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

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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

Cyril Vincent COPPIN died aged only 29 in 1923 – is there a WW1 connection?

I have recently found a few old Memorial cards at a Car Boot Sale in Leigh on Sea in Essex and was intrigued by them, as the men had died quite young and not many years after the end of World war 1 in 1918 – so could their deaths have been a result of injuries received?

The first card is in ‘Affectionate Remembrance of Cyril Vincent COPPIN who died on 12th March 1923 aged 29, the beloved Husband of Mrs Beatrice COPPIN of 159 Linkfield Road in Isleworth.

The verse inside reads:

In Prime of years I was cut down, No Longer could I stay; Because it was my Saviour’s will, To call me hence away.

Having checked records online I found that Cyril Vincent COPPIN was born in the April quarter of 1893 in the Brentford Registration District.

The 1911 census shows Cyril Vincent COPPIN aged 18 living at 48 North Street in Isleworth and his occupation is shown as an Assistant Butcher – his parents were Walker and Elizabeth Mercy COPPIN and he has siblings Daisy Florence aged 16, Hilda Lilian aged 14, Herbert William aged 12 and Geoffrey Davis COPPIN aged 10.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 6810; Schedule Number: 182

Walker COPPIN had married Elizabeth Mercy DAVIS in the June quarter of 1892 in the Brentford Registration District and his occupation in 1911 was a House Painter.

Cyril Vincent COPPIN had married Beatrice M REES in the June quarter of 1919, again in the Brentford Registration District, so was this possibly after his return from World War 1?

I then found a World War 1 Medal Card for Cyril Vincent COPPIN, which interestingly had the abbreviation SWB on it, which proved that he had been awarded the Silver War Badge for injuries received during the War and from this information I found a corresponding document.

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.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. UK, Silver War Badge Records, 1914-1920 Original data: War Office and Air Ministry: Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War. Silver War Badge. RG WO 329, 2958–3255. The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, England.

Cyril Vincent COPPIN was Gunner 931721 in the Royal Artillery (Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery) and the Silver War Badge listing confirms that he had been wounded – however it does not gives specific details of the injuries received and I am therefore intrigued to see if his death in 1923 aged 29 was as a result of these injuries.

To find out I will need to order a copy of his death certificate as I have been unable to find anything in the old newspapers online.

I was however able to find out that Cyril did return to his pre-war trade as a Butcher as I found him in a 1920 London City Business Directory, together with his address of 159 Linkfield Road in Isleworth.

Source Citation: London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London City Directories Source Information: Ancestry.com. London, England, City Directories, 1736-1943

Also I was able to find that Cyril and Beatrice had one son Ronald V COPPIN who was born in the June quarter of 1921 in the Brentford Registration District and he went on to marry Lilian J M LANE in the March quarter of 1947 in the Uxbridge Registration District.

If anyone has a connection to the COPPIN family and would like this Memorial card to add to their family research it would be great to hear from them and I will post an update if I discover any new information regarding Cyril Vincent COPPIN and his time during World War 1.

Simon Last

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Old photograph dated August 1872 of Claude E LEWIS – could it be Claude Edmund LEWIS Clergyman?

A recent old photograph I found had the name Claude E LEWIS written on the reverse together with the date August 1872 and loving a challenge as I do could I possibly identify this Claude, his family and possibly any living relatives!

Firstly I looked for any births of Claude E LEWIS between 1862 and 1872 guessing that the boy in the photograph could be aged anything from 10 years downwards – I found one possible match for a Claude Edmund LEWIS born in the January quarter of 1863 (would make him aged about 9 in 1872) in the Shardlow Registration District – Shardlow spans the boundaries of the counties of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire so knowing that this photograph was taken by G & R LAVIS based in Regent Street, London and in Eastbourne, I was not sure if this could be my Claude.

Therefore my next step was to check census records from 1871 onwards and the nearest match I could find in 1871 was for a Claude Edward LEWIS born about 1863 in Little Eaton in Derbyshire with parents Samuel and Susan LEWIS – was the middle name a transcription error?

I then looked at the 1881 census and found the same Claude now with the middle name Edmund instead of Edward, aged 18 born in Little Eaton Derbyshire as a ‘live in’ pupil at Felstead Grammar School in Dunmow in Essex  – this result was now getting closer to the London photographer possibly!!

In 1891 Claude E LEWIS was now aged 28 living in Hitchin in Hertfordshire as head of house but staying with him was a visitor called Thomas E LEWIS aged 24 who was born in Chigwell Row in Essex – interestingly Claude’s occupation is given as a Clerk in Holy Orders.

From this clue I have come across a reference to Claude Edmund LEWIS in the Cambridge Alumni as follows:

Adm. pens. at CORPUS CHRISTI, Oct. 2, 1882. Of Derbyshire. [Eldest s. of Samuel, of Edghill, Duffield (and Susan, dau. of the Rev. John Edmund Carr).] B. Feb. 13, 1863. Bapt. Mar. 1863, at Chigwell, Essex. Schools [Charterhouse], Felsted and Clifton College (1874). Matric. Michs. 1882; B.A. 1885. Ord. deacon (Colchester) 1886; priest (St Albans) 1887; C. of Hitchin, Herts., 1886-94. V. of St Catharine’s, Nottingham, 1894-1904. V. of Parwich with Alsop-en-le-Dale, Derbs., 1904-11. Lic. pr., dio. Southwell, 1911-16. Perm. to off. as C.-in-charge of Cascob, Radnor., 1924-47. Inherited Parwich Hall under the will of his cousin Sir Thomas William Evans, Bart., of Allestree Hall, Derbs., who died 1892. Joint patron of Parwich and Alsop-en-le-Dale. J.P. for Radnorshire, 1918. High Sheriff, 1921. Of Evancoyd, Walton, Radnorshire, in 1945. Died Dec. 7, 1947. Brother of Eric (1883), Gerald W. (1892), Thomas A. (1889) and Ernest C. (1884). (Clifton Coll. Reg.; List of Carthusians; Burke, L.G.; Fox-Davies, Armorial Families; Kelly, Handbook; Walford, 1907.)

Source Information: Ancestry.com. Cambridge University Alumni, 1261-1900 Original data: Venn, J. A., comp.. Alumni Cantabrigienses. London, England: Cambridge University Press, 1922-1954.

By the 1911 census Claude Edmund LEWIS had been married for ten years to Elizabeth Mary LEWIS (nee GRAY) and living with him was his mother Susan LEWIS aged 77 and one child Claud John Ledston LEWIS aged 5 – they are living in Ashbourne in Derbyshire and Claude’s occupation is a Clergyman. Claude married Elizabeth Mary GRAY in the January quarter of 1901 in Derbyshire.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 21050

On the 1939 WW2 Register Claude is listed without the E on his name and his actual date of birth is given as 13th February 1863 and he is living in Radnorshire in Wales, working as Clerk in Holy Orders, living with Elizabeth his wife and other LEWIS family.

Claude Edmund LEWIS died on 7th December 1947 aged 84 in Radnorshire Wales.

Therefore could this intriguing photograph of a little boy holding his straw boater  in 1872 be Claude Edmund LEWIS the clergyman – if anyone has a family connection or any more information it would be great to hear from them and maybe the image can be hopefully reunited with a living LEWIS descendant.

Simon Last

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

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

 

 

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