Are you related to the RATCLIFFE, SCHOFIELD or CROMPTON families from Rochdale and Blackpool in Lancashire?

Another recent old photographic postcard find was the one below of a young girl with her father, which had written on the back ‘ Grandma! Mary nee RATCLIFFE / CROMPTON with her Dad Frederick RATCLIFFE with Bowling Award’

I started by looking for a RATCLIFFE to COMPTON marriage and found that Mary RATCLIFFE had married Alexander CROMPTON in the October quarter of 1948 in Rochdale registration district in Lancashire.

Mary RATCLIFFE was born in 1924 in Norden in Lancashire and her parents were Frederick B RATCLIFFE and Mary RATCLIFFE nee SCHOFIELD – they had married in the January quarter of 1920 in the Bury registration district in Lancashire.

I then found them on the 1921 census, as below, living with Mary’s brother at Moorland Cottage in Norden in Lancashire and they had a five month old son called William:

I then found them on the 1939 register still living at the same address, as below:

Source Citation: The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: Rg 101/4596f Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1939 England and Wales Register [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2018.

Further research showed that Mary CROMPTON nee RATCLIFFE died in 2015 aged 91 in Ashton Under Lyne in Lancashire and that her husband Alexander COMPTON died in 2006.

Do you have a family connection to the CROMPTON, RATCLIFFE or SCHOFIELD families as it would be great to reunite this lovely old photograph with a family member if possible – if you do please message me via this blog post or send me an email.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Are you related to the BORER, MERRETT, LIGHT or COMFORT families from Middlesex, Wiltshire and Hampshire?

Another lovely old photographic postcard that I found recently, as below, showed a girls baton group that was based in Bournemouth – the card was posted in 1914 from Bournemouth to a Miss E BORER in Wealdstone in Middlesex – as always could I possibly discover more?

I started by looking for the address of 124 High Street in Wealdstone on the 1911 census and struck lucky finding the record and discovering that the BORER family had been living there – the 1911 census, as below, shows Ernest Alfred and Clara Beatrice BORER and their children Evelyn Clara aged 8 and Reginald Ernest aged 6. Ernest BORER was aged 36 born in Gravesend in Kent and Clara was aged 34 born in Corsham in Wiltshire – Ernest’s occupation was a Clothier.

Source Citation:The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

I then looked for the marriage of Ernest Alfred BORER to Clara and found, as below, that he married Clara Beatrice MERRETT on 24th June 1901 in Corsham in Wiltshire – could the postcard link be through the MERRETT family?

Source Citation: Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre; Chippenham, Wiltshire, England; Reference Number: 1157/23 Source Information: Wiltshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1916 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017.

Following Clara Beatrice MERRETT back through the census records I found her on the 1881 census living at Pickwick Road in Corsham with her parents and a sibling Ethel M MERRETT – my postcard had been signed by an ‘E’ so was that Ethel?

Source Citation:Class: RG11; Piece: 2031; Folio: 47; Page: 8; GSU roll: 1341489 Source Information: Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1881 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

I then found that Ethel Mary MERRETT had married Arthur John LIGHT on 17th September 1901 in Corsham in Wiltshire, as below, and using this information I then found her on the 1911 census, as below, living at 116 Nortoft Road in Bournemouth with her husband Arthur and children Kathleen Mary LIGHT aged 8 and Reginald Arthur LIGHT aged 3.

Source Citation:Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre; Chippenham, Wiltshire, England; Reference Number: 1157/23 Source Information; Wiltshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1916 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017.

Source Citation; The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

There was an address at the top of the old postcard that was hard to read, but after finding this 1911 census address and looking at the postcard again it definitely says 116 Nortoft Road in Bournemouth – also the message on the old postcard mentions that Kathleen is in the photograph on the front and again confirms the family links between the MERRETT family.

This research confirmed that Evelyn Clara BORER and Kathleen Mary LIGHT were cousins – I then discovered that Eva Clara BORER aged 23 married John Seaton Guy COMFORT aged 24 on 15th July 1925 in Harrow Weald in Middlesex, as below.

Source Citation: London Metropolitan Archives; London, England, UK; London Church of England Parish Registers Source Information: Ancestry.com. London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Do you have a connection to the MERRETT or BORER families as it would be great to reunite this old photograph of Kathleen LIGHT with a family member if possible – if you do please send me a message via this blog or send me an email.

Also if anyone has any further information about the female Baton Group in Bournemouth shown in the old photograph in 1914 it would be fantastic to hear about that too.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Are you connected to the BYROM or DUNCAN families from Denton and Reddish near Stockport in Lancashire?

Another recent old photograph find was this lovely one below of a wedding which had written on the back ‘ Sincerely Yours Mr & Mrs H BYROM 22nd December 1928’ – could I discover more without a location?

On checking the marriage registrations in 1928 I quickly found a marriage of Harry BYROM to Mary E DUNCAN in the October quarter of 1928 in the Stockport registration district.

Using this information I found Harry BYROM on the 1911 census, as below, aged 8 born in Denton in Lancashire living with his parents Joe and Bertha BYROM and a sister Alice aged 12 – Joe and Bertha had been married for 13 years and Joe’s occupation was a Stoker for Gas Furnaces.

Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Doing the same thing I then found Mary Ellen DUNCAN on the 1911 census, as below, aged 8 living in Reddish near Stockport in Lancashire with her parents Joseph William and Mercy DUNCAN and siblings Edith aged 5 and Edwin aged 1 – Joseph and Mercy has been married for 9 years and Joseph’s occupation was a Bobbin Carrier in Cotton Mill.

Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

I then found Harry and Mary Ellen (Nellie) BYROM on the 1939 WW2 register, as below, living in Denton with two children Edna born on 4th May 1931 and Ray mind born on 15th February 1934 – Harry’s occupation was a Wool Hat Finisher.

Source Citation: The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: Rg 101/4744aSource Information: Ancestry.com. 1939 England and Wales Register [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2018.

I then looked at the old newspapers online and found a report of Harry and Nellie’s wedding in the Stockport Advertiser dated 28th December 1928, as below, which gave some great details about the wedding and confirmed the match to my old wedding photograph – it read as follows:

BYROM – DUNCAN – A quiet but pretty wedding took place at Reddish Green Wesleyan Church on Saturday, the Rev. Stanley C JONES officiating. The bride was Miss Nellie DUNCAN, the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs J W DUNCAN of 65 Gorton Road, Reddish, and the bridegroom, Mr Harry BYROM, son of Mr and Mrs J BYROM of Denton. The bride was attired in peach celanese satin with a picture hat, and she carried a bouquet of white chrysanthemums and pink carnations. She was given away by her father and attended by her sister Miss Edith CROFTS. The bridesmaids’ dresses were powder blue suede crepe de chine. They wore picture hats and had bouquets of chrysanthemums. Mr H ELLIOTT was best man, and Mr Edwin DUNCAN groomsman. The wedding breakfast was held at the home of the bride, and the happy couple later left for their honeymoon, the bride’s travelling dress being a blue velour coat with hat to match.

Harry BYRON died aged 84 in 1987 and Nellie BYROM died in 1983 aged 81.

Do you have a family connection to the BYROM or DUNCAN families as it would be great to reunite this lovely old wedding photograph with a family member if possible – if you do please message me via this blog or send me an email.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Do you have a connection to the THORNTON or WEISSBECK families from Scarborough in Yorkshire?

Another great old family photograph that I have recently found is this one below of a lady with two girls, which very helpfully had writing on the back – ‘ 45 Newboro, Scarboro Best Wishes Xmas 1912 Mrs A THORNTON’ taken by a Scarborough photographer.

Could I possibly locate the THORNTON family on the 1911 census to find matching people to this old photograph?

Using the above address I quickly found the family, as below, living at 45 Newboro in Scarborough and the occupants of the house were Alfred THORNTON aged 46 occupation a Barber, Joanna THORNTON his wife aged 40 and they had five children Walter aged 21, May aged 19, Madge aged 9, Doris aged 7 and Freda aged 5 – so I assumed that the old photograph that I had found showed Joanna THORNTON with her daughters Doris and Freda in 1912 dressed up in costumes sending Seasons Greetings.

The writing on the 1911 census matches the writing on the back of the old postcard too!!

Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

I then looked for a marriage of Alfred THORNTON to a Joanna, as the 1911 census stated that they had been married for 22 years – however when I found Alfred THORNTON on the 1901 census, as below, he was a widow living with children Walter and May – he had in fact married Joan Marguerite WEISSBECK in 1901 and Walter and May would have been her stepchildren rather than her own children.

Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 4532; Folio: 57; Page: 8 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1901 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.

I then found the THORNTON family on the 1921 census, as below, still living at the same address in Scarborough:

Do you have a connection to this family as it would be great to reunite this lovely old photograph with a family member if possible – if you do please message me via this blog post or send me an a email.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Do you have a connection to the MESNEY and HOOPER families from Devon?

As you already know I love finding an old photographic postcard with clues on the back and I recently struck lucky with this fantastic photograph as below – on the back is written ‘Auntie Edie & Uncle Steve with love from Clifford Owen MESNEY 3 years, 8 months June 1910’ – could I discover more?

I started by looking at the birth registrations online and found that Clifford Owen MESNEY was born in the October quarter of 1906 and his birth was registered in the St Thomas District in Devon.

Moving on I then found Clifford on the 1911 census, as below, aged 4 living with his parents Robert Locke and Ethel MESNEY aged 33 and 35, his Aunt Catherine MESNEY aged and a brother Keith Lionel MESNEY aged 6 months. His father’s occupation was a General Store Dealer and he had been married to ethel for five years. their address was The Square, Uffculme near Cullompton in Devon.

Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Robert Locke MESNEY had married Ethel HOOPER ON 28th September 1905 at the Ebenezer Chapel in Budleigh Salterton in Devon and I found a newspaper report of their marriage, as below:

Source: Exmouth Journal 30th September 1905

Clifford Owen MESNEY served in the Navy, as per the record below and this confirms his date of birth as 24th October 1906 and that he was born in Exmouth in Devon. He married Dorothy L ALLEN in the April quarter of 1936 in the Tiverton registration district in Devon.

Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, London; Admiralty: Royal Navy Registers of Seaman’s Services; Class: ADM 362; Piece: 49 Source Information: Ancestry.com. UK, Royal Navy Registers of Seamen’s Services, 1848-1939 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

Clifford Owen MESNEY died aged 84 in November 1990 in Devon.

The postcard had been sent Auntie Edie and Uncle Steve and these are relatives of his father Robert Locke MESNEY who had a brother Stephen MESNEY who married Edith WIDDICOMBE in 1896 in Devon – they had three sons Stephen, Robert and William.

Do you have a connection to the MESNEY or HOOPER families in Devon as it would be great to reunite this smashing old photograph of Clifford with a family member if possible – if you do please message me via this blog post or send me an a email.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Are you connected to the HAROLD or RIVERS families from Woolwich in London?

Another lovely old photograph in my recent box purchase is this one below which was taken at a photographers studio in Woolwich in London and has written on the back the name Ernest E HAROLD 7 years and 4 months April 1914 – could I discover more?

I started by looking at the 1911 census records in the Woolwich area and quickly found an Ernest E HAROLD aged one living with his parents Ernest E and Florence HAROLD and his uncle Stanley G HAROLD at the address of 7 Marshalls Grove in Woolwich – his father was aged 31 a Coal Porter born in Battersea in London and his mother was aged 28 born in Greenwich in London.

Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

I then found a baptism record at St Mary Magdalene Church in Woolwich which confirmed that the boy in my old photograph was Ernest Elston HAROLD born on the 30th November 1909 and baptised on 19th December 1909 and his parents full names were Ernest Elston HAROLD and Florence Beatrice HAROLD.

Source Citation: London Metropolitan Archives; “London, England, UK” ; London Church of England Parish Registers Source Information: Ancestry.com. London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1923 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Ernest Elston HAROLD senior married Florence Beatrice RIVERS on the 3rd January 1903 at Saint Thomas Church in Greenwich, as below.

Source Citation: London Metropolitan Archives; London, England, UK; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P97/TMS/008 Source Information: Ancestry.com. London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Ernest Elston HAROLD junior married Edith M BOWYER in the October quarter of 1931 in Woolwich Registration District – he died on the 24th January 2006 aged 97 at Whist able in Kent.

Do you have a family connection to the HAROLD or RIVERS families? – if you do please message me through this blog or send me an email as it would be great to reunite this lovely old photograph with its original family if possible.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Are you connected to the WALMSLEY or NEWBY families from Chorlton in Lancashire?

I have recently bought a large box of old photographic postcards on eBay and when they arrived I looked through to see if any possibly had any names or other clues on the reverse to help identify and research then further, in the hope of eventually reuniting them with their original families.

One lovely photograph that caught my eye, as below, was of a young girl taken at a photographic studio in Chorlton in Lancashire and on turning it over someone had written the name Marjorie Cecilia WALMSLEY – what a great start!

Some quick research showed that Marjorie Cecilia WALMSLEY was born on the 11th July 1907 in Accrington in Lancashire and the 1911 census, as below, shows her aged 4 living with her parents George Ratcliffe and Martha Elizabeth WALMSLEY – her father was aged 29 born in Darwen in Lancashire and his occupation was an Ironmongers Assistant – her mother was aged 25 and had been married to George for five years and she was born in Shrewsbury in Shropshire. Their address was shown as 7 Nori Terrace in Altham.

Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

George and Martha WALMSLEY went on to have a son called George Robert WALMSLEY who was born on the 12th October 1914.

Marjorie WALMSLEY married Frederick NEWBY in the April quarter of 1937 in South Manchester and they went on to have a son Paul Francis NEWBY who was born on the 15th January 1943 in St Albans in Hertfordshire.

Marjoroe Cecilia NEWBY nee WALMSLEY died on the 19th February 1994 in milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire.

Do you have a family connection to the WALMSLEY or NEWBY families? – if you do please send me a message through this blog or email me directly as it would be great to reunite this beautiful old photograph with its original family if possible.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Do you have a family connection to the GRAINGER family from Plaistow in Essex?

A recent lovely old photograph find was of two girls (possibly sisters) posted on 18th April 1913 from someone living at 20 Sutton Court Road in Plaistow in Essex – could I find any more information?

I started by searching the 1911 census records and using the address I found the GRAINGER family living at 20 Sutton Court Road, as below – the family were Mary GRAINGER aged 54 a widow and children William H aged 28, Isabella A aged 22, Dorothy A aged 15, George F aged 13 and Leonard A aged 12. The census showed that Mary had had fifteen children, ten of whom were still living.

Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Source Citation; Class: RG13; Piece: 1580; Folio: 152; Page: 9 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1901 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.

I therefore assumed that as my old postcard had been posted in April 1913 the two girls in it must be Isabella and Dorothy – could I discover more about them?

Isabella Anne GRAINGER was born on the 21st October 1888 and was baptised on 16th November 1888 and her parents were named as Thomas Lethwaite and Mary GRAINGER – Dorothy or rather Dorothea Adelaide GRAINGER was born in the July quarter of 1895 and so far I have been unable to find a baptism record for her.

Thomas Lethwaite GRAINGER married Mary APPLETON in the April quarter of 1875 in Sunderland regurgitation district in Durham – sadly he died in June 1901 aged only 51 leaving Mary a widow.

Isabella Anne GRAINGER married Frank LAWRENCE on the 10th February 1918 in East Ham and Dorothea Adelaide GRAINGER married Alexander B POPE in the July quarter of 1923 – interestingly the 1939 World War 2 register, as below, shows the two married sisters living next door to each other and Isabella has a son Derek G LAWRENCE born on 4th September 1921 and Dorothea has a son called Brain G POPE born on 16th April 1930.

Source Citation: The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: Rg 101/1473a Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1939 England and Wales Register [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2018.

Sadly I discovered that the family suffered further heartbreak as Isabella and Dorothea’s brother George Foster GRAINGER was killed during World War 1 on 16th April 1917 aged only 19 – more information here https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/303911/g-f-grainger

Does anyone have a family connection to this lovely old photograph as it would be great to reunite if with a family member if possible – if you do please leave me a message or send me an email.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.co.uk

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Are you related to the BACON or HAZELL families from Southend on Sea in Essex?

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

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com

Are you connected to the WORTON or GREEN families from Kings Norton in Birmingham?

I have recently been sorting through some old military photographs sent to my by my lovely friend Lynn from Lynn’s Waffles and found this one, as below, with a name and age written on the back.

On the back is written Ivor WORTON aged 20 years and 4 months and there is a printed date of 27th December 1939 and a written year of 1940 – could I discover more?

I started by checking the birth registration and found an entry for an Ivor E A WORTON registered in the October quarter of 1919 in the Kings Norton registration district, which seemed to fit.

I then found Ivor Edward Albert WORTON on the 1921 census, as below, living at 10 Clifton Place in Colville Road in Sparkbrook in the Kings Norton registration district with his grandmother Ellen Elizabeth COLBOURNE and parents William John and Minnie Annie WORTON and brother Ronald Arthur WORTON.

William John WORTON married Minnie Annie GREEN in the October quarter of 1918 in the Kings Norton registration district.

I then found that Ivor Edward Albert WORTON had married Peggy C GODWIN in the April quarter of 1944 in the Birmingham registration district – the old photograph that I had found shows Ivor in a uniform so was taken four years before his marriage to Peggy.

Sadly I then discovered that Ivor WORTON had died aged only 28 in the October quarter of 1947 again in the Birmingham registration district.

His father William John WORTON died aged 74 in the October quarter of 1969 in Birmingham and his mother Minnie Annie WORTON nee GREEN died aged 80 in the January quarter of 1981 again in Birmingham.

The old photograph of Ivor WORTON was obviously stuck into a photograph album at some time in the past and it would be great to reunite it with a family member if possible – so if you have a connection to the WORTON or GREEN families please send me an email or message via this blog post.

Many thanks

Simon LAST

charnwoodresearch@virginmedia.com

http://www.charnwood-genealogy.com