Ethelwyn Florence TANNER (née MOURILYAN) (1879-1965)

Ethelwyn Florence Tanner, née Mourilyan (1879-1965) was the niece of Eugénie Sladden (née Mourilyan) and the cousin of Jack, May, Kathleen, Ethel, Arthur, George, Cyril and Juliet Sladden.  Ethelwyn is sometimes referred to in the letters as Ethel, so should not be confused with Ethel Sladden.

Ethelwyn was born in 1879 in Galatz, Romania, the fourth of six children and only daughter of Frederick James and Caroline Florence Mourilyan.  Three of Ethelwyn’s brothers died in infancy and two pre-deceased their parents, so Ethelwyn was the only one to live to old age.

Ethelwyn married Frederick Courtney Tanner, a professional soldier, on 31^st July 1911 at Holy Trinity Church, Folkestone, Kent, which was the church where her uncle, Evelyn Gardiner (her mother’s brother), was Vicar.  They had three children:  Hubert Charles Courtney (1913-1940), Ethelwyn Mary (1916-2005) and James Mourilyan (1920-2010).  Their eldest child was born overseas.  The family was back in England by June 1914, as Ethelwyn’s Aunt Polly (Mary Anna Robinson) refers to them coming to visit for a fortnight.  In many of the letters, Hubert is referred to just as “Baby”.

Ethelwyn spent the war-time years in England but, after the war, accompanied her husband on overseas tours.  Ethelwyn and Courtney were living at Budleigh Salterton, Devon, in 1938 at the time of their eldest son’s marriage.  In September 1939, when the 1939 Register was taken, they were living at were living at 11 Copplestone Road, Budleigh Salterton.  They left Budleigh Salterton for Llandridod Wells in about 1943.

Ethelwyn died at Llandridod Wells, Radnor, on 8^th April 1965, three months before her husband.