William Burgum was born in 1868, at Whitecroft, near Pillowell in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. He was the son of Edwin J. Burgham and the grandson of George Burgham. By 1881 William was living with his parents Edwin and Clara in Coleford and, although he was only 13, he was already working as a forge labourer blacksmith. He married Minnie Birt on 24th December 1887 in Coleford. By now age 21 he was working as a collier, but, surprisingly, he was described on his marriage certificate as a widower!

He and Minnie had children Laura (Burgham) Wilkins, Gertrude Minnie (Burgham) Virgo, George Edwin Burgham, William Jonathan Burgham, Stella (Burgham) Beddis, Thomas Sydney Burgham, Rosetta (Burgham) Isles, Morris Albert Burgham, James Arthur Burgham and Mary Elizabeth (Burgham Wilson).

William and Minnie were living at Moseley Green and it was there Minnie died in 1907 at the age of 39 giving birth to her 10th child. She was buried at nearby Viney Hill on 7th April 1907. Margaret Beddis remembers her mother Stella saying that Grandma Minnie was always singing hymns. As the miners passed her home on their way to work in the pit they would stop and listen. The day of her funeral, as the coffin was carried shoulder high and reached Beech Tree Corner, Yorkley, people were still coming from the house.

After, the family moved to Yorkley Wood except for Stella, who lived with her Aunt Laura Pensome and Uncle Charles Pensome at Bailey Hill, Yorkley. Minnie's daughter Gertrude (Gert) and Lizzie kept house for the rest of the family at Yorkley Wood. William continued as a collier, but developed miners disease. He died age 52 in about 1920 in Yorkley Woods, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.

William Jonathan Burgum was born in Gloucestershire in 1895. By the age of 16 he was already working as a collier hewer, living with his father and 6 of his siblings at Pillowell in 1911. He suffered from coal miners disease (Black Lung Disease) and was self medicating. He died in his brother George Burgham"s arms about 1920 at the age of 25, shorty after this picture was taken. (Some reports claim his illness was syphilis).

He was the son of William Burgham, the grandson of Edwin J. Burgham and the great-grandson of George Burgham. His brother's and sisters were Laura (Burgham) Wilkins, Gertrude Minnie (Burgham) Virgo, George Edwin Burgham, William Jonathan Burgham, Stella (Burgham) Beddis, Thomas Sydney Burgham, Rosetta (Burgham) Isles, Morris Albert Burgham, James Arthur Burgham and Mary Elizabeth (Burgham Wilson).

Sarah Ann Dillon was born in about 1877 at East Jarrow, County Durham. On 12 June 1900 she married William Ernest Burgham at St Peter and St Paul Church, in Boldon, South Tyneside. Together they had 5 children Ernest Robert, Winifred, Edith, Norah and Evelyn. She died in May 1954, at Boldon, age 77 years.

William Ernest Burgham, a miner, and Sarah Ann Dillon were married at St Peter and St Paul Church, in Boldon, South Tyneside. Together they had 5 children Ernest Robert, Winifred, Edith, Norah and Evelyn. Sarah was apparently instrumental in getting a catholic church built in the area; it was built on 1905/06. William died on 27th May 1949 and was buried at Boldon, South Tyneside. Sarah died in May 1954, also at Boldon, age 77 years.

Harold James Wilkins with his wife Laura Edith Burgham. They were married on 10th February 1917 at St Pauls Parish Church, Parkend. D.J. Banham, vicar was the officiating minister. Harold was a collier living at Yorkley Wood. He emigrated to the USA and worked as a coal miner. Laura died, aged just 39, in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1930. Harold died in June 1983 in Northville, South Dakota.

George Edwin Burgham was born on 1st December 1892 and christened on 9th November 1895. In 1911 George was living with his father William Burgham, his motherMininne (Birt) Burgham having passed 4 years earlier. Also in the house at Pillowell, near, Lydney, were siblings William, Elizabeth, Thomas, Rosa and Albert. George married Gertrude May Wilkins on 23rd December 1916. Theyhad three children Sidney, Josephine and Irene. George and Gertrude emigrated to the USA via New York in 1922. George died around 1938 at Nanticoke, Pennsylvania.

Thomas Sydney Burgham was born on Christmas Day 1900. at Yorkley, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. He worked as a collier and was living at the Dudge, Level, Pillowell in 1922. He got married on 5th June that year to Laura Jones at Viney Hill, Gloucestershire. Tom and Laura had two children, Marion and Iris, at Pillowell. In 1925, following a number of mining strikes in the Forest of Dean, Thomas and his family emigrated to Nanticoke, in Pennsylvania, USA. There he found work down the coal mines. At Nanticoke two further children, Shirley and Kenneth, were born in 1927 and 1930.

The family returned to Gloucester, in England, in 1935. There he opened a confectionery store on Alfred Street, in Gloucester. His ice cream and sweet business did particularly well during the Second World War, when sugar was hard to come by. Thomas managed to obtained his supplies on the black market! Thomas and his daughter Shirley went out to Ohio, in the USA, to visit their cousins there. Tom died in Gloucester on 2nd November 1985.

Thomas Sydney Burgham was born on Christmas Day 1900. at Yorkley, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. He worked as a collier and was living at the Dudge, Level, Pillowell in 1922. He got married on 5th June that year to Lora Jones at Viney Hill, Gloucestershire. Tom and Laura had two children, Marion and Iris, at Pillowell. In 1925, following a number of mining strikes in the Forest of Dean, Thomas and his family emigrated to Nanticoke, in Pennsylvania, USA. There he found work down the coal mines. At Nanticoke two further children, Shirley and Kenneth, were born in 1927 and 1930.

The family returned to Gloucester, in England, in 1935. There he opened a confectionery store on Alfred Street, in Gloucester. His ice cream and sweet business did particularly well during the Second World War, when sugar was hard to come by. Thomas managed to obtained his supplies on the black market! Thomas and his daughter Shirley went out to Ohio, in the USA, to visit their cousins there. Tom died in Gloucester on 2nd November 1985.

Morris Albert Burgham was born at Yorkley, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire on 16th December 1904. He was baptised at home at Yorkley on 1st February 1905. His elder brother George had emigrated to America in 1921 and Morris and brother Thomas followed, departing Southampton on 6th June 1925. They crossed the Atlantic aboard the Berengaria arriving in New York on 12th Jun 1925. (The record shows he was English, age 20 and born at Yorkley). Morris remained in the USA for two years, initially living in Youngstown, in Ohio, before moving with his two brothers to Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, all working as miners.

Morris had saved hard and now had enough money to visit his relatives and friends in England. In New York he boarded the Majestic, owned by the White Star Dominion Line, arriving at Southampton on 22nd July 1927. He remained in England for about two months before travelling to Southampton to sail to New York aboard the Olympic, arriving 4 October 1927. He went to live with his brother Tom at 252 Noble Street, Nanticoke.

Morris married Doris Emma Webb at Nanticoke, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA, on 15 August 1929. He was 24. They had three sons James, Donald and Douglas. Morris worked as a miner, the family living (in 1935 and 1940) at 369 East Noble St, in Nanticoke. They lived in a rented house costing $15 a month, while his annual income of was $900.

Morris Albert Burgham was born at Yorkley, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire on 16th December 1904. In 1925 he and another brother Thomas followed their older brother George to Youngstown, in Ohio, USA. They departed Southampton on 6th June 1925 aboard the Berengaria arriving in New York on 12th Jun 1925. He remained in the USA for two years, initially living with his brother Tom in Ohio. Eventually all three brothers moved to Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, working as miners. Morris returned to England, staying about two months, before moving to America for good. He went to live with his brother Tom at 252 Noble Street, Nanticoke.

Morris was friends with another man from the Forest of Dean, James Webb. They worked together as miners and also lived in the same boarding house. James asked Morris to go to New York with him where Jame"s wife and 5 daughters were arriving from Wales. James and Morris were there to greet the family on 1st February 1928. One of the daughters, Doris Webb, had the nickname "Doll" and she had a great story to tell - she married the first man she ever met in America!

Morris married Doris Emma Webb at Nanticoke, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA, on 15th August 1929. They had three sons - James, Donald and Douglas. Morris worked as a miner, the family living (in 1935 and 1940) at 369 East Noble St, in Nanticoke. Later Morris gave up mining and the family moved to Youngstown, Ohio. He had several jobs, some in the steel industry, but in 1961 his health began to fail him, from those years down the mines. Doris died on 13th July 1973. She was 61 years old. Morris died on 5th February 1983 aged 78 years old.

This is James Arthur Burgham was born at Moseley Green, near Yorkley, in 1907. His parents were William Burgum and Minnie Birt. He never knew his mother, who had died in child birth, and was brought up by his sisters, primarily Gertie and Laura. James married Hilda Lilian Baldock at Hatfield, Hertfordshire, in 1937 and they had two sons, Terence and Donald. James Arthur Burgham died at Hatfield on 3rd October 1982.

This is Douglas Stanley Burgham-Wilson who was born at Yorkley, Gloucestershire, on 19th February 1919. His mother wasElizabeth Mary Burgham daughter of William Burgham and Minnie (Birt) Burgham. The father is unknown (at least to me). Elizabeth married Joseph Makepeace Wilson and together they had children Gwen, Kenneth, Mary, Dennis and Joey Wilson.

Douglas married Barbara Edith Gentle at Hitchin in 1940 and they had a son Peter John Burgham-Wilson. Doug died age 83 at Hitchin, Hertfordshire in 2002.d age 83 at Hitchin, Hertfordshire in 2002.

This is Douglas Stanley Burgham-Wilson who was born at Yorkley, Gloucestershire, on 19th February 1919. His mother wasElizabeth Mary Burgham daughter of William Burgham and Minnie (Birt) Burgham. The father is unknown (at least to me). Elizabeth married Joseph Makepeace Wilson and together they had children Gwen, Kenneth, Mary, Dennis and Joey Wilson.

Douglas married Barbara Edith Gentle at Hitchin in 1940 and they had a son Peter John Burgham-Wilson. Doug died age 83 at Hitchin, Hertfordshire in 2002.

The Burghams in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, taken around 1923.
From the left -
Sidney George Burgham, unkwn, Jim Wilkins, Morris Albert Burgham, unknown, George and Josie Burgham, Gertrude (Wilkins) and Irene Burgham.

Shirley Burgham was born 20th June 1927 in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania. She was daughter to Thomas Sydney Burgham and Laura Jones. She married Arthur Witterick in 1949 and, following his death, married Arthur"s best friend William Brook in 1973. Shirley and her father Thomas visited the Burghams in Ohio in 1956, meeting Donald Burgham senior and his family. Donald snr. and his wife Louise, with their son, Donald jnr. sponsored a Burgham family reunion at Viney Hall St Swithuns Social Club. Over 80 relatives attended including Shirley, her sisters and family. Shirley died in 2012.

The Burghams in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, taken around 1942.

Jean, Shirley, Marion and Kenneth Burgham, the children of Thomas Sydney Burgham and Laura Jones. Here they are sailing back to England from Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, in 1935.

Thomas Sydney Burgham and Laura Jones took the decision to move the family from Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, back to England. Here they are on the ship in 1935 with children Jean, Shirley, Marion and Kenneth Burgham. Perhaps Thomas and Laura had seen how the working conditions in the Forest of Dean, and then in Nanticoke, affected the health of the miners.

Anyway they chose a new path and settled in Gloucester where they opened a confectionary store. Sweets and ice cream proved particularly effective during the Second World War and sugar was heavily rationed. Evidently Thomas found a source on the black market and did rather well!

Douglas, James and Donald Burgham, the sons of Morris Burgham and Dot (Webb) Burgham in 1942.

Where did he time go? These two gentlemen had emigrated to America in 1925. They areMorris Burgham and Thomas Burgham and this was taken in about 1968. After their older brother George Burgham emigrated from the Forest of Dean to Youngstown, Ohio, USA they followed 4 years later. Later all three moved to Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, all still working as miners. Thomas decided to go back to England with his familyin 1935 and opened a sweet shop. Brother George died at Nanticoke in 1938 and the next year Morris and his family returned back to Youngstown, Ohio, seeking work in the steel industry. Coal mining had been dangerous and had taken a toll of the health of the men.

Morris and Thomas would have had lots to talk about at their reunion in 1968; a family dynasty had been created. Morris died at Youngstwn on 5th February 1983, Thomas two years later at Gloucester on 2nd November 1985.