In search of the family

PERRY FAMILY PHOTO Having completed the 52 Ancestors challenge in 2021, many of the stories within those themes show how I identified many of my ancestors and those I have yet to authenticate the identity. So for this weeks theme I thought I would talk about the first photograph I received of my paternal family taken around 1931/2. As the photograph has been passed amongst the family so names have been  agreed and suggested. Looking at other family photo's, some other names can be guessed at and through knowledge of family deaths and relationships other may be attributed but not necessarily correctly. So working from left to right, on the back row, of 5 men, I can identify:- ?Percival David Perry ?Ernest Perry My Grandfather Maurice Frederick Perry Hubert Jay Leslie Mark Perry not visible on this copy of the photo but on another there is possibly Edward Perry and why Percy and Ernest may also be in this photo. The middle row of women and children:- Dorothy Jay nee Perry My Grandmot...

CONSEQUENCES OF  SUNSTROKE!    I have written about this within a biography of my Great Grandfather, but amongst many of his great Grandchildren, this story still brings a wry smile and amongst those not so interested in the family history this is a story that sticks in the memory. When I asked my cousin if I could refer to her story in the 'Out of Place' theme her immediate response was 'don't forget the relative who got married (again) whilst suffering from sunstroke.' Well, on that occassion, I felt her story took preference, but when I saw this weeks theme, OOPS, I just couldn't resist retelling this story as a stand alone. My Great Grandfather, George Arthur Perry 1855-1935 married Jessie Pope, his (as I believe at this time) 2nd wife on 3rd January 1881 at the John Knox Presbytarian Church, Newcastle upon Tyne. Meanwhile on a trip to the London area, to find accommadation for his new wife and himself, George found himself marrying again, bigamously, under ...

  JOAN EDITH PERRY  1932-1999 Joan Edith Perry was the middle daughter, of three, born to Percival David Perry and Milly (Millicent Lillian) nee Daines, on the 4th Dec 1932. She is the niece of my Grandfather. Joan is one of those spinster women, who's story intrigues me, whilst I have found some documented evidence of her story, I know, from family stories, she was a lady that was much travelled. I believe she was part of the Girl Guide movement during the 1940's/50's and trained as a primary school teacher in countries such as India and Afghanistan. The first evidence of Joan's travel adventures is when she appears on the ship manifest of the Empress of France (Canadian Pacific line), on the 8th Jun 1956 sailing from Liverpool to Montreal, Canada. At this time her occupation was a laboratory assistant.   www.liverpoolships.org Her cabin would have been similar to this:   www.liverpoolships.org Tourist class 2 berth cabin. The next documented evidence is not until 1...

OUT OF PLACE Having completed the 52 Ancestors challenge in 2021, I have already written several stories of Ancestors who were found in some unexpected places within their own stories. Examples include: How and why did my 2x Great Grandparents go to live in Chile in the 1840's? 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Mothers Day (mypynthdev.blogspot.com) What was my Grandfather doing in Sierra Leone just before the war? 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 27. Free. Another family mystery! (mypynthdev.blogspot.com) When I saw this weeks theme I wondered who to write about. Yes, there are some ancestors who would fit the criteria, but I wasn't motivated, at this time, to write about them. Then at 3 o'clock in the morning (I agree there is no hope,) I had a lightbulb moment and thought about some of the interesting stories that my generation of descendants have, my second cousins, so the family relationship charts identify. I am fortunate in finding many interesting stories within my wider ances...

BRANCHING OUT. This week/month I am writing about how branching out, helped me obtain an image of 2x Great Grandfather. My father was an only child and his parents seperated early in his life, leaving his mother embittered throughout her life.  I am sorry to repeat myself here, if you have read my other blog posts where I have mentioned this, but my father really didn't talk about his family and childhood very much. I can hear him now, brushing away any queries, describing them as 'a rum lot.' Talking and meeting with various cousins over the years has helped me understand more about the dynamics within the family. Discovering these cousins, I had obtained images of my grandfather, his parents and of course the wider family. Amongst family photo's I discovered pictures of my father as a child with his mother, his grandmother (my 2x Great Grandmother) on the occassion of her second marriage,but there was a gap - my 2x Great Grandfather:  WILLIAM RICHARD PITTS. I have pre...

  CURIOSITY On reading this weeks theme, my initial thought was that 'curiosity' was a fundamental part of my 'family history,' journey. The stories I have uncovered all stem from personal curiosity, or in my case, 'dog with a bone-itis' to find out more. A list of dates for births, deaths and marriages are all very well, but my interest is trying to establish how these people lived. So which of my ancestors or their wider families is the subject of this weeks post. Well, so many of those 'interesting' ancestors have already been written about, but a few days ago I thought, I wonder if anything has been added on-line about..... ? So this is her story. STELLA CECILIA RUST 1874-1908 Stella was the youngest child of Thomas Parker Rust, a General Medical Practitioner (G.P), and his wife Mary Muir Rust nee Randolph. Whilst she and her siblings were born in London, where her father was working as a surgeon, in later years in partnership with his father in law,...

  FOUNDATIONS My initial thought when I saw this week/months theme was wouldn't it be great if I had ancestoral links to the late 60's UK soul band, The Foundations. I couldn't name one of their songs but the name lingered in my memory. But no, there are no links there. I then thought about foundation stones, many can be found within Methodist Churches, but I cannot think of anyone within my family that could have such a memorial stone, although my Great Grandfather is said to have started a church in London in the 1880s. But to be honest with you, for this weeks theme I was always going to write about: PHILIP JAY of Cavendish & Long Melford Suffolk 1780 - 1841 who was involved in the manufacture of foundation garments in the early 1800's. Philip was a Stay- Manufacturer. Philip was the eldest son, of those surviving infancy, of Samuel & Mary nee Barnard. He was one of 14 children, although at least 4 of those did not survive to see their first birthday. Philip ...

  FLORENCE STEWART PERRY nee ANDREWS 1882-1957 Kindly shared by JP If you have read any of my previous posts you will have perhaps noticed, I write a lot about the women in my tree. In the most part this is because many focus on the males in their tree, their occupations, their military service etc, but there are often 'strong' women beside them, caring for their children, managing on what money may or may not be coming in and often undertaking sideline home work which was so badly paid. One of those women was my Great Grandmother Eliza Pitts, but I have already written about her under the theme, 'Loss'. So today I am writing about another lady, the wife of my half Grand-Uncle, Florence Stewart Perry nee Andrews wife of John Arthur Perry. When writing his autobiographical journal, 'By Devious Paths' John A. makes this dedication:-  Dedicated to the constant and faithful companion on my Pilgrimage, 'By Devious Paths MY WIFE. Writing this I am well aware that ...

 LOIS SOANES 1828-1917   Smoking the herring. Lowestoft www.taleoftheherring.com I was intending to write Lois' story under the theme of 'Steps.' However this was not to be, but I hope that you will agree that 'stormy weather' certainly features within her story as much as the various 'step' relationships. Lois was born in Corton, a village neighbouring the port of Lowestoft in Norfolk the 2nd surviving daughter of Robert Taylor Soanes and his wife Esther, nee Youell. By the 1841 census, a widowed Esther is a shopkeeper in Corton. I have previously written about Lois' brother, John Soanes, who in later life became caretaker of Lowestoft yacht pond, now it is his sister, Lois' turn to take the spotlight.   Map of the coast from Lowestoft and Yarmouth including Gorleston and Corton. In 1846 Lois married local fisherman of Corton, George Charles Hannant,  at St Batholomew Church, Corton, on 19th Jul. Three months later, their first child, a son, was bap...