In search of the family

 MEMORIES OF THE SKELETON ARMY  Last week for the theme, Groups, I considered writing about my ancestors association with the Salvation Army. However looking at the upcoming themes, I noted this one related to conflict and remembered my Great Uncle, John Arthur Perry, writing about his memories of The Skeleton Army, within his auto biographical journal. As his mother died in 1891, the following incident would have occurred in the late 1880's My parent's formerly adherents of a Primitive Methodist Chapel in Charlotte Street Kings Cross, were now members of the Salvation Army. In my possession is a 'Warrant Officers Commission' signed by Alexander Nichol D.O. certifying that "Jessie Perry is a Sergeant of No 1003 Corps." At the same time my father was "Convert Sergeant Major." In those early days this organisation met with violent opposition from 'gangs of roughs,' known as The Skeleton Army. I recall the gallant procession of Salvationists mar...

MEDICINE AND MY FAMILY. When I read this weeks theme of groups, I thought I would explore the incidence of medics within my family and ancestry. It has been quite and enlightening project as the incidence was perhaps less than I initially had thought within my direct ancestry, however if I could find a spreadsheet large enough amongst the wider family, then the results would show a significant number of other family members having some form of medical background. Why should this be? Well I think it is safe to say that if your father is himself a surgeon, the chances of a child meeting with others from a medical background is likely to be higher than the general population. So in the case of John Randolph surgeon's family, 2 of his daughters married surgeons themselves. The idea of using a coloured symbol family tree evolved from a fellow forum member hilighting another bloggers exercise in depicting a colour coded tree relating to birth counties and how families may have moved ar...

       VIVIAN H D PERRY 1928-2005                                          My Dad  It is difficult to believe that if Dad had been still alive, he would have been 93 in a couple of weeks time. So what can I write about my Dad, like most Dad's he was special, kind, funny, patient and quiet. He worked hard to make sure we, as a family, had a 'good' life. He was born in 1928 in Purley, Surrey, the son of Maurice and Alice Perry nee Pitts. His wasn't the happiest of childhoods, his parent's splitting up before the war, although never actually divorcing.                                                             photo taken circa 1932 One of the happier times he spoke of was when living in St Jean de Luz, Fran...

  MR JOHN RANDOLPH Esq. 1797-1877 SURGEON:  My 3x Great Grandfather   www.sciencemuseum.org.uk   John Randolph was born on 23 rd September 1797, the son of George Randolph ( Blog 1 ) a Glasgow Grocer and Tobacconist, of Kings Street, Glasgow and Catherine nee Lepper of Lydd, Kent, England. Unfortunately, his father died in 1800, it would appear the family were living in the maternal family’s parish of Lydd in Kent at this time and yet he appears to have gained his education in Glasgow attending school there from 1811 to 1813. He is still in Glasgow in 1818, where he marries William Mary Wilson ( Blog 2 ) on the 26 th of October, the document identifies him as a student at this time. Later Medical Registers suggest that he may have commenced his medical training in Scotland. However, he and his new wife moved back down to Kent, England shortly after their marriage. Their eldest daughter, Catherine (named after her paternal Grandmother) Jane being baptised at New R...

ANN FOX THE WIFE OF SERGEANT MAJOR FOX I have already written about my Grandfathers Military career in a stand alone blog. Maurice Frederick Perry 1901 - 1978: MILITARY (mypynthdev.blogspot.com)  I have also included my Great Grandfather, George Arthur Perry's ignominious army career in the blog of his life.  So who am I going to include within the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks title post, Military? Well, firstly this person is in fact no relation to me at all, but I came across the story, whilst trying to find out any little snippet of information as to who the above named Great Grandfather may be. I had discovered a newpaper article of a Sergeant Major George Fox, who had stood surety for a loan which my Great Grandfather owed him. I was quite surprised at the number of Sergeant Major Foxes, there were. One committed suicide using a rifle, he had another rifle primed on the table in case the first one did not complete the task. But this incident occurred in 1866, years before the...