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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Berkshire => Topic started by: janjim on Thursday 16 October 25 02:57 BST (UK)
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Hi,
I wonder if anyone could assist me please. My relation was born 1914 in Wokingham, Berkshire, she was the daughter of William Arthur Rufey. I have found Elsie Rufey in census information from 1937 to 1939 living with or near to her Father, her address being Banksia, Hare Hatch,Wokingham. Her Father's address was "The Holt" Banksia. Her mother had previously died in 1924 when Elsie was 9 years of age.
With shipping records, show on the 10th July 1947 Elsie Annie Rufey was travelling from England to New York on board the "Queen Elizabeth". It appears that she had a relationship or marriage to Gregory Gordon Gerald Le Heinsworth, they had a daughter Annette Geraldine Le Heinsworth b. 1950 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada who has since died. It appears that Annette married in 1979 at Reading to Michael Weal. It appears that she passed away in 2009.
I am trying to find out what happened to Elsie Annie Rufey (Le Heinsworth), also her husband, as we can only imagine that Elsie stayed for a short period of time in Canada, and then she or her daughter Annette returned to Reading, Berkshire at some time, before Annette's marriage in 1979.
Best regards
Jan
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Hare Hatch is a village on the A4 Road between Reading and Maidenhead and some distance from Abingdon. Is Abingdon correct?
Tony
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My apologies, that should have been Wokingham, not Abingdon.
Jan
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Elsie was daughter of William Arthur Rufey b. 1887 Bradfield, Berkshire and Emily Maud Brooker. They had two children Elsie Annie Rufey b. 1914 and William Frederick Herbert Rufey b. 1920.
Jan
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Gregory LeHeinsworth died at the Hamilton General Hospital, 24 November 1954. He was in his fitty seventh year.
Address 75 Catharine Street South. Husband of Elsie Rufey.
Various notices in the Hamilton Spectator following. Some earlier mentions of the family in the same newspaper. Later ones re one of Gregory's sons.
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Thanks for that, Elsie may have remarried or returned to UK.
Jan
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Do you have her exact date of birth? It may help to find her death registration
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Elsie A Rufey 28 Aug 1914
SS
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Yes, that's the correct date of birth. I have not been able to find Elsie any records of her going back to the UK, even though her daughter Annette married in Reading Berkshire. So it would appear that maybe Elsie may have remarried.
It was interesting also to note that I found Gregory Gordon Le Heinsworth in New Zealand originally facing false pretence charges.
I don't have access to USA records, so would appreciate any assistance there, but maybe I might have to put this posting on to the USA site.
Thank you everyone for your assistance anyway. Regards Jan
Elsie A Rufey 28 Aug 1914
SS
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Did Annette have a sister or use another name? This is the grave/memorial of a child of Gregory's first marriage, and there's a reference to step sister Michelle of England
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/276726372/jeannette-maria-mitik
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Her immigration record shows she was going to the home of her fiance Mr. G Le Heinsworth,
Hillingboro Road, Halifax County Nova Scotia.
So she must have met him in England during or shortly after WWII.
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Thank you, I will look further into this family now. I'm not sure about a Michelle being a step sister.
Jan
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Gregory seems to have married 3 times.
The New Zealand entries, one mentions he has a wife with him short stocky and Jewish looking.
Sorry that's the way it is written.
This is 1928, he marries 31 December 1931 Alice Carter in Nova Scotia, then possibly Elsie from between her arrival date of 15 July 1947 and the birth of her daughter Annette 1950.
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Yes I saw that quote too, re his wife.
I think Michele was born around 1948, as I have found her in the years 2003-2005 living at Maidenhead, Berkshire, where the family originated from.
Probably need to find a birth for Michele in Hamilton, in 1948.
Jan
Gregory seems to have married 3 times.
The New Zealand entries, one mentions he has a wife with him short stocky and Jewish looking.
Sorry that's the way it is written.
This is 1928, he marries 31 December 1931 Alice Carter in Nova Scotia, then possibly Elsie from between her arrival date of 15 July 1947 and the birth of her daughter Annette 1950.
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I note that Elsie Rufey's father died in 1960 at Hare Hatch, Berkshire, her husband Gregory Le Heinsworth died in 1954, so with young children she probably decided to return to England.
Now to find any shipping records of her return, but then maybe she flew back, as both daughters were living back in Berkshire at a later date.
Jan
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There appears to have been 3 children b Berkshire 1980/83/85
One married 2004 Berkshire
There is no obvious death for Annette in 2009 or since
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Those three children would be Annette's, Elsie's grandchildren. Found her death on the 28.11.2009, was a cremation
Jan
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Nothing in 2009 on GRO online under Weal. Was death under another surname?
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CarolW,
Cremation is shown on Ancestry search, in the name of Annette Geraldine Leheinsworth-Weal.
Jan
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https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/annette-leheinsworth-weal-obituary?pid=136828906
Double surname which was why I couldn't find it under Weal. Used Google & found obit
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Thank you CarolW, I think maybe now, I might need to put this posting on Canada Website.
Jan
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It was interesting also to note that I found Gregory Gordon Le Heinsworth in New Zealand originally facing false pretence charges.
He's tried in NZ for default of maintenance
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZPG19281003.2.15#image-tab
Unfortunately they 're sideways. He's on the bottom page, with the alias Gerald Allen Ainsworth
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Yes I saw that quote too, re his wife.
I think Michele was born around 1948, as I have found her in the years 2003-2005 living at Maidenhead, Berkshire, where the family originated from.
Probably need to find a birth for Michele in Hamilton, in 1948.
Jan
Gregory seems to have married 3 times.
The New Zealand entries, one mentions he has a wife with him short stocky and Jewish looking.
Sorry that's the way it is written.
This is 1928, he marries 31 December 1931 Alice Carter in Nova Scotia, then possibly Elsie from between her arrival date of 15 July 1947 and the birth of her daughter Annette 1950.
The person on the electoral register is recorded as Mr so not sure he's the stepsister
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I'm wondering if it's Annette's husband, given they appear to have double barrelled and his name is Michael
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Wow this is all very interesting. I see in records I've found, seems Elsie must have met her husband during WWII and then made her way to Canada.
His grave shows him as being a Corporal.
Jan
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I see in Ancestry there is a hint for a newspaper cutting in the English Newspapers 15.4.1986 at Reading regarding Annette Weal her daughter. Wonder if anyone has access to these newspaper details that may be able to assist me please. Possibly something in there that could assist me in regard to her Mother Elsie Annie Le Heinsworth.
Jan
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Reading Evening Post dated 15 April 1986
Monday is a red letter day for Iris Wise and Annette Weal thanks to the Post Office.
For they both have birthdays on Monday April 21st, that day the Queen celebrates her 60th birthday.
And to mark the occasion Iris from Tilehurst and Annette from Wargrave were invited along to Reading's Head Post Office yesterday for a pre birthday party.
The party was one of several being held Nationally by the Post Office for women who share a birthday with the Queen.
Annette who will be 36 on Monday and Iris who will be 52 were presented with bouquets and birthday cards.
They are also due to receive mystery gifts through the post on the big day itself.
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It then goes on to mention stamps and first days covers to be issued by the post office.
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Another thread here.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=894478.0
I think they should be merged.
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Thanks so much for giving me that information. Unfortunately no further information on the family.
Jan
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I live a couple of miles from Hare Hatch so was interested to Google 'Banksia Hare Hatch ' and a listing on Rightmove for the house came up.
It was built in 1911 and unusually in the details of the property some notes have been made by the seller:
"Banksia is where we grew up and looking back we really appreciate what a privilege is has been for us to have been raised there.
The house has been in our family since it was built and was named Banksia by our own Grandmother.
Although it has always been at the heart of our family, the time has come for us to pass on the keys to a new family who can make their own amazing forever memories there.
With age our Dad was unable to do all the jobs like he used to so it will need some TLC to bring it back to full strength but there is huge potential to make Banksia bloom again.
We will miss Banksia immensely, the location is beautiful and we have been truly spoilt. Even now after all these years, friends & family always remember coming to the house and the fun times we shared there.
We hope that someone out there will cherish it as much as we do."
The house has been sold subject to contract so I thought it might be helpful to copy the quote above before it disappears from the internet.
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That's very interesting, thank you for that little snippet of information.
Elsie Rufey was living there in 1939 and her Father was at The Holt in 1960 which I believe would have been the Hotel, not absolutely sure on that.
Jan
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I live a couple of miles from Hare Hatch so was interested to Google 'Banksia Hare Hatch ' and a listing on Rightmove for the house came up.
It was built in 1911 and unusually in the details of the property some notes have been made by the seller:
"Banksia is where we grew up and looking back we really appreciate what a privilege is has been for us to have been raised there.
The house has been in our family since it was built and was named Banksia by our own Grandmother.
Although it has always been at the heart of our family, the time has come for us to pass on the keys to a new family who can make their own amazing forever memories there.
With age our Dad was unable to do all the jobs like he used to so it will need some TLC to bring it back to full strength but there is huge potential to make Banksia bloom again.
We will miss Banksia immensely, the location is beautiful and we have been truly spoilt. Even now after all these years, friends & family always remember coming to the house and the fun times we shared there.
We hope that someone out there will cherish it as much as we do."
The house has been sold subject to contract so I thought it might be helpful to copy the quote above before it disappears from the internet.
I think "dad" mentioned above is Annette's husband Michael Weal who passed away earlier this year. I have attached a link to a newspaper article about Michael's funeral. It mentions his late wife, Annette, and his daughters (one of whom has the same name as the Ancestry tree owner Jan is trying to contact). It mentions Hare Hatch and Blakes Lane where the above property is located.
https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/wargrave/195691/bikers-form-funeral-procession-in-honour-of-charity-run-founder.html
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Jool,
Thank you so much for this information, slowly we are getting closer and closer to this family, it's all so interesting, but still to find what happened to our Elsie Rufey.
It would seem that the family must have inherited the property at some time, I wasn't really sure if maybe it was a rented property, but definitely seems that it was owned by Elsie or her Father before she left for Canada.
Jan
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Jool,
Thank you so much for this information, slowly we are getting closer and closer to this family, it's all so interesting, but still to find what happened to our Elsie Rufey.
It would seem that the family must have inherited the property at some time, I wasn't really sure if maybe it was a rented property, but definitely seems that it was owned by Elsie or her Father before she left for Canada.
Jan
The answer was found by Sandra. It’s on the other thread.
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Oh yes this is absolutely great news, wonderful sleuthing by all. So good to have closure, but a very sad story really. Le Heinsworth was so deceptive, for whatever reasons, and whether we will ever find his military records, one can only imagine if this was all true.
Jan
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Hi again Heather,
With the house being built in 1911 that interests me, as Elsie wasn't born until 1914 and information I've got since your posting, says that the Grandmother built the home. Maybe built by her Father William Arthur Rufey. However, he is shown at two addresses "The Holt" as well as "Banksia". Wondering if you have any knowledge of where The Holt was, maybe an Inn, or part of Banksia was an Inn.
This has been such an interesting story, just wondering about the whole situation.
Jan
I live a couple of miles from Hare Hatch so was interested to Google 'Banksia Hare Hatch ' and a listing on Rightmove for the house came up.
It was built in 1911 and unusually in the details of the property some notes have been made by the seller:
"Banksia is where we grew up and looking back we really appreciate what a privilege is has been for us to have been raised there.
The house has been in our family since it was built and was named Banksia by our own Grandmother.
Although it has always been at the heart of our family, the time has come for us to pass on the keys to a new family who can make their own amazing forever memories there.
With age our Dad was unable to do all the jobs like he used to so it will need some TLC to bring it back to full strength but there is huge potential to make Banksia bloom again.
We will miss Banksia immensely, the location is beautiful and we have been truly spoilt. Even now after all these years, friends & family always remember coming to the house and the fun times we shared there.
We hope that someone out there will cherish it as much as we do."
The house has been sold subject to contract so I thought it might be helpful to copy the quote above before it disappears from the internet.
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"The Holt" is an area of land, northeast of the centre of Hare Hatch and north of the Bath Road. Adjacent to Blakes Lane. This is where "Banksia" is situated.
Tony
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Thanks Tonepad.
Jan