Eliza Blake/Williams/Akerman
1882 Aug 2. Eliza Akerman born in Lambeth, London
1901 Census living in Abergavenny with her mother and step-father in Hereford Rd, Abergavenny
1901 Sep 26. Married Roger Matthew Williams in Abergavenny they had 3 children
1911 Aug 8. Her mother, now Elizabeth Hampton, died in Cardiff, probate to her husband Edwin Hampton (Eliza's step-father).
1916 Jan. He then "turned up" at Dinedor Court in "mid January", the home of Roger Williams and his wife Eliza Williams. Blake appears to have arrived at the Williams house as he knew a Mrs Little who appeared to have been living there (from the wording of newspaper articles, I suspect she was a paying guest, as that is what Cecil Blake was said to be) Mrs Little introduced Blake as "her adopted son". Williams said that he turned their home "upside down. There were all kinds of extravagance going on. Things became very uncomfortable". Blake then left for France. I suspect that he must have known Mrs Williams before this date, as she changed her will in his favour in March 1916. It is difficult to see where they first met.
1916 Feb 22, Blake returned invalided back from France. Williams stated in court that Blake's stay was not arranged by him. Blake had wired Mrs Williams for an invite, as he did not have anywhere to stay. The implication being that he could not go and stay with his wife.
1916 Mar 3. Mrs Williams told her husband that she was going to leave him and take the two younger children. He agreed in court that he had actually signed a piece of paper saying "Mrs Williams can do anything she likes"
1916 Mar 11. Cecil Blake says in the abduction hearings that this was the date he left Dinedor Court.
1916 Mar 24. Eliza Williams made a new will, bequeathing her money to Cecil Blake in the event of her death.
1916 Apr 3. Mrs Williams sent the children away the day before, and she herself now left Mr Williams and Dinedor Court, refusing to tell her husband where she wa going.
1916 Apr 8. Blake Joined 2 'A' Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery at Preston
1916 Apr. Mr Williams found out that they were at Milton Brook Lodge, Barrow, Cheshire. It is 3 miles east of Chester. And took the children back to Dinedor Court. Blake had rented this house for Mrs Williams and the 2 children. Blake said that he got there when he could at weekends, implying that he was back in the army and would have been at Preston. Evidence from the children's nurse in court said that there was an "improper relationship" between Mrs Williams and Mr Blake, as the nurse had to bring Mrs Williams a cup of tea in bed each morning.
1916 May 4. Cecil Blake and a Robert Russell (a chemist) both of Cheshire turn up at Dinedor Court in a car that also contains Mrs Williams and another unnamed woman. They attempt to remove the Williams two children, Dorothy Williams, aged 9 and Humphrey Williams aged 7 (the third child Roger Henry aged 11 was not involved).
1916 Jun 28. There is a court case in Hereford Assizes over the removal of the Williams children from the former marital home. There was a charge of forcible abduction and malicious wounding against Blake and Russell. The assize case was eventually withdrawn by Williams on the understanding that the children should be returned to their father. The court record shows Mrs Williams to be a wealthy woman in her own right.
1917 Dec 6. Divorced Roger Williams. Williams cited Cecil Blake in a divorce case as the co-respondant
1918 Jun 17. Decree Absolute.
1921 May 15 Died at Gort, Ireland
1938 Her divorced husband died in 1938. The eldest child got the administration of his estate.
