I was a bit perplexed when I came across a 2xgreat grand uncle with a seemingly Royal title. Prince Arthur Stocking (1869-1940) was given the first name Prince when his birth was registered in the Jan-Mar quarter of 1870, but it was used sparingly in most other official documents until he married. He called his … Continue reading What’s in a name? Prince Arthur Stocking
Contexts
The lost family of William Thomas Stocking
My 2xgreat grand uncle William Thomas Stocking (1864-1923) had 13 children with his wife Elizabeth Ellen Smith. By the time he died in 1923, aged 58, they had been married 38 years. Four of their children died in infancy. World War I also took its toll, on a son, daughters and sons-in-law. Their stories are … Continue reading The lost family of William Thomas Stocking
George Thomas Stocking: A long-stayer
My 2xgreat grand uncle George Thomas Stocking (1862-1947) was a Bermondsey Leather Dresser/Finisher. He and his wife had 17 children, but are said to have lost seven of them in infancy. He was also the first of his siblings to be able to sign his name. After marriage, he raised his growing family, staying put … Continue reading George Thomas Stocking: A long-stayer
The children of Robert Matthew Stocking in WW1
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
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
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
James Stocking (1829-1883): A Hawker or Policeman?!
On just two records, my 3xgreat grandfather James Stocking is shown as a Policeman. How can that be? He was born around 1829 in Southwark, South London, the son of Thomas Stocking and Susan Brown. Various records, including censuses and family birth, baptism, marriage and death records, show him to have had fairly lowly occupations, … Continue reading James Stocking (1829-1883): A Hawker or Policeman?!
The Hills of London in World War I [Updated]
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 [Updated]
My Stocking Roots 