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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Sussex => Topic started by: RoyW46 on Saturday 09 February 19 21:27 GMT (UK)
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Can somebody help me please?
I am researching my family history: WILLARDS in SALEHURST and ROBERTSBRIDGE.
My name is Roy Willard and I was born 1946 in Robertsbridge, one of three sons to George Alfred Willard and Lilian Josephine Willard nee Williams. Through this website and others I have found out a lot of information about my family and am very grateful for it.
Up until at least 1929, my Grandfather: George Henry Willard, wife Ethel Willard nee Every, their children: Florence Alice, George Alfred (my Dad), Violet Elsie, Holman Frederick, Doreen Ada, Roy, Joy and Jean all lived at The Clappers, North Street, Robertsbridge, their house was adjacent to the Level Crossing of the Kent & East Sussex Railway (K.&.E.S.R), indeed my Grandfather was employed all his working life by K.&.E.S.R.
I am trying to find out the history of The Clappers, who lived there and also when it was demolished. I know from experience that every winter the River Rother overflowed it's banks and flooded the adjacent fields and properties. The Clappers was one of these and the occupants over the years had to take refuge on the 1st floor level.
I would appreciate if anybody has old photographs of The Clappers and knowledge of people who lived there.
Thank you
Roy Willard
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Have you considered getting in touch with the Robertsbridge Archaeological Society? Link to their website:-
http://www.robertsbridgevillagehall.co.uk/page11.htm
They may be able to help you with photos and information.
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Thank you
I will do that
Regards
Roy Willard
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Hi Roy,
George Henry married Ethel (18) in 1909
Florence born 1910, George Dec/1911
So no prev history in Robertsbridge to match your family as listed.
There are 2x other Willard dwellings.
Currently,The Clappers the name of a "road".
and there is a Willard Farm.
I could find no evidence of dwelling named as such.
I'd be happy to be proved wrong
What is your source of that address?
Florence,George,Ethel lived in EastStreet
There is another Willard/Every birth in 1938 that you have not mentioned. . . . .
Ray
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Hello Ray
Thanks for your quick response, with regard to my Grandfather: George Henry Willard, his wife Ethel and all of his children, I knew all of them except Roy who was my father's brother and died from his war wounds in December 1944. I was born May 1940's
You are right: George, Ethel, Florence and my Dad George lived in East Street at number 14, my Dad was born there on 5th November 1911.
My Dad's other siblings were born either in: East Street or the Clappers.
Violet born 1913
Holman 1915
Doreen 1918
Roy 1920
Joy 1920's
Jean 1920's born at Clappers
In 1929 my Dad had an accident whereby his arm was broken, this incident was published in Local Newspapers and his address given as the Clappers Cottages.
Between 1929 and 1939 George H. Willard and his family moved to Bellhurst Cottages in Robertsbridge.
By 1939 George H. Willard was living at Western Villas, Station Road, Robertsbridge with his wife Ethel and daughters:
Florence Eason nee Willard,
Joy Carter nee Willard,
Violet Bradley nee Willard
and younger daughters Jean and Shirley.
My Dad had married my Mum Lilian J.Williams, 21st November 1936 and by 1939 my Mum and my two older brothers: Laurence b.1937 and David b.1939 were living at 38 High Street, Robertsbridge.
My Dad and younger brother Roy joined the Royal Sussex Regiment in 1939, Dad's other brother: Holman (called Fred) had joined the Royal Air Force.
Hopefully I have attached a photograph of the Clappers, I tried earlier but it was 'too big'.
I have tried and tried to find other photo's of the Clappers, but to no avail. My Dad's sisters: Joy, Jean and Shirley are still with us and their memories are very good at the ages of 90's, 90's and 80's years, however with regard to dates and moving etc I have tried not to ask too much.
So again, thank you for your help I do appreciate it. Look forward to hearing from you.
With regard to the photo, only the corner of the Clappers is visible.
Regards
Roy
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Hi Roy,
You mentioned the name "Sh.....y" (b1936) which was earlier missing.
I am not naming her because I am unaware of whether she is still alive and Rootschat has a "no living" rule.She has a mother's maiden name of every not williams?
I notice that your pic is entitled "1,Clappers", so Clappers is a row (now road) not an individual dwelling . . . . . ?
Cheers!
Ray
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Hi
Building at the "s" end of Clappers?
https://maps.nls.uk/view/101434515
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You might find this site helpful.
https://www.mandywillard.co.uk/
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Silligen
Thank you, I will take a closer look at Mandy Willard's website.
Regards
Roy
Ray
Thanks for pointing out to me about relatives, people still living, my three aunts (my Dad's sisters) are still with us.
In conversations with people, 'Clappers' has been named just as: Clappers, The Clappers or Clappers Cottages. I guess: Clappers Cottages' is historically correct for the period I am looking at.
Whereas today it is more of a location.
Thanks again
Regards
Roy
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Have you visited the Rother valley railway site, they are currently hoping to rebuild the connection to robertsbridge from bodiam
Their planning application for this includes the site of The Clappers.
Bridge six in blue on this plan, middle left
http://www.rvr.org.uk/Planning%20Applications/Plan%20B%20(Sheet%202)%20-%20March%202014.pdf
They may be able to help
Mike
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The house may have been demolished as part of the northstreet flood defences constructed in 2003/2004, if it was still there in 2000 it would have been badly hit by the 2000 floods
Mike
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Hi Roy.
I notice your connection with Robertsbridge.
I am in contact with a lady called Nicola who is trying to trace her grandfather who was an Italian POW in that area. He worked on Walter’s Farm Poppinghole Lane, or one close by. The lady was called Rosa and they had a son called Albert John Jarrett (John) I would be grateful for any help or information that you may have about the wartime.
Many Thanks
Karen
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Hello Karen
I am sorry, for the last few months I have not been very 'active' in Family Research as a result I have not been looking at Family History websites.
The name: Jarrett is familiar, but I cannot remember why at the moment.
I was born in Robertsbridge May 1946 and I remember that in c.1948 my father took me to an Italian POW camp in the village. This was located at what is now: Heathfield Gardens (Residential area). I remember my father carrying me into the Camp's canteen and being given a 'Jam Tart'.
In those years a number of former German and Italian POW's had remained after the War and married local woman. The War had finished and I recall that there was no animosity towards those that remained. To illustrate that, my father was a POW of the Germans for five years and was made to work in coal mines in Poland and the Czechoslovakia until he was liberated by the Russians. He was friendly with all that lived in the village.
I went to school with children whose fathers were Italian or German.
I have a friend who lives at Walter's Farm in Poppinghole Lane, if you have any more information I can ask her or her husband if they have knowledge of: Albert John Jarrett (John).
Hope I have not confused you. I look forward to hearing from you.
Roy
Roy Willard
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Hi Roy.
Thanks for getting in touch. I think John Jarrett went to secondary school with you. He has spoken to Laurence Carter at Walters farm but drawn a blank. All close relatives have passed away and no one so far knows the Italian pow's name who had a relationship with Rosa Jarrett. I 'm exploring all avenues atm and any names etc that you can remember would be so helpful.
Many thanks
Karen
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Karen
I have emailed my friend, she and her husband live at Walters Farm Cottages. She will certainly know more than I do about John Jarrett and hopefully Rosa.
I will let you know when she replies to me.
Kind regards
Roy
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Hi Karen
My friend: Nancy has replied to me, this is part of her reply:
John Jarrett and I are in contact with each other a lot. He was born in our cottage.
He was on tele a few months back as he is trying to trace his biological father who was an Italian POW who was working on this farm and BBC did some filming here, looked good on the tele. Don’t know if his first name is Albert though.
Anyway just ask me what it is. I know John and his daughter Nicola are very keen to find out more, to that end John had his DNA done but BBC couldn’t find his father
Karen, I am not too sure where to look next for further information. I will get in touch with my Aunts in Robertsbridge, one is in her late 'eighties, the other in her nineties'. There is always the chance they may remember ROSA and John's father
Kind regards
Roy
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Thank you Roy.
Yes John has uploaded his DNA but no luck there so far. That would be great if you could speak to your aunts in Robertsbridge. It's unusual for no one to remember the Italian's first name.I'm sure there must have been mutterings about it all those years ago! If we could find his first name we could then go to The Red cross in Geneva and search there. That's how I found my grandfather.
Many thanks for your help
Best wishes
Karen
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I know this is a very old post but I wanted to add that until 2001 I lived on Heathfield Gardens and being a now retired archaeologist I decided to put in a small dig in my back yard. I expected to find nothing but during that small dig I found a think layer of tarmac and just under that a button which on investigation after came from an Italian trench coat. WHilst I had it in mind that this must have been from a POW camp I could find no evidence to support that argument and in fact the older generations around my then address couldnt remember one there. I had to say that the provenance of the button and tarmac surface was disturbed because when I got to the bottom there was a modern waste pipe running under it all. To read roys post brought back the memories and as given me now the proof I needed to say my old home was built on an Old POW camp site.
Im not sure if the ROberstbridge arch society was still active when this thread was new. I was a member of Hastings group as I couldnt find one locally active
Rob