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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Cambridgeshire => Topic started by: Markkent91 on Thursday 10 January 13 20:49 GMT (UK)
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I have been researching my family in particular a great great Uncle who according to the 1911 census was living in Peterborough as a boarder to a widow. He is originally from the parish of Lee in Kent.
Under the 'industry' column, he was a nurseryman and under personal occupation it reads he was an improver (with an ? on the end) . The address is Oak Villa, Eastfield, Peterborough.
I am unsure what he was doing in Peterborough but obviously a high possibilty it was work related.
I was wondering if it would possible to research any records in Peterborough that may relate to my Uncles residence or for whatever reason he was in Peterborough. If anyone knows anything or can put me in contact with anyone I would be most grateful.
Mark
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Hi Mark
No name/birthyear included
As you have him in 1911 - can you post the full entry please
he was a nurseryman
You need to read the heading of that particular column
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Hi Mark
No name/birthyear included
As you have him in 1911 - can you post the full entry please
Of course,
Edward Charles Kent, born 1880 in Lee, Kent.
Boarder to a Mrs Evangeline Bonett
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He never married and died in WW1
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/136956/KENT,%20EDWARD%20CHARLES
People moved locations for numerous reasons - work probably being the major reason.
He was in ordinary lodgings with an unconnected family and was working for a nurseryman - not as one.
It may be that the firm he worked for had a job in that area which required him to move there temporarily
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He never married and died in WW1
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/136956/KENT,%20EDWARD%20CHARLES
People moved locations for numerous reasons - work probably being the major reason.
He was in ordinary lodgings with an unconnected family and was working for a nurseryman - not as one.
It may be that the firm he worked for had a job in that area which required him to move there temporarily
I know all about his WW1 experience already and some of his life before the war except for his time in Peterborough hence why I asked the question.
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except for his time in Peterborough hence why I asked the question
There is no way anybody can be absolutely certain of the reason for his move given it was 100yrs ago
All anybody can do is offer possible explanations.
As I pointed out in my reply - he was not a nurseryman and was in ordinary lodgings unconnected to any specific type of employment.
He was an employee hence the "possibility" the people he worked for had a job in that area
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Looking at old maps, there was a nursery at the end of Eastfield Road, where he was living. You can see the house on Google maps and, looking to the left, the site of the nursery, which is now bungalows and a college
His address in 1901 was only 10 miles from King's Cross and so it would have been relatively easy to get to Peterborough, perhaps in answer to an advertisement etc.
David
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I tried searching newspaper archives. Nothing for the London area,
but Eastfield Rose Nursery, Peterborough, appeared in the
Stamford Mercury three times (21/07/1905,23/07/1909,21/09/1909).
These were all seeking customers, not advertising any vacancies.
In case it might be a clue, the proprietors were W & J Brown.
vv.
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Looking at old maps, there was a nursery at the end of Eastfield Road, where he was living. You can see the house on Google maps and, looking to the left, the site of the nursery, which is now bungalows and a college
His address in 1901 was only 10 miles from King's Cross and so it would have been relatively easy to get to Peterborough, perhaps in answer to an advertisement etc.
David
Thank you David, this is exactly the type of information and possible clues I am looking for. Do you have a copy of the old map by any chance? I suppose it would make sense to live close to the workplace.
He was living in the family home in Lee in 1901 ( according to the census)
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per National Probate Calendar
Edward Charles Kent of 64 Burnt Ash Rd Lee Kent sergeant 18th Middlesex Regiment died 24 March 1918 in France. Probate London 26 July to Thomas Kent surveyor. Effects £9398 5s 3d
£9,400 in 1919 is equivalent to over £400,000 today, so it doesn't seem as though he needed to work as a nurseyman. But an improver was "A person who works at a trade under an employer for the purpose of improving his or her knowledge or skill, and accepts the opportunity of such improvement wholly or in part instead of wages." So perhaps it was work experience. But it's all speculative without any original documents, the chance of finding which is practically zero
David
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per National Probate Calendar
Edward Charles Kent of 64 Burnt Ash Rd Lee Kent sergeant 18th Middlesex Regiment died 24 March 1918 in France. Probate London 26 July to Thomas Kent surveyor. Effects £9398 5s 3d
£9,400 in 1919 is equivalent to over £400,000 today, so it doesn't seem as though he needed to work as a nurseyman. But an improver was "A person who works at a trade under an employer for the purpose of improving his or her knowledge or skill, and accepts the opportunity of such improvement wholly or in part instead of wages." So perhaps it was work experience. But it's all speculative without any original documents, the chance of finding which is practically zero
David
I would imagine you are probably right and like you say without finding any records we would never know for sure. Also If you look at the probate record, the entry above Edward Charles is his uncle also called Edward who died in Hastings . His effects were £96514. That is an absolute staggering sum!