I was recently sent a pack of great old social history photograph postcards from a lovely friend and luckily several have clues on the back to possibly help me identify and research them further.
The first one to catch my eye, as below, was taken by a photographer based in Westcliff on Sea near to where I live and it is a lovely family photograph of a mother with five of her children and on the back are written the following names – Mrs BACON, Bill, Fred, Gertie, Albert and Edie – could I possibly identify this family based in the Southend on Sea area.
Looking at the clothes in the photograph I thought I would start by seeing if I could identity a BACON family with children who had those names on the 1911 census and quite quickly I found a match, as below.
I found William John BACON aged 27 a General Labourer living with his wife Gertrude Louisa BACON aged 31 and their children Gertrude Louisa aged 6, William John aged 5, Frederick Charles aged 3 and Edith Florence aged 5 months – William and Gertrude had been married for seven years and the family were living at 134 North Avenue off Sutton Road in Southend on Sea.
I then found the family on the 1921 census at the same address and William John BACON was now shown as a Scaffolder working for a Mr Harrowing a builder in Westcliff on Sea and there were now two additional children Albert Thomas aged 8 and Annie Mary aged 4 – this therefore means my photograph was taken some time between 1912 and 1916, as there is no mention of daughter Annie on the back of the photograph. Looking at the ages of the children I am guessing it was taken about 1914 and could father William have been going off to war?
William John BACON married Gertrude Louisa HAZELL on the 10th October 1903 at St John the Baptist Church in Southend on Sea in Essex – Gertrude died ion Southend on Sea in the January quarter of 1945 aged 65 and sadly William died on the 30th August 1932 aged only 49.
Do you have a connection to the BACON or HAZELL families from Southend on Sea as it would great to reunite this lovely old photograph with a family member if possible – if you do please post me a message or send me an email.
Many thanks
Simon LAST
charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com
charnwoodgenealogy 