Phryne Bonehill

  General Notes:

Aurthur & Phryne first contacted me 31.5.99 having been given my name by Michael Kilgarriff at on old time music show.They had copies of some of Bessie music sheets and believed they were close relatives but with no proof. Phryne was named after a waltz which her farther liked. Soon after Phryne birth they moved into The Public Hall, West Kirby, Wirral.Harry Best Bonehill left his wife and family as WW1 broke out and nothing has been heard of him since. The family dealt with the box office and putting out chairs for the performance. Artists included Harry Lauder & a perfectly formed tiny aristocratic 'Lady Little. Bessie played the piano for silent films. The last Phryne remembers of her father is rushing in and shouting that 'War had been declared He left soon after and nothing is known of him. He did send a birthday card to Bessie probably for her birthday in January 1915. I was able to establish the connection to Jane and hence to Bessie Bonehill. Arthur & Phryne have two children Malcome & Rosemary. I went to Devon on 5.10.1999 and met Arthur & Phryne. I had a wonderful day and she was able to supply me with much information including photographs. She told me the story of her four sisters and how there education was paid for by Sir Adrian Bolts sister when her father disappeared on the outbreak of the First World War. Phyrne was trained as a Piano teacher. She was a talented dancer and tap danced with Lionel Blaire Aged 80 during a world record attempt on television for the largest number of tap dancers. During WW1 when the troops were billeted in West Kirby Public Hall she remembers seeing lights being flashed between Hillbury Island, Wales and Grange Hill. She reported this to the soldiers who investigated and spies were caught. In 1934 she went to Italy to teach an Italian Countesses family music and English. See all photographs.

  Noted events in her life were:

• Occupation: Musician.

• connection. ⁹⁷² Stephen Haynes' connection to me is as follows:


Stephen Haynes . . . mother, then Emily J. Bates was a friend of . . .
Phryne Bonehill (1910)
Her father was Harry Bonehill (1873)
His mother was Jane Bonehill (1851)
Her father was Elias Bonehill (c1822)
His father was John Bonel (c1791)
His father was Robert Bonhil (1745)
His father was William Bonell (1707)
His father was John Bonell (1678) & he also had Robert Bonhil (1745)
His father was William Bonell (1707)
His father was John Bonell (1678) & he also had Thomas Bonell (1728)
He had John Bonell (1756)
He had John Bonell (1796)
He had Jane Bonell (1833) who married Gerry Derry (1833)
They had Ellen Derry (1865) who married Thomas Perks (1864)
He had Thomas Perks (1888) who married Mary Evans (1889)
Her father was William Evans (1845)
His father was John Evans (1821) & he also had Josiah Evans (1851) who married Mary Davies (1848)
Her father was Thomas Davis (c1805) & he also had Joseph Davies (1852)
He had G. A. Davies (1894)
He had Colin Davies (1925)
He had me - Robyn Bray (nee Davies) (1950)

• Certificates: Marriage, 4 Apr 1942.

Phryne married Arthur George Edward Taylor on 4 Apr 1942 in Islington, Greater London, Middlesex England. (Arthur George Edward Taylor was born on 27 Jul 1916.)