Brown Family and the Mysterious Mrs Frost

I have received this fascinating email and picture from Len Summerfield. If anyone can help, let me know and I will pass on contact details to Len.

I have attached a photo taken 1912 in Sudbury of:

Miss E. Wellington - born 1907 ... she became Mrs Ethel Summerfield, my mum.

Mrs F. Wellington - that is Flora Wellington nee Flora Gertrude Brown b. 1875 in Glemsford, married 1903 in Sherborne to William Thomas Wellington

Mrs S. Brown - Susan Brown nee Susan Ann Middleditch b. 1849 in Hawkedon. married in 1872 in Sudbury to Walter James Brown

Mrs Frost - I cannot work out who this person is ???????

The note on the back of the photo also says 'four eldest daughters'

I see from your note of 23 Nov 2006 that you are aware of Walter Brown and his family and their move from Glemsford to Sherborne and that Angela Russell is researching Walter James Brown's family.

Susan Middleditch's mother was Hannah Crack, father Henry Middleditch, so not her.

Walter's father was Charles Brown b c1822 and his mother was Sarah .....b. c1823 in Little Tey, Essex, so it may be her, but why would she have reverted back to 'Mrs. Frost'.

Any information or inspiration on identifying how Mrs Frost fits in would be much appreciated as I've run out of ideas.

Regards,

Len Summerfield

Travelling to work

I have become increasingingly fascinated by a particular aspect of the lives of Glemsford people, particularly in the later stages of the Nineteenth Century.

Perhaps it shouldn't surpise me, but I am always intrigued by the distances families moved away from the village, presumably in search of work.

People moving to London is almost expected many girls went to go into service, but recent researches and family hunts have shown Glemsford people turning up all over Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, but also in Lancashire - the Browns and Craskes in particular, in Yorkshire, and now in Dorset. Most times, it seems to be the working skills - weaving, for example - that have taken the family to their new homes.

My study of the school log books also shows a steady, if unspectacular, trickle of families out of the village.

Now here's a thought: such migration might make a fascinating study for someone.
I'd be delighted to hear from anyone who might follow up the idea.

Steve Clarke