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Census Lookups General Lookups => Census Lookup and Resource Requests => Census and Resource Discussion => Completed Census Requests => Topic started by: J.J. on Friday 23 September 05 20:30 BST (UK)
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Dear Jan,
Would it be possible to take some photos at St. Chad's cemetery, in Shrewsbury?
I will reply with names if you can do this. Much appreciated.
Jeany
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Hi J.J.
Yes I can take photos in St Chad's cemetery. Let me know the names and I will take whatever photos you need.
By the way, love your username JJ, that was my nickname all through school!!!!!!!
Jan
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J.J.
What a small world!!!! I was christened in St Chad's Church :D
In 1984 the film "A Christmas Carol" (with George C Scott, Edward Woodward, Susannah York etc) was filmed in Shrewsbury and they used St Chad's Cemetery to make a fake grave for Scrooge. As a reminder of the film Scrooge's grave was left intact for people to see. I'll take a photo of that too, just in case you're interested!!!!!
http://www.search.secretshropshire.org.uk/engine/theme/default.asp?theme=2015&text=0 Some photos from the making of the film.
Jan
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Hello, Jan!
I thank you so very much for doing this for me. I thought you might think it a little morbid of me. The top 2 names I am not sure if they were buried here.
Thomas Blunt and Sarah (nee Smith) will for sure be in there, so any of the family around them would be appreciated. Whatever you have time and room for.
Robert BLUNT- b. 1777? D.---
Anne Blunt - b. 1781? D.----
Thomas BLUNT Sr.- b. 1803 c. 1874 Shr.Shr.
Sarah b.1801 D. 1864
Blunt- Thomas Porter – G.GF. B. 1842 D. 1929
Emily Rachael Blunt- G.GM. b. 1842 d. 1910
Emily Augusta Blunt b.1868 d.___
Mary Ella Blunt b. 1871 d.___
Gertrude Mabel E. (Rodick) b. 1872 d.___
Walter Arthur Blunt b. 1874 d.___
Charles Ernest J. Blunt b. 1876 d.___
Hubert Porter Blunt b. 1882 d.___
If you find the ones marked in brown I will be very happy! If you have time to do any of the others, then bonus for me. Thanks for even wanting to be so helpful.
Many, many thanks! J.J. (my other nickname is Jeany )
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Forgot to thank you for the link ... I had seen this a while ago but it was great to view it again....Oh, and please do take one of "Scrooge's" gravestone!!! That would be just awesome!!!! Everyone will want a copy of it!!!! I could enlarge it for on the door at Hallowe'en...rather a joke on the overlap of occassions!
( For those of you in Australia...that's a door to door canvas for candy....in costume! )
Thanks again, Jan
Cyber Hugs from J.J.
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On the second page of the Christmas Carol link....there are photos of "Town Walls" which I have been told just recently is the modern name for "Tower Place" which is where my ancestors resided! When well enough to remember, my mom said that his place and a neighbour's home were both part of the old Shrewsbury wall. She thought the neighbour's name might have been Faulk...and I remember thinking "Faulky Towers??"
Wow, if that's true, mom will get a real kick out of it. ( she's 87...with many strokes, but loves to laugh and try to remember things! )
Here's my site honouring her Grandfather, Thomas Porter!
http://members.shaw.ca/TPBLUNT/Blunt_Photos.htm
If you scroll down....you will see a photo she took of the place about 15 years ago when she went back to England first time since the war for an Air Force Reunion.
All the best, J.J.
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Oh, and Jan...
I love the photo of the lovely little Gal in your messages. Is that you? J.J.
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Hi J.J
Yes, the little girl in the photo is me!! I think I was about 4 years old - must ask Mum to confirm that for me next time I see her.
I have just had a look at your website and must say it's excellent. I also looked at the Shrewsbury Trade Directory Link and saw your Blunt's listed as a Chemist on Wyle Cop. Do you know which property they had? I only ask, because if you do I could take a photo for you.
Let me know if there's any other places in Shrewsbury that you would like photos of.
There are several good websites about Shrewsbury, which no doubt you have already seen, but here's a few more links for you:
http://www.stchadsshrewsbury.org.uk/
http://www.shrewsburyguide.info/index.html
http://www.shropshiretourism.info/shrewsbury/
Jan :D
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Jan...that is so great! I have seen photos of St.Chad's but that is a wonderful one on the site.. and the tourist pages are very compelling. My husband and I would love to visit one day. His roots are in Morepeth ...& some in Scotland so we would both like to get on a plane right now! The lotteries just aren't cooperating!
I loved the heading Shrewsbury ... or is it Shrowsbury?... as my mum would use a broad accent when she said she was born in Shrowsbury Shropshire...and I'd swear there was almost a whistle is the s's.
How kind you are to share so much of your time. You really love your town, and I can see why! So much history and beauty!
The photo my mother took on her visit to England....back then, she said the old 4 story home had been turned into a school with several classrooms, and that they had installed an elevator! If you could get a photo of it now, that would be lovely...
As far as the chemist shop, I am not sure if there is an address anywhere. I know an old ad just said Blunt & son, wyle cop...But I did pay for a receipt that I found online! I will dig to see if there is more on it!!!
Great Grandfather was pulled away from school to help his ailing chemist father....good lad to comply...although in those days one had no choice I am sure... but he did make a scientific discovery with a friend, and that must have put a feather in his cap. "The effects of light on bacteria." Sad, though, that Shrewsbury doesn't laud this achievement, though small at the time, I suppose... It is used so much in modern filtration methods, though....and paved the way for other discoveries.
A plaque on the wall where his shop once was would have been nice.
Sorry, I have written a novel...off to find that receipt! J.J.
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Hello, Jan..
Found the invoice but it doesn't have any more info than tha ad...
Here it is anyway, such a great little souvenir of his handwriting,
which is so like my grandmother's...J.J.
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Hi J.J.
What a wonderful piece of history.
I am trawling through various Shrewsbury websites to see if I can find out exactly where the chemist was. I think I'm going to phone the Shrewsbury Archives and see if they can tell me. I have found them to be extremely helpful in the past.
I will let you know what they say..............here's hoping.
Jan
Edit: I have just discovered that The Archives is closed today >:( >:( I'll try them tomorrow - that means we'll have to wait another 24 hours ;D
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Hi, Jan...
Thanks for doing that for me. I wrote them about half a year ago regarding the Tower Place address. I never thought about the actual building he worked out of, silly me! What a good idea...Did you look at the site that Liverpool Annie gave the link to? I was not sure how to use the site, although it seems to encourage people to do just what we are doing. I imagine to do the full lookup as they did on the site would be fee based as per the regular rate.
Here's what they said about Tower Place:
The directories of Shrewsbury arranged by streets only start in 1882 - before that there are directories of Shropshire and within those Shrewsbury is found and the names and addresses of its most prominent citizens and tradesmen are given under surname, so you have to be looking for the name of a person rather than an address. According to the book Shropshire Street Names Tower Place which comprised numbers 27-30 Town Walls was first recorded in Bagshaw's directory of Shropshire 1851 although the buildings are of earlier date.
I have checked directories of Shrewsbury and from 1882 to 1928 number 28, Tower Place (or 28, Town Walls as it was also known) was occupied by T. P. Blunt. In 1931 and 1936 it was occupied by Dr. Lawson Stote and in 1938 by Leonard Joseph Godson, surgeon. The directories finish then but registers of electors show that Ruby E. Godson was there until 1958. Number 28,Town Walls then disappears from the register of electors when presumably it was bought by Shrewsbury Girls High School for expansion purposes. It is now part of the Girls High School although you can still see the number 28 on the front door. There is another almost identical house to the left as you face it (now also part of the High School ) and adjoining this house is Tower House which is a tower of the old town walls. The address is now Town Walls rather than Tower Place. All the properties to the right of the house (including a former chapel) are now part of the High School which has been on the site for over 100 years and so has needed to expand .
The picture you have is of the back of the house which can be seen from the Quarry Park by the river. Externally I don't think the house will have been altered much since your mother's visit 15 years ago. The house looks like a late Georgian house as are many of the houses in the vicinity.
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I know where the properties are Jeany. Would you like some photos of the front of the building? Let me know?
Town Walls is very near to St Chad's Church, so I can do all your photos in one "hit"!!!!!!
Jan
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Hi, Jan!
That would be great. You are just as sweet as your photo! I wish that I could come and do it with you....That would be such a hoot! Thank you so much for your kindness! Rootschat just attracts the nicest people!
Cyber Hugs, Jeany (J.J.)
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Hi Jeany
Well, if ever you get to England................... ;D ;D
Jan
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I'd look you up in a minute! ;D Jeany
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Seriously Jeany, if you do get the chance in the future, I'd be more than happy to be your Shrewsbury Tour Guide :D
Jan
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OK Jeany, are you sitting down?!!!
I have phoned the Archives, and found out where the Blunt family had their chemist...............
23 WYLE COP
I am feeling rather excited ;D
I see that 23 Wyle Cop is mentioned in T P Blunt's obit in the list of wreaths:
J.E. Henshaw and all at 23, Wyle Cop.
Now that is interesting.
Anyway, at last we now know where they were...........I guess you would like a photo :D The answer is yes, of course I will ;)
Jan
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thank you Jan,
I feel rather dumb for not thinking about doing that before! Do you suppose
that 23 is still standing? That would be marvelous to have a shot of it also...
The building was used for 2 generations ( maybe 3 if Robert started there...)
I imagine if Walter had lived he would have also carried on the business, as he
was listed as a chemist in 1901.
It never occurred to me before, but with the death of Henry, who was partners
with Thomas Sr....who was getting on in years...Thomas Jr. was called away from university to help his father's business.
This IS exciting, having all these puzzle pieces start to fit together....You are
all amazing!
Do you suppose I am making your thread a little full with my sentiment? Jeany
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Hi Jeany
This evening my daughter and I went into Shrewsbury town armed with camera and notebook.
We went to St Chad's Churchyard first, but unfortunately it's closed to the public at the moment for some kind of "building work" ::) I was gutted. Anyway, I've kept the list of names you want me to look up and as soon as it's open again I will get the Headstone pictures for you.
From St Chad's we wondered down Town Walls, and reached the Shrewsbury Girls High School and nos 27 and 28 Tower Place. I see from one of your previous posts that Blunt's were also living at no 27. Got photos of them.
We then walked to Wyle Cop, via a couple of shortcuts to see 23 Wyle Cop. It does exist. The lady from the Archives told me that it was "3 properties down from the Nags Head Pub". Well, I stood opposite the pub and in fact the next door property has 23A on the door. Not sure why it's 23A but I took a photo of it anyway.
Could you PM me with your email address please? I can send them all to you tonight.
Jan
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Hi, Jan.. came on for a bit and there you are again... you and Monica have really been onthe case for me! Can't thank you enough for that! I am so sorry that you didn't get into the yard at St. chad's. Please don't feel as though you must. Especially now that I know you have a little one. I thought that you were an old bag like me with grown children ( I'm 51 with a teenager...so I really SHOULD have a grown one!)
I am so excited to see the pics of 23!!!!!!!!!!!! and thanks for noticing the 27, I had forgotten all about that. ..this gang did not know how to stay in one place it seems! Hugs & more hugs!!!!!
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Hi Jeany
Photos sent!!!!!!
My daughter and I really enjoyed ourselves (she's nearly 12, by the way) wondering round the Town taking photos. It was amazing how many were giving us funny looks. I think they thought we must have been mad or something.
I read your post about John Place. I think I know where it originally was, so when I go back to St Chad's I'll have another look for you.
I don't mind doing it, and my daughter wants to come with me again. And just so you know, I'm 37 with 3 children - 12.10 and nearly 3. I feel like an "old bag" sometimes ;D
Jan
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Hello Jan...The photos are marvelous...
Thank you so very much! It is a real thrill to see the shop! I wonder if you could take more of the shop views next time you are out that way?? The building is in wonderful shape! Here in Winnipeg, buildings don't last very long with our harsh winters, perhaps...or maybe just not built to last...who knows. ???
I am a bit confused about the height of Tower Place, as mom said it was 4 stories....and that it had an elevator when she visited last....or is that because it is on a hill, so it is seen as more from the back. Or perhaps it was shortened to modernize it?
many many thanks...you are terrific!
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Oh, yes, and I forgot...the John Place entry... I looked at the actual
image and someone had typed it wrong, as it is also "Tower Place".
The "T" did look a bit like a "j" but there is no "h" in there for sure...
and this census taker had definite "h's" . I am sorry, I thought that
you might have seen that in the other thread...
I am going to print these off into a letter for my mum. She reads
them over and over. I will tell her what a marvelous bunch of people
there are on rootschat!
All the best, Jan...
Jeany
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Hey Jan!
I just sent the photos off in a note to my Mum. I sometimes worry about taking her too much into the past, with the stage that she is in right now (87 and lots of strokes) But at the same time I can't help but share with her, as I know she enjoys it, and enjoys remembering. She will get a kick out of the Chemist shop.
She was only about 12 or 13 when she left, but she does remember some things.
She must not have remembered where it was when she returned years ago, though, because she never got a shot of it.
I can see why the address is 23a...as the in the photo the building seems to now house 2 shops. Are they long inside? Just wondering as he used to do his county analyst stuff in the back....
How is your weather in Shrewsbury (say it's not that great, so I won't be too jealous!) Ours sucks wind...or blows wind...right now, and a cold one at that!
Hugs again! Jeany
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Hi Jeany
I agree with you about 23 Wyle Cop, that now houses 2 shops yet above the premises is clearly just one. They are long inside, and stretch quite a way back. When I took the photos last night both shops were shut.
Next time I am in that end of town, I will go in and have a nose round!!
Your query about the 4 storeys at Tower Place - from the front of the street they are as in the photos, but at the back they are on a kind of split level so are lower than the road (does that make sense?!!! I know what I want to tell you but can't think of the right words).
My daughter and I did have a nose through the windows of both nos 27 and 28. 27 is a classroom, you can see the desks and chairs. Unfortunately 28 wasn't as easy because the glass in the front window was half frosted. It looked like it was a school office anyway.
Now the bit about John Place, which we have now established was Tower Place. It's No 111 isn't it? I'll take a photo for you next time.
Our weather is just dreadful at the moment...........today it has poured down, non-stop, and it's gone very cold. I hate it >:( I'm just glad I wasn't taking photos tonight...........I would have got drenched ;D
Glad you liked the photos - let me know if there's any more that you need.
Jan
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Yes, Jan,
as I suspected, the buildings are rather built into the hill, with the
longer side stretching down in the back...because there is a bay window of
sorts in mum's photo, i thought that''s how it must be...So much history in
that place. (in that town!)
Thanks for saying the weather is lousy! Haha!!!! Jeany
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Oh, yes, and it was 111 although I don't see from your photos why the numbers would have such a stretch into the hundreds...
Here are the census addresses again...
1861...35 st.John's row or tower place (Sr. & Jr.)
1871...111 Tower Place( Thomas Sr.)
1871...4 victoria st ( Thomas Jr.)
1881...28 Tower Place ( Thomas Jr.)
1891...27 Tower Place ( Jr. ) but noboby for 28?
Jeany
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I just looked through my papers and found Mum's immigration and she was only 10 3/4 years old!... and she lived part of those years in Scotland, so it's amazing that she remembers all that she does....and it's not only just now, it's always been a precious memory to her. I guess it was a really important part of her, those early years. ...Jeany
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Hi again
Here are the census addresses again...
1861...35 st.John's row or tower place (Sr. & Jr.)
1871...111 Tower Place( Thomas Sr.)
1871...4 victoria st ( Thomas Jr.)
1881...28 Tower Place ( Thomas Jr.)
1891...27 Tower Place ( Jr. ) but noboby for 28?
I've just been looking at the above, firstly at No 35. obviously, I know where 27 & 28 are, they form part of the Shrewsbury Girls High School, which is listed as being No 32 (the main reception building). No 32 is situated on a corner, then across the road is what used to be the Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital which has been converted into apartments. The address for this property was Murivance, but just up from there, there is another row of terrace houses and I'm wondering if they used to be part of Tower Place. I shall have to go back with the camera again!!!!
I have no idea where No 111 would be - might have to make another call to the Shropshire Archives. And as for Victoria Street, I have never heard of it I've got a bit more detective work, haven't I? :D
Thought you might be interested in this:
The [former] Ebenezer Methodist New Connexion Chapel, Town Walls, Shrewsbury. This chapel, designed by Fallows and Hart of Birmingham, was opened in 1834. It cost £1500, and accomodated 450 people. The chapel was sold by the Methodist Church in 1938 to the Christian Science Society and in the early 1980s was bought by the Shrewsbury High School for Girls who continue to occupy the premises. The exterior remains unchanged except for the removal of the stained glass from the windows. The interior, which until the 1980s retained its original pews and internal layout, has been totally altered and another floor inserted. Grid ref: SJ 489122
You should recogise the picture.......and just to the left of the old chapel is No 28 Tower Place.
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Hi Jeany and Jan,
Just popped in for a minute or two.
Victoria Street is down between the prison and the river. It merges into Dorset Street which leads down to the Castle Footbridge.
In the 1881 census the girls - Elizabeth and Sarah - were living at St Michaels House and the neighbours were Long Row and Anns Hill, so that's along Ditherington Road, isn't it?
J.J. - I'm curious apart the names GAIRE and ROYSTON which appear as middle names. Do you know why they were chosen?
Also we now have a family called LUNT with several chemist shops in town. They're not part of the family who lost the initial 'B' are they?
Monica
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Hi Monica
As soon as I read your post, I remembered Victoria Street :D
You are correct about Long Row - that is Ditherington, which then joins St Michaels Street, which is where St Michaels House must be (somewhere!). Can't say that I've heard of Ann's Hill ??? but have just found this.
Ditherington Mill: Apprentice House, c 1800 (2) 56-59 St Michaels Street
The building was constructed from the same bricks that were used for building the original mill in 1796-1797. The house was known at one time as Ann’s Hill after Simpson’s daughter.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.4839
Jan
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Hello, Jan....
Where did you get that shot? Wow, the whole row seems to be part of the school, then...So is that more of the Tower Place buildings continunig in the background? Sorry if my questions are dumb.
Jan, don't feel you need to take photos of every place my ancestors have
lived...(or I'll send you off to Surrey, next) haha...They seemed to move about quite a bit for a while, there...Nomad Chemists!
Great of you to be thinking so much of my genealogy! I'm a lucky gal...I see
a post from Monica, so I'll go read it through!
Hugs! Jeany
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Just to let you know...........the buildings continuing in the background (to the right of the old chapel) is the original Shrewsbury Girls High School Building.
Jan
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Ohhh, How exciting...more chemists....!!!
i'll have to answer each question separately..
"Gaire" is used a a few times...but not sure where the name originated...
My Mother called her uncle Thomas ( the 3rd ) her uncle Gaire...I suppose he
liked his middle name best, (as did several of the family members - the rotters!)
He used it as his son Brian's middle name, and the same son named one of
his boys Gaire..... The really funny thing is that there are others...A Robert Gaire Blunt...who born in Shrewsbury, ALSO a CHEMIST!!! but I haven't made a connection yet!!!! Then there is another Robert Gaire Blunt born earlier in Southwark so perhaps this was a cousin and the other was his son? ? ? I have yet to find out!!!
Now where did Royston come from, I need to be reminded ( My husband is Metis...he says if I had a native name it would be " Memory Like Sieve!"?
There is a Rockstro !
...and interesting about the Lunt Chemists....Perhaps you could investigate this one for me, Monica? Or give me an address so that I might drop them a line?
Thanks for your input Monica...You two are my sleuths....is it sometimes easier to do other's genealogy? I find it's less headache, as in the end, I don't have to keep all their files...I have tons and I've only just begun...!!!!
All the best, Jeany
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I see, Jan, so that always was the girl's achool, but the rest was an expansion...
My mom has great memories from there. She loved the bakers coming down the street shouting "fresh rolls!"....I wonder if they kept any of the gardens in the back. She said he had a beautiful orchard with so many types of fruit, and a
wonderful garden. Thomas Porter was also into Botany...
Jeany
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Hi, Jan & Monica...
You got me thinking...Monica , if Thomas named his son Thomas Porter after his Grandma's maiden name, (speculation) maybe there was a Gaire ancestor up the tree, as a last name...but there are multitudes of Gaires ...wouldn't know where to start..... J.J.
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Hi Jan...
You are probably the person to ask...( or Monica if she is looking in)
I noticed that sometimes the blunt births were put under Mongomeryshire.
So I understand that St.Chad & Atcham were interchanged as parish districts,
but what was this other name?
I am asking because I see you are searching this area on your list, Jan. J.J.
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Hi Jeannie
Busy, and tired, so not doing so much at the moment - but this is a good site for finding out about registration districts, etc. - www.fhsc.org.uk/genuki/REG/sal.htm
Here's the info on where the Blunts were living:
Atcham
Created 1st July 1837. Mainly in Shropshire, but included parts of Montgomeryshire.
Sub-districts : Alberbury; Atcham; Battlefield; Condover; Montford; Pontesbury; St. Chad, St. Mary, Westbury.
GRO volumes : XVIII (1837-51); 6a (1852-1930).
It's very confusing as Montgomeryshire is over the border in Wales!
Monica
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Thanks for the reply, Monica...
We got a nasty wet storm of snow yesterday....and very cold today...but it didn't
stay as the cold rain after it melted most of it. Some of the Province got a foot of
it tho. Makes Shrewsbury look AAAAAAAAAAWEFully GOOOOD.....J.J.
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Hi JJ
St Chad's churchyard is still closed to the public >:(
Jan
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Hi, Jan...that's too bad...
Guess we just have bad timing in that department...but nevermind! I
appreciate all that you have already done. Those pics of the shop and
the old home were just super! J.J.
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Hi Jeany, Jan and Monica,
I have just been reading through this thread and Ann's Hill is at the top of St Michael's Street.
The St Michael's Church is just behind it. I only remember because I went to Brownies there as a child.
The one house has a stone in on the front of the house with Ann's Hill engraved on it if I remember correctly.
Hope this helps
Allie x
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Hi Allie,
I had a look when I went into town today and there it is, on the front of the building.
Time for Jan to get her camera out!
Monica
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You are all so great! I am at the Winnipeg archives doing research for my husband. Land documents...about 1300 files...eyes going buggy! At least I can put files to disc now...at 50c a printed copy that would have been quite an expense! about a quarter pound each, I think. I can only do 150 or so files at a time, though, as that's about all I have time for with setting up the microfische scanner,
and setting changes almost every frame. Getting quite good at it, tho!!!!!
Thanks for thinking of me! all the best, J.J.
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Very strange......I haven't received notification of the last 3 posts in this thread ??? ???
Thanks Allie for letting us know where Ann's Hill is - rrrrr remembering your Brownie days ;D Next time I'm passing by I'll take a snap!!!!!
Jan
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Hi, Jan...I have been having some buggy things happening too. Maybe too many of us put our messages up at the same time...who knows....When the site went "boing" it also was really confusing, because I'd go into an old thread and think...now didn't I answer that? But I am such a goofball sometimes...so who knows when it's just me!!!
So... I wonder now, who this Anne is that they named the hill after. You will not get anything done if you spend all your time taking pics for me HaHa, seems my family liked to move around a fair bit!!!!
Winter is coming and Shropshire is looking awefully good!!! Why didn't I win a piece of that last lottery...????
;D ;D ;D Many cyber hugs to all. URGR8 ;D ;D ;D ;
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Hi JJ
Here's a few bits from this site:
www.search.revolutionaryplayers.org.uk/ content/files/102/106/343.rtf
"Ditherington Flax Mill is a grade I listed building. It lies in a semi-derelict state on the outskirts of Shrewsbury within a site which includes Grade II structures. It was one of Britain’s most important factories and is possibly the most significant building in Shropshire...
...By 1800 a house for clerks employed at Ditherington Mill had been built by a Scottish migrant to Shrewsbury, John Simpson (1755-1815), who was employed as clerk-of-works at the newly built St Chad’s Church. Simpson subsequently worked with Thomas Telford on his civil engineering projects...
...The building was constructed from the same bricks that were used for building the original mill in 1796-1797. The house was known at one time as Ann’s Hill after Simpson’s daughter."
The Flax Mill (or as most people know it, The Maltings, because that is what it became after flax went out of fashion) is an amazing building. After many years of wrangling, it is now about to be renovated.
Best wishes,
Monica
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Hi, Monica...thanks for the info.
Its fun to hear all about Shrewsbury. With the pics I now also have of the buildings ( thanks JAN!!!) and these, I can now visualize some of the places in which my ancestors lived. Wish I could see it in person! The Lottery is up at 40 million....never been so high before....a wee tiny piece of that would get me there.
Haven't been at the genealogy as much for a bit, now, but still am always checking for email from my rootschat bunch! I never thought that I would join a forum of any kind, and here I am poking around in this one all comfy!
all the very best and cyber hugs to all! Jeany
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AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH...........
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I am a nut! :D
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Instead of modifying I must have done something else :-\
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So if you can tell me how to delete all this junk ::)
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I would mucho appreciate it :-X :-* ;D :o
Silly little guys, these, quite fitting for my icons right now...
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Dearest Jan and Monica,
Many thanks for all that you have done for me. Jan your wonderful pics & help, &
Monica for filling in so many blanks! I was really busy over the Christmas season
with so many things, that I didn't get on here, much....but want to wish you both
HAPPY NEW YEAR [/b]
and hope that you enjoyed the holidays....Thinking of you!
Many Cyber New Year Hugs! J.J.
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Many thanks to Jan & Monica for all the help and mostly history found for me on this thread. I just read it all through and enjoyed it once again...Never did
find a Rockstro or Gaire tie-in, yet, Monica, but will keep my ear to the ground...
Still hoping we can get there in a few years time and meet you both.
My mom just loves all the information you both provided on her precious birthplace, Shrewsbury. Tons of Hugs, J.J.
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Just a quick reply JJ - if ever you win the Lottery, or find yourself in the position that you are able to come to Shrewsbury, please do give me a shout. I'd happily be your tour guide ;) ;)
Jan :)
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We all hope we get the opportunity to take you up on that, Jan! hugs! J.J.
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....and I haven't forgotten to take photos of the Blunt graves in St Chad's Churchyard ;)
Jan :)
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Well, if you have time...but as I say, if we can make it there, it's something
we hopefully can do ourselves! Oh, the more I talk about it the more real
it becomes. :D...Darn the lottery for never picking my numbers! ;) J.J.
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Just for sheer interest Rockstro / Rockstroh shows up in Germany on the IGI
and has only a few BI entries...Rackstraw has many variations... It will be interesting when the connection is found
WIlliam Smith ROCKSTRO OR RACKSTRAW - IGI
b. Jan 5 1823 North Cheam, Surrey, England
Well known composer / on 1881 as Composer Of Music (Musician 3/7)
died 1895 Fulham
and in 1881 perhaps a brother, as Richard S. ROCKSTRO born c.1827 Cheam, Surrey is a professor of music in Croydon
( full name is: Richard Sheperd Rockstro, .."A treatise on the construction, the history and the practice of the flute...")
Married 1848 Clerkenwell as Rackstraw / Death 1906 Hendon
Also IGI a John Sambroke Rackstraw DE ROCKSTRO married Maria ULEYATE
Aug 26 1838...
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EEEK< EEK< EEEK>>> Is this just coincidence?
in the 1881, the William I spoke of earlier...
Newton Abbot St Mary Church, Devon, England
RG11 P 2169 F 172 p.38
William S. ROCKSTRO age 57, b. London Middlesex
also in household, a Mary ROCKSTRO Neice age 29 born London
On the BMD just now I found this...
Death Dec. Q. 1909
Mary Gaire Rockstro age 59
Fulham vol.1a p.194
The names Gaire & Rockstro together...How amazing is that?
*AHEM* anyone know any good sleuths who can help me find out more??? ;D
J.J.
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Must be the mother of the musicians:
Death Sept. Q 1876
Elizabeth Margaret Rockstro
age 79 Newton Abbot vol.5b p.101
and Deaths Sept Q. 1857
Rockstr_ Richard
Newton Abbott vol. 5b p.97
1861 Census Torquay - Devon / St Mary Church / Elm Cottage
Piece: RG9/1410 Folio: 119 Page: 38 Schedule: 191
ROCKSTRO Elizabeth M is a widow age 63 (Gentlewoman) Surrey
William S. Son single age 30 a Music Composer born Surrey
Sarah E, Grndaughter age 11 born London / St Pancras
William Hy. Main / Visitor - Ann Hunt & Mary Tapper Dom.
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For Rockstro I was too focused on looking for a more direct ancestor....I was getting close but confused and never went back to it...The real middle name of Smith should have been my clue...as that is the main connection for all my search problems.
A very very distant but extremely kind rellie who saw the query has been good enough to share her hard work with me. More than one marriage back then, change of locale, and half siblings has been my thorn, and so she's cleared a few things up in one fell swoop!
To tie in the above....Samuel Sambrook Rackstraw married GRGRGrandfather Thomas's wife's sister Elizabeth Margaret Smith....( another sister married his half-brother from a previous marriage so that solved my Chemist Blunt query as well)
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N6BC-B6T
William Smith Rackstraw changed his name to William Smyth Rockstro
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N24C-1VF
and brother Richard Shepperd Rackstraw to Richard Shepherd Rockstro
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N1BW-F7S
There are a great deal of christening for a Samuel Sambrook Rackstraw as father so
he may have been married previously as well...
and the Gaire tie in is that Mary Gaire married for the second time to a John Smith and the Smith sisters above are their offspring...so the Gaire mystery and another ancestor thanks to her! I am so fortunate to have this information...I am not sure if could have solved this on my own! I somehow manage to do it for others, but tend to find it harder with my own family.
Adding: Oh, no I just looked back at my earlier notes from all those years ago and realize I again have another Smith as Robert Senior's first marriage was likely also a Sarah Smith....and he had at least 4 children prior to the next marriage with four more...I'm in for it now! :-\ :P :P :P ;D J.J.
Huge Hugs to Monica and Jan...Long time no "e" :D
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Also, Jan you'll get a kick out of this... found this recently, an image of Swan Hill congregational and the old shop front, although not as old as the era depicted on page, nor that it matches what the captions states...but how fabulous to see an image of the old shop.... (Robert died the year Thomas Porter was born, 1842 so it would have been father Thomas's or Thomas Porter's shop at the time of the actual photograph.)
http://shrewsburylocalhistory.org.uk/samaritan.htm
Now also see with the new archived information on the online index that Thomas Porter's grandfather Robert originally owned part of the Town walls and leased it out...so the property was in family hands for a while, must send for this information...
With the important scientific discovery Thomas Porter Blunt & Arthur Henry Downes made in the little chemist lab in a section of that shop... one would think there might be a plaque or something to depict that find... Odd that he has been mostly forgotten in Shrewsbury where he devoted his talent to the health & well-being of the town & area as public analyst ( and agricultural analyst) for so many years...His partner Downes also served the public health in the areas in which he lived.
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Hello Jan & Monica...and any rellies looking in!
Seems that Thomas Porter Blunt and Arthur Henry Downes made a little more history for Shrewsbury...
Chemist Thomas T. Tidwell has just had a thesis article published in the upcoming August 2013 issue of Nature Chemistry.
http://blogs.nature.com/thescepticalchymist/2013/07/the-birthplace-of-free-radicals.html
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Apologies for posting to such an old thread. As mentioned in the thread, Thomas Porter Blunt and family were living at 28 Tower Place (now 28 Town Walls) in Shrewsbury from at least the 1880s onwards. This building is now part of Shrewsbury High School. I am the librarian at the school and we have a number of references to Blunt in our archives. In addition, at least three of his children attended the school; two of them were among the very first pupils of the school when it opened in 1885. I'd be happy to help with any further enquiries regarding the Blunt family at this time.
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Hello lex_hale, and welcome to Rootschat. I really appreciate you communicating with me on the forum. I wish I could invite you into the website I created to honour my great grandfather Thomas Porter Blunt and his many papers & accomplishments, but the recent cost of keeping it online was becoming rather steep. I think it may have been of interest to students who wished to enter the sciences. ( He was also an active amateur botanist) or the art field for that matter, as his uncle who was also a chemist & amateur astrologist, was one of many artists who loved to paint the marvelous picturesque town landscape, castles & abbeys. Several artists have descended from the family including my mother & myself.
I just recently stopped looking into my genealogy entirely, so perhaps this may be a nudge to do more. Do your records follow the students after their school years? While I'd managed to trace the children into the 20th century to a certain extent, I'd found early deaths from sickness & war, very few children except for the son's family who thrived in New Zealand. One daughter for whom I never found a marriage nor any other information.
The town has no interest in my ancestor. I made a webpage for a Shrewsbury website who said they wanted the information, but they never posted it after all my work putting it to their specifications... There was mention of a plaque outside his old shops, after the writeup that he & Downes had also recognized & mentioned Free Radicals long before they were thought to have been named...but have not seen it come to fruition. Thank you so much for contacting me. Not sure where to go from here, as I haven't touched anything for at least a year, and 8 months of isolation has made me a little down. J.J.
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Hello J.J. many thanks for replying - I really appreciate it.
I started looking into the history of 27 & 28 Town Walls a couple of weeks ago as our junior department will be moving into those buildings next year and I thought it would be nice to see who lived there. I found T. P. Blunt on a number of censuses and I'd previously come across his name in the school log book; he was a regular judge on the school's annual bulb and flower shows, and he also gave botany lectures at the school.
I then did a bit of Googling and came across Tidwell's article about Blunt's discovery of free radicals with Downes. I shared all this information with our Headteacher and science department in school and they are all hugely excited about it! They teach about free radicals and I know they have already started sharing this information with their classes as it was such an important discovery. None of us can quite believe that their discovery was overlooked for so long, and we're all really surprised that Shrewsbury seems to have forgotten about it too.
From memory the three children who attended the school were Mildred Frances, Ethel Marion and Hubert Porter Blunt. I can give you the exact dates tomorrow when I'm back in school. Sometimes the admissions register says where they went afterwards so I'll check that for you too.
Many thanks again for replying - finding out about their discovery of free radicals and that the Blunt family not only lived so nearby but had connections to the school has really created a lot of interest and excitement at Shrewsbury High School. Alex
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Thank you so much for your interest in my ancestor. I made the website many years ago because there was not a single web presence for Thomas Blunt & Arthur Downes & their very important discovery in 1877 of the effects of various spectrums of light on bacteria which is being utilized to this day. I did it for my mother...who was so sure when she'd bought her set of encyclopedias for us that he'd be mentioned as a pioneer in ultraviolet research. She was heartbroken to see that he was not. It was, for the most part, students & other people with web interests who found my site & started sharing their respect for him online. A lot of them are no longer online either, but there is still residual interest thanks to them.
Again, it was an educator, Professor of Chemistry Thomas Tidwell of the University of Toronto who found my site mentioning their papers. He made contact and was interested enough to look into the work of Blunt and Downes and subsequently found the mention of radicals. I cannot thank him enough for all the work & time he devoted to this.
My mother visited her grandfather's home when they went to England for a WW2 reunion as both had served. Someone there must have been kind enough to show her some of it. She was so surprised that it was now part of a school and that it now had an elevator! She was young when he died but she always remembered her visits with her loving grandfather, and his magnificent fruit & flower gardens. She had an enormous garden and tried to grow as many varieties of flowers, fruits and vegetables as would grow locally (middle Prairies of Saskatchewan) just as her ancestor had in Shrewsbury. ❤ ❤ ❤
Now that you have 2 posts I can reach you in private message mode (the scroll image to the left) and will do so shortly. Chilly hugs from Canada J.J.
p.s. he was also interested in fossils...whether he found this trilobite or not I am not positive, but it was in his collection: "Mr. Blunt, of Shrewsbury , who has had it for twenty years is covered with a strong oblique striation . And the incurved fascia beneath is the widest and most coarsely ribbed that I know in any British species . It resembled that of the Bohemian fossils..." I wonder if he found it in the quarry nearby the home ...as we can find the imprints of fossils here in our limestone quarries..
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I had this on my web pages ( no longer online) regarding Tower Place:
28 Tower Place, 4 story home of the Blunt Family. Betw. the Tower Town Walls and Crescent Cottages This and neighbour's homes were on the site of the old Shrewsbury wall.
- Occupied by Thomas Porter Blunt (1861 census) - death 1829 ( then daughter - Mary Ella)
Thomas Blunt sr. - 1861 census resided at Tower Place with wife Sarah,
daughters Elizabeth & Sarah Maria, sons Thomas Porter & Charles Gaire
I eventually found through online archives that Robert Blunt, Thomas Porter Blunt's grandfather owned and leased out land at Town Walls in the earlier part of the century. In 1836 marriage of son Henry...Robert Blunt was living Tower Place. I imagine Town records might have exact date he moved in...their 3rd child was born Shrewsbury 1809.
It must be have been exciting for the family to have lived in such a place of ancient town history.
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I have found Walter Arthur Blunt in the general cemetery in Shrewsbury. He died on 8th October 1911 aged 37. I have made a memorial to him on the Find a grave site. I'm not sure how to post an image of the grave here, but if you go to Find a grave and search for the general cemetery you will see the photos I took.
I also uploaded the grave photos onto Family Search. His memorial ID is 263497408. He is buried on a nice sunny hill in the part of the cemetery where the more "important" people are buried (section 190).
If you have the grave plot numbers of any of the other Blunt family in this cemetery I am happy to go and try and find them. To find the grave numbers you email Harriet and she responds in a few days (it's a free service) emstrey.crematorium@thecmg.co.uk
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Welcome to Rootschat, ILEXSALOPIA! Thanks ever so much for your kindness! ❤❤❤ The emblem I use for my avatar is the symbol from his spoon! It is way to large to be a child's silver spoon so perhaps made in commemoration, instead of a ring? Mum said it was the blunt family emblem/insignia although I've not seen other evidence of this, so perhaps they came up with it themselves.
I was interested in the St. Chad grave photos at one time, but now have many of their life stories which I am happy with. Thanks ever so much for the offer, though!
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Also...My take is that...The family did do some very important work, but were not more important than anyone else. I do think there is such a thing as having too much money, though. Having larger homes or land than one needs or can look after oneself, just because one can afford it, isn't the way we were meant to live... I learned this from his grandaughter...my Mum, who could do many things & make something from so little.
Here is the old web site, for anyone searching...although it is old information. The newer site was more up to date, but because it was new, did not get as many views so was not archived. Sorry if you find images or links that were not archived.
Family Photos: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01t0c/
Bio, etc: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01t0d/
Thomas Porter Blunt's many papers as a chemist although the links did not archive...Anyone who is interested, please p.m. me if you want to see any of them: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01t0d/
Wow, just looked back & saw that this thread is almost 20 yrs old!!! Such a great bunch of people back then, so helpful & kind. Noted that a photo image was removed from a post earlier on this thread. Rather maddening...my husband paid way too much to the person who held it, but back then we had found so little about him.
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Here is the link to Thomas Porter Blunt and his wife Emily and her mother Augusta. The gravestone is in the general cemetery in Shrewsbury (not in St Chad's). It's not in great condition sadly, but is in the nicer part of the graveyard. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/272339056/thomas_porter-blunt (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/272339056/thomas_porter-blunt)
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Hello, Jan!
I thank you so very much for doing this for me. I thought you might think it a little morbid of me. The top 2 names I am not sure if they were buried here.
Thomas Blunt and Sarah (nee Smith) will for sure be in there, so any of the family around them would be appreciated. Whatever you have time and room for.
Robert BLUNT- b. 1777? D.---
Anne Blunt - b. 1781? D.----
Thomas BLUNT Sr.- b. 1803 c. 1874 Shr.Shr.
Sarah b.1801 D. 1864
Blunt- Thomas Porter – G.GF. B. 1842 D. 1929
Emily Rachael Blunt- G.GM. b. 1842 d. 1910
Emily Augusta Blunt b.1868 d.___
Mary Ella Blunt b. 1871 d.___
Gertrude Mabel E. (Rodick) b. 1872 d.___
Walter Arthur Blunt b. 1874 d.___
Charles Ernest J. Blunt b. 1876 d.___
Hubert Porter Blunt b. 1882 d.___
If you find the ones marked in brown I will be very happy! If you have time to do any of the others, then bonus for me. Thanks for even wanting to be so helpful.
Many, many thanks! J.J. (my other nickname is Jeany )
Thomas Blunt and Sarah are in the general cemetery (which is on Longden road in Shrewsbury), not in St Chad's. They are in the area together with Thomas Porter Blunt, and Walter. Here is the link to Thomas W https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/272353905/thomas-w-blunt (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/272353905/thomas-w-blunt)
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Hi,
I am married to a descendant of Thomas Gaire Rockstro Blunt who immigrated to New Zealand. I really appreciate that wealth of information in this thread, and the information that has been added to the Find A Grave website.
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Hello, ILEXSALOPIA, and thanks so much again for all the work you've put into this. Sorry, I don't look into Rootschat all the time anymore...especially in the summer months! Busy with gardens & such!
I think someone had told me many years ago they were in St. Chad's. Thank you so very much for having found them in the Longden Road Cemetery!
Wondering where you found the Initial W. for Thomas Blunt as I have never seen this in all my searches???
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Hello ABNZ & welcome to Rootschat! Yes, your husband's family is a prolific one. I've been in touch with a few descendants over the years. There were very few direct descendants from the other children...ilness/ war/ late marriage etc. Still have not located one of the daughters.
There are many threads for him to find on here with a vast number of offshoots...There is an extensive family tree on Ancestry by another relative from Thomas Sr's brother. He's not been active for a few years but here is his profile if you wish to ask permission to view it.
( see "private message" link ) https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=231588
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They were non-conformists so wouldn't be happily buried in St Chad's as that was standard church of England. To be buried there you had to have their vicar conduct the service. I suspect that Robert Blunt is in Swan Hill cemetery as he was a deacon of that chapel. The whole dissenters vs Church of England seemed to be a big deal in Shrewsbury.
The Thomas "W" was just copied off the Family search entry - but I don't think the person who put that in backed it up with any sources so I'll take it off.
Did you know that Thomas Porter Blunt opened a second premises at the top of Castle Street (number 42) with T. R. Moses in 1874. I've looked through the old photos but can't see it on any of them, so I think this was a short-lived venture.
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Do you know what Henry Blunt died of? He was very young and it implied a longstanding illness. I notice in this family that quite a few of them die at a youngish age.
Also regarding your Blunt logo - I thought you might be interested to see the logo of Josiah Groom who had a photography studio very close to the Blunts in Wyle Cop at the same time. It is very very similar to yours. I didn't know how to upload a photo to this message so I added it as my avatar. Perhaps someone went up Wyle Cop selling heraldic logos to the shopkeepers there!
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Thanks J.J, I've had a look through many of the various threads on this website, there are certainly some interesting stories/people to read about.
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And thankyou for the link to the member who has an extensive family tree, I will try to make contact.
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[quote author=J.J. . Still have not located one of the daughters.
Which daughter have you not located JJ? Emily Augusta?? There is an Emily Augusta Blunt in 1905
Wiltshire Asylum Registers, 1789-1921. It might not be her, but she does disappear from the census and it's quite a distinctive name. I don't have access to Findmypast to be able to find out anything further
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ABNZ- All the best & good luck with your searches!!! I've helped my husband research his extensive family as well.
ILEXSALOPIA - Thanks so much for finding the info...as it does seem likely to be Emily - poor soul.
I do not know what Henry Blunt died from...There were a few searches started from some of his descendants, but they didn't continue on. The Blunt crest shows a heavy gauntlet (partial forearm & hand) whereas yours shows a fully-armoured bent full arm, which is indeed used by many families.
-This is an old thread. I started on this site 20 years ago & had a great deal of help from many people, but I'm no longer researching this family...I'll leave it to a younger generation.
Enjoy your searches!
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ILEXSALOPIA- I don't know if I thanked you enough for having searched for our missing Emily. So very kind of you!
I hope I wasn't answering in a mean way about my ancestor's crest. Might be the "blunt" in me.
I'd always imagined it might have been a product of the imagination of a family artist (copying existing parts of favourite ones, of course, would not be out of the question.)...Perhaps even Henry Blunt, as my mother & I were amateur artists and so were always very proud of his marvelous work, despite the lack of recognition his work received.
(❤️ Thank you, Thankyou, Thankyou! ❤️ In Perpetuum Gratiam ❤️ To all who've helped me!)
Adding: Link to the old website, although many urls no longer work
For family looking in - Adding: Link to the old website, although many urls no longer work -
Main Index Page http://www.rootschat.com/links/01t0d/
Photo Page http://www.rootschat.com/links/01t0c/
Thomas Tidwell's article on Downes & Blunt - Sunlight & Free Radicals
- available for download here: (not sure if printed copies remain available)
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01tiu/
With gratitude to the brilliant & kind Professor Thomas Tidwell, for all his research!