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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Oxfordshire => Topic started by: Gigi on Friday 08 September 06 07:46 BST (UK)
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Hello All,
Has anyone researched their ancestors who worked at Blenheim Palace? My gggrandfather was a gardener there, the head gardener according to family legend!
Gillian
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Grandfather born at Eagle Lodge Blenheim 1885. I assume ggrandfather worked on the estate.
Liz
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Hi Liz,
Do you know if Blenheim have archives of employees?
Gillian
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Hi Gillian,
I have no more info about Blenheim, only just started researching. Having to go away today for a while but will keep researching and let you know
Liz
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Gillian
If you were to give the name and dates of your great-great-grandfather, someone might help you by looking up any records for the relevant period.
Adrian
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There is a contact us page on the Palace website
http://www.blenheimpalace.com/contact.htm
I would suggest you contact them and ask about your ancestor - or whether there are any archives/information. I received wonderful information from Windsor Castle about an ancestor who worked there in the 1800s
Trish
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Hi Adrian & Trish,
My gg grandfather was William Hunt born c1822 Handborough OXON, he married Ann Hutchings. William died in Oxford. They lived in Bladon where all their children were born and according to family legend William was the "head gardener" at Blenheim!!! I have all his census data and his occupation was Ag Lab and also railway labourer. I think he did work on the estate but not as head gardener!
As you suggest I will try and ring Blenheim and ask about archives.
Thanks for your help,
Gillian
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My sister in laws aunt was nanny to the children of the 9th Duke and his American wife Consuela in the early part of the 20th century.
Consuela gave Clara a ring,which my sister in law wears today.
I will have to try their archives to see if they have any info on Clara Mutlow.
All the best
Carol
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Having been down the same path with one of my ancestors with another stately home, I found that the term head gardener had been misinterpreted. Mine was head gardener in the greenhouse, one of about a dozen with that title.
I found it very hard to get anywhere near the records which were closly guarded but eventually found someone who worked in the house who managed to persuade the archivist to look for them. I am sworn to secrecy as to the house for which this happened.
David
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Hi David
That sounds a little sad and frustrating - I received excellent information from the archivists at Windsor - couldn't have been any nicer nor more helpful.
I've also had positive responses from public companies re their records - amazingly (and very pleasingly) some still employ archivists to look after their past records.
Trish
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I did contact the archivist at Blenheim Palace but unfortunately he was not able to tell me whether or not my William Hunt was at one time the "Head Gardener" or had ever worked there. Apparently they would have to go through the ledgers page by page to gather that information so a dead end I'm afraid!!
Gillian
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Hi Gillian,
My Grandmother worked at the palace early 1900s as a maid or servant and like you i rang to try and get some info on this. I was also told they could not tell me anything, i even offered to make a donation. Very frustrating isnt it.
Sue
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Tis disappointing - I wonder if they will accept any help in indexing the ledgers? Perhaps it will be done one day.
Trish
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The archive was opened years ago when David Green wrote an official history. Otherwise nothing except the occasional coffee table book. Attempts by locals to get their paws on the papers have all been brushed off. The family seem interested in their Glorious Past but not in the nuts & bolts of local/family history - pity, but it's been so for ages. Principal focus, especially of late, has been to market Blenheim as 'heritage'. Which ain't the same as history.
Maggott
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i have an ancestor...noted to have died Blenheim Park in 1783...... Richard Tollet ....so i have no chance of getting info ;) :(
Shame for all of us !!!!!!!!!!!!
debz
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The guy who died in Blenheim Park would probably have been buried in one of the parishes adjacent to the Park- Bladon, Combe, Long Hanborough-why not try Oxfordhsire RO?
Maggott
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Hi Maggott , you are correct , he is buried in Woodstock, yes i should do that, i think he was a yeoman so i believe that he was "attached to the estate somehow.........
i really must look up what exactly a yeoman was and how it worked as i have recently found a will from 1756 which gives me the impression that the testator was one. unfortunately, he is not me ancestor... someone else's who i am helping :)
Debz
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A yeoman was a small landowner, farmer, or a person of middle class engaged in agriculture. He was usually regarded as being one rank below a gentleman.
Since very few people actually owned their own land he probably leased it from the estate.
David
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Yup Blenheim owns (or owned) virtually all the farms round about. I'll have a look later to see whether your chap got a tombstone in the churchyard
Maggott
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Hi again - your man was TolleT not TolleY?? The Tolleys register on the local radar
(last of the line died twenty-odd years ago) but I don't remember Tollets. Not to say they're not there, of course...
Maggott
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hello maggott....wow how clever are you ! ;D
yes he was Richard Tollet born about 1718 , off the top of my head, his surname shoul be Tollet as the name was Tollit, Tolett ,Tollett until 1900's
Thanks for your interest
debz :)
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Hi DJF I've just got back from the churchyard - no luck yet. But it was a grey afternoon & the 18th cent tombstones are badly eroded & covered with lichen. I might have more luck on a sunny day, perhaps. Quite a lot of the stones have been tidied up round the edge of the churchyard, so it might, anyway, not be possible to find the actual grave.
The Woodstock records went to Oxfordshire RO years ago. so it might be worth contacting them. I know there was a (tatty) plan of the old cemetary (different from the churchyard) and there might be one of the churchyard as well. Too dark to look in the church itself - I always feel it's a bit of a cheek to turn the lights on, but will try on a sunny day.
Maggott
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ah...how sweet of you :) i have all the Tollet history so i will see if i have more info ...
thank again.....
those gravestones are impossible to read once the lichen takes hold i'v tried in the Old Marston parish cemetry.
but many thanks anyway...
Debz
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Hi Update on the Tollet search: I got into the church this afternoon & had a look at the plaques on the wall - no Tollets, I'm afraid. Two at the very top I couldn't see but it doesn't seem very likely they'll relate to your chap. Sorry - did b***** best
Maggott
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thanks so much for trying...have a gold star ;D
All these places which we would love to visit.(have been many a time but not since i've been a roots hunter ) so we can visits churches etc
Debz ;D
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hello maggott....wow how clever are you ! ;D
yes he was Richard Tollet born about 1718 , off the top of my head, his surname shoul be Tollet as the name was Tollit, Tolett ,Tollett until 1900's
Thanks for your interest
debz :)
Dear Debz,
Richard, of Blenheim Park, I think is also a relative of mine.
I have Tallott, Crawford, Green, Bishop, Whitley, Leaver, Dean, Frewin, Akerman and more.
May I ask who your photo is of? GGGF?
Look forward to a reply.
Kind regards
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John Forster the archivist at Blenheim is on BBC Radio Oxford right now if you can listen in.
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missed it - i was at work but i could try iplayer .↲My photo is am ancestor called William Clement born in 1834 in Calcutta .↲I have been intouch with the archivists at Blenheim and they gave me snippets of Tollet people who worked for the Duke of Marlborough but none directly related to me that i know. I have much info if you need it. Sorry if my typing is weird but i.m doing it on my mobile↲Debz ;D
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Dear Debz
Thank you for your post.
Would love to know anything about a Tallott or Whitley that served Blenheim Park.
Kind regards
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Hi - My ggrandfather was a gardener at Blenheim Palace and was listed as so in the 1901 Census. His name was Alfred Mann and he was about 39 years old. Ggrandmothers name was Harriet. My grandfather also lived there, aged about 12, also named Alfred; his sister was Alice Mann and was born at Blenheim. I cannot fully read where they lived on the estate but it was Spring L*** Lodge (maybe Lake?) Does this help anyone / any further information available please?
Further info - I'm sure it was Spring Lock Lodge - it could now (2008) be called Keeper's Cottage, Springlock Gate.
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My mother always told me that my gggrandfather was a head gardener in Blenheim Palace, his surname was King I believe he was born near Blenheim, has anyone any info please.
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Welcome to Rootschat!!
Have you found him on a census at all?
If you want help, you will need to give more details eg his full name, dates even if they are approximate.
My 2x gt grandfather's sister was a housemaid there and can be found on the 1871 census.
I wanted to know if she was still there when Winston Chirchill was born, as she had left by 1881.
The archivist said that the housekeeper didn't actually keep names of her employees - she only paid them and on investigation could find no further record of her.
It might be the same with the gardeners. The head gardener might pay his workers, but might not actually record them. So unless your ? King was really Head Gardener, there may not be a record.
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thanks will look into it more. ps, my mother now deceased .reckoned his name King came from being an illegitimate son of royalty.
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i did contact Blenheim..... i visited too and one tea for 2 in the Indian Rom.... i digress ;D
there are a couple a people who will take calls for ancestry BUT they may or may not have time to search.
i was lucky as they already had found some details for a previous query.
they have details for instance....rent for cottage paid by richard Tollet or widows pension paid...
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I found my sister in laws Aunt ,Clara Auger(mistranscribed as Anger) there in 1901 as a nursemaid to John and Ivor- but apart from the Duke of Marlborough himself, I cannot find the boys or their mum Consuelo in 1911 yet.
I wonder if the boys would have been sent abroad to school- and Consuelo doesn't appear to be back with her family in the US then either.
I might write to them to ask where they'd all vanished to c 1910 ish ;D
Carol
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My grandmother lilian ellen wilkins worked there from the age of 14 which was about 1911 wonder if someone who has excess to the 1911 census have a look to see if they can see her on the census.
thanks
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I haven't been able to find anyone from the family in 1911 :(
I wonder if anyone else knows how to search for Blenheim Palace on that census?
Carol
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I have been trying to find my real father that worked at Blenheim Palace and has always been told they don't hold any records. I am sure they do! His name is (*) he was there around 1969-1970. Any info would be very grateful. I lived in Flagstaff Lodge, my grandfather was the gate keeper.
(*) see next reply
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Welcome to RootsChat, LynnD70 :)
RootsChat is meant for finding ancestors, rather than living relatives.
Personal details of any people known or thought to be living will be removed, in accordance with RootsChat policy, to avoid spamming and other abuses. So people here will be able to give you general tips and hints how to proceed, but not any concrete details.
You will also find more tips here:
Topic: Tracing Living Relatives
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,261434.0.html
and
Topic: Searching for living relatives and Rootschat
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,142443.0.html
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Hi Lynn and welcome to Rootschat.
Have you actually contacted Blenheim Palace?
Google them and then send an email to their press office,they will tell you if they have the relevant staff records,although where he worked in the late 1960's is not going to be much help in finding him today?
Regards
Carol
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Yes a number of times, they said they have no records >:(
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I believe my great uncle Arthur Bates Inchley was a Gamekeeper at the Palace sometime during the 40/50/60's.
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Hi
I am a Tollet spelt with the one T at the end of the surname. My father and I are currently undertaking some Ancestory investigations to our surname and would of course appreciate any feedback from anyone able to assist further. We have lots of photos and information back to around 1836.
Many thanks for any help offered
ah...how sweet of you :) i have all the Tollet history so i will see if i have more info ...
thank again.....
those gravestones are impossible to read once the lichen takes hold i'v tried in the Old Marston parish cemetry.
but many thanks anyway...
Debz
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Hi mtollet
Welcome to Roots chat. There are many people in here who will help you and do all they can to get you moving along.
The excerpt you have entered in your message is from a member on here who is a decendant of your family and she is also related to me. Because you have not yet entered enough posts yet to send her a direct personal I shall send her a message for you and ask her to come in here and she may be able to help.
She is simply a lovely person and very keen.
Good luck
NDRFT
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PM sent, now just keep your eye on here to see if she pops up?
T ra
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:) Thank you so much for your very kind assistance. It is wonderful to think that some lovely caring people still exist within the world.
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My mother always told me that my gggrandfather was a head gardener in Blenheim Palace, his surname was King I believe he was born near Blenheim, has anyone any info please.
Hello!
This is so incredibly late and I have no idea if you will ever see this but if you are ever looking for a name King, try swapping it out for Turner. I've been following my family history back and the names often switch from King Turner to just Turner i.e if you are looking for Charles King in some records he says his name is Charles King Turner, but then in others he is simply Turner. I know that Charles Turner is listed as a gardener in the 1851 census at Blenheim Palace, so this may be who you are looking for!
All the best,
Alex