Section 26) , at Everton Cemetery, Fazakerley on 21st December 1896, for £2. The document is countersigned by John Houlding, best known as the founder of Liverpool Football Club, on behalf of the Burial Board.
A daughter named Mary Ellen (known as Nell) was born on 12th July 1899.

The 1901 census lists all the family as still living at 7 Stockbridge Street and confirms that Sidney senior was born in Bridgwater in 1858.
1901 census. Sidney Dando age 43; Ellen Dando age 41; Sidney D age 13; Mary Ellen age 1 + Margaret Edwards age 23. Now St Saviour, Everton.

By 1905 the family had moved to 24 Herschell Street, and Sidney senior was now employed as a Dockgateman, an occupation that was considered to be a good position as this uniformed force was responsible for dock security.
On 8th August 1914, Sidney junior married Mary Owen, born in Abererch, Caernarvonshire on 22nd March 1888 to Richard and Elizabeth (nee Thomas) Owen.

Sidney junior and Mary had two children. Gladys Mary Dando was born in 1916 and married Alfred (Alf) Gutteridge in 1948. The couple had no children. Sidney Owen Dando (known as Owen), was born on 17th December 1921. They lived at 15 Faraday Street for a time, before moving to 19 Thurnham Street. Sidney junior was a shipwright by trade.

In 1921 Sidney senior, Ellen and Nell moved to 18 Wylva Road, Anfield.

Sidney Dando senior died on 11th April 1940, at the age of 81 and his wife Ellen on 26th September 1942 aged 84.
Later in 1940 Sidney junior died suddenly of peritonitis, and Mary moved the family home to 12 Edith Road, Anfield when bomb damage forced them to leave Thurnham Street. Mary died aged 62 years on 23rd February 1951 and was buried in Everton cemetery with both her in-laws.
On the 6th March 1948 Owen Dando married Florence May (Flo) Little, the daughter of Louise and George James Little. Thereafter they made their home at 12 Edith Road with Mary.

Owen was a clerk at a chemical factory and Flo a sales assistant at a gas showroom at the time of their marriage. Later Owen moved on to become a Sales Representative, Sales Manager & Sales Director, whilst Flo became a teacher & subsequently a college lecturer in Speech and Drama.
Owen & Flo Dando had three children. A son David (Dave), born on 23rd August 1948, and twins Philip (Phil) & Glenys, born on 8th June 1952.
In 1971, Phil Dando married Agnes Hynes. They have two daughters, Caroline born 24th September 1971 in Liverpool, and Laura born 1st September 1977 in Brisbane, Australia. After emigrating to New Zealand in 1972 and crossing the Tasman Straits a couple of times, they now live in Newcastle, New South Wales.

Glenys Dando and David Walmsley married in 1975, and divorced in 1987. Glenys later married David Williams in 1990, but separated in 1998. Glenys has no children, and currently lives in Bromborough, Merseyside.

Dave Dando moved to Maidenhead, Berkshire in 1976, and married Clare Berry in June 1982. They have two children; Natalie, born 2nd March 1984, and Emma, born 25th November 1986. Dave and Clare divorced in 1998. Dave & Natalie continue to live in Maidenhead and Emma currently lives with mother Clare in South-east London.

In 1990, following their retirement, Flo and Owen Dando moved from Liverpool to Ellesmere in Shropshire, where Owen died at the age of 79 on 13th January 2001.

Scousers through and through?

Although Glenys still lives on Merseyside, both Dave & Phil left Liverpool over 30 years ago, returning only for visits.
All three were however born and raised within the sound of a Kop roar. Indeed in the late 1960s and early 70s, Phil trod the hallowed Anfield turf many times as a young professional goalkeeper on the books of Liverpool Football Club.

Looking at the ancestry and taking Glenys, Phil and Dave as the baseline, both parents and the paternal grandfather were born in Liverpool. The other three grandparents having North Wales, Shropshire and Wiltshire as their places of origin. Going back a generation, Four great-grandparents were born in North Wales, two in Wiltshire, one in Buckinghamshire and one in Somerset. An interesting assortment of pedigree and accents!