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I started seriously researching my family history about four years ago, for a number of reasons. I was conscious that with my family now spread far and wide across the U.K (and elsewhere), now was the opportunity to at least make the connection between the 1901 census and people living now. I also wanted to illustrate for my daughter what life would have been like for her ancestors - no videos/TVs, central heating, telephones etc.
I had a few scraps of paper from my teens where I had written down what my parents and grandparents had told me (and which thankfully my Mum had not thrown away). So armed with these scraps and other research by family members, I set to work.
Much of the ground-work for this family story was carried out by Christine (great great grand-daughter of Henry Carter via Henry's eldest son William Henry Carter), and by Nita (grand-daughter of Frank Baker #1, via Arthur Baker). They are the heroic ones because they did this manually – no internet and computer search technology to help them.
I have been able to supplement their main trees as much from 10-yearly census information, as from births, marriages and deaths. That process has been stimulated and added to by my mother, particularly around the little bits of colour and the twentieth century information. Great work, Mum!
This process has also resulted in contact with distant cousins and others with whom I have exchanged information. As well as Christine and Nita, in no particular order:
- Brian who provided substantial information about the fascinating story of his great grandfather Edward Bates/Luetchford,
- Carole too has been a very helpful source of advice on 19th Century Luetchfords,
- Phil who provided a lot of context and background on the Luetchford name and their non-conformism
- Pauline whose persistence uncovered some overlooked Rose connections, and has persuaded me to be co-conspirator in unravelling the mysteries of Sarah Rose and John Uttley
- Tim for more Rose information
- Mary who provided the lovely little item on her grandfather George Middleditch,
- Tim who taught me how to say Stow Maries,
- Clare for helping me make more sense of the Middleditchs, Bournes, and Barritts and their descendants, and for some photos
- John for some further Eves information
- Theo for some excellent Barritt information
- Toby and Erica for the Middleditch/Greatrex/Eve line
- Louise for further Greatrex info
- Marilyn for the Middleditch/Salmon line
- Avelyn for further Middleditch/Salmon info
- Cathy for a Salmon snippet
- Michele for finding Elizabeth Bourne
- Alan for some great 17th/18th century Middleditch/Knight info
- Jan for supplying the missing link for Susannah Middleditch
- Clive for a Middleditch family bible transcription
- Beverley for a long-awaited Pond connection
- Julian for some excellent Pond information, corrections, and clarifications
- Alison for opening up a new world of Pooles for me
- Janet for more Carter descendants' details and photos, plus her Uncle Jack for a nice additional snippet
- Arthur for digging out some more old Carter photos
- A second Carter Janet for the memories of her father and photos
- Sylvia who like me has been grappling with the intricacies of the Gibbs' children and who belonged to whom,
- Yvonnie for providing some further Gibbs' leads to follow up,
- My dad's cousin Nellie for some wonderful Quinton/Gibbs bits and pieces from her own memory,
- Helen, Michael, Susan and Brenda for information about the Blanthorns
- Bill who provided a whole bunch of Brice leads to explore,
- Jaq and Roger for loads of Brice/Barlow and Collingbourne information
- Chris for some more Brice-related info
- Maurice for a great Bransden link.
- Graham for some further Bransden/Merredew info
- Kevin who found me an otherwise unknown and probably untraceable Quinton, plus photo
- Tony for filling in some Quinton gaps
- Chris with whom I have exchanged information about the Woodwards and descendants,
- Sandra, Robert and Mike who have separately filled my Langridge trough, including pictures,
- John for some great Priestley information,
- Peter for filling in some Price gaps, and
- Sheila and Maureen for presenting me with a Baker challenge.
I've swapped notes with people who aren't related to me (well certainly in the last 200 years) but who share surnames with me in their family history. This has been as enjoyable as making contact with distant cousins. Most people researching their family histories are more than willing to help each other out, and the process is very much a mutual exchange; for example information I have provided is now included on the Essex Pubs website http://essexpub.net/indexIan.htm. And for inspiration and general help, RootsChat is invaluable.
Most of the photographs come from my Mum's family scrapbooks.
JULIAN BAKER
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