Glemsford Family History

Glemsford Station

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:20:00 +0000

Yet again, I am delighted to announce the arrival, on the main website, of some more village history in the shape of Celia Hall's memories of life at Glemsford Railway Station from 1943 to the end of the 1940s.

Apart from some fascinating insights into Glemsford life 65 years ago, Celia has produced a beautifully-written human story and has been kind enough to let me use a family photograph to illustrate it.

The link in the title to this item should take you to the story.

Steve C.

Sorry for the silence

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:15:00 +0000

A thousand apologies for the lack of additions and updates over the last few months.

Suffice to say, it has been one of those summers.

Unless the fairies are still listening, things should now get a little more like normal, so feel free to get in touch.

Steve Clarke

Meanwhile ...

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:02:00 +0000

Roger Emmins has sent this request:

Just had a look at the Glemsford site and wondered if there is anyone else looking into the above named [Game and Creaton] families. They are both ancestor families.

Regards

Roger Emmins

Obviously, I'll let him know of the contacts I have, but if anyone has anything to add ... I have Roger's contact details.

Henry and Harriet Cook

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 09:32:00 +0000

Following on from earlier questions about Henry Cook and his career in Glemsford, arising from contact with Sylvia Osborne in Australia, "Suffolk Sue" in Glemsford has been kind enough to send me these photos of their grave in Cavendish churchyard.

Many thanks, Sue: it's always good to be able to add some detail to these investigations.

Mann and Boggis

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:59:00 +0000

Pauline Cooper, from Sydney, has added a comment to the original posting about the Mann family.

Landlords of the Angel

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 20:33:00 +0000

Now: we all know that the Angel Inn, Glemsford, is the finest hostelry around, and we do know something about the recent landlords, but can anyone help Chris Faircloth? He wrote:

My father, William George Faircloth was born in Colchester in 1911, the youngest of six children. His father, Willie Samuel Faircloth was born at Hardy's Green near Birch in Essex in 1866.

Willie Samuel had a sister, Kate Faircloth who married a Walter Taylor.

According to info we have, they lived at the Angel Inn at Glemsford in the early years of the 20th century. They had children who would have been first cousins to my dad and his sisters, yet for some reason, my dad never seemed to have had any contact with them.

Are you aware of any Talyors in the village who trace their family back to Kate and Walter?

There are a whole group of Faircloth descendants who would love to know.

So: there's the question. Over to you lot ...

The 1901 Census, by the way, shows Walter and Kate running the Angel in that year, with children William (11) and Arthur (1). Arthur is recorded as having been born in Glemsford, the others, as Chris says, in Essex.
There were other Taylors living on Egremont St, Fair Green and at Lay's Farm.
SC

More Suttles

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:50:00 +0000

Rose Sillett has been in touch from Australia with more details about her search for the Suttles, and has included this fascinating picture.

She writes:

I am sending this photo I found by chance.

It shows my family tree members. My grandfather Willfred Suttle. b.1898.Pump Lane, Glemsford. He is 2nd from left back row.

I believe the lady in the large hat on right is his mother,Susan Suttle. b. 1863. don't know her maiden name ?

The others (not the younger children ) are his brothers and sisters.Florence Kate.1882. Martha 1884. Ada 1886 Mary.1890 ? Albert.1893.

The man with the moustache ? David Suttle ??1863...

Can any other person researching or related to the Suttles, shed any light on who's who.

And who are the children?

Florence Kate m.John Arthur Barnes, and had children.

Gertie m. E. Barnes: are they their childen?

Thank you all.

So: if you can help, please get in touch with me.

Henry Cook: a question ... and some answers

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:50:00 +0000

As I keep saying, I am amazed at the succession of fascinating topics that are thrown up by people who are interested in their family's past in and around Glemsford.

It is genuinely exciting to be able to point people in the right direction (I hope!) or to put people in contact with others with similar lines of research.

But given my passion for Glemsford's radical and working past, I was abolutely delighted and astonished to receive this email from Sylvia Osborne in Western Australia:

My Cook family were all born in Glemsford starting with Charles born 1867, Ernest 1869, Florence 1871, Frederick 1873, William 1875, Eleanor 1878, Beatrice 1879, Stanley 1881, Archibald 1884 and with the parents Henry and Harriett dying in 1908 and 1896 respectively and ( I Think) being buried in Glemsford.

I am loooking for any conections to the family or any other information about them.

If someone in the soceity could find the grave of Henry and Harriet and send me a photo I would be only too pleased to re-imburse them any costs incured.

Thankyou for a geat site.

Yours
Sylvia Osborne, 1 Leslie Street, Cannington, 6107, Perth, Western Australia

It didn't take me very long at all to find my copy of Richard Deeks's "The Matmaker and the Magistrate", Chapter 6 of which is dedicated to Henry Cook who, of course, played such a major part in the events leading up to the election of December 1885, and the so-called Melford Riot.

In his book, Richard wrote:

Who was Henry Cook? Well, he was certainly no "rabble rouser", revolutionary or a "damn Radical" but a "peace loving man, who was nevertheless anxious to stand up for what he considered the rights of the people", perhaps a reformer would be a fairer description as this was a time of some drawing together of the "classes"; the widening of the franchise allowing working men for the first time to take part, and naturally he was proud to participate in the first big chance to celebrate the enforcement of the Act.

He was a comparatively small and gentle man, always well dressed, with a dark green threequarter length coat, knee boots, "Sugar Loaf" hat complete with his Lloyd George hair style. One of his contemporaries who knew him in later life summed him up as a "genuine ol' man", a man who made sure he never caught the boys he ran after, when they were seen pinching his walnuts; who every year invited the Glemsford Brass Band in at Christmas Eve to play a selection of music on his lawn; he would send a message by one or two boys to the Headmaster (Jack Fitch performed this task many times as a small boy) inviting him and other leading villagers as guests. A number of senior boys were armed with flaming torches, which enabled the Bandsmen to see their music and which helped to create a festive atmosphere. ...

Henry Cook was born in St. Lukes, Middlesex, in 1840, one of a large family. He met his wife, Harriet who was born in 1844, at her place of birth while he was working there at Bethnal Green, in the East End of London. His first son, Henry, was born in 1866 in Hoxton in the borough of Shoreditch, London. Hoxton was the centre of the cabinet making industry of which he had some experience In1867 his second son Charles was also born there.

Ernest who was born in 1869 was the first of his eight children to be born in Glemsford. He moved to Glemsford in the same year and was immediately appointed Factory Foreman by Mr. Horton of Messrs. Kolle & Sons of London. Following Ernest, Florence was born in 1871, Frederick 1873, Eleanor 1875, William 1878, Beatrice 1880, Stanley 1881 and finally Archibald in 1883. Most of them grew up to become ordinary mundane citizens; Charles and Eleanor taught at Glemsford Board School as young teachers. Frederick and Stanley after serving in the Boer War (1898-1902) persuaded their father to stake them for their return to South Africa, the object being diamond prospecting which proved fruitless, they returned broke and unable to repay their father.

The book goes on to explain that Henry was buried in Cavendish:

In his later years he and his family could be seen travelling to Cavendlsh Congregational Church "in a pony and trap, all immaculately dressed in their Sunday best".

Within five years of attending the chapel at Cavendlsh he was made a "Deacon" which office requires time as well as money to perform. He would appoint preachers and be responsible for general administration of the church.

Cook was very much revered by the members of the church, so much so that they erected a plaque in his memory, this being the only memorial in the chapel; Congregationalists seldom spent money on plaques or the like; only for exceptional people or special cases. A collection quickly realized the money for a brass plaque to be erected and engraved as follows:

In Grateful and loving Memory of Henry Cook who for 40 years as member and upwards of 35 years as deacon of this church served with faithfulness and devotion his Lord and Master Jesus Christ he entered into rest 18th January, 1908 aged 68 years, also Harriet his wife and faithful helper in home and church who was called hence 26th May, 1896, aged 52 years.

...

His passing was much lamented, and a large number of people attended his funeral, and again it was covered by the local newspaper reporter and appeared in print on the 29th January, 1908.

Cavendish
Funeral of Mr. Cook

On Thursday last the remains of the late Mr. H. Cook of Glemsford were laid to rest in the cemetery. The service was conducted by the Rev. D. L. Jones in the Congregational Chapel where a large congregation gathered to pay their last tribute to the memory of the departed who had for 40 years been connected with that place of worship. Following the bier were Mrs. Cook (widow), Mr. Herbert Cook (son), Mr. Charles Cook (son), Mr. E. Cook (son), Mrs. Day (daughter), Mrs. Chas. Cook (daughter-in-law), Mr. J. Day (son-in-law), Mr. Crofts (son-in-law), Mr. & Mrs. Edmunds, Mr. Edmunds jnr. and Miss Smith.

Among the procession which numbered almost 200 were Mr. W. Downs, N.P., Mr. E. Underwood, Mr. Bigg, Mr. Chas. Pettit, Mr. Blair, Mr. Taylor all of Glemsford .

Numerous wreaths were sent from many friends of the deceased.

(extracts from "The Matmaker and the Magistrate" - Richard Deeks - 1980)

Of course, I have sent Sylvia more from Richard's book, but isn't it great to be able to make this sort of connection across continents and decades?

If anyone else has anything to add, please add it here as a comment, or email me and I will pass it on.

Given Sylvia's request, I would be especially grateful if anyone could photograph the plaque and the grave (if they are still identifiable). As well as sending a copy to Sylvia, perhaps we could include the pictures here.

Brown Family and the Mysterious Mrs Frost

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:23:00 +0000

I have received this fascinating email and picture from Len Summerfield. If anyone can help, let me know and I will pass on contact details to Len.

I have attached a photo taken 1912 in Sudbury of:

Miss E. Wellington - born 1907 ... she became Mrs Ethel Summerfield, my mum.

Mrs F. Wellington - that is Flora Wellington nee Flora Gertrude Brown b. 1875 in Glemsford, married 1903 in Sherborne to William Thomas Wellington

Mrs S. Brown - Susan Brown nee Susan Ann Middleditch b. 1849 in Hawkedon. married in 1872 in Sudbury to Walter James Brown

Mrs Frost - I cannot work out who this person is ???????

The note on the back of the photo also says 'four eldest daughters'

I see from your note of 23 Nov 2006 that you are aware of Walter Brown and his family and their move from Glemsford to Sherborne and that Angela Russell is researching Walter James Brown's family.

Susan Middleditch's mother was Hannah Crack, father Henry Middleditch, so not her.

Walter's father was Charles Brown b c1822 and his mother was Sarah .....b. c1823 in Little Tey, Essex, so it may be her, but why would she have reverted back to 'Mrs. Frost'.

Any information or inspiration on identifying how Mrs Frost fits in would be much appreciated as I've run out of ideas.

Regards,

Len Summerfield

Nelsons in Glemsford

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:34:00 +0000

Richard Moss, who lives in Tyne and Wear and therefore has difficulty visiting the area for hands-on research, has approached me with this query.

My mother's maiden name is Nelson and I have, I hope, traced her family back
from (i) Greenwich, London to (ii) Glemsford, Suffolk.
However, I've now got stuck at a John Nelson (b 1797) and although I have a possible parents for him - (father William, born abt 1764 and mother Sarah Copsey born about 1767, both of
Glemsford) I'm not sure that is correct.

There I hit a brick wall.

Any help or pointers to circumnavigate that wall will be gratefully received (through me, as usual).
(There is an earlier reference to the Nelsons on this page - link via the title line, above).

SC

Arthur Rutter - Roll of Honour

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:17:00 +0000

Carol Hindle has contacted me:

Hi.

Does anybody have information on the Arthur Rutter shown on Roll of Honour killed in action 16th Sept 1916?

Is he the 2nd husband of Esther Ford nee Brown, can anybody tell me - married to her 6th November 1905?

Regards Carol

There were three Rutter families in Glemsford at the 1901 Census, on Angel Lane, Egremont Street and Chequers Lane, but Arthur does not appear in any of them.

If anyone has any clues for Carol, leave a comment here, or you can email them to my address and I will forward them.

SC

Biggs and Tweed families

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:36:00 +0000

For the last year I have been researching part-time the Big/ Bigg/Biggs/Bygges families from around Glemsford, Stanstead, BSE, Lavenham, Preston, Nayland amongst a few Villages.

I already had about 800 Descendents from my Bigg =Tweed Tree, then I found about 900 on Ray Long's Cosford Database.

I have collated the IGI entries, Ancestry's Parish and Probate Records, Boyds Marriage Indexes and the NBI. I have also trawled the web for info and contacted just about every Bigg researcher on Genes Reunited and Rootsweb World Connect Project.

Lots of people have added to the info I have and I have been able to add more from the Censuses and able to make quite a few new links.

However there are still lots of loose ends.

So if anyone has any Bigg connections I would be happy to hear from them

I also wish to ask if you know of any way of finding out a persons 'Trade' before 1800. I have a Samuel Bigg Born Abt 1761 Stanstead and two of his sons, Ambrose and William Bigg(s) were ' Cutlers' and it would be nice to find that this was the trade of the father.

- Clif ( London )

(Contact Clif in the usual way via me, or add a comment here.)
SC

Mat-making: the village industry

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:42:00 +0000

As a contribution to the further understanding of the lives of our predecessors, I have published a short examination of the mat-making industry of the 19th Century.

The page can be found by following the link in the title of this entry, and I gratefully acknowledge the work of Richard Deeks, on which my contribution heavily depends.

As always, I would welcome more contributions in a similar vein.

SC

Glemsford Fair - a little more detail

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 13:50:00 +0000

As often happens, one post or question leads to another, or prompts another look at available information.

Rory's recent promptings about the Glemsford nickname provoked questions about Glemsford Fair, which in turn led me back to some earlier pages from Glemsford Local History Society, where Gillman Game raised some points about the Fair.

They, along with a few additonal points from Yours Truly, can be accessed by clicking on the heading to this entry.

SC

"Them Egyptians"

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:36:00 +0000

The church may be a clue!

Rory Coxhill as left another fascinating addition to the "Little Egypt"question: follow the link from the title above.

Rory is toying with the idea of visits by Fairs to the village as possible links with the Romany community.

The school log book refers to (at least) two visits by circuses, in 1896 and 1899:

September 1896:

"9th
Attendance very good in the morning, but not as good in the afternoon, owing probably to the presence of a circus troupe in the village"

September 1899:

"15
A half holiday was granted this afternoon, owing to the presence of a travelling circus in the village, with an afternoon performance for children."

And then, of course, there is "Fair Green".

Any more thoughts?

Allen Family

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:21:00 +0000

I have been researching my Allen family history for some time mainly from Braiseworth and Yaxley Suffolk.

Would anyone have any information of Elizabeth Allen who died Glemsford March 1857 aged 88.

Many thanks,

P.Wilkinson (nee Allen)

Contact as usual, via me or leave a follow up message.

SC

Little Egypt ... more evidence

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:02:00 +0000

Alasdair North has reminded me of this account of the Melford Riot that appears on the Foxearth site.

Note how it suggests very strongly that the epithet "Egyptian" for men of Glemsford predates the riot.

Glemsford at that time was a stronghold of liberalism while Melford was very largely tory, and the antagonism between the villages was strong and often bitter. The men of Melford jeered at the Glemsford men, calling them Egyptians, and said they were outsiders. The words Egypt and Glemsford were so synonymous that the confusion spilled over into our geography lessons; and when a Sunday school teacher asked where the baby Jesus was taken when Herod threatened to kill all the babies, the answer came promptly: Glemsford!

Thanks, Alasdair

You can access the whole article from which the extract is taken by clicking on the title of this entry.

Why "Little Egypt"?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 12:47:00 +0000

I know it's not precisely the sort of question for Family Historians, but it just might be.

I've recently been thinking about the perennial question:
Why is Glemsford called "Little Egypt"?

My recent musings were prompted by a fascinating email from Rory Coxhill, and I've taken his ideas and added some more of my own doodles.

We'd be delighted if others wanted to join in the discussion, to argue, or just to feed in more informed opinion - or even examples, quotations, pictures..

As always, feel free. You can "link " to Rory and my ideas from the heading to this entry.

SC

PS I almost forgot: a very Happy 2008 to all our readers and contributors.

Tuffin Family

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:08:00 +0000

Mick Newton is just setting out to research his grandfather's family.

Herbert William Tuffin was (probably) born in Glemsford in 1869, to Walter and Matilda, and (probably) married Agnes, and was living in West Ham in 1901 at the time of the Census.

I will be searching the Census and basic registration records to help Mick on the way, but if anyone else knows anything about the Tuffins - there seem to have been quite a few who emanated from Suffolk - please contact me by email (or an identifiable comment here) and I will pass the details to Mick.

SC

More about the Census

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 19:06:00 +0000

Just to answer a couple of subsidiary questions:

I have access to all the available Census material
I am working on the 1871 transcription at the moment
It takes time
It tends to send me cross-eyed

but it will appear eventually.

I'll let you know.

1901 Census

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 17:38:00 +0000

You should now be able to access my transcript of the 1901 Census for Glemsford (as long as you can get or get into an Excel file) by clicking the link hidden in this heading!

Mead Family

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:56:00 +0000

Anthony Mead has approached me for help in looking for the family of Thirza, Flora (Florrie/Florence), Walter and Dennis Mead, who were living with their parents Moses (1837? - 1912) and Charlotte Mead, on Church Gate in 1901.

Thirza appears in the School logbooks as a possible diphtheria case in 1898, later denied, and I have also been able to fill in quite a lot of family detail from the Census, tracking Moses back to his family in Haverhill, but if anyone else has any interest in, or information about this family, please get in touch.

We would, for instance, be interested to know about William Grimwood, who appears as a son of Charlotte and Moses in the 1871 Census, but then sort of disappears. We do know that Charlotte Grimwood was Moses's second wife, after his first, Emma (nee Bird, possibly) died.

All help splendidly acknowledged.

SC

The Angel Inn

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:28:00 +0000

I know this is not Family Related at all, but I am delighted to add another reference to Neil Porter's recently-launched Blog devoted to all the goings on in the finest small pub in the known world, The Angel.

Please make sure you pay a virtual visit.

Virtual pints of IPA are quite pleasant too, but not a patch on the real thing.

Mary Ann Ford - more detail

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 18:08:00 +0000

Following up Sandra's request for help with her grandmother's family, Sue of Glemsford has offered a couple of pointers, and using the Census and registration material that is available online I have been able to offer the following digest (surrounded by all sorts of health warnings about not jumping to conclusions, of course):

In the final quarter of 1907, Mary Ann M Ford married Ernest Jarrold in the Thingoe district, which covers a huge area between (and around) Long Melford and Bury St Edmunds and a lot of the surrounding districts.

In 1901, Mary M Ford (sic), aged 15, was living with her parents, Benjamin (47) and Susannah Ford (45), at St Catherine's Road, Long Melford. Mary was a Silk Winder. Benjamin was a Plate Layer on the Great Eastern Railway; Susannah a horse hair weaver. the rest of the family comprised:Rosina, 18, a "half day" domestic servant; James, 20, a Labourer in a factory (what was made is illegible!); Arthur, 17, a painter's apprentice; Nelly, 13, a silk winder; and Laura 9, Ethel, 7, and Kate and Sidney, 5.

In the same year, a 16 year old Earnest Jarrold appears as the son of David and Isabella Jarrold, of Stanton, in the Thingoe district. David was a shepherd, Earnest a "shepherd's page". Other children were: Lily, 22, Annie, 12, Henry, 11, Albert, 9 and Minnie 7. There were actually hordes of Jarrolds/Jarralds in Stanton throughout the perioid for which Censuses are available.

In terms of age and area, I think this Earnest/Ernest is our best bet.

The 1891 Census shows the Fords on Westgate Lane, Melford - on the road to Glemsford. Employment for Benjamin and Susannah and S was the same. All the children, including the oldest, Harry, then 12, were scholars.

The registers for the first quarter of 1886 record the birth of Mary Ann M Ford, in the Sudbury district.

The 1881 Census has Benjamin and Susan (sic) living on Hall St, Melford, the main village street, very near to the Swan Inn. Benjamin was a Malster's Labourer. They had just Harry C, aged 2, and James, 11 months.

Throughout these three censuses, everybody in the family is shown as being born in Melford.

A marriage between Benjamin Ford and Susannah Rison appears in the second quarter of 1878.

In 1871, Benjamin appears as the 17 year old farm labourer, son of James and Maria Ford, living at Bridge St, an outlying hamlet of Melford, where James was a gamekeeper. James was 39, Maria 46. Their other children were: John, 15 , a gamekeeper's assistant; Henry, 14, a Farm labourer, and Emma 11, James 9, Alfred 7, Elizabeth and Maria (both 6), all scholars.

In 1861, James and Maria were at Linhedge (?) Wood Cottage, Bridge St, with Benjamin, John, Henry and Emma. James was already a Gamekeeper.

The 1851 Census does not want to help me at present.

James and Maria married in the first quarter of 1854, Benjamin had appeared by the next quarter!

Maria's maiden name was Newman, and in 1871, a Newman family was living next door to the Fords.

As for Susannah, the 1871 Census shows a Susan Rison visiting the Horrex family on Hall St, Melford, and, in 1861, James (31) - Agricultural Labourer) - and Mary Ann Rising (28) were living near the Cock and Bell with their children Charles, Susannah, Susannah and Harriet (7, 5, 2 and 2 months).

Unfortunately, the surname is very difficult to track because of the possible variations in spelling.

So there doesn't seem to be a straight Glemsford connection, but they are all there or thereabouts!

Now: if anyone else can feed in more detail, we'd love to know!

SC

Looking for Mary Ann Ford

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Clarke) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:16:00 +0000

Sandra has sent me this request:

Hi there.

I am looking for any information on the Ford family from Glemsford.
My Great Grandmother Mary Ann Ford was born there in 1886.

At the moment, I'm having problems locating the child in either the 1891 or 1901 Censuses. There is a child of that name born and living in Long Melford in 1891, but Glemsford doesn't seem to want to tell me.

Any help gratefully received and acknowledged.

SC