Jean Cook and the "Happy Vaccy" story

If you have read the "Happy Vaccy" story in the pages of the Glemsford Local History Society, you will not be alone in being fascinated by Jean Cook's description of a young person's life in the village as an evacuee during the War.

Several people have been in touch asking about Jean.

If anyone knows of her since she wrote that article a while back, the Society would love to know.

You can contact me via the usual email address.

SC

Alfred Taylor and Caroline Watkinson, amongst others

Sue Yannakopoulos has approached me with this request.

Looking for information about my grandfather, Robert Taylor, born abt.1888 in Glemsford to Alfred and Caroline Taylor. I have the 1891 and 1901 census records and they state that Alfred Taylor was a cocoa mat maker and Robert was a yarn winder (hemp).

I do know that Robert enlisted in the army in 1903 and was probably underage, he joined the Suffolk regiment, marrying my grandmother, Florence Grace Saunderson in 1919 at Thetford and they sailed to India shortly afterwards.

I would love to hear from anyone related to Robert Taylor, he came from a family of 8 children. We have been searching for him for many many years and his daughter (now 83 years of age) didn't see her father again after the age of 12 as her parents divorced. I am hoping to put together a family tree for her.

Any help would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

I have been able to help Sue take the story back further into the nineteenth century, including a link into the Watkinson family of Glemsford, but the hunt ground to a halt with Alfred Taylor's father. His mother, Elizabeth, appears as a widow from 1851 onwards, and there is a suggestion that Alfred had a twin brother William, but, with my limited resources, I can't identify Elizabeth's marriage (she came from Belchamp) and therefore her maiden name, nor her husband's forename.

More importantly, I have no information about Robert other than his existence.

Incidentally, I normally impose a "Great War" rule on my searches, feeling that anything beyond that is rather too recent. I'd be interested to know what others think.

As always, if anyone can help Sue, please let me know.

Byford research

Pam Culver (as usual I have her contact address) has submitted this query.
"Byford" is a name with a long history on these pages and in Glemsford LHS, but, as usual, if you have anything to offer, please contact me.

Steve Clarke

MY GGG grandfather was George BYFORD born 1784 Belchamp Otten. I think his wife was called Mary or Ann born Wixoe or Tilbury.

I am also researching the BYFORD family in this area. My GG grand father was George BYFORD born Belchamp Otten or Ovington (not sure of the exact date) who married Charlotte ??? his 1st wife) His second wife was Hannah SIMPSON born Belchamp St. Paul 1834. .

The children from these 2 marriages were

Thomas
William
James
Emma
John Charles
Walter

Ephraim
Eliza
George

Sorry for being vague but only just started this line.

Local History Society Newsletter - March 2007

I hope, like me, you will be fascinated by the latest edition of the Glemsford Local History Society Newsletter.

Apart from its usual mix of news, it contains two absolutely priceless pieces of "personal history" - reminiscences about life in the village as a World War Two evacuee, and an account of family involvement in the village Post Office.

It underlines yet again, for me, just how much History is about ordinary people - the "yous and mes" of the past.

SC

Suttles and Porters

Two very familiar Glemsford names form the focus of a request from a regular correspondent, Rose Sillett, in Australia:

I found in the 1881 census my grt,grt,grandad David Suttle b.1863,mat weaver.

He had a sister Rebbecca b.1865 yarn warper(mat), Caroline b.1868, scholar, Ellen,b.1871,scholar.

They all lived with their parents in Pump Lane,Glemsford at that time.

I have not found any more about Caroline or Ellen.

Does anyone know anything about them?

I was able to point Rose at a probable marriage between Ellen and Charles Gridley Porter, which produced children with the familiar names of George and Alma Porter, among others

But of Caroline there is still no sign. And where was Charles in 1901?

Any further information on either girl would be gratefully received.

Usual routes: comment or via email to me.

SC

Families: an A - Z (W really)

This an updated list of the families being researched by people who have made an entry on this Blog, so far.

I've included links back to the relevant month when the name first appeared in this form of the Family History page, and will add, correct and update this list as often as I can.

Albon
Allen
Argent
Beevis
Berry
Boggis
Bonny
Boreham
Brown (several shades)
Browne
Butcher
Byford
Clarke (not me)
Cook
Craske
Crick
Dare
Deeks
Farrow
Golding
Goody
Hempstead
Hartley
Humm
King
Mann
Morling
Murril/Merril
Nelson
Oakley
Page
Pearman
Pettit
Platt
Scott
Slater
Smart
Strutt
Suttle
Theobald
Thompson
Turner
Twinn
Underwood
Watkinson

Quite a list and growing at quite a rate. Keep the information flowing ...

Albon family search

Maggie McLaren has sent the following request:

I'm hoping to find information/distant relatives of the ALBON family who seem to have lived in Glemsford for at least a couple of centuries, from 1500-1700 and beyond.

If anyone wants to get in touch with Maggie, they can do so by adding a comment here or by emailing me and I will forward all material to Maggie.

Steve Clarke

Murrils - Merrils - Medcalf

Another request for help:

I wonder if anyone could help me solve a Glemsford related puzzle please.

My 5 x gt Grandmother Mary Medcalf { maiden name MURRILS}, was bap in Glemsford in 1761 to ROBERT and MARY MURRILS.

I have since kindly been given a complete MURRILS/MERRILS family tree going back to the 1500s which is fantastic ... but now comes the inevitable snag. ... On the details for Robert Mary and Mary jnr everything is correct except that it has a death Date for for my 5 x gt grandmother which is confusing because she was producing a large family at Stradishall at the time and indeed after.

So is this my family or is it two people with the same family names and a daughter bap at the same time and date or simply is the death date wrong on the list I have been given?

I have no contact with the source of my Merrils/Murrils document anymore so I wondered if anyone is researching this name on the Glemsford family history site.

My Mary Murrils was bap 28 Nov 1761 at Glemsford but it is stated she died in 1779 age around 18 if anyone can be of help with this I would share all info with them and offer help in return with any genealogy issues where possible.

I can also help with research issues concerning Clare Suffolk marriages from the 1750s to 1900 so if you need help please contact me.

Thank You.

Nigel Rutter

Nigel's email address is with me if anyone can help him sort out these issues.
SC

From the Archives

Glemsford Infant School Log book, for 1 March 1897, reported "one fresh case of Scarletina".

The school had been closed from 2 February until 22 February "by order of the Sanitary Authorities, for disinfection and cleaning."

The Good Old Days?