Scrapbook of Samuel and Elizabeth Logan and family
Samuel Logan grew up in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. He established a boat building business and he and Elizabeth had six children including my great grandfather, John Maxwell Logan.
Born: 11 Jan 1877 at Chesterton, Cambridge, England.
Died: 11 Feb 1951 at 3 Northcote Ave, Ealing, Middlesex.
Max was the eldest son born to John and Alice Logan. He was born on 11th January, 1877 at Chesterton, Cambridge.
In the 1881 Census, Max is four years old living with his parents, and baby sister, Helen, in Maxwell House on Chesterton Road, Chesterton, Cambridge. His grandmother, Lydia Bullard, is also staying there and they have the services of a 15-year-old general servant, Florence Lawrence. Two doors away, at what I believe would be named 'Victoria House' at some stage, are Max's paternal grandfather, Samuel with his children, Mary (24), Benjamin (21) and William (19) and the obligatory general servant. (The property in-between, Wellesley House, had unknowns in occupation but they were either renting from Samuel or Samuel later purchased the house as it was mentioned in his will.)
I found a newspaper snippet from 1890 when Max was 12 and he had received a £20 a year scholarship to the Daventry Grammar School. I am sure it was just a coincidence that his uncle, William Henry Logan, was appointed Headmaster two years earlier but that Max was showing his true academic potential.
In the 1891 Census, Max is listed as a boarder at the Daventry Grammar School and William is the headmaster alongside his wife, Eliza Davidson Logan nee Loam and their six month old son, Richard.
According to the Cambridge University Alumni, he attended Tettenhall College in Wolverhampton matriculating in 1896. He was admitted as a pensioner at Downing College in 1898 and graduated with his B.A. in 1900. A pensioner is a student who pays for their own tuition and meals. As opposed to his uncle, Samuel Charles Logan, who was admitted in 1870 as a Sizar or one who financed his studies by undertaking more or less menial tasks within his college or received small grants from the college. These contrasting admissions may have been a reflection of how the boat building business was faring at the different times. Of the boys that went to Cambridge, Samuel is the only one that I have found that was a Sizar student.
(A small snippet in a newspaper article from 1896 about College Rugby mentions M. J. Logan of Tettenhall College and Fitzwilliam Hall. "In 1869 Cambridge University altered its statutes to allow men who were not members of a college to become members of the University under the supervision of a censor, whose office was in Trumpington Street, opposite the Fitzwilliam Museum. This provided students who could not afford to belong to a college with a base from which to study at the University, allowing them to be admitted to degrees, sit examinations and compete for scholarships." Wikipedia. Attending Fitzwilliam Hall may account for the two years between matriculating in 1896 and being admitted to Downing in 1898. He may have obtained a scholarship as well in order to be admitted to Downing as a Pensioner.)
On the 25th of September, 1900, Max married Chloe Adelaide Morris when he was 23 years of age and his bride was 22. His residence at the time was the ‘Manor House’ Old Town, Clapham, London, and his occupation is schoolmaster. He was most likely a live-in schoolmaster at the Manor House School.
Chloe’s address was Oystermouth, Glamorgan in Wales - probably with her family at 'Aelybryn', which I am not sure is the name of a house or a locality in Swansea, Wales.
They were married in the Parish Church of Clapham, Surrey, according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church by Licence (as opposed to Banns). Charles P Green officiated and the witnesses were John M Logan, Matilda Morgan and Clara R Laws.[1] Chloe’s father is recorded as Charles Edward David Morris[2], deceased and his occupation had been a Tin Plate Manufacturer.
Max’s father is registered as a Commercial Traveller - John and Alice Logan were still living in Cambridge at 'Merrivale', Oxford Road, Chesterton at the time of the Census on 31 March 1901. Staying with John and Alice at the time of the census was Charles M. Logan, two months old, described as their grandson.
Charles Maxwell had been born at The Mumbles, Glamorgan in South Wales on 7th Jan 1901 and was baptised on 14th February 1901 in Oystermouth, Glamorgan (Mumbles, Swansea). The baptism records Charles' parents as Chloe and Max with Max's occupation listed as 'Publishing Agent'. Perhaps his employment had been terminated at the Manor School following his marriage but there could be a myriad of reasons they appear to have moved back to Oystermouth. Or, perhaps, the move was temporary while Chloe was pregnant for family support.
Tragedy ensued as there is a death registered for a Chloe Adelaide Logan in the first quarter of 1901 at Gower, Glamorgan, aged 23. It is possible that Chloe died in childbirth or soon after.
While baby Charles is staying with his grandparents when the 1901 census was taken, Max can be found at a boarding house, ‘Waverley’ at Hordle, Hampshire – Hordle being a very small village on the south coast of England. Max has given his occupation as a Publishing Agent – the rest of the description is illegible - perhaps it is the name of a publishing house in Wales.
There is also a death registered of Charles Maxwell Logan in the December quarter of 1904, aged three years, at Lambeth. I haven’t obtained this certificate, as yet, so I am not aware who he was staying with at the time of his death or whether it was a hospital.
[1] One of the witnesses at the wedding to Chloe Morris was Clara R Laws (nee Bullard) who was a sister of Alice Logan (nee Bullard), making her Max’s Aunt.
[2] The 1881 Census has Charles and Emily Morris living at “The Graig”, Briton Ferry, Glamorgan, Wales with there three children under three years, Chloe (3), David (1) and Hilda (4 months) plus three domestic servants. In the 1901 Census, Emily is now a widow and is living at “Aelybryn” with her children, David now 21, Madeline (who is Hilda using her middle name) aged 20 and son, Courtenay aged 17. Hilda Madelaine was to later marry Max’s brother, Alec Edwin Russell Logan in 1905.
[3] The marriage certificate forms part of the later divorce proceedings.
At the time of the death of Charles, the Cambridge Alumni entry (above) already has Max as a Master at the High School, Quebec (1903-5) and at Woodbridge School, New York, U.S.A. in 1905-6. He may have felt compelled to get away after losing his wife so early in his marriage. I wonder where he was when Charles died and how he found out.
Max married a second time on the 19th June, 1906. This time Max, described as a widower, of New York City, married Florence Nightingale Walton, nee Wilson, widow, of Quebec City. The ceremony took place at Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, Canada and Vicar, Herbert Symonds, officiated[3].
I do not know when he and Florence, along with Florence's daughter, Una (1889-1964), returned to England. Having received his BA in 1900, he received his MA in 1914.
Max was a Lieutenant in the army during the First World War (1914-1918) with the South Lancashire Regiment and Kings Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). There are two entries I found in the London Gazette seen to the right. The entry, dated 4th April 1917, states that Temp. Lt. M.J.S. Logan relinquishes his commission on account of ill-health and is granted the hon. rank of Lt. 30th November 1916.
In an undated snippet of letter, assumed to be from Max as it is on a letterhead from Parmiter’s School where he was Assistant Master in 1918, he indicates that he was gassed. “You see, old chap, the 3rd battle of Ypres was a terrible time. I was the only officer left & five men out of my company, & I was carried off gassed on a stretcher and now they tell me I’m 80% unfit, with a heart all to pieces …”
In 1927 proceedings commenced for divorce between Max and Florence. The divorce records indicate that Florence accused Max of committing adultery with an unknown female and it was not contested. This was quite common at a time when divorce was still uncommon and it was still necessary to supply grounds for the divorce - the husbands would not contest being accused of adultery in order to protect the good name of the wife. At this time, Florence was living at 51 Jersey Road, Ilford and Max, a retired Schoolmaster, was living at 3 Northcote Avenue, Ealing where his mother, Alice was living. (John Logan having died in 1925.) Max, in 1927, was 50 years old. The Decree Nisi was granted on 31st of October 1927.
In a letter from Alice to her son, Morris, Alice indicates that “Florence was not the girl for Max”. Perhaps he married her on the rebound after the tragic death of his first wife.
However, he was not single for long. On the 12th May 1928, he married Elsie Emily Corby, 36 years old (born in 1886 which would have made her 42). Elsie was the daughter of John Corby who was a retired shoe manufacturer. Max was recorded as being a retired schoolmaster. They were married in the Registry Office at nearby Knaresborough.
In the 1911 Census, Elsie is recorded as living at 14 Westmoreland Road, Harrogate which is a business premises of Emmatt and Son, Dress and Mantle Maker. Elsie is one of over 30 Dressmaking Assistants living in the 31 roomed premises. This is only a short distance (200 metres) from where Max and Elsie were living when they got married in 1926 in Regent Parade. At the time of her wedding Elsie stated that she was a Costumier. (The owner of the business, Francis Emmatt, had passed away in 1920 and his son, Frank Jnr, may or may not have continued on with the business.)
In a letter from Alice dated the 3rd January 1929, which, unfortunately, has a considerable tear in it plus pages missing, Alice indicates that “… a baby coming … last time a baby … it only lived 4 days … mother had a terrible time … lost her own life. Max as you … imagine nearly distracted with … as it was he nearly did lost his reason. I think he is settling down a bit now only that unfortunately …” This would be in relation to the birth and death of John Maxwell Stuart Logan born to Max and Elsie on 28th June 1928 followed by his death four days later on 3rd July 1928.
In the 1939 England and Wales Register, Max and Elsie are living with Percy and Mary Key - Mary being Elsie's half sister - at 373 City Road, Birmingham. Mary had married Percy Key at Northampton, where the Corby's came from, in 1919. Max is recorded as a retired schoolmaster and Percy is a Telegraphist with the G.P.O. Birmingham. Elsie and Mary are fulfilling unpaid domestic duties. (It would appear that one of the two Key children are living at home but the entry is blacked out for privacy reasons. Robert (1922 - 2013) and Gillian (1927-2018) - Gillian being the mum of Andy Reid.
Max died on 11th February 1951 at 3 Northcote Avenue, Ealing. He was aged 74 years and died from mitral disease of the heart and rheumatic fever. His brother, Alec E.R. Logan of 50 Audley Road, Ealing was the informant.
Information from Andy Reid is that "Elsie lived in Ealing with Mary (her half sister) for many years before my parents moved them both to Stratford upon Avon where we lived. She died in 1978 aged about 92."
Two pages from letter/s of Max to Morris and Ruby written on the letterhead of the Parminter's School but there are pages missing.
(Lines of which are quoted in Max's letter)
Land of our Birth, we pledge to thee
Our love and toil in the years to be;
When we are grown and take our place
As men and women with our race.
Father in Heaven who lovest all,
Oh, help Thy children when they call;
That they may build from age to age
An undefiled heritage.
Teach us to bear the yoke in youth,
With steadfastness and careful truth;
That, in our time, Thy Grace may give
The Truth whereby the Nations live.
Teach us to rule ourselves alway,
Controlled and cleanly night and day;
That we may bring, if need arise,
No maimed or worthless sacrifice.
Teach us to look in all our ends
On Thee for judge, and not our friends;
That we, with Thee, may walk uncowed
By fear or favour of the crowd.
Teach us the Strength that cannot seek,
By deed or thought, to hurt the weak;
That, under Thee, we may possess
Man's strength to comfort man's distress.
Teach us Delight in simple things,
And Mirth that has no bitter springs;
Forgiveness free of evil done,
And Love to all men 'neath the sun!
Land of our Birth, our faith, our pride,
For whose dear sake our fathers died;
Oh, Motherland, we pledge to thee
Head, heart and hand through the years to be!
