The 1930 US Census shows that Annie and her first husband changed their names to Wanda and Louis Pothier. This was a common practice among immigrants to America. Their ancestral surnames were too complex and difficult for Americans to pronounce.

William Addison

Born: 21 DEC 1883 in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, England

Father: John Addison (1854 to 1930)
Mother: Catherine Taylor (1856 to 1942)

First Spouse: Margaret Brockbank (1887 to 1917)

Married: 1905 in Walton Le Dale, Lancashire, England

Children:

Annie Addison (19 APR 1906 to 27 JUL 1983)
John Addison (1910 to 1917)

Second Spouse: Margaret E Fawcett (1892 to 1975)

Married: 1923 in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA

Children:

William Patrick Addison (4 MAY 1924 to 24 APR 2002)
Margaret Addison (26 AUG 1929 to 19 NOV 2004)

Died: 27 APR 1954 in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA

Timeline:

1891 Walton Le Dale, Lancashire, England
1901 Sandgate, Kent, England
1905 Marriage to Margaret
1906 Birth of daughter, Annie
1908 Death of brother, John
1910 Birth of son, John
1911 Walton Le Dale, Lancashire, England
1911 Immigrated to America
1917 Death of wife, Margaret, and son, John
1920 Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
1921 Death of sister, Catherine
1923 Marriage to Margaret
1924 Birth of son, William
1926 Death of brother, Christopher
1929 Birth of daughter, Margaret
1930 Death of father, John
1930 Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
1940 Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
1942 Death of mother, Catherine
1950 Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
1954 Death and Burial

Occupation: cotton weaver

Records:

1891 to 1911 England Census Records
1920 to 1950 US Census Records
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
UK, British Army World War I Service Records, 1914-1920
England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index: 1837-1915
Massachusetts, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963
Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Index, 1901-1955 and 1966-1970
U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
Massachusetts, U.S., Death Index, 1901-1980
U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current

Variations of Surname: none

A Little History:

I found military records for William on Ancestry.com. You can view these documents in the database entitled “UK, British Army World War I Service Records, 1914-1920”.

In 1901, William enlisted with the 7th Dragoon Guards, a cavalry unit of the British Army. Troops were being sent to South Africa to fight in the Second Boer War.

The 1901 England Census shows that William was stationed at Shorncliffe Camp. This military establishment was located near Sandgate, Kent, England.

William must not have enjoyed the rigors of military training. Image 7953 of 10231 shows that he was absent from the barracks six times between 10 MAY 1901 and 30 JUL 1901.

On 9 OCT 1901, William was accused of desertion. Image 7955 shows that he had been absent from Shorncliffe Camp since 13 SEP 1901.

I do not know if William was arrested for desertion. He was 17 years old when he enlisted. The military documents listed his age as 18 years old.  The Long Long Trail website shows that the first offense of fraudulent enlistment was punishable by imprisonment.

William eventually returned home to Walton le Dale, Lancashire, England. In 1905, he married his first wife, Margaret Brockbank. The 1911 England Census shows that they had two children.

On 17 OCT 1911, William and his brother, Christopher, boarded the ship, Cymric, at the Liverpool docks. Nine days later they arrived at Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA.

William’s first wife must have decided to remain in England. In 1917, Margaret and their son, John, died on the same day. The “England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007” shows that their deaths were recorded in the Chorley Registration District.

The UKBMD website shows that there were 26 parishes in this district from 1837 to 2005. I do not know which parish they were living in at the time of their deaths.

Margaret’s mother, Annie, died in 1930 in the Chorley Registration District. Margaret probably moved with her mother to one of these parishes between 1911 and 1917.

NOTE: On 23 MAR 2024, I received a message via Ancestry.com from a great-grandson of Margaret Brockbank. He stated the following:

“Anne and her father were in America for work when her mom killed herself and Anne’s little brother. She had told us that they were here first to earn money and secure a place to bring the rest of the family over from England before the tragedy happened.”

William’s First Wife:

Margaret Brockbank:

Margaret was born in 1887 in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, England. She died in 1917 in Chorley, Lancashire, England. Margaret was 30 years old when she died.

Margaret’s father was Robert Brockbank. He was born in 1866 in Preston, Lancashire, England. He died in 1910 in Preston, Lancashire, England. Robert was 44 years old when he died.

Margaret’s mother was Annie Ledger. She was born in 1864 in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, England. She died in 1930 in Chorley, Lancashire, England.

Robert Brockbank married Annie Ledger on 26 AUG 1883 in Preston, St Thomas, Lancashire, England. His occupation was listed as a dealer on this document.

NOTE: The 1881 England Census shows that Robert and his father were fish dealers.

Annie and Robert must have separated shortly after Margaret was born. The 1891 England Census shows that Annie and her daughter were living with her mother in Walton le Dale, Lancashire, England.

The 1891 England Census shows that Robert had moved to Wigan, Lancashire, England. His occupation was listed as a fish dealer. This document also indicates that Robert married a woman named Jane A. Their child, Florence, was seven months old.

I could find no marriage record for Robert and Jane. The 1901 England Census shows that Annie was still married and living in Walton le Dale.

In 1904, Robert was convicted of being drunk and disorderly. He was sentenced to ten days of hard labor.

Robert died in 1910 in Preston, Lancashire, England. The 1911 England Census shows that Annie was then widowed.

William’s Second Wife:

Margaret E Fawcett:

Margaret was born in 1892 in Preston, Lancashire, England. She died in 1975 in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA.

Margaret’s father was George Fawcett. He was born in 1865 in Preston, Lancashire, England. He died in 1939 in Preston, Lancashire, England.

Margaret’s mother was Jane Eden. She was born in 1865 in Preston, Lancashire, England. She died in 1920 in Preston, Lancashire, England.

Margaret had ten brothers and sisters:

Thomas Fawcett (1885 to 1885)
Elizabeth Fawcett (1887)
James Fawcett (1889)
Alfred Fawcett (1891)
Robert Fawcett (1895)
George Fawcett (1898)
Jane Alice Fawcett (1900)
Isabella Fawcett (1902)
Bertha Fawcett (1903 to 1904)
Thomas Fawcett (1905)

William’s Youngest Daughter:

Margaret Addison:

Margaret was born on 26 AUG 1929 in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA. She died on 19 NOV 2004 in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA.

I do not believe Margaret ever married. The Fall River Public Library has an Obituary Index on its website. If you click on the year 2004, you will find Margaret Addison’s name listed.

William’s Oldest Daughter:

Annie Addison:

Annie was born on 19 APR 1906 in Walton Le Dale, Lancashire, England. She died on 27 JUL 1983 in Newburyport, Essex, Massachusetts, USA.

Annie was married twice to Speros George Pothitakis. Four children were born during their time together:

Theresa Louise Pothitakis (1932)
Rosemary Ann Pothitakis (1933)
John Speros Pothitakis (1937)
Loretta Lamonica Pothitakis (1940)

Speros George Pothitakis was born on 21 DEC 1901 in Avlonarion, Halkis, Greece. He died on 24 FEB 1985 in Clark County, Nevada, USA.

Annie and Speros must have divorced a second time. I do not know when she married her second husband.

Edward Thomas Hindon was born on 2 SEP 1895 in Roxbury, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA. He died in 1969 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA.

A Little History:

In 1910, Annie immigrated with her paternal grandparents to America. The family settled in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA.

NOTE: Annie’s ancestors worked in the cotton mills of Lancashire, England.  Fall River was another thriving cotton mill town.

The 1920 US Census shows that Annie and her father were living with her grandparents. William was then widowed.

On 3 NOV 1926, Annie married Speros George Pothitakis in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA. His occupation was listed as a “hotel captain”. This term was used to describe a manager of a restaurant’s staff.

The 1930 US Census shows that Annie and Speros were living at 98 Chandler Street. They had changed their names to Louis and Wanda Pothier.

NOTE: There is an article on Genealogy.com that explains why immigrants changed their names. In essence, European names were more complex and hard for Americans to pronounce. In this case, the surname Pothitakis became Pothier. Annie became Wanda. The names Louis and Pothier have French origins. Speros may have thought these names sounded more sophisticated and fit the persona of a Maître d’hôtel.

Annie and Speros divorced sometime between 1926 and 1934. This fact is documented in their second marriage record. Annie and Speros were remarried on 3 APR 1934 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA. 

Annie and Speros must have had an “on-again-off-again” relationship. The 1940 US Census shows that Speros and three of their children were living with his mother at 423 Shawmut Avenue.

Where was Annie in 1940?

I could not find her in the 1940 US Census. The city directory for Boston shows that she was residing at 30 Tavern Road. She may have been living above one of the restaurants while she was caring for her three-month-old daughter, Loretta.

The 1950 US Census shows that Speros was again divorced. He was living at 11 Isabella Street.

The 1950 US Census shows that Annie was married to Edward T Hindon. Her two youngest children were included in the household. They were living at 237 Cabot Street.

When did Annie marry Edward?

I could find no marriage record in Ancestry.com’s database “Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Index, 1901-1955 and 1966-1970”. It was the city directory listings that helped narrow down the year of their marriage.

In 1942, Wanda A Pothier was living at 237 Cabot Street.

In 1947, Mrs. Wanda Pothitakis and Edward T Hindon were living at 237 Cabot Street. This indicates that they were living together but were not married.

Mrs Wanda Pothitakis

Edward Thomas Hindon

The 1958 directory listing is the earliest entry showing that Annie and Edward were married. They were still living at 237 Cabot Street.

The above-mentioned grandson also noted:

“Spyros may have changed his name to Louis, but he and Anne were definitely not together after 1940. Edward Thomas Hindon raised the kids as his own. I have a brother named for him and Aunt Theresa named one of my cousins after him. That’s who gramma was with until he died in ’69.”

The Addison Family:

The surname Addison was common along the borders of Northern England and the eastern counties of Scotland. In the period known as the Middle Ages, these Addison ancestors migrated south to settle in Cumberland, Westmoreland, and Lancashire counties in England.

The progenitor of this family line was Christopher Addison. He was born around 1788 in Bolton, Lancashire, England. Who were his parents? That is still an unanswered question.

This family lived in the Walton-le-Dale area of Lancashire, England. The four oldest children were born in Moon’s Mill which is now Higher Walton. The two youngest children were born in the parish of Cuerden. The family finally settled in Over Darwen which is five miles south of Blackburn.

Timothy Addison created a family tree on Rootweb. His ancestors lived in the parishes of Kings Meaburn, Morland, Crosthwaite, Beathwaitegreen, and Levens in northwestern England.

Is there a connection between his ancestors and the ones who migrated to Lancashire? This is where my search begins . . .

If you know the answer to this question, please contact me. My email is dlwakenight@yahoo.com. You can also leave a message in the Comments Section of this post.

Creating Your Family Tree:

Are you interested in building a great family tree? Do you want to preserve your family history? Here are some tips on how to become a family genealogist.

Genealogy:

Genealogy is the study of a person’s “line of descent.” You start with one individual and go “back into time.” You would add parents, grandparents, etc., and continue down the line. Your family tree will grow when you add your ancestors’ descendants, their children, their grandchildren, etc.

Choose a Family Tree Website:

There are family tree websites that require paid memberships. These include Ancestry, My Heritage, and Find My Past. If you want a family tree website that is free of charge, you can try FamilySearch. These family tree websites allow you to search millions of records and build your family tree.

WikiTree is another family tree website that is free of charge. This site does not have searchable databases.

Add Photographs and Documents:

Have you heard the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words“? All of these family tree websites allow you to upload photographs and scanned documents to your family tree.

Ask your parents, grandparents, and cousins for copies of their family photos. They may also have documents such as letters, diaries, family bibles, and newspaper articles. These are all excellent sources of vital records.

Create Family Stories:

Every family has a story to tell! Did you have an ancestor who served in the military? Did your ancestor become a doctor, lawyer, or well-known actor? Did your ancestor have a “skeleton in the closet“? These stories can be uploaded to your family tree website.

What’s In A Name?

Have you ever wondered what your last name means?  The SurnameDB.com is a great website for finding the origins of English surnames.  There are also websites for other parts of the world like Eastern Europe, South America, and the Middle East.

Thank You!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to the Family Tree Insider. If you notice an error or want to comment on a post, please contact me. I appreciate any feedback that will improve your experience on this website.