If only they had a clue – beautiful old social history photographs!!

I have been very lucky on my travels to find several old family/wedding photos that have had clues on the back to help identify and research the people in them to hopefully reunite them with a  family member.

However over time I have built up a collection of several other beautiful old family/wedding/ social history photographs that have no clues, but I feel are worthy of sharing with you on my blog:

It is a long shot but if you recognise anyone please just let me know!

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Do you have a John Albert HEIL or a Rachel Phyllis HOWARD in your family tree?

A recent old wedding photograph postcard find provided very few clues apart from Heil Howard 13199 written in pencil on the back – could these possibly be the surnames of the bride and groom?

On a quick search of marriage records I could only find one possible marriage to match for a John Albert HEIL to Rachel Phyllis HOWARD in the October quarter of 1941 in the Kings Lynn in Norfolk Registration District.

John Albert HEIL died in the October quarter of 1977 in the Taunton Registration District in Somerset aged 62, confirming his date of birth as 13th November 1914.

Rachel Phyllis HEIL nee HOWARD died in November 2000 also in Taunton Registration District aged 82, confirming her date of birth as 20th May 1918.

Looking at their birth registrations John Albert HEIL’s mother’s maiden name was DENT and Rachel Phyllis HOWARD;s mother’s maiden name was WILKIN.

If you have  a connection to any of these families please send me a message as it would be great to reunite this beautiful wedding photograph with a family member if possible.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

UPDATE: Photo Reunited – Do you have a BEACHAM from Kettering in Northamptonshire?

On my trip to Suffolk last week I was able to visit Yoxford Antiques Centre where I purchased a few old postcards, including this lovely old photo card with the names Lionel and Stanley BEECHAM written on the back – the photograph has the indentation of a Photographer from Kettering in Northamptonshire.

Some initial research showed that the surname is spelt BEACHAM rather than BEECHAM and Stanley (Charles Hebert Stanley) was born in the October quarter of 1901 and Lionel was born in the April quarter of 1904 both in the Bristol Registration District.

The 1911 census, as below,  shows the BEACHAM family living at 108 St Peters Avenue in Kettering in Northamptonshire and the head of house was Charles BEACHAM aged 36 whose occupation was a Traveller for a Leather Factory, his wife Alice Lilian George BEACHAM aged 34, and sons Charles Hebert Stanley BEACHAM aged 9 and Lionel BEACHAM aged 6.

Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 8576; Schedule Number: 149 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census

Charles BEACHAM married Alice Lily Georgina BAILEY in the October quarter of 1899 again in the Bristol Registration District.

Charles Hebert Stanley BEACHAM died on 21st April 1969 and Lionel BEACHAM died on 12th April 1964 both in Northamptonshire.

If you have a connection to the BEACHAM family please send me a message as any extra information would be very much appreciated and the chance to reunite this lovely old photograph with a family member would be a super result!

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Do you have a SUTCLIFFE, PALETHORPE or PINDER in your family tree?

Yesterday whilst at the Bloomsbury Ephemera Fair in London I came across this beautiful old photograph taken in Halifax, which had lots of super clues on the back to identify the sitters and hopefully reunite it with a family member!

The names written on the front are Rene, Mother and Leslie, as above.

On the back is written Kate Neale SUTCLIFFE aged 39, Leslie Peveril SUTCLIFFE aged 8 and a half years and Kate Irene (Rene) SUTCLIFFE aged 7 years – the photograph was taken in February 1901, as below:

Seeing the date and year that the photograph was taken my first port of call for research was the 1901 census and I quickly found the SUTCLIFFE family living in Sowerby Bridge in Yorkshire, as below:

Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 4131; Folio: 28; Page: 2 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1901 England Census

The head of house was Henry SUTCLIFFE whose occupation was a Wool Merchant living with his wife Kate Neale SUTCLIFFE and children Edith, Mary, Leslie and Kate.

I then found the SUTCLIFFE family on the 1911 census, as below, living at Stafford House in Halifax:

Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 26506 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census

Henry SUTCLIFFE married Kate Neale PALETHORPE on 8th October 1879 at the Parish Church in Halifax, as below:

Source Citation: West Yorkshire Archive Service; Leeds, Yorkshire, England; Yorkshire Parish Records; Reference Number: WDP53/1/3/95 Source Information: Ancestry.com. West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935

I found the baptism record for Leslie Peveril SUTCLIFFE on 26th September 1897, as below – interestingly his father Henry’s occupation is shown as a Solicitor rather than a Wool Merchant:

Source Citation: West Yorkshire Archive Service; Wakefield, Yorkshire, England; Yorkshire Parish Records; New Reference Number: WDP93/1/10 Source Information: Ancestry.com. West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910

I then found a marriage record for Kate Irene (Rene) SUTCLIFFE to Arthur PINDER on 25th September 1917 in Ilkley in Yorkshire, as below:

Source Citation: West Yorkshire Archive Service; Leeds, Yorkshire, England; Yorkshire Parish Records Source Information: Ancestry.com. West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935

I also found a ship’s record showing Arthur Peveril SUTCLIFFE setting sail for the United States of America and arriving on the 19th June 1918 – more research needed to see if he was on holiday or if he indeed settled there.

Source Citation: Year: 1918; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 2581; Line: 8; Page Number: 95 Source Information: Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957

Kate Irene (Rene) PINDER nee SUTCLIFFE died in the January quarter of 1978 in the Leeds Registration District aged 84 and showing her actual date of birth as 12th October 1893.

I have found a couple of people on the Ancestry family researching this family so I have messaged them about this lovely old photograph – however if you also have a connection please drop me a line as it would be great to hear from you and hopefully reunite the photograph if possible!

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

 

 

Are you connected to Richard Gregory THOMAS or Mary Carruthers MURDO?

Another fantastic old photograph postcard find was this lovely old image of a couple on their wedding day with clues on the back:

On the reverse of the postcard is written ‘ With Mr & Mrs R G THOMAS’s Compliments 16th June 1913’, but unfortunately no clues to the area or publisher.

Some initial research on Free BMD showed a marriage int he April to June quarter of 1913 between Richard Gregory THOMAS and Mary Carruthers MURDO in the Birkenhead Registration District.

The 1911 census, as below, showed Richard Gregory THOMAS aged about 26 living in Chester with his parents Richard and Mary THOMAS and siblings Percy, Ethel, George, Charles and John – father’s occupation was shown as a Professor of Music whilst Richard was an Accountants Clerk.

Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 21851 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census

The 1911 census for Mary Carruthers MURDO showed her aged 21 living in Manchester and working as an Asylum Nurse.

the 1939 World Two Register showed Richard and Mary THOMAS with two children Doris and Richard living at Hoole in Cheshire.

Richard Gregory THOMAS died in the April quarter of 1945  aged 58 and Mary Carruthers THOMAS nee MURDO died in the January quarter of 1971 aged 80 both in the Chester Registration District.

I have found a possibly family link on Ancestry and have sent a message tot he tree owner, but if you think you also have a connection please send me a message as I would love to reunite this lovely old photograph with a family member if possible.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Can you help to reunite this World War 1 photograph with the WOOLLARD family from Holloway?

Many of the fascinating old World War 1 photographic postcards I find at Postcard Fairs unfortunately have no clues to help identify them to research and possibly reunite with a  family member.

However on this occasion a lovely old photograph that I found seemed to show husband, wife and son and had Mrs WOOLARD of 34 Bryantwood Road in Holloway written on the back.

I started by searching the surname WOOLARD on the 1911 census but nothing showed up but then on trying a variant spelling of WOOLARD I found the family living at 34 Bryantwood Road in Holloway.

The occupants of the address in 1911 were George Henry WOOLLARD aged 34 a Civil Servant working for the Post Office, his wife Martha Elizabeth WOOLLARD aged 35 and their son Cyril Richard WOOLLARD aged 4, as below:

Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 1002 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census

George Henry WOOLLARD married Martha Elizabeth AUSTIN on 17th November at St Peter’s Church in Islington, as below:

Source Citation: London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: p83/pet2/019 Source Information: Ancestry.com. London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932

George Henry WOOLARD survived World war 1 and in 1939 he and his wife Martha were living at Tintern in Amersham in Buckinghamshire.

George Henry WOOLLARD died aged 70 in the April quarter of 1946 aged 70 and Martha Elizabeth WOOLLARD nee AUSTIN died aged 87 in the January quarter of 1963, both in the Islington registration District.

If you have a link to the WOOLLARD or AUSTIN families please send me a message as it would be great to reunite this super old World War 1 photograph with a family member if possible.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

The CAMERON family from Kent – are you connected?

In a box of old mixed social photograph postcards at the Reading postcard Fair yesterday I found a lovely photograph of a young baby, which on the reverse was written ‘John  Grant CAMERON aged 5 months’ – knowing I could research this I placed the photograph to one side and carried on looking through the others in the box.

Imagine my surprise when further through the box I found two more photographs which seemed to connect to the first one I had found and on the reverse of each was written, as follows: ‘ John Grant CAMERON age 2 years 5 months and Dorothy CAMERON age 9 weeks – Xmas 1927’ – I bought all three of them to research and hopefully to reunite with a family member.

Further research into these three lovely old photographs showed that John Grant CAMERON was born in the July quarter of 1925 in Dartford Registration District and that Dorothy CAMERON was born in the October quarter of 1927 again in Dartford Registration District – mother’s maiden name was GRANT.

John CAMERON married Frances Emily Leonard GRANT in August 1924 in Marylebone Registration District in London, as below:

Source Citation: London Metropolitan Archives; London, England Source Information: Ancestry.com. London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932

Frances Emily Leonard CAMERON nee GRANT died on the 27th August 1986 in Bexley in Kent.

Do you have a connection to the CAMERON or GRANT families, as it would be great to reunite these three fantastic old photos with a family member if possible.

If you have a link please send me a message.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com