My Stocking great grandparents had over 127 direct descendents, so it is no surprise that many of their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were affected by the two world wars. The children of their fifth child, Robert Matthew Stocking (1859-1945) and his wife Martha Silverlock were no exception. The parents' story is told in this … Continue reading The children of Robert Matthew Stocking in WW1
1900s
Robert Matthew Stocking: Life in the Land of Leather
There were many Leather Workers in my family in mid-late Victorian London, and my 2xgreat grand uncle Robert Matthew Stocking was one such. He lived in Bermondsey, 'the Land of Leather'. He and his wife Martha raised seven children, all of whom lived to maturity, unlike very many of his nieces and nephews. Why was … Continue reading Robert Matthew Stocking: Life in the Land of Leather
Richard Daniel Stocking: The loss of six children
My 2xgreat grand uncle Richard Daniel Stocking was born in 1857 and worked for a Tripe Dresser in Bermondsey. He married in 1880, but by 1895, he had been widowed. He lived until at least his 80s. Sadly, the same cannot be said of his children: of the eight born between 1880-1894, six had died … Continue reading Richard Daniel Stocking: The loss of six children
Aaron and Catherine Wales: A crime in the family
My 3xGreat grandparents Aaron Wales and his wife, Catherine Alice Stoney, lived their married life in and around Bermondsey and Southwark, South London, close to the Leather Market - convenient perhaps for Aaron's trade as Harness Maker and Saddler. He was originally from the Burnhams in Norfolk, but was in London by the time they … Continue reading Aaron and Catherine Wales: A crime in the family
Caroline Jane Stocking: How many children?
My great-great grand aunt Caroline Jane Stocking married Carman Charles Baker in 1878. By 1911, she has been widowed, but states that she had had 11 children, four of whom had died by the census date. I have not been able to find records for more than eight of them. She had a relatively short … Continue reading Caroline Jane Stocking: How many children?
Mary Stocking: Nine kids, or eleven?
My great great grand aunt Mary Ann Susan Stocking was born in 1851, the eldest of 11 children. In her early years, she worked as a Flagmaker. In 1911, she states she and her husband William James Ward had also had 11 children since their marriage in 1873, seven of whom had by then died. … Continue reading Mary Stocking: Nine kids, or eleven?
Family at War: V2 rocket attack 1945
The Stocking and Hill families suffered losses in WW1. The last months of WW2 were to bring even more. My great grandfather Jim Stocking died at the beginning of the conflict; the family of his widow, Susan, were later caught in one of the worst V2 rocket attacks on London, an impact which must have … Continue reading Family at War: V2 rocket attack 1945
The Hills of London in World War I
My great grandmother was born Susan Caroline Hill in London in 1875. Two of her brothers, William and John, were wounded in action in WW1. One of her Stocking brothers-in-law was killed, and two were awarded the Military Medal. How did the conflict impact on their lives? She married in 1900, and while her husband … Continue reading The Hills of London in World War I
Was John Hill (b1836) alive when his wife/widow remarried?
It took me a while to trace my 2xgreat grandparents John Hill and Elizabeth Sarah Windebank in later censuses, as his age and her birthplace were inconsistently recorded. Tracing him in earlier censuses revealed a previous, mystery marriage. Elizabeth remarried in 1895, but I have failed to find a reliable death record for him. So … Continue reading Was John Hill (b1836) alive when his wife/widow remarried?
They who served: Stockings in WW1
At the outbreak of WW1, my 2xgreat grandparents had had 19 children, born between 1874 and 1902. By 1914, seven of their eight sons were still alive, and five joined the army. Two were awarded the Military Medal, and one was killed in action. I have found many records about their service online, but there … Continue reading They who served: Stockings in WW1
My Stocking Roots 