28. Sir William Arbuthnot LANE 1st Baronet MRCS, MB, FRCS
Note that the birth place is slightly different on the IGI compared to the Dictionary of National Biography. Fort George is listed in the Dictionary and Ardersier is listed on the IGI.
Was a well-known surgeon of Cavendish Square, London, England (Taken from the Bench and Bar of Ireland, September 1906).
The following is a short biography on William's life as recorded in the Dictionary of National Biography 1941 - 1950:
"Lane, Sir (William) Arbuthnot, first baronet (1856 - 1943), surgeon, was born at Fort George, Inverness-shire, 4 July 1856, the eldest child of Benjamin Lane, surgeon to the 80th Foot, by his wife Caroline Arbuthnot, daughter of Joseph Ewing, a retired inspector-general of hospitals, an Ulsterman. On his father's side the family of Lane had been settled since the plantation of Ulster at Limavady near Lough Foyle. When he was a fortnight old the regiment was moved to South Africa to take part in the first Kaffir war and his mother insisted on accompanying her husband with her child. For the first twelve years of his life they wer constantly on the move between England and Ceylon, India, the Ionian Islands, Malta, Nova Scotia, and Ireland. The extraordinary number and variety of impressions which Lane had received before the age of twelve may have been the cause of the remarkable independence of mind which he showed throughout life. He then spent four years at school in Scottland, first with a Mr. Braidwood and afterwards at Stanley House, Bridge-of-Allan, founded by Braidwood's two sons.
In 1872 Benjamin Lane was stationed at Woolwich and the only seven years in which he led a settled life corresponded with those spent by his two sons at Guy's Hospital. William entered in 1872. Being educated in Scottland he had twice to go back and take other examinations in classics and general knowledge, once for his F.R.C.S. (England) and again for the London degree of M.B. (1881). He took his M.R.C.S. in 1877 and then added to his experience of the world by spending a year in the Caribbean as a ship's surgeon. After this he was house-physician to W. Moxon and C.H. Fagge (qq/v/), both of whom, especially the former, influenced him profoundly. He wished to take up medicine and it was Moxon who tactfully persuaded him to turn to surgery instead. He then became house-surgeon at the Victoria Hospital for Children. Chelsea, where he took his F.R.C.S. in May 1882 and remained until he was appointed demonstrator of anatomy to Guy's Hospital in October of that year. On the strength of a paper which he then wrote on empyema he has been wrongly credited with being the first person to resect a rib for empyema, but the incident is typical of his work. Original in outlook rather than in conception, he was criticized by his seniors but accepted, at least for a time, by his juniors and most of his contemporaries.
Having finished his examinations by taking his M.S. (London) in 1883, Lane started on work which can be traced throughout his whole career. He had three characteristics: wonderful manual dexterity, absolute independence of thought, and the experiencing nature. The first was unrivalled, and approched by but a few; in the story of Guy's only by C.A. Key (q.v.) and by Arthur Durham. The second forbade him to accept traditional ideas as true if the evidence which he had before him said otherwise. It was accompanied by an insufficiency of self-criticism, which was magnified by the viuperative abuse with which each of his ideas was met. The third could change a paper knife into a surgical instrument or adapt the glass lining of a restaurant in Grenoble to an operating theatre. He began by studying the bones of working men in the dissecting room and described changes which took place in the skeleton of the coal-trimmer, the cobbler, and the brewer's drayman which enabled them to perform their tasks with the minimum of expenditure of muscular energy. Evolution was still new and he was a keen evolutionist and a physiologist of the mechanistic school. He believed that he was exposing in these bones evidence of evolution occurring in a single lifetime, and he formulated certain principles to which he adhered throughout life. In the fourth edition of his book on "The Operative Treatment of Chronic Intestinal Stasis (1918)" he states them thus: 'The skeleton represents the crystallization of lines of force which when exerted in a single direction are laid down as compact tissue; when in varying directions are laid down as cancellous tissue' (p.1), and 'every change in the anatomy of the individual which develops during life-time to enable him to accommodate himself more efficiently to his surroundings tends to shorten his life' (p. vi, preface). Anyone who wishes to try to understand Lane must bear these in mind whether he agrees with them or understands them or not. He repeated them in notes written another thirty years later, when eighty years of age. Although revolutionary with regard to other men's thoughts, he was singularly conservative with regard to his own.
In 1888 Lane was appointed to the staff of Guy's Hospital. His marvellous manual dexterity at once brought him to the fore in abdominal surgery which was then developing at a great rate. For many years a person whose abdomen was opened by lane had a greater hope of survival than if this were done by anyone else. This soon removed Lane from all financial anxiety.
Lane had what Bertrand (Earl) Russell has called 'the impulse of humanity' and the desire to relieve suffering spurred him on in each of those three surgical procedures which may be called his great subjects. The first was cleft palate, in which he extended the flap operation of J.N.C. Davies-Colley, his senior colleague at Guy's, and reduced the age at which the operation was done to one day. It was the same with the treatment of simple fractures. Dockers with fractures which were supposed to have been set well insisted that they could not do their work. He went down to the docks to watch them and came to the conclusion that every broken bone must be put back into exactly the position which the pieces had held before. He could only do this by applying an internal splint directly to the bone after replacement by open operation. To enable himself to do this with safety he devised an aseptical surgical excellence which as 'the Lane technique' has influenced the whole world, and remains his most enduring work. The third of his great subjects was 'chronic intestinal stasis'. He tried to free the costive woman from the thrall of her purgative pills and to give her a more abounding life. This he tried to do by giving her cream, subsequently replaced by the use of liquid paraffin, and then by operation, putting the end of the small intestine into the lower part of the large gut to short-circuit it. He subsequently removed the whole of the large gut. It was then that he met Metchnikoff who had a great influence on him as he held very similar views on the uselessness of the large gut and on the poisoning of the body which resulted from decomposition in the cess-pit. This was no new idea, being held by the men of the front rank in Lane's youth, such as Sir James Paget (q.v.). It was developed into the 'focus of sepsis' theory to which most diseases were subsequently attributed. Lane took this up very enthusiastically, believing that it acted not only directly in rhematoid arthritis, but also by lowering resistance in tuberculosis, and in cancer which he believed to be infective in origin.
During the war of 1914-1918 Lane was consulting surgeon to the Aldershot Command, in addition to his work at Guy's and at the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street (1883-1916). He went on to lecture tour with Sir James Mackenzie (q.v.) and others through the United States, and he was asked to organize and to open Queen Mary's Hospital at Sidcup, which became the nursery of all modern plastic work. At the end of the war he retired from Guy's; and shortly afterwards extended his views on health from the individual to the nation and the world. In 1925 he founded the New Health Society which was the first organized body to deal with what later became known as social medicine. In order to free himself for this work, which involved writing in the public press and publishing a journal, he removed his name from the register of medical practitioners in 1933.
Lane was created a baronet in 1913. Having been known to all his students and friends as 'Willie' for over twenty years, he took his second name, Arbuthnot, to use with this honour. He was appointed C.B. in 1917 and was also a chevalier of the Legion of Honour. He died in London 16 January 1943.
Lane was twice married: first, in 1884 to Charlotte (died 1935), daughter of John Briscoe, an army offficer, of Tinvane, county Tipperary, the sis-in-law of his old teacher, Hilton Fagge. By her he had three daughters and one son, William Arbuthnot (born 1897), who succeeded him as second baronet. Of the daughters, Rhona, the eldest, became headmistress of Wycombe Abbey School (1925-7). In 1935 he married his son-in-law's sister, Jane, daughter of Nathan Mutch, building contractor, of Rochdale.
He wrote enormously, producing in all 313 papers for the medical press and a number of short books. A bibliography of his works was prepared by Mr. G.A.R. Winston, the Wills' librarian to Guy's Hospital This was rearranged under anatomical and surgical headings by Mr. W.E. Tanner and is added as and appendix tohis life of Lane. Lane's great versatility and kindliness appeared in his fondness for animals, his connoisseurship in porcelain and , in later years, in bronzes, and in his skill in fishing; nor should mention be omitted of his superb dancing which he carried on until old age. His affection for the Hospital for Sick Children was second only to his love for Guy's.
A protrait of Lane by Edward Newling, presented to the governors by his past house-surgeons, belongs to Guy;s Hospital.
(W.E. Tanner, Sir W. Arbuthnot Lane, Bart., C.B., M.S., F.R.C.S., His Life and Work, 1946; Guy's Hospital Reports, vol. xciv, Nos. 3 and 4, 1945; Lancet, 30 January 1943; British Medical Journal, 23 January 1943; The Times, 18 January 1943; private information; personal knowledge.)".
Charlotte was the first wife of Sir William Arbuthnot Lane. She was the Daughter of John Briscoe, who was the son of Major Briscoe, R.A..
68. Lottie Rhona Arbuthnot LANE
Lottie was the headmistress of Wycombe Abbey School from 1925-1927.
Jane was the second wife of Sir William Arbuthnot Lane. She was Sir William Arbuthnot's son-in-law's sister.
She had six children by the time she was 28.
76. William LANE
Information for the name and the birth date taken from the Pedigree Chart that was compiled by the Wilsons.
Note that her sister's name was Augusta Matilda LANE and her name is Matilda Augusta LANE. This may be a duplication.
He was about 38 years old when he died. Richard was the Mary's first husband.
On May 15, 1882, Henry Alexander Lane was born in Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada the son of Henry Stanley Lane and Georgianna Bridget Ernst. He was Henry and Georgianna's only son who was named after his father Henry and after his paternal grandfather Alexander.
Henry had red hair and blue eyes. He stood about 5 foot 7 inches in height. Henry's sister Rose said, "Henry's hair was always straight until he went to Boston; then it turned curley". She also mentioned that a woman who saw Henry redecorating a window display in Boston wrote a poem about his curley, red hair.
Henry had five sisters: Mona Dorothea, Rose Dillon, Katherine Belle, Emma Avernia and Florence Olive. Mona died from a fall while visiting her aunt Mary Ogilby Fox Lane (Minnie) on the Isle of Man on February 18, 1889. Emma died in her infancy. The rest of the children had a wonderful childhood growing up together in Mahone Bay.
The family's home was know as Lanesboro Villa. The house was bought by his grandfather Alexander and grandmother Louisa Dorothea in 1850. It was later left to his father when Alexander and Dorothea returned to Europe and retired on the Isle of Man.
Henry's father farmed the land surrounding the house and served as a Captain in the Nova Scotia Militia. The home was located on the bay's south shore. In front was a large yard with an avenue of spruces that ran from the house to the front gate. A road seperated the front yard and a small plot of waterfront land. The farm was located in back of the house. From a large hill nearby, the islands of the harbor could be seen. A lilac-blossomed archway in front of the house, enhanced by the scent of the locust and the apple tree blossoms, filled the house int the spring.
In his youth, Henry enjoyed the companionship of his family, relatives and friends. It wasn't uncommon to see visitors at the Lane's house. On occasion, relatives would visit and stay for a month. Many of his cousins, the Ernsts, lived nearby. Johann Christian Ernst, Henry's great-great-great grandfather, was one of the earlier settlers of Mahone Bay and had a large posterity.
Activities in the Mahone Bay area included fishing, lobster trapping, swimming, social gatherings, farm chores, school, church meetings and horseback riding. Henry learned how to ride a bike when his aunt Minnie visited. She had her bike sent over in a crate from the Isle of Man. Henry took it out one day, learned how to ride it, and returned home with punctures in the tires.
Henry graduated from High School around 1898. His graduating class consisted of 28 individuals. Some time after graduating Henry left Canada and traveled to the United States. There was not much work available in Mahone Bay for the young graduates.
The boat that Henry took to the United States landed at Rose Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. From there Henry went to Brookline, Massachusetts and resided with his cousins "the Streets". Frances Margaret Street (Fannie) was his father's sister. She married Doctor Jerome Charles Street in 1868 and later moved from Nova Scotia to the United States some years earlier.
Doctor Street and Aunt Fannie had nine children. Over the years Henry became close friends with his cousins. They would spend many hours together socializing and developing relationships that would continue throughout their lives.
Now domiciled in the United States, Henry sought employment. He acquired his first job working for either Hubby's or S.S. Pierce.
At S.S. Pierce Henry worked as an errand boy. During the evening he attended school in order to further his education. While working for S.S. Pierce he met an older gentleman named Mr. Parkman. Mr. Parkman Liked Henry and offered him employment. Henry worked for him for awhile and then began working for a Mr. E.D. Cogman in an office located on Milk Street in Boston, Massachusetts. Later her worked in the Real Estate and Insurance business. By 1915 he was a Real Estate Broker.
While in Massachusetts Henry maintained written communication with his family. He took pictures and made post-cards which he sent to his father, mother and sisters. Eventually, two of his sisters, Rose Dillion and Katherine Belle (Kate), moved to Massachusetts. Rose came around 1904 when she was 19 years old and Kate came later.
On February 23, 1909 Henry married Margaret Agnes Nally of Watertown, Massachusetts. Margaret was the daughter of Patrick Joseph Nally and Mary Ann Kelly. Henry and Margaret moved into a home that Henry had built by carpenters. The home was built on Waverly Avenue in Watertown, Massachusetts. The home was situated next to Margaret's brother Patrick Joseph Nally's (Packie) home. Also, Packie's home was located next to Margaret and Packie's parents home.
Henry and Margaret spent four and one half years together before typhoid fever took Margaret's life. Margaret died in their home on July 30, 1914 at the age of 28, leaving behind Henry and their three children: Margaret Alice, Dorothy Louise and Henry James. Henry Alexander had also contracted the fever; he barely escaped death.
After Margaret's death Henry's sister Kate cared for his children Margaret, Dorothy and Henry James (Bud) while Henry was at work. One can only imagine the pain that he must had felt having lost his young wife.
Henry's life as a widower was brief. He began courting a young nurse from Shelburne, Vermont named Edith Kathering Morrill, the daughter of John Henry Morrill and Rose Ann Bora. Edith had been one of the nurses that cared for Henry and Margaret while they were ill. After a short courtship Henry and Edith were married in Burlington, Chittenden, Vermont on April 15, 1915. A Catholic Priest named J.F. Gillis officiated the ceremony. Henry was now 32 years old and Edith was 26.
Henry and Edith moved from the home on Waverly Avenue to a place in Islington, Massachusetts. Henry accepted an assignment from his employer which required the move. Upon completion of the assignment, they moved to a 56 acre farm located on North Street in Medfield, Massachusetts.
On the farm Henry planted vegetables and raised chickens, hogs and dairy cows. He had a milk route that he would do each morning before he took the train into Boston to work. Edith's brother William and sister-in-law Olive helped with the farm.
Around 1927, Henry purchased a home in Holliston, Massachusetts. The family lived in the house for a short time. In the spring of 1928 they made another move to Charlotte, Chittenden, Vermont. Henry bought a farm from one of Edith's maternal uncles name Joe Bora.
By the time they settled in Charlotte Henry's family was almost complete. Henry and Edith had tree children in Massachusetts: Robert Alexander, Edward John and Rose Ann. In Charlette the last two children were born: Joseph William and Frances Emma.
At age 46, the farm became Henry's main occupation. For income he sold milk to Sheffield Farm Creamry, baked loaves of bread to sell to the cottages and cleaned laundry. He had a large bread oven for baking.
During the depression the family survived on the income provided by the farm and the income from Edith's job. The family always had plenty to eat. They had the chickens and cows for meat, vegetables from the crops and milk from the cows. They made due with what clothes they had by mending them and by handing them down through the family.
One of Henry's daughters, Frances Emma, has fond memories of her father. She recalls that her father was always nearby. Frances' mother's job as a nurse took her mother away for weeks at times leaving Henry to care for the children. Frances said that he would make sure that she had clean clothes, fuss with her hair ribbons to make sure that they were centered correctly and read stories to her on his lap. She said that when the boys called on her Henry would tell them that she was out on a date, even when she was home, to make the boys think that they were too late. She recalls that Henry diciplined her by making her stand in the corner or sit in a chair.
Henry kept busy on the farm delivering milk to Sheffield Farm Creamry, making horse radish, apples sause, pickles, working in the garden and canning vegetables. During the Second World War he was in charge of the rationing coupons for Murray's store. He maintained an active role in his children's life encouraging them to read and study. He loved to read whatever he got his hands on and was known to be a diciplined man.
In 1945 Henry had problems with an ulcer. The problem was so severe that he had his stomach removed. For a time the doctors did not think that he would survive. Henry stayed in bed for a lon period of time and finally recovered.
After his recovery, Henry did not have the strength to run the farm. In 1946 he sold the farm and moved to Williston Road in South Burlington, Vermont. While living in South Burlington, he caned chairs to occupy his time. He continued to do other chores such as can vegetables that he grew in his garden and to make bread. His wife Edith continued to work as a private nurse.
In 1956 Henry and Edith moved to 63 Kirby Road in South Burlington, Vermont. Shortly thereafter in January of 1960 Edith had a stroke. On January 30, 1960 Edith died after a twelve day stay in the Degoesbriand Memorial Hospital located in Burlington, Vermont.
After Edith's death Henry lived alone for awhile, but later moved in with his son Joseph's family on Williston Road in South Burlington, Vermont. To occupy his timehe continued to cane chairs and enjoyed occaisional trips to the store.
Soon Henry was unable to function on his own and required special care. He moved to the Arnold Pavillion, a unit of the Degosbriand Hospital located in Burlington, Vermont. He maintained residence there for about two years and later moved to Nolan's Nursing Home on 271 South Union Street in Burlington, Vermont.
While living at Nolan's Henry became ill. He was brought to the Degosbriand Memorial Hospital in June of 1966 and was placed under the care of Docton James P. Mahoney. After an eight month and 22 day stay in the hospital, Henry Alexander Lane was pronounced dead at 11:55 a.m. on March 5, 1967. On March 8th Henry was burried next to his wife Edith at Resurrection Park in South Burlington, Vermont.
The following is Henry's obituray as listed in a newspaper:
Henry A. Lane Sr., 84, of South Burlington, died Sunday morning at a Burlington hospital following a long illness. He leaves three sons, Henry J. Lane of Charlotte, Edward J. Lane of Burlington and Joseph W. Lane of Williston; four daughters, Mrs. Margaret Shadrick of Bristol, Mrs. Dorothy Gibbons of Brighton, Mass., Mrs. Rose Ann Norton of Daytona Beach, Fla. and Mrs. Frances E. Bruce of Seymour, Conn.; several grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews; two sisters, Mrs. Florence Wilson of Kent, England, and Mrs. Rose Nally of Boston, Mass.
Funeral services will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday at St. John Vianney Church in South Burlington. Interment in Resurrection Park Cemetery. The body will remain at the James P. Dower Funeral Home, 37 Elmwood Ave., where friends may call Monday and Tuesday, 3-5 and 7-9 p.m. Parishioners of St. John Vianney Church will meet at 8 p.m. Tuesday for prayers.
The following is Edith's obituary:
Lane, Mrs. Edith Morrill, wife of Henry A. Lane Sr. of 63 Kirby Road, South Burlington, died early Saturday in a local hospital.
Besides her husband, she leaves four daughters, Mrs. Wayne (Margaret) Shadwick of Bristol, Mrs. Harold (Dorothy) Gibbons of Brighton, Mass., Mrs. Charles (Rose Ann) Norton, South Burlington, and Mrs. Elliott (Frances) Bruce, Burlington. Also, three sons, Henry Lane Jr. of Charlotte, Edward J. Lane, Burlington, and Joseph W. Lane, South Burlington; her mother, Mrs. Rose Morrill, South Burlington. And, three sisters, the Misses Emma and Ruth Morrill, South Burlington, and Mrs. George Stewart, Worcester, Mass.; three brothers, Andrew Morrill of Shelburne, George Morrill, Rutland, Mass., and William Morrill, Portland, Maine; several grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
The body will be at James P. Dower Funeral Home, 37 Elmwood Ave. Calling hours, 2-4 and 7-10. Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Maurice F. Dower in charge.
The following is the obituary for Robert, dated September 30, 1954:
Robert A. Lane - Robert A. Lane, 39, died in a local hospital yesterday afternoon. He was the son of Henry A. Lane Sr., of 1633 Williston Rd., South Burlington.
Besides his parents, he leaves four sisters, Mrs. Wayne Shadrick of Bristol, Mrs. Harold Gibbons of Brighton, Mass., Mrs. charles Norton of South Burlington, Mrs. Eliott Bruce of Shelton, Conn.; Three brothers Henry J. Jr. of Charlotte, Edward J. of South Burlington and Joseph W., USN.
Funeral services will be held Saturday morning at 9 in St. Vianney Church. Interment will be in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cemetery, East Charlotte. The body will be at the James P. Dower Funeral Home.
53. Rose Dillon LANE
In a letter written February 24, 1971, Rose tells Laura Cogswell how she and her cousin Rose Dillon Street got their names: "Your mother and I had our names sent to our mothers by aunt Minnie or Grandma Lane and we were named for the beautiful Rose Dillon, a Catholic girl whom one of our ancestors married and thereby lost the title, as I've been told."
Rose said that she had a wonderful childhood. She said, "we had everything that we needed when we were young".
Rose loved the salt water. She was always the first one in and the last one out. The kids had a New Fundland dog. Rose would grab onto his tail and the dog would pull her around in the water. She said that her mother could not swim but would go in the water to watch the kids while they learned to swim. In time, her mother could not catch up with Rose.
Rose and her sister Kate liked to shimmey up the locust trees and have fun. When she was young she could sit on the ends of her long hair.
In a letter to Ted Lane dated July 8, 1980 Rose wrote, "I wish it was like it use to be and that we still owned it (speaking of her childhood home in Mahone Bay). In the winter we used to coast down the high hill over the swamp, across the street and onto the ice on the Harbor. In the summer we would undress in the house and walk down the lane, accross the street and a rocky beach and into the water. My father taught several girls how to swim".
Social Security Number: 032-20-7105
The following is a portion of a letter written on December 13, 1979 by an old friend of Rose's named Amy:
"You wrote about your old home in your letter and as I read I could picture it all - that lovely big parlour or drawing room with those french doors! Wasn't it beautiful! And all the lilacs and other scented flowers outside. I recall so often a tea party your mother had one time out under the trees. Mr. Roe was the Minister here at that time and he and his wife were there. I have forgotten who the others were that were there. But what a delightful time we had, and what a delicious meal! What a happy childhood we all had! I can still picture the big Christmas tree in the back window in the dining room of your old home and almost taste the delicious Christmas plum pudding. A piece was always saved for me."
Rose came to the United States when she was nineteen. She stayed with her brother Henry and her cousins the Streets.
When Rose would go to Boston, her brother Henry would take her everywhere. On one occasion he went with her to buy a merry widow hat. Rose said, "Henry bought a corn colored hat that had a black wing on it. He had them take the black wing off and put a blue wing on. I came back with a big hat with it turned up on the side. Rose said, I thought I wasn't to have a merry widow hat"? She said that Henry used to buy her shoes and hats.
Rose worked as a Fisher Billing Clerk and also worked for the Jordan Marsh Company. Social Security Number: 032-20-7105
Rose married a twenty-six year old Catholic boy named Patrick Joseph Nally of Watertown, Massachusetts, an Expressman for his family business, the son of Patrick Joseph Nally and Mary Kelley, on January 5, 1910. The marriage was solemnized by William F. Shaughnessy, a Priest, in Watertown, Massachusetts. Rose was twenty-four years old and working as a Stenographer at the time she was married.
The young couple took residence at 73 Waverly Avenue in Watertown, Massachusetts. Their home was next to her husband Patrick's "Packie's" parents. Packie continued to work for the family business and Rose and Packie soon became parents. Their first son, Bernard Parker Nally, arriving in 1910. A second son, Henry Stanley Nally who was named after Rose's father, joined the family on October 29, 1913.
The following is a portion of a letter written to Ted Lane on June 4, 1980:
"I am 94 years young, but my sight is not as keen as it once was, and walking is quite difficult, as my knees are so stiff".
He died at Mount Auburn Hospital.
Katherine's name could had been spelled "Katherine Belle" or "Catherine Bell". Her daughter Kathryn Georgina Thompson spelled her mother's name "Katherine" when she wrote to me. I would conclude that it was most likely spelled with a "K".
Katherine was a dressmaker and lived at 85 Forest Street in Watertown, Massachusetts. Her Social Security Number was 032-20-7353.
She died at Mount Auburn Hospital.
The Doctor entered into the room where two young girls sat, Rose Dillon and Katherine Bell Lane. He said, "Here is a little doll for you"! It was January 23, 1897, the day that Florence Olive Lane was born, the youngest daughter of Henry Stanley Lane and Georgianna Bridget Ernst, in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Florence married Donald Gordon Wilson, son of George Johnson Wilson and Caroline H., on August 18, 1925 in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. The following is newspaper clip about the wedding:
Mahone Bay, Aug. 18 - The Methodist Church was the scene of a very pretty wedding at (noon) today, when Florence Olive, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Lane was united in marriage to Donald Gordon Wilson, son of Mrs. Wilson and the late G. J. Wilson, of Truro. The double ring ceremony was performed by Rev. Alban Daniel, of Windsor, former pastor of the Methodist Church in Mahone, assisted by Rev. Cater Windsor, present pastor of the United Church, in the presence of a large number of relatives and friends. The church was tastefully decorated for the happy occasion, with yellow and green.
The bride, prettily attired in white georgette, with tulle and orange blossoms and bearing shower bouquet of roses and lilies of the valley, entered the church on the arm of her father, who gave her in marriage, as Wagner's wedding march was being played by Gerald Ernst.
The bride was attended by miss Amy Ernst who was dressed in flowered georgette and carried a shower bouquet of pink and yellow tea roses and ferns. The groom was attended by Nelson McLeod of Truro. The ushers were Miss Doris Ernst and Miss Vera Mason, becomingly attired in orange silk.
The groom's gift to the bride was a handsome grey leather travelling case and the bride's gift to the groom, monogram cuff links. The groom's gift to maid of honor, onyx finger ring, to best man, monogram cuff links, to ushers, topaz bracelets and to organist, fountain pen and eversharp.
Out of town guests attending the wedding were: Mrs. P. J. Nally (sister of the bride) and two sons Parker and Hnry Nally, of Watertown, Mass.; Mrs. G.J. Wilson, of Truro, and Rev. C. B. Luinsden, of Dartmouth.
After the ceremony, luncheon was served at the home of the bride's parents, by her mohter, assisted by Mrs. W. A. Ernst and Mrs. Wesley Mason.
The happy couple left by the C. N. R. train for Caledonia en route for Kedgemakooge where the honeymoon will be spent. On their return they will take up their residence at Truro where the groom holds a prominent position with Eastern Hat and Cap Co.
The bride was a popular youn lady and a successful teacher in the publlic schools for several terms, also a valued worker in the Methodist church and Sunday school from which she will be greatly missed. She was the recipient of many beautiful gift, including linen, silver and glassware.
The bride's going away gown was an ensemble suit of beige and powdered blue with hat to match.
The following is a letter dated January 29, 1985 written from Sevenoaks, Kent, England by George Henry Wilson, Florence's son, to his cousin Laura Cogswell regarding Florence's passing:
"Mother passed away on friday evening, January 18 in her sleep quite peacefully. She had been readmitted to hospital on her doctor's orders three days before (for he felt she was too weak to be at home alone). After a week at home (at her request) following a two and a half week hospitalization for medication adjustment, she had become very breathless lately (also when I spoke to her on the telephone), and took medicine for high blood pressure.
I was here for ten days in October & also last April, when my son Michael was with me. He stayed in ______ working on two farms, in Germany & Norway & now has begun to study in Stultgart. His German is fairly fluent, his Norwegian passable & he begins to learn Russian. He and mother had a good meeting, & he was able to come over for the funeral. Most of those present have known Mother for only a few years, but an old school friend of mine, who had known her for nearly fifty years, made me very happy for his presence.
Since John's death, while living for the most part alone, but with daily visits from neighbors and with continuing interests in children & her garden & birds, Mother had become more preoccupied with her memories. She had begun an autobiographical fragment. She said "it is a wonderful feeling to go back . . .". It was almost a conscious preparation for the moment of passing. We had a simple, beautiful service. The sun broke through. A clergyman aquaintance, an American of the United Reformed Church, conducted it at the Tunbridge Wells Crematorium. Where Father & John were burried, and flowers that she loved. I was able to speak a few words concerning her life.
Now I must return immediately to Canada & come back at easter to go through the contents of the house. She kept everything.
Much Love,
GeorgeP.S. I was in Watertown for two days for Rose's 99th birthday December 28 - but couldn't reach you on the phone. Maybe if I get down for her 100th"?
Donald was cremated at Tunbridge Wells.
Source of information was a newspaper article for his death, a newspaper article for his marriage.After early retirement, Donald was prominent in the administration of lawn bowling in Kent, England. He was editor of the KCLBA year book for over 12 years and also served as Publicity Officer for the KCLBA at the same time. He still held this later post at the time of his death. He was a graduate of McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. He lived at 23 Broomfield Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, England.
102. John Michael WILSON
The following is a portion of a letter written to Ted Lane dated October 19, 1980:
"Dear Ted, I have been intending to write to you for ever so long but the days fly by so fast. Anyway here I am. I received the Genealogy charts that John had made out, but I have some bad news. John died a few days before his birthday which was September 30th. He would have been fifty years old. His stomach has been bothering him and Florence told him one day that he should see the Doctor, as she thought he had jaundice. He had lost some weight but he had been put on a very strict diet. No eggs, butter, milk or margarine, and no red meat. They put him in a hospital about twenty hours ride from their home. Friends took turns taking her to the hospital, even to the London one, to which he was removed for tests. They found he had cancer of the liver, kidneys and pancreas. They said he might live for a couple years, then they said only a few months. But it wasn't that long, and poor Florence is left all alone. She never had been all alone, as John took over when Don died. I had a letter from her a couple days ago. She said John had taken such good care of her and was so loving and gentle. She feels lost now."
John died at the Orpington Hospital in Sevenoaks, Kent, England. He never married.
Alfred was killed by a National Guard truck on his was back from lunch. His car was hit broadside by a National Guard vehicle. He was working for his uncle Walter Cleveland Cogswell.