This is not a joke!!!

A few years ago an Aunt of mine on the Bridson side of the family gave me a photo copy from the Mail Newspaper. It was headed, " A TOFF ( and here's the proof) It was a story connecting Tony Blair to the Bridson clan, at that time I gave it little thought until I remembered it this weekend and dug it out.
To my surprise it would seem that indeed Tony Blair has Manx ancestry through this line, I just don't have all the pieces so I thought, since there are many of us descended from that line on this message board you might get a chuckle out of what it says and maybe help me put the pieces together!

It states that Tony Blairs father Leo Blair was abandoned as a baby by his birth parents who were entertainers and that James and Mary Blair were the ones that they handed their son over to. His birth parents were:

Celia 'Gussie' Ridgway and Charles Parsons whose stage name was Jimmy Lynton. ( Tony Blair's name is Anthony Charles Lynton Blair...... Celia had been married X 2 she had 2 daughter's to her first husband, whoses name is not included in the report, neither is hubby #2. The girls were Pauline Harding, not sure if this is her married name or maiden name. and Jenefee who married and subsequently divorced a Hungarian Nobleman Ivon Martonfalvy.

After abandoning Leo, Celia and Charles continued to work in the entertainment industry , she divorced hubby # 2 and then they married and when Leo was 12 years old tried to regain custody of him from the Blairs. As it happened Leo wanted to stay with the only parents he had ever known and Mary Blair being childless biologically was thrilled.

There is mention of a will from Celia's grandfather , this is where it is not clear as I don't think I have the full report. it talks about him having had two marriages and setting aside a trust of 15,000 pounds, equivalent to about 1,000,000 pounds today apparently for the children, (yet unborn) of his favourite grand daughter Celia.

As time went by and Leo grew the terms of the will meant he was eligable for his inheritance at the age of 21yrs. His grandmother Minnie Bridson wrote to inform him of his inheritance at the Blair's address. The letter never got to Leo as His adopted mother Mary intercepted it and destroyed it in fear of loosing her son and concern of what the money would do to him, she was an active scoialist who attended party rallies and had never known large sums of money! She did not stop there, but wrote back to his birth family and informed them that Leo was dead being killed in action during the war. It is reported that Celia and Charles, who deeply regretted giving their son up grieved for him to their graves. This info given through Pauline, Leo's half sister, who was 91yrs in 1994 upon hearing that Leo had not died but was infact father to the Prime Minister of England. Celia died December 1969 and Charles 6 weeks later. As for the inheritance I guess someone else did ok!

It goes on to say that the Bridson's included at least one Bishop, colonial, administrators in India and elsewhere successful businessmen.

As part of this report there are photo's of painting's. One of Thomas Ridway Bridson, (Not sure if it's Paul's son bn 1795 or Thomas Ridgway II son of Thomas I bn 1823 in Horwich, Lancs. Any way he is with his sister Ann, which makes me this Thomas I, and she is on a horse. The line says that His marriage linked the Bridson's to the Royal family!!! He married Sarah Mathew's . Thomas was a Cotton Bleacher in Bolton de Moors, he was Mayor of Bolton 1847-1848. They also lived in Horvich, Lancs. However I can't find anything on Sarah over the Internet, Does anyone else have any info?

There is another Photo of a painting of Thomas Ridgway Bridson Tory candidate, which Thomas was this?

And a Paul Bridson who is said to have married an heiress!!!!!

They have included photo's of Celia 'Gussie' Ridgway and Minnie Bridson, Leo's mother and grandmother respectively. Minnie is wearing a WW1 volunteer uniform.

Sorry for the length of this but it is so interesting to me I thought other;s might enjoy it to. The report was in the Daily Mail and I guess probably 1994/5. I was home for my mum's funeral in 1995 and that is when my Aunt gave me the photo copy.

Kind regards

Sue Smith
BC
Canada