The Real Life Waltons
A family history of the Waltons over the last 150 years
Joseph Haynes and his brothers c.1869
Welcome to The Waltons
An eminent solicitor involved in a lonely hearts scam, a great-uncle who fought in the Indian Mutiny and the Boer War, a grandfather who was decorated by the Emperor of Japan and my father’s service in China in the RAF. Just some of the fascinating facts I’ve unearthed in building this website.
When I and my brothers, David and James, were younger, we used to spend quite a bit of time at our aunt, Jean Morrison’s, house in Bratton, Wiltshire. It was always fascinating to be allowed to go through the boxes of old family photographs and hear her stories about our relations. Since she died, all that memorabilia has been stored away in boxes out of sight. I finally had the chance to collate some of it into this website and I hope the younger members of the family will now use it as an e-scrapbook to learn more about our family history. You can now also view the Family Tree.
I hope you like the site – take a moment to contact me if you would like to know more about anyone who’s featured. Leanne and I went to Scotland in August 2020 and found out quite a bit more about the Scottish side of our family. We visited the home of the Connells, the Isle of Lismore in the Inner Hebrides off Oban and then Dollar, the home of the Lattas.
– Hugh Walton
The English side of the family - click on each picture below
This website is dedicated to my father, John Walton. See why. Born in London in 1915. Died in Tunbridge Wells 2011 aged 96.
Captain Montague Haynes
My grandfather ‘Monty’ Haynes born at Laverstock, Salisbury, in 1869. A Master Mariner he died in London in 1954 aged 84.
My mother, Pauline Walton, was born in 1917 in Lyminge, Kent. A journalist all her life, she died at Sevenoaks in 1987 aged 69.
My aunt, my mother’s sister. Born in 1912, died in 2006. Nearly all the pictures on this site are from her collection.
Joseph Haynes
My great, great, grandfather. Born in London in 1813. Lived in Pall Mall and Laverstock. Died in 1896 aged 83.
Walter Haynes
My great grandfather. Lived in Laverstock, Wiltshire. Born in 1846, died in 1917.
My great-uncle. Born in 1876. He had a distinguished naval career but died of fever whilst returning from India in 1922.
Jessie McColl Haynes
My maternal grandmother. Born in Scotland in 1883 and went to work in Hong Kong aged just 19. Died in 1957 aged 73.
Edward Court Haynes
My great great uncle. Born in 1837. A career soldier who saw service in the Indian Mutiny, the Zulu War and Boer War. Died 1901.
Hugh Walton
My early years from childhood in London and India, boarding school and my first years in the travel industry to around 1970.
David Walton
My older brother was a wartime baby born 9th December 1941. Didn’t really meet his father John until he came home after WW2.
James Walton
My younger brother, James, was born in London in October 1953. He trained in top hotels in London and Paris and was a successful restaurateur. He passed away unexpectedly in August 2024 and leaves his wife, Sheriden, and daughters, JamieAnn and Natasha.
The Scottish side of the family
John Connell
Without the people in the top three pictures, none of us Waltons would be here today! This is John Connell (1854-1913) born on the Isle of Lismore who married Christian Latta (right) in Dollar in 1880.
Christian Latta Connell
Christian Latta (1855-1924) married John Connell (left) in Dollar in 1880. John’s work as a shepherd at first took them away from Dollar. Their second child was my grandmother, Jessie McColl (right).
Jessie McColl Connell Haynes
My maternal grandmother, Jessie McColl, was born in Glen Falloch in 1884. She went to work in Hong Kong when she was 19 but always thought of Dollar as home. She married my grandfather in HK in 1906.
Connell Connell
Connell Connell, the eldest child of John & Christian Latta. Born 1881 in Kilmanorock (not Kilmarnock!). Emigrated to Australia after WW1 and had 14 children!
David Connell
The youngest child of John & Christian Latta born in 1900. At the start of WW1 he lied about his age to join up as a drummer boy. He too emigrated to Australia after WW1.
Isabel Connell
Isabel Connell, ‘Aunty Belle’, was born in 1888 and was the longest surviving of the 9 Connell children. She married George Davidson and adopted Peggy. Died in 1972.
Elisabeth Connell
Elisabeth Hogg, Aunty Lisbeth, was the daughter of John & Christina Connell. She helped run Kenmore Farm in WW1 before marrying James Hogg and moving to Aberfoyle.
James 'Jim' Connell
James ‘Jim’ Connell – son of John and Christina Connell – seen here boarding a troopship to France in 1915. Like his brothers, he came through the war uninjured and emigrated to Australia.
Christina Connell
Christine Connell, daughter of John & Christine Connell, was a nurse in WW1. After her mother’s death in 1924 she took over the running of Kenmore Farm & Dairy in Dollar. Read more about her here.
James Hogg + Christian & Sheina
James Hogg, Uncle Jimmy, married Elisabeth Connell (see above), Aunty Lisbeth. They moved from Dollar to Aberfoyle where he was the village policeman for many years. Their daughters were Christian and Sheina.
John Latta
This is John Latta aged 71. He had a carting (transport) business with his brother, James, and they built Kenmore Farm & Dairy in Dollar for his sister, Christina.
Connell Connell (7)
Connell Connell (2nd from left) aged 7 was drowned in a tragic accident whilst playing at Dollar Mill in 1914. There was always a Connell Connell in every other generation and his father of the same name was told that the accident happened because he did not leave that generation gap between them. ie he should have called his son anything but Connell.