Genetics: Selby cf Holmesby

Above: (L) John Selby 1865-1939; (R) Bertha Honeyman 1887-1970

Above : (L) Ada Alice Selby 1904-1988; (R) Hilda May Selby 1905-1987 Nominally, both daughters of John and Bertha, although some family lines dispute Ada's descent from John, claiming an unknown other.

Above: (L) William Holmesby 1810-1864; (R) Robina Ann Hyde 1858-1944

Above: Horace Arthur Holmesby 1878-1964; (R) Dorothy Hyde Holmesby 1889-1979 Robina is the mother of both Horace and Dorothy; William is their paternal grandfather. William's son Richard was father to both.

The bone of contention is that John Selby and Bertha Honeyman were married from June 1904 until September 1939, when John died. He refused to divorce her. They had not lived together since WW1, and perhaps even significantly before this. We do not know. According to NSW-BDM, seven children were born during their marriage: Ada in 1904 Hilda in 1905 Clarence in 1908 Arthur in 1912 Stanley in 1915 Violet in 1917, and Robina in 1920. Each child carried the surname Selby. That is what happened in those days. No one is querying that Bertha was the female parent. But which children were fathered by John Selby, and which were fathered by Horrie Holmesby? More photograps are coming, of possibly Clarrie, Arthur, and Stan.