Bertha Fielden, 1893-1979

This picture was taken in the 1960s in Blackpool, Lancashire, England and although the picture is worn and crumbling, the lady in the image looks to be dressed immaculately and to my mind a bit too grand for the location and when I look at it I wonder if she had been attending some special occasion on that day to warrant being dressed so smartly. Her name is Bertha Saxon nee Fielden and officially her connection to my family is that of wife of husband of 3rd cousin 5 times removed. She was born on this day in 1893 in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, England and prior to marrying George Saxon she was married to a George Kenyon who sadly was killed in 1917 during WWI, 5 years into their marriage. Whilst she was married to this George, her second husband George Saxon was already married to his first wife Gertrude Howard (Great Great Grand-daughter of John Nield, my 7th Great Grandfather on my father’s side). Without knowing the reasons why, that marriage did not work out and sometime between 1917-1919 George Saxon separated from Gertrude and moved in with Bertha. Bertha changed her surname to Saxon and reported herself to be George’s wife raising a whole other large and extensive family with him but never able to officially and legally be his wife in actuality until 1947 when following the death of Gertrude Howard, Bertha at age 54 and George at age 60 were finally free and able to marry after about 30 years of living together and 7 children born to them out of wedlock and grown to adulthood. Their first son George Saxon Kenyon was killed during WWII just 3 years before that marriage took place and both him and Bertha’s 1st husband appear on my “Fallen Family” memorial pages here on my blog. I love Bertha’s smile in this image – it was obviously a good day that day. (Thanks to Lynn Stanley at Ancestry Family Trees for sharing this image of Bertha)

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