Gunner E H ROBINSON didn’t want to miss his post from home!

Another recent postcard find intrigued me as it appeared to have been sent by the writer E H ROBINSON to himself – however on reading the message in full it would seem he was sending the postcard home, in an envelope, to give his wife his correct full postal address so that he would not miss any post that she sent to him.

The postcard image shows Deepcut Camp where Gunner E H ROBINSON number: 133384 of the 436 Seige Battery was based and the message reads as follows:

Be sure and put 436 Seige Battery on your letters you missed putting the 436 on your last letter so I will close for tonight hoping you are all well as this leaves me the same with best love I remain your loving Husband Ephraim xxxxxxxxxxxxx

It obviously means that his previous letter from home had been delayed getting to him and understandably he did not want this to happen again – having solved that mystery I was now keen to discover more about Ephraim and to see if he survived WW1.

Ephraim Hodgson ROBINSON was born in the April quarter of 1888 in Clitheroe Registration District in Lancashire and the 1891 census shows him aged 2 living in Easington in Yorkshire with his mother Margaret a widow aged 35 and his siblings Mary aged 10, John aged 7, Thomas aged 5 and Herbert aged 1.

By the 1911 census Ephraim was aged 23 and working as a Farm Labourer Slaidburn  in  Clitheroe and his actual birth place confirmed as Tosside in Yorkshire, which is on the border with Lancashire.

I have found Ephraim’s WW1 Service Record which shows he enlisted in 1916 aged 28 and his address at that time was Tile House in Wigglesworth, Long Preston in Yorkshire and his occupation was now shown as a Roadman – the documents state that he was married and I have discovered that he married Mary A LAMBERT in the April quarter of 1912 in Clitheroe Registration District.

From this marriage I have so far found one son George E ROBINSON who was born in the April quarter of 1913, again in the Clitheroe Registration District.

I was then so pleased to find that Ephraim Hodgson ROBINSON survived WW1 as records show that he died in September 1966 aged 78 in Staincliffe in Yorkshire – I now need to do some more research to see what happened to his wife Mary and his son George to see if I can possibly reunite this lovely old postcard with a living relative.

I will keep you updated!!

Simon Last

Charnwood Genealogy

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

 

 

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Brother William Carleton BARRETT – Reuniting a face with a name on a fantastic WW1 project!

Following a fascinating and informative AGRA (Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives) visit to Freemasons Hall in London last month, I was therefore intrigued to recently find this lovely photographic postcard with lots of information written on the back!

The photograph states the following:

Brother William Carleton BARRETT Captain in Merchant Services

Initiated in St Botolph’s Lodge 10th October 1892

Drowned 22nd May 1917 – Boat torpedoed by German Submarine in Channel during Great War 1914-18

The only Brother lost by St Botolph’s Lodge 588

During our visit to Freemasons Hall Susan the Archivist and Records Manager very kindly welcomed enquires about any Masonic connections we found during future research and when I contacted her earlier this week she was very helpful in providing further avenues of research I could pursue.

One of the most interesting leads was the link to the ‘The Masonic Great War Project’ where she said that there was already an online profile containing lots of information about William Carleton BARRETT, his family and life, but unfortunately there was no photograph available to be linked to this profile.

I have now contacted the website project directly and offered copies of the photograph to be added to his profile and if no relative can be found to reunite the photograph, Freemasons Hall have expressed their interest in adding it to their ever growing archive.

Here is the link to the  The Masonic Great War Project , but in the meantime here are a few details about William Carleton BARRETT that you may find interesting:

William Carleton BARRETT was the son of James Carleton BARRETT, Surgeon, R.N. of Baltimore, Ireland; At the time he joined Freemasonry in 1892 he was living at 2 Park Road Villas, Peterborough and is listed as a Captain in the Merchant Marine Service. He married Letitia Kate SUMNER in 1899 and one daughter Eileen born on 7^th October 1896, but who unfortunately died young on 16^th November 1901.

To find out more about his Masonic and Naval career please follow the link above……

As always I find it very rewarding when these old photographic postcard finds can be reunited with a  family member or indeed add a face to information in other researcher’s projects and on their websites.

Simon Last

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

Another long shot, but could you have a connection to any of these old photographs?

Following previous blog posts on old photographs that I have found on my travels and some being sent off to new homes or people with a surname connection, I am now sharing ten more that I have recently found and hope someone might make a link!

Could you have a connection? Do you recognise a familiar face from your own family tree? Do you have a particular interest in any of the photographic studios shown? – if you do please get in touch, as I would love to reunite / rehome any many as possible – although I know this is a long shot!!

H SIMMONS 52 NOTTE STREET PLYMOUTH

A E BERG MEDALLIST PHOTOGRAPHER – HATHERLEIGH

FRED ARTHUR PHOTOGRAPHER – 192 LONDON STREET LIVERPOOL

C G HARDY – LUCIUS STREET TORQUAY DEVON

C G HARDY – LUCIUS STREET TORQUAY DEVON

E J VANDERBILT – 10 JAMES STREET LIVERPOOL

THE AMERICAN STUDIOS – 107A & 120A BOLD STREET LIVERPOOL & CONWAY STREET BIRKENHEAD

ANTHONY PERCIVAL – 88 EDGWARE ROAD HYDE PARK LONDON

JACKSON – 389 STANLEY ROAD LIVERPOOL

BROM BARNES & BELL – ROYAL STUDIO 31 BOLD STREET LIVERPOOL

I hope to hear from someone with a connection and will keep you updated!!

Simon Last

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

UPDATE: Looking for a DIX family from Staffordshire not Suffolk!

Further to my recent blog post about a DIX family photograph I had recently found that was unconnected to my own family tree, I am now pleased to say that the photograph has now been reunited with the correct family.

When researching for my previous blog I found a family tree on Ancestry that contained the names DIX and RINGROSE as written on the reverse of the photograph so I sent a message to the tree owner to find out more.

It was great to then hear back from Daniel who instantly knew the names on the photograph and confirmed there was indeed a connection to his family tree and he kindly provided the following details:

The Mrs RINGROSE in question is undoubtly Florence RINGROSE nee DIX whio is known in my family as “Aunt Floss” – she and her husband, Frank RINGROSE, only had one son, Frank Rudolph RINGROSE who sadly died (unmarried) in a flying accident during WW2, so there aren’t any living descendents. However Floss and Frank were very close to their neice and nephew – my grandmother and great uncle – who died in 2012 and 2016 respectively. Frank and Floss are still fondly remembered in the family to this day.

Daniel acts as the archivist for his family so I have sent the photograph on to him for his family records and he kindly sent me two photographs of Florence ‘Floss’ RINGROSE and her husband Frank in later life, which he has very kindly given me permission to share on this update blog post.

Florence ‘Floss’ RINGROSE nee DIX

Frank and  Florence RINGROSE

I have also further investigated the sad death of Florence’s son Frank Rudolph RINGROSE in World War 2 and found the following newspaper reports:

Walsall Observer and South Staffordshire Courier Saturday 27th November 1943

Walsall Observer and South Staffordshire Courier Saturday 6th May 1944

Walsall Observer and South Staffordshire Courier Saturday 4th December 1943

Many thanks to Daniel for sharing his family information with me and it is great to know that this old family photograph is now back with the relatives where it belongs.

Simon Last

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

 

Looking for a DIX family from Staffordshire not Suffolk!!

Having DIX  ancestors in my paternal family tree from Dunwich in Suffolk I was intrigued to recently find a super old photo postcard with writing on the back which read:

Mr & Mrs George DIX my God Mother Mrs RINGROSE Mum & Dad

Was this George DIX a possible connection to my own Suffolk Dix relatives!!

However on further investigation I firstly looked for a marriage record for a DIX to a RINGROSE and found that Florence E DIX married Frank RINGROSE in the December quarter of 1922 in the Walsall Registration District.

Florence Emily RINGROSE nee DIX died on 22nd March 1986 aged 91, again in the Walsall Registration District and her date of birth is shown as 16th August 1894.

Using her year of birth of 1894 I found Florence DIX on the 1911 census aged 16, occupation Milliner living with:

Father George DIX aged 53 an Engine Drive on the Railways born in Stowe in Staffordshire

Mother Mary DIX aged 52 and three brothers George aged 22, Arthur aged 20 and Frederick aged 13 – their address was 26 William Street in Walsall Staffordshire.

I also found a passenger list to Canada in 1957 which shows Florence E and Frank RINGROSE and confirms Frank’s date of birth as 11th January 1890 and their address was 273 West Bromwich Road in Walsall in Staffordshire – their occupations are shown as Retired and Housewife.

I have also found one child for Florence and Frank a son Randolph F RINGROSE born in the September quarter of 1923 again in the Walsall Registration District.

As far I am know there is no link to my own Suffolk DIX family and on a quick scan of family trees on the Ancestry website I have found an amazing family tree for the RINGROSE family which has lots of photos, but none of Florence Emily DIX and Frank H RINGROSE, so I will be sending a message to see if they would like a copy if my old photo postcard to add to their family tree research – it would be great if they know who the mystery God Child is and where the photo may have originated from!!

I will keep you updated on developments……….

Simon LAST

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

 

Dear Mother from your ever loving son Reg October 1917…

As you already know I am always intrigued by the messages and addresses on the back of old postcards that I buy and sell and I have recently found a postcard of South Parade Pier in Southsea sent in October 1917.

The postcard was sent to Mrs W F MOON at Hillside, Battle Road, Hailsham in Sussex and the message on the back reads:

Dear Mother

The doctor put catarrh on my medical card and I have to attend Sick Bay 3 times a day for medicine. He is going to examine my chest again on Monday. They treat me far better here than they did when I was at Barracks and do not regard me as a malingerer. I am eagerly waiting for the ‘ weekly budget’.

I remain

Your ever loving son

Reg

Firstly I was curious to see if Reg had survived World War 1 and thankfully could find no record of his death on the Commonwealth War Graves website – however when I traced his family further it would appear that Reg was indeed his middle name!!

As the postcard was addressed to a Mrs W F MOON I started by looking for her and found that Edith Maud BEAVIS married Walter Finnis MOON on the 3rd May 1898 in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight.

The 1911 census record, as below, shows Walter MOON aged 41 born in Peckham London working as a Pastry Cook / Baker, Edith MOON aged 35 born in the Isle of Wight and three children Reginald aged 11, Constance aged 3 and Iris aged 2 living in a shop in Perrymount Road in Haywards Heath.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 5001; Schedule Number: 171

Reginald was born Arthur Reginald MOON on the 13th June 1899 in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight and I found UK Navy Service record for him dated 30th July 1917, when he would have been aged 18, as below, and just four months before his postcard home saying that he was sick;

Name:	Arthur Reginald Moon
Gender:	Male
Birth Date:	13 Jun 1899
Birth Place:	Vetnor Isle of Wight
First Service Date:	30 Jul 1917
First Ship Served On:	Victory I
Last Service Date:	28 Mar 1919
Last Ship Served On:	Kingfisher
Service Number:	J75020

Source Information: Ancestry.com. UK, Royal Navy Registers of Seamen’s Services, 1848-1939 Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Royal Navy Registers of Seamen’s Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 797

As already mentioned I could thankfully find no death record for Reg during World War 1 and on further investigation I found his death and probate records, which show that he died on 19th July 1980 aged 81 and amazingly he was living at 55 Marine Parade in Leigh on Sea in Essex, which is about two miles down the road from where I live in Southend on Sea.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995

Therefore this random postcard that I found at a fair in Clacton on Sea in Essex during the summer last year not only had links to World War 1, but also to my home town and Essex – I am now going to look for a relative to see if I can reunite this interesting postcard sent home from Reg in October 1917!!

Simon LAST

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

I Don’t Care I Kissed Her – Another Easton WW1 Postcard

As part of my Easton WW1 Red Cross Hospital research I am always on the lookout for old postcards that have been sent by the soldiers who were recovering in the Suffolk village away from the frontline trenches in France and Belgium.

I have recently fund this old postcard that seems to indicate a possible romance between a soldier and his nurse, as the front of the card says – I Don’t Care I Kissed Her.

However as the postcard must have been sent in an envelope I have no idea of the name of the young lady he was sending it too…

The reverse of the postcard reads as follows:

Easton – Thursday evening

Dear Nurse,

Thanks so much for your letter. Yes I am better off than if I was in France, but I am fed up already and this is only my second day. I hope I shall see you on Saturday. I am in No. 1 ward, but am carried outside on the lawn by the tennis courts, bed and all, every day, so that is where I shall be if you should have time to look in, I shall be very pleased to see you.

Life is as usual here Nurse G Green was on duty last night & Tuesday night, Mrs Taylor again tonight.

Well, goodbye and be good,

Yours sincerely

HSJ ?

Again because the sender has only included his initials I have no idea who this soldier was and unfortunately there is no date either , so this possible romance will remain a complete mystery for evermore.

How different must it have been to suddenly arrive from the hell of the frontline WW1 trenches to be at a mansion in Suffolk being carried out onto the lawn to sit by the tennis courts!!

Simon Last

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com