None of the children are mentioned as having Fleetwood as their surname. More of them are mentioned as Bannings.

Copy of the birth register for the couple's 14 children.

If you look at the individual birth years you will notice a time gap between number 12 (Ruth) and number 13 (Claude). It could be speculated that the lonely C between those two entries indicates a stillbirth. In England and Wales parents were not required by law to register a stillborn child until as late as 1927.

Born February 6, 1872 in Slaughter, Glouchestershire - Died 1955 in Poole, Dorset County (from 1997 a unitary Borough).

Stayed in England except for one year during the second Boer War in South Africa.

Garé's comments:
I really know nothing of Will, except that no one but Nina ever seemed to like him. It was common talk that he was well-to-do!

Born June 24, 1873 in Neath, Glamorganshire - Died 1962 in California.

Lived in Oakland, California, from 1922 with her mother. Later settled in Laguna Beach, California. Lived for longer periods with Garé's parents.

Garé's comments:
She had two husbands but I know she attracted some very fine old boy friends all the years I knew her. She sometimes had 3 at once falling over themselves! She was a small woman and quite good looking. And like Dorothy she could be utterly charming when she wanted to.

Several years before Nina died she became senile and started wandering away and getting lost. I mean, she'd turn up 100 miles away from her home in Laguna Beach where she and Connie jointly owned a home.

One night Nina called from the home. She was very ill. Could I come over? Carl and I dashed over and I called the doctor as soon as I saw her. He arrived and called an ambulance but before it arrived she was gone! It was a stroke.

Born September 13, 1875 in Ottey, Yorkshire - Died in 1955 in Dronfield, Derbyshire.

A decorated war hero from the two Boer wars and World War One. Attained the rank of Captain, a title he would use for the remainder of his private life.

Garé's comments:
I never met him. Nina was fond of the two older boys - but the other members of the family referred to them as 'chips off the old block' meaning Bill - which was no compliment.

We always heard that Will and Fred made money on 'the horses', I presume in some way in the betting end of the business.

Born March 11, 1877 in Derby, East Midlands - Died March, 1900 during military service in South Africa.

Garé's comments:
At Walter's birth the family lived in Wales. I haven't an idea why Grandma was that far away from home (Walter was born in Derby 100 miles away - Editor's remark).

Grandma was very fond of Walter and mourned him as long as she lived. My mum, too, loved him dearly - she said that he was the only boy in the family who was sweet and kind and loving!

Born November 21, 1878 in Henny, Monmouthshire - Died in England.

Garé's comments:
I never met Honie.

She bought one of her mother's hotels after she had left England, with the understanding that Honie and her husband paid her off over a period of time. They sent payments for 2 or three years and then said they were not making any money on the hotel and Grandma's income disappeared.

Born March 23, 1880 in Longstone, Derbyshire - Died 1970 in Australia.

Immigrated to Australia, later to California, finally to Australia.

Garé's comments:
Connie was a real love and a very strong character (not always the wisest person) - impetuous - but oh, so generous and kind and full of love for everyone.
She was truly a wonderful, lovely, kind, generous soul.

She visited my folks in Hawaii twice in the 1920's. She lived partly in Australia and Mum and I went with her once and I had my twelfth birthday there (we stayed 2 months). She moved to California to stay permanently about '47 or '48.
1929: Mum and I spent a couple of months in Australia with Connie and her family, I had my 12th birthday there. This was all at Connie's small resort hotel in Bowral, New South Wales. It's name was Mt. Gladstone.

She had a deadbeat husband and she had to run rooming houses and finally a small resort hotel to support herself and family.
Connie had a rental home in Laguna Beach where she cared for two guests.

She returned to Australia about 18 months before she died.

Born November 29, 1881 in Longstone, Derbyshire - Died in California.

Lived in Oakland, California.

Garé's comments:
She left England with her husband John in 1926. The less I say about poor old Maggie the better...

She thought it horrible that Grandma was in a retirement home - she wrote to my mum and dad and they sent the money so Maggie could bring Grandma back to Honolulu.

Born August 28, 1883 in Millers Dale, Derbyshire - Died ca. 1954 in California.

Fought in the Boer War in South Africa. Then settled in San Francisco.

Garé's comments:
One funny little story Mum loved to tell was about Harry when he was about 2½ or three years old. He disappeared one morning and after searching everywhere Grandma finally found him behind a bed with an empty bottle of 'Beef, Iron and Wine' (a special energy tonic containing beef extracts, iron salts, and sherry wine - Editor's remark). He was dead to the world, but when she picked him up with his empty bottle he opened his eyes and mumbled 'Goo' water'.

Harry, like his older brothers Will and Fred - was fascinated with race horses. But he was a very likeable man - jovial.

He started business in San Francisco as a business contractor until the big depression 1929 - '32 or '33. He wrote to my mum sometime in those years and told her he was so destitute that he was actually not able to get himself enough food. Mum, with my dad's full agreement started immediately sending him 10 dollars a month - this they continued to do for about 5 years. Sometimes, with all the other 'family' responsibilities they took on it was hard for them to spare that money. Harry finally got on his feet again about '35 or '36.

Born April 21, 1885 in White Hall, Buxton, Derbyshire - Died 1973, result of a bad fall.

Garé's comments:
Mum was very fond of Harry, but her favorite brother was Walter who died in the Boer war (i.e. the second Boer War from 1899 to 1902 - Editor's remark).

See more on Ethel HERE.

Born September 23, 1886 in White Hall, Buxton, Derbyshire.

Garé's comments:
She was always called 'Little Dottie' and aunt Dorothy was named after her.

Ran away to marry William (last name omitted - Editor's remark). Her parents had forbidden it, and I believe would never have anything to do with her after she married him.

Born December 11, 1887 in White Hall, Buxton, Derbyshire.

Immigrated to Rhodesia (today's Zimbabwe - Editor's remark).

Garé's comments:
Married twice. Until his later years he and his family lived in Bulawayo, Rhodesia. His gold mine was there.

Born April 26, 1890 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire - Died ca. 1922 (suicide).

Garé's comments:
Her sojourn in Washington appears to have been very interesting, but she apparently did not get on too well with her step-mother.

Ruth became addicted to morphine (or heroine) I'm not sure which. The doctors in England evidently didn't realize the danger of it during WW1 and handed it out like candy. Grandma, too, was addicted, but being such a strong character fought her way out of it after leaving England.

I remember her only as a very pretty lady - and very nervous - who cried a lot.

Born May 14, 1893 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.

Immigrated to the USA around 1913 and renamed himself Dick. Immigrated to Australia and got married. Immigrated to Hawaii.

Garé's comments:
My dad trained Dick thru the years in wood working and carpentry which Dick was able to put to good use teaching for many years at Kamehameha Hawaiian Boys School.

When he came to visit in the early 1950's he and his Australian wife had been divorced for several years - and he was a totally different person than I had remembered him. I remembered him as a very intolerant, critical man - who particularly liked to 'put down' on everything we said in front of him. When I told him I thought he'd changed, he agreed and said he hadn't realized what the mess of a marriage he had been in.

After the divorce he became a happy, jovial, deeply religious but fun guy to have around. He visited us the last time in 1984.

Born May 23, 1894 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire - Died in Australia.

Immigrated to Australia, later to California.

Dorothy's son Peter lived for longer periods with Frederick and Ethel (Garé's parents). Peter and Garé became like brother and sister.

Garé's comments:
An amazing woman! And as selfish and self centered as anyone could be - but utterly charming when she wants to be. I have to admire her grit and courage and in many ways find her awe inspiring!

She lived in the Lake Elsinore area 50 miles from Laguna Beach, about 15 minutes from where Carl and I and Mum and Pup lived. She was a good cook.

She spent about 15 years in the latter part of her life in California - she loved it there. When her health began to fail she went back to Australia and lived with her daughter for the last years of her life.