Murial Aileen Malone, the daughter of Irene Evelina "Irenie" Cranstoun and Walter Frederick Malone was born on November 16, 1916 and married Dudley Henry “Jack” Semper a Supreme Court Judge born on November 4, 1905 in Jamaica and they had a daughter Margaret Helen Irenie Semper born in 1957, in Jamaica.
It was when I found out the information of Murial's marriage to Dudley Henry Semper that the total picture of the family makeup became very, very clear to me and I realized just how small and close familes from the Caribbean community are. All the family names I had learned began to tie together as they all knew each other as children and the total family picture came to light for me.
The great, great grandfather of Dudley Henry Semper, the Dudley Semper of Montserrat and was the second largest land owner on the island, the largest land and slave owner was Queely Shiell (1755-1847). For complete storu see Marey Cabey Semper.
I found that there was a fued between the Semper's and Shiell's and our family was tied to both families. It is a rather long and complicated story.
Dudley Semper was born in 1870 on Montserrat, British West Indies and married Helen Antoinette Dyett of Montserrat. (Helen was cousin to Susan Elizabeth Grieve Dyett who married Solomon David Malone ?–1915) They had five children:
Children:
- Ultima Semper
She was the youngest daughter of the eccentric Semper family of St Kitts, thus her name, which literally means “the last”. She and her husband Bellot who was an agriculturalist lived in Antigua.
- Helen Elise Margaret "Daisey" Semper 1904–1980
Helen Elise Margaret "Daisey" Semper was born May 22, 1904 in Basseterre, St Kitts, British West Indies and married Hugh Sinclair Mallalieu on December 6, 1927 in St. Georges Parish Catholic Church, Basseterre, St. Kitts, British West Indies. Together they had four sons. (see Hugh Sinclair Mallalieu for family)
The story becomes complicated and interesting and ties the Cranstoun family into many families in St. Kitts. The question is how do I begin the explanantion?
Perhaps the easiest way is to go back to my visit to St. Kitts where I met Hazel Brookes. Not only had she been a neighbour of the Cranstoun's, she also told me her "Godmother" was none other than Helen Elise Margaret "Daisey" Semper Mallalieu and when I told her I knew that name and had a picture she desperately wanted me to send her a copy. Because I had been in contact with Hans Mallalieu and had previously exchanged family information with him before I went to St. Kitts, I had some prior knowledge of the families make-up.
When "Daisey" Semper Mallalieu passed away her friend Mary Elaine Matheson 1912–1980 became the second wife of Hugh Sinclair Mallalieu.
Mary Elaine Matheson was the daughter of Donald F Matheson and Charlotte Isabel Mercer and sister of Donald Llyod Matheson 1914–1999 who married Sylvia Marshall, daughter of Burchell Marshall. Her mother Charlotte Isabel Mercer was cousin to Arthur Edward Rawlings Mercer who was married to Alice Anne Louise Cranstoun.
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Hugh Sinclair Mallalieu married Helen Elise Margaret "Daisey" Semper 1904-1980
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Mary Elaine Matheson (sitting), Helen Elise Margaret "Daisey" Semper Mallalieu (back), Alice Ann Louise Cranstoun Mercer
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Vivian Palmer (sister of Hyacinth Neville Marguerite Palmer who married Arthur Herbert Cranstoun) - Mary Elaine Matheson - Ultima "Ultie" Semper
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Dudley Henry “Jack” Semper 1905-1982
I received the picture below from Hans Mallalieu which depicts the marriage Murial Aileen Malone to Dudley Henry “Jack” Semper. Dudley Henry Semper was related to Hans Mallalieu as his grandfather, Hugh Sinclair Mallalieu was married to Helen Elise Margaret "Daisey" Semper, sister of Dudley Henry Semper.
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This wonderful picture shows how close the relationships of the families was. This is a picture of the marriage of Dudley Henry "Jack" Semper and Muriel Aileen Malone on November 26, 1036 in Basseterre, Saint Kitts, British West Indies. From left to right: Hyacinth “Cynthia” Cranstoun (daughter of Arthur Cranstoun and Hyacinth Palmer), Ultima Semper, Dudley Henry “Jack” Semper, Aileen Malone, Doreen Malone, Mildred Malone, John Mallalieu, Peter Mallalieu (children of High Sinclair Mallalieu)
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To further complicate the family picture, Dudley Henry Semper's mother was Helen Antoinette Dyett, a cousin to Susan Elizabeth Grieve Dyett, Muriel Aileen Malone's grandmother. Hyacinth Neville Marguerite Palmer wife of Arthur Herbert Cranstoun was also related to Dudley Henry Semper.
- Edmund Philip Vincent Semper 1907–?
- Hugh Oliver Semper 1909–1935 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
