John Henry Sidaway (b. 1861), as a 20-year-old, was a piano player at movie theatres that ran silent films and turned to teaching after the talkies arrived according to aunts and uncles and the "1881 census - David Sidaway" (b. 1837) lists John Henry as a pianist. The family lore has it that John Henry and his writing partner, no name, wrote the music and lyrics to It's A Long Way To Tipperary and lost the rights to the song in a bar bet.
The "1911 census - John Henry Sidaway" (b. 1861) states that John Henry and Rebecca had 13 children, 8 of whom were alive at the time of the census. The "1891 Census - John Henry Sidaway" (b. 1861) lists a 6-month-old Florence who is no longer listed on the following "1901 Census - John Henry Sidaway" (b. 1861). I believe that Florence is one of the 5 that died.
I have the will of Rebecca Tromans, 213 Titford Rd, Langley, Oldbury, County Worcester and it makes reference to these people:
- Brother: William Tromans, 90 Petford St, Old Hill, County Stafford, retired builder
Son: William Sidaway, 216 Tat Bank Rd, Oldbury, foundryman
Daughter of William Sidaway: Sylvia Sidaway
Son: Harold Sidaway
Son: John Henry Sidaway
Son: Charles Edward Sidaway
Daughter: Beatrice B--field (nee Sidaway)... it looks like Binfield but I can't be sure.
Children of Beatrice B--field: Cedric and Eveline
Daughter: Lily Jackson (nee Sidaway)
Husband of Lily Jackson: Walter Jackson
Predeceased daughter: Annie Jemima Baldock (nee Sidaway)
Children of Annie Jemima Baldock: Frank and Florence Baldock
John Henry Sidaway, (b. Feb 13, 1888; d. Dec 21, 1973) married 1913 to Ellen "Nell" Watson (b. Feb 17, 1889; d. Dec 4, 1960)
Children
- Daughter: Olive (b. July 4, 1913; d. June 22, 2005)
Daughter: Florence Edna (b. Feb 3, 1919; d. Feb 7, 1953)
Son: John Francis "Frank" (b. April 29, 1921; April 8, 2007)
Son: Horace (b. July 29, 1924; d. Jan 30, 1994)
Son: Jack (b. Oct 29, 1927; d. Oct 1, 2000)
Daughter: Beatrice "Betty" (b. Dec 4, 1929; living)
Son: Leonard (b. May 26, 1932; living and my father)
All the deceased of the family of John Henry Sidaway (b. 1888) are buried at the Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Olive and Edna were born in England and the rest in Montreal. The family disappears from the English Census forms because the family emigrated to Canada in 1920, returning to England in 1934 and emigrating for the last time in 1938, after the death of Rebecca Sidaway (nee Tromans).
