My maternal grandmother lived to the grand age of 101. In her 80s, she told of being Nanny for the children of well-known 'theatricals' in London and being starved by another employer. A man climbed through her bedroom window when she was working for an elderly couple in Biggleswade, leading to her appearance as a … Continue reading Elizabeth Sarah Fage (1901-2002): Musicians, malnutrition and misadventure
Surnames
Horace Brown (1901-1994): A bad lad of Sandy?
My mother's father was born in 1901 in the small Bedfordshire town of Sandy. Both he and my grandmother were still alive when my interest in family history was piqued, so I was able to hear about their early lives and families at first hand. Was Granddad Brown really a 'bad lad', as Nana Brown … Continue reading Horace Brown (1901-1994): A bad lad of Sandy?
Charley Brown (1862-1904): A soldier in India?
My maternal great grandfather Charles Brown was said, in family circles, to have served with the Indian Army. Could I find any evidence? I knew his birth year and place and father's name from other records, and also knew he married as a Labourer, aged 31, comparatively late in life. There was a family photo … Continue reading Charley Brown (1862-1904): A soldier in India?
Frederick Ephgrave: London Dairyman to RAF Engineer
My great grandfather's early life and career took some interesting twists and turns. He was born illegitimately in Luton, initially followed in his baker father's footsteps but then worked in the London Dairy industry before becoming an RAF Motor Engineer. Before researching Fred's career I knew next to nothing about London's dairy industries in the … Continue reading Frederick Ephgrave: London Dairyman to RAF Engineer
Great grandmother Phoebe Caroline Gibson: A comfortable North London childhood?
My Dad's maternal grandmother Phoebe Caroline Gibson was born in Hornsey, a North London suburb, in 1877, the daughter of a Looking Glass Frame Maker. The few records from her childhood give little insight into what life was like. Can I find out more about the areas and houses she lived in? From Hornsey to … Continue reading Great grandmother Phoebe Caroline Gibson: A comfortable North London childhood?
Tracing Great Grandad Frederick Ephgrave: A puzzle
My paternal great-grandfather was Frederick Ephgrave - or was he? Tracing his birth posed a big puzzle. I thought I knew his name from my grandmother Jessie Ephgrave's vital records, his marriage certificate and censuses. Apparently born in Luton 1872-3, son of 'Jessie' Ephgrave, he had various jobs in the dairy industry, but in earlier … Continue reading Tracing Great Grandad Frederick Ephgrave: A puzzle
London Waleses: Aaron & Catherine’s family
After their marriage in 1849 in Waterloo, South London, Aaron and Catherine Wales lived out their lives in Bermondsey and Southwark, close to the Leather Market South of the Thames. They raised nine children there, including my 2xgreat grandmother Alice Mary Wales. Aaron was originally from rural Norfolk, but married a girl from Newington. Were … Continue reading London Waleses: Aaron & Catherine’s family
Aaron Wales: A Norfolk lad
When I started researching my family history over 40 years ago, I thought my ancestry would be firmly rooted in London. A DNA test with Ancestry confirmed my years of paper-based and online research: London and the East of England were originally the lands of my fathers (and mothers). In the first half of the … Continue reading Aaron Wales: A Norfolk lad
Catherine Alice Stoney: A gent’s daughter?
My 3xgreat grandmother was born around 1829 in Newington, South London. When she married Saddler Aaron Wales in Waterloo, London, in 1849, her father is named as William Moorhouse Stoney, 'Gentleman'. Intriguing. Did she come from an aristocratic family? If so, they must have fallen on hard times, as their address, Waterloo Road, was not … Continue reading Catherine Alice Stoney: A gent’s daughter?
James & Mary Ann Stocking: 325+ descendants
My 3xgreat grandparents James Stocking (1829-1883) and his wife Mary Ann Collins (1828-1881) had eleven children between 1851-1869 who in turn produced 121 children of their own, although not all survived infancy. I believe I have found records for: 11 children; 121 grandchildren; 174 great grandchildren and 21 great-great grandchildren (although I have not researched … Continue reading James & Mary Ann Stocking: 325+ descendants
My Stocking Roots 