Voices from the past.....

Earlier this evening I saw a report on the news: the Museum of London (http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/) has played some recordings of a family (whose name escapes me) at Christmas in the early 20th century.

Fascinating and, oddly enough, the father of the family sounded ......well, like anybody one would hear today, with only the quality of the recording giving any clue to the time.  But I couldn't understand why it was attracting so much media interest.

And then I realised: my maternal grandmother, and her brother, both of whom I remember clearly, were born in the 19th century - like the people on the recording - and it didn't occur to me to think that it was unusual to hear people who were born so long ago.

But maybe it is unusual for someone my age to have grandparents (and all their siblings) born before the turn of the 19th/20th century....... 

.....or maybe I was just feeling grumpy and hungry.  Who can tell?

More soon.

Quite odd, but not contrary.......

So there I was, waiting for the website to load up and passing the time by staring at the family tree chart on the wall......and I noticed something.

The name Mary.  On my tree.  Frequently.  To be precise it appeared twelve times out of the twenty-two great-great-great-great-grandmothers.  The others, to complete the count, were Elizabeth (five) and one each of the others.  Their husbands had a more diverse range of names, but even so there were six named Thomas and five called John.

By now, the website had loaded but I was intrigued.  First possibility - Royalty?  Unlikely, as the period in question (between 1730 and 1780) was completely George (I, II and III) and none of their wives was called Mary, or Elizabeth come to that.

So really, I'm left with what one might term the "minister's influence" for the Marys but........ doubting Thomas?

More soon.

Check and check.....

There’s been a little bit of a gap since I last was here so I’ll cover my embarrassment with more embarrassment…

Having received an email from someone who taken the trouble to look at my website, I thought I’d better look at that side of the family before I replied.  And that’s where the embarrassment came in…

Not only did I have children who were born in one place in London with a birth registration in a district the other side of the river, I also had completely the wrong name for their mother!  And, unsurprisingly, completely the wrong marriage registration as well.  Oops…

Today, to take my mind off the above, I took a bus trip to Peterborough with the principal aim of finding the library and archives; Peterborough being an independent state these days within the northern boundary of Cambridgeshire.  Quite a long trip and, yet again, I almost got lost in the shopping centre but I was quite clear about how to find the library!  Looks like a useful Archives office and easy to get to so, a bit of research, and I shall return…

More soon

A missed opportunity.....

Staying, loosely, with the theme of my last entry, I went to the Cambridgeshire Collection today to look at their newspaper collection on microfilm.  The focus of this search was a possible funeral report (I know how to have fun) which, sadly, appeared to be conspicuous by its absence.

I did, though, find a short article which would be a headline-maker's dream in the 21st century but was treated with much more respect in 1951, the year I was furkling through.....

"DOCTOR FOUND PATIENT DEAD" was the heading.

The patient's name?  LIVING.

Just think of the possibilities.......!!

More soon.

Don't diss the Fens.......!

I may have mentioned before that I just *love* the British Newspaper Archive (although I am less than enamoured at the cost, given that their Australian counterparts don't charge at all); so you will understand that I enjoy a good search through the BNA's pages.

The following came up as a result of a search for Langfords in Stretham and I only really read all the way to the end because I was attempting to edit it.  Then, after a mild chuckle at the "..... followed to the grave...." I got a bit sniffy with the journalist who wrote it, for his somewhat back-handed compliment to my favourite part of the land....

CAMBRIDGE CHRONICLE & JOURNAL – 25^th March 1831

The late Mr John Read of Stretham, whose death at the advanced age of 83 was noticed in our last paper, was on Thursday followed to the grave by, amongst other relations and friends, the four after-named persons—his widow, in her 84th year—Mr John Dimmock, in his 81st— Mr John Langford, in his 86th—and Mr Wingfield Hitch, in his 87th —Mr and Mrs Read had been married upwards of sixty two years, and had eight children, two of whom died in their infancy—the other six attended the funeral of their father.

—The above account may perhaps tend to shew that a residence in the fens is not altogether so prejudicial to health as many persons are inclined to suppose.

—Mr. Read for many years of his life had the management of the Drainage within Waterbeach Level, and this duty he performed with great zeal and activity; indeed it is well known that at this period he might be said during the winter seasons to have passed almost the whole of his time amongst the waters. Mr Read was also for a great length of time steward to the late and the present Sir Charles Morgan, Bart.

More soon.

Getting about a bit.......

First today a "big up", as the yoof say, to GRO Scotland.  I applied for a death certificate online and the small print said it could take up to three weeks, not including Royal Mail time.  So, expectation duly set low, I was more than pleasantly surprised to receive it in three days!

Actually, I have to say that the Scottish death certificates are a joy to behold for a genealogist as they give so much more information that their English counterparts.  Parents, spouse (all deceased too, on this occasion) and more maiden names that you can shake a stick at.  And the index includes maiden names too.  What's not to like?

Went back to the National Archives last week and found some more stuff.  Such an easy journey - down to Kings X, then underground, including the easiest train change ever - get off one, walk ten yards to the other platform and step on the next train.  And then, from Kew Gardens station to the Archives ..... signposts for the hard of thinking, and it's only about a six minute walk.  I discovered a hitherto-hidden side of my friend Mo as she stopped every few paces to ogle the planes coming into land at Heathrow..... :-)

Having pre-ordered some documents, I was a bit disappointed that the War Diary of the Suffolk Regiment was unavailable because it is being digitised.  I know that means I'll be able to see it online but nothing can really replace touching a document written nearly one hundred years ago.

Two officer files *were* available though and fascinating reading they were.  Both Culpins, both were sent to Officer Cadet Battalions - one in Oxford, one in Cambridge.  The Cambridge lad was coming up from the ranks and it was quite bizarre to read that one of the questions in his application form was: "Born in wedlock?"  He was, fortunately, so wasn't turned down!  The Oxford chap was a school teacher who had previously been turned down for poor eyesight but was plainly determined to join and got a more accommodating ophthalmic surgeon to approve him.  His application was accompanied by a letter from his school housemaster, clearing up a mild confusion: his "real" name was Karl but he changed it to "Charles" - the housemaster explained that his mother was German but his father was pure English!!

Sadly, but inevitably, Karl/Charles was killed in 1917 and I saw a list of his personal effects sent back to his mother.  Poignant to notice that it included "Pair of eye-glasses (broken)".

More soon.

2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment

Before our next trip to the National Archives at Kew, I thought it might be an idea to transcribe some of the info I picked up last time ........ can't hurry these things!

My great-uncle Ben, the reason I started this family-history lark, served with the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment in the Great War, sadly losing his life on 31st October 1914.  I'd worked out roughly what the regiment were doing but it was good, if somewhat sobering, to read the war diary.

So, in the unlikely event that any of my readers also had someone in the 2nd Battalion, here's what the diary said:

4th October	Embarked Southampton
5th October	Sailed at 0830
6th October	At Dover
7th October	Arrived Zeebrugge and moved to Bruges
8th October	Moved to De Haan and bivouacked
9th October	Returned to Bruges
10th October	Marched to Beermen
11th October	Remained at Beermen
12th October	Marched to Coolscamp
13th October	At Coolscamp
14th October	Marched to Ypres
15th October	21st Infantry Brigade in centre of line from east of Ypres to east of Halte; captured several Uhlars
16th October	Removed before dawn and reached Gheluvelt about 0800.  Took up line Ypres-Menin Road-Poezelhoek-Reutel-Nord Westhoek.  21 IB in the centre.
17th October	Trenches were improved
18th October	21 IB advanced to the line 10Kilo-Terhamd.  Entrenched. “During the advance the Bedford Regiment came under sharp artillery fire and had a considerable number of casualties, including one officer killed.”
19th October	21 IB fall back, re-occupy previous entrenched position. Nordwesthoek.  Position reoccupied about dusk.
20th October	Recce not carried out.  Enemy very strong.
21st October	Brigade HQ moved back from Chateau to farm house.  Very heavy shelling all along the line all day.  All ordered to hold on.
22nd October	Congratulatory message from GOC Division.
23rd October	At dawn, one company of Bedfordshire Regiment advanced to retake the trench evacuated by the Royal Scots Fusiliers on their right, supported by one company of Royal Scots Fusiliers.  The attack met a very heavy fire from machine guns and artillery and could not accomplish their objective but they were able at dusk to take up a line linking the Yorkshire Regiment and Royal Scots Fusiliers, this line was occupied by the Bedfordshire Regiment.  Heavy shelling all day.  Infantry attacks repulsed.
24th October	Bad communications.  Phones not working.  Heavy shelling.  Bedfordshires in same position.
25th October
26th October	The Bedfordshires were to assist the Guards in their attack as soon as the 1st Guards Brigade passed their trenches, but the Guards did not succeed in doing this.  At dusk, Brigade relieved and assembled during the night in reserve at Veldhoek.
27th October	Brigade moved back to Hooge into bivouac in a wood to rest, but were moved out again at 5pm to take up a line from Vanvoordie Chateau to join with 1st Guards Brigade at about 9Kilo Menin-Ypres Road; which they did during the night, Bedfordshires on the left.
28th October	Held the line under heavy shell fire.  Enemy entrenching.  Bedfordshires filled the gap between Royal Scots Fusiliers and 7th Cavalry Brigade.
29th October	No attack against the Bedfordshire Regiment or 7th Cavalry Brigade.  General offensive ordered.  Bedfordshires on the right of Yorkshire Regiment.  Advance under heavy shellfire.  Casualties heavy.  Not far.  Prepare a further advance in the morning.  Welsh Fusiliers occupied the Bedfordshires trenches, the Bedfordshires came into reserve.
30th October	Movement of large bodies of troops heard during the night.  Further offensive action put off.  Germans occupied Zandvourdie.  Bedfordshires cover the withdrawal of 20th Brigade from salient.  Many casualties.  Line occupied by Bedfordshires on the right.
31st October	Heavy shelling early in the morning.  Germans seized Gheluvelt.  Bedfordshires (on the right) able to withdraw to new line at dusk.  Fighting very fierce.  Many casualties.  Bedfordshire Regiment also losing their CO and many of their officers.  Total Brigade strength reduced to 11 officers and 750 men.

More soon.