With Mr & Mrs A R ABRAM’s Compliments

I recently found this lovely old wedding photographic postcard taken by Opie Ltd in Redruth in Cornwall and, as you already know, I love these old images, but I was fascinated by this one because of the fact the gentleman is wearing medals and there was a message on the back saying …With Mr & Mrs R A ABRAM’s compliments, so could I discover more…….

I found the most likely marriage to be between Alexander R ABRAM and Dorothy KORB in the July quarter of 1928 in the Penzance Registration District, which fitted with the Redruth photographer.

I then found a birth registration for an Alexander Robert ABRAM in the July quarter of 1896 in the West Ham Registration District and his baptism record from Tower Hamlets dated 22nd July 1896 shows his parents names as Robert and Matilda ABRAM.

Sadly by the 1901 census, as below, his mother Matilda was already a widow, aged 39, with her occupation shown as a Confectioner – the family were living at 132 East India Road in Poplar and Alexander, now shown as Robert, also had a sister named Matilda.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1901 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 354; Folio: 36; Page: 5

By the 1911 census Alexander / Robert was aged 14 working as a Messenger Boy and his mother was remarried and now had the name Matilda ASPINELL – the family were now living at 10 Trinity Street in Canning Town in Essex.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 9504; Schedule Number: 321

Military records showed that Alexander Robert ABRAM was awarded campaign medals after WW1 for his service as a merchant Seaman and these must be the medals that he is so proudly wearing in his wedding photograph in 1928.

Alexander Robert ABRAM died in December 1978 in Chelmsford in Essex.

Turning now to his wife Dorothy KORB I found her on the 1911 census, aged 7, giving a birth year of about 1904 and she was living with her mother Elizabeth and siblings Enid, William and George living at 3 Keigwin in Pendeen in Cornwall.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 14087; Schedule Number: 189

I then found Alexander Robert and Dorothy ABRAM in the 1939 WW2 Registers living at Devon House in Anglesey in Wales, where Alexander’s occupation is shown as working for Trinity as a Lighthouse Keeper – this meant that he was working at South Stack Lighthouse and there is more information here Trinity Lighthouses

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1939 England and Wales Register Source Citation: The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/7516C

I need to investigate further to see if there are any records of Alexander’s time at the Lighthouse and I will update in due course – however in the meantime I have searched family trees on Ancestry and I have found two trees with links to Alexander and Dorothy ABRAM, so I have messaged the owners to see if they would be interested in the photograph, so again I will keep you updated.

Simon LAST

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

 

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Lest we Forget…the unknown faces of WW1

With Sunday 11th November 2018 fast approaching marking the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1 remembrance is very much in everyone’s mind this week and I wanted to share some of my collection of postcards showing the unknown faces from that conflict and take some time to think about and remember them all – did they come home to family and friends or were they sadly killed in action, unfortunately we will never know……..

LEST WE FORGET……

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM…

Simon LAST

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia,com

Beautiful colour tinted old postcards

As you all know I love my old postcards and was really pleased to find these beautiful coloured tinted ones amongst a recent bundle of old cards that I purchased and thought it would be lovely to share them with you all!!

Simon LAST

Charnwood Genealogy

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

Looking for a Jonathan & Elizabeth GREENWOOD – do you recognise them?

Another recent old photograph find was this lovely picture of a smart couple taken by Fred Heyworth Photographer in St Annes on the Sea in Lancashire and someone has added a note of the names as Jonathan and Elizabeth GREENWOOD.

Using the location of St Annes on the Sea in Lancashire I started by looking at marriages for Jonathan GREENWOOD’s to an Elizabeth and have narrowed it down possibly to a Jonathan GREENWOOD who married an Elizabeth NICHOLS in the April quarter of 1891 in Garstang Registration District – Garstang is a market town in Lancashire and possibly my GREENWOOD’s visited St Annes on the Sea for this photograph.

If this is the correct family connection I have found the marriage certificate, as below, giving the exact date of 22nd June 1891 at St Thomas’s Church in Garstang and Jonathan is aged 28 and Elizabeth 31 – Father’s names are shown as Sutcliffe GREENWOOD occupation a Club Steward and Robert NICHOLS occupation a Saddler. Jonathan GREENWOOD’s occupation is a Confectioner.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. Lancashire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1936 Original data: Lancashire Anglican Parish Registers. Preston, England: Lancashire Archives.

Jonathan GREENWOOD was born about 1863 and Elizabeth NICHOLS about 1860 and I have then found them on the 1901 census, as below, living at Institute House in Garstang where Jonathan’s occupation is shown as Caretaker and they now have two sons Jack aged 7 and Robert Frank aged 4.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1901 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 3983; Folio: 84; Page: 5

However by the 1911 census the GREENWOOD family are living at 22 Scott Street in Cheapside in Burley in Lancashire, as below, and Jonathan’s occupation is now shown as Beamer Cotton and the couple have only had the two sons and Robert Frank is now aged 14 and also a Beamer Cotton.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 24851

Is this the correct GREENWOOD connection to the photograph – do you have a link or additional information? If so it would be great to hear from you and possibly reunite this lovely old photograph with a family member.

Simon LAST

Charnwood Genealogy

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

 

Joseph Halsted COBDEN born 6th May 1917

As you will already know I love collecting old postcards and photographs and I am often searching eBay and also looking at the fantastic website of Old Postcards to see what I can find to add to my various collections – if you have not already seen the Old Postcards website please check it out.

Recently after placing an order with them I received my three London Cenotaph postcards (for my new Facebook page) safely in the post and enclosed with them Tyne had also enclosed an old mystery photographic postcard, as she knows how much I love a research challenge and to hopefully make family links!

Well the photo that I had very kindly been sent was of a baby boy and on the back was written what at first glance looked like Joseph Halsted BOBDEN Born May 6th 1917.

However on closer inspection of the Birth Registrations I found that this was in fact Joseph Halsted COBDEN whose birth was registered in the June quarter of 1917 in the Yeovil Registration District in the County of Somerset and his mother’s maiden name was shown as POOL.

I then found that Joseph’s parents were Richard Halsted COBDEN who had married Hilda Emma POOL in the July quarter of 1915, again in the Yeovil Registration District in Somerset.

As yet I have been unable to find Joseph’s father Richard COBDEN on the 1911 census records, but I have found him on the 1891 census records, aged 15, living in Bruton in Somerset with his parents’ Halsted Sayer and Alice COBDEN nee BUSH and siblings Edward aged 31 and Beverley aged 25.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1901 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 2306; Folio: 36; Page: 3

I have then found the same COBDEN family on the 1891 census with Richard aged 5 and parents’ Halsted and Alice and siblings Edward aged 21, Alice aged 17 and Beverley aged 15 – the family are living in Bruton in Somerset and Halsted’s occupation is shown as a Retired Cavalry Officer.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1891 England Census Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Class: RG12; Piece: 1904; Folio: 34; Page: 21

Halsted Sayer COBDEN married Alice BUSH on 24th February 1868 at St Saviour Church in Paddington in London, as below:

Source Information: Ancestry.com. London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932 Source Citation: London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: p87/sav/008

Joseph Halsted COBDEN, who is shown in the photograph, the son of Richard Halsted and Hilda Emma COBDEN nee POOL had one sister Alice J POOL born in the March quarter of 1923, again in the Yeovil Registration District in Somerset.

Joseph Halsted COBDEN married Betty Iris PEARCE in the September quarter of 1939 again in Yeovil and they went on to have three sons Richard W H COBDEN in 1940, David Halsted COBDEN in 1942 and Joseph Halsted COBDEN in 1943.

The 1939 World War 2 Register shows Joseph and Betty COBDEN living at Patten’s Farm Coat at Martock in Somerset and Joseph’s occupation is shown as a Dairy Farmer.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1939 England and Wales Register Source Citation: The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/7102D

Joseph Halsted COBDEN died on 22nd November 1988 aged 71 and his wife Betty died on 17th November 2010 aged 90 – they are both buried in the graveyard at the Parish Church in  Martock  in Somerset.

Joseph’s Grandfather Halsted Sayer COBDEN died in 1909 in Bruton in Somerset and I have found mention of his death in a local newspaper, as below:

Western Chronicle  Newspaper Friday 11th June 1909

Seeing that the HALSTED name had been passed down through the generations I was intrigued about its origins and discovered that there is One Name Study into the surname HALSTED, which has a website and mentions Halsted Sayer COBDEN and his family – to find out more click HALSTED One Name Study

I am now hoping with some further research that this old photo can be reunited with a COBDEN living descendent and if anyone has any information it would be great to hear from them.

Simon Last

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Harry TWITCHETT – Family photo finds a new home!

On Saturday I was at a postcard Fair in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk when I found, in a 50p box, a lovely old family photographic postcard taken by a Chelmsford photographer, which when I turned it over was amazed to see that it had Christian names and exact ages written on the back – how could I resist the urge to buy this postcard and take on the research challenge to try and identify this family and possibly reunite it with the family – well I could not!

As you will see the names from left to right say Doris aged 12 years 3 months, Leslie 14 years and 10 months, George aged 19 years and 10 months, Olive aged 17 years and 6 months, Gladys aged 22 years and 4 months and Mum – also helpfully under Leslie’s name someone has added in pencil 6007509 TWITCHETT ‘A’ Company 5th Essex Regiment.

I was quickly able to find a birth record for a Leslie Valentine TWITCHETT in the January quarter of 1911 in Chelmsford Registration District – knowing that 1911 census was taken in April 1911 I hoped I would be able to find Leslie with his parents and siblings on it, which I did.

The 1911 census shows the TWITCHETT family (although incorrectly transcribed as TWITCHELL) living at 11 Chelmer Place in Springfield near Chelmsford in Essex, with Leslie aged 1.5 months with his parents Harry aged 28 a Labourer at a Stone Masons, Sarah aged 27 and siblings Gladys Ellen May aged 7, George Harry aged 5, Olive Honor aged 2, which all fit with the names on the back of the postcard.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 10081; Schedule Number: 121

Harry TWITCHETT, Leslie’s father, married Sarah JOHNSON in the April quarter of 1903 in Chelmsford Registration District and I have found the births of their other daughter Doris Kathleen TWITCHETT in 1913.

Harry’s full name on his birth registration in January 1882 in Toppesfield in Essex was Harry George TWITCHETT, but when he married and through his life he only used Harry TWITCHETT dropping his middle name George  – sadly on further investigation I have discovered that he died on 16th October 1916 whilst away fighting in World War 1 leaving Sarah a widow to bring up their five children.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 Source Citation: National Army Museum; Chelsea, London, England; Soldiers’ Effects Records, 1901-60; NAM Accession Number: 1991-02-333; Record Number Ranges: 388001-389500; Reference: 211

Source Information:Ancestry.com. British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 Original data: Army Medal Office. WWI Medal Index Cards. In the care of The Western Front Association website.

Having found the birth years for the TWITCHETT children, I would say that the photograph was taken in late 1925, nine years after Harry had been killed in World War 1.

I already knew that lots of research had been undertaken into the names on the Chelmsford War Memorial, as I have been in contact with Andy the lead researcher about a LAST surname that is on the memorial and from this know that they have put together a fantastic website – on checking the website I found a fascinating profile page for  Harry TWITCHETT, which includes his photograph and lots of information about his family and war service. The link to the website is Chelmsford War Memorial

Also included on Harry’s page is a lovely photograph of his widow Sarah TWITCHETT taken in later life, so I have now emailed Andy and sent over scans of the front and back of the old postcard so that he can hopefully include it on the website to provide faces for the names of the children he mentions.

I am also hoping that he possibly has contact details for the family member who provided the Sarah TWITCHETT photograph, in the hope that the original postcard can be reunited with a family member.

This has been some great research to undertake and I never expected a World War 1 link and to find so much fascinating information about the TWITCHETT family from Chelmsford in Essex from a postcard in the 50p box!

I will provide an update in due course if a family member is found and the postcard is reunited!

Simon Last

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

 

Eugene COLLINS and a link to the Royal Navy!

Another one of my recent Memorial card finds was for a Eugene COLLINS who died on 21st May 1925 aged 50 years and who was interred at Isleworth Cemetery on 27th May 1925 – unfortunately this time the card gave no clue to a spouse’s name.

The verse inside the card reads:

Mourn not for him whom God hath blest, And taken to His heavenly rest: Freed from all sorrow, grief and pain. Our loss is his eternal gain.

Using his year of birth of about 1875 / 1876 I have been able to find Eugene COLLINS on the 1911 census records living at 22 Percy Road in Isleworth in Middlesex where his occupation was shown as a Labourer – he was aged 35 having been born in Cork in Ireland and living with him were his wife Alice Mary COLLINS aged 33 and children Ernest aged 14, Thomas aged 9, Alice Kathleen aged 6, Winifred Ethel aged 4 and Eugene junior aged 2.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 6812; Schedule Number: 348

Eugene COLLINS had married Alice Mary HURDLE in the July quarter of 1896 in Brentford Registration District.

Sadly as Eugene died in 1925 I am unable to find any more records about his life at this stage, however on a general search of his name I found a marriage record for his son Ernest COLLINS on the 3rd July 1920 to Caroline Elizabeth MILLS – her address is given as 29 Percy Road in Isleworth so only a few doors from the COLLINS 1911 address.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932 Source Citation: London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: DRO/169/A/02/002

The interesting fact is that Ernest COLLINS occupation is shown as Royal Navy serving on H.M.S Vulcan – here is some history of H.M.S Vulcan

Ernest COLLINS was born on 15^th August 1897 and he joined the Royal Navy with Service Number L5108 on 13^th January 1914 and first served on H.M.S Excellent and ended his service on 5^th September 1928 on H.M.S Victory II

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: 998

Also by searching the British Newspaper Archive online I also found mention of the Late Eugene COLLINS when his son Thomas COLLINS married Mary Estella NEWTON in May 1939 at the Roman Catholic Church of St Bridget in Isleworth, where his brother Ernest from the Royal Navy was Best Man.

The great thing is that the newspaper report contained a photograph, so it gives us some idea of what his father Eugene COLLINS would have looked like.

Middlesex Chronicle Newspaper Saturday 3rd June 1939

As always if anyone has a link to the COLLINS family and would like the Memorial card to add to their family research and collection it would be lovely to hear from them.

It just goes to prove how much information you can find out about a family just from a name and date of death!!

Simon Last

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com