1
The Common Room / Re: Tracing a photographer called Little Tich
« on: Thursday 03 July 25 22:01 BST (UK) »
Thanks for your help. I wish I'd asked my nan more questions about the photos.
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2
The Common Room / Re: Tracing a photographer called Little Tich
« on: Thursday 03 July 25 14:38 BST (UK) »
AlanBoyd - I don't know which address she remembered but probably the William Street one as she would have been about 11 when the group photo was taken. Although that looks like an exterior shot so was maybe done in a garden. I believe the family had other photos taken by him, but these are the only ones I can find with his name on them.
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The Common Room / Re: Tracing a photographer called Little Tich
« on: Thursday 03 July 25 14:28 BST (UK) »
You might be right, I need to do a bit of research into photography at that time.
I have corrected the name Tich on the post. Stupidly I have been looking for refs to Titch instead of Tich, so maybe other refs might show up.
I have corrected the name Tich on the post. Stupidly I have been looking for refs to Titch instead of Tich, so maybe other refs might show up.
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The Common Room / Re: Tracing a photographer called Little Titch
« on: Thursday 03 July 25 13:49 BST (UK) »
AlanBoyd - my brother told me that my grandmother said that she rememberd going up some narrow stairs to his studio that was quite small, so it is possible that he did run the business from his home. We don't think he had a shop.
My grandmother lived in the same area until her death so we all knew the streets quite well but the fact that a lot of it was redeveloped means that, as you say, th houses where he lived are no longer there.
I have just discoverd that he lived at another address in between these two in 1918, no 1 Netley Street but that has been rebuilt, although the houses opposite are still there.
The term Street Photographer means someone who takes photos of everyday life, literally in the street, but these are really formal portraits, so I guess it was likely a general term he used to describe his work.
rogerb - you're right Tich or Titch has come to mean small but Harry Relph was certainly called Little because of his height, so I'm assuming that Percy Matheson was small as well and he was cashing in on the name.
My grandmother lived in the same area until her death so we all knew the streets quite well but the fact that a lot of it was redeveloped means that, as you say, th houses where he lived are no longer there.
I have just discoverd that he lived at another address in between these two in 1918, no 1 Netley Street but that has been rebuilt, although the houses opposite are still there.
The term Street Photographer means someone who takes photos of everyday life, literally in the street, but these are really formal portraits, so I guess it was likely a general term he used to describe his work.
rogerb - you're right Tich or Titch has come to mean small but Harry Relph was certainly called Little because of his height, so I'm assuming that Percy Matheson was small as well and he was cashing in on the name.
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The Common Room / Tracing a photographer called Little Tich
« on: Wednesday 02 July 25 22:57 BST (UK) »
My grandmother (b 1909) had a few photos of her and her siblings when she was a child. She showed them to me and my brother when we were young. She told me that her family often had their picture taken by a local photographe known as Little Tich. They lived in the area of London East of Regents Park between Albany Stret and Hempstead Road. When she told me this I didn't take much notice and vagely remembered hearing about a musc hall turn known as Litte Tich and thought that maybe it was him who was the photographer.
In more recent years I began to wonder who this Little Tich might be because having looked up the real Lttle Tich (born Harry Relph 1867-1928) he was an actor/dancer but never a photographer.
It is only recently that I took two of the photos from their frames and saw on the back that they have his name Little Tich stamped on them and his business address. The first photo is of my great-uncles (twins) taken in 1914 was taken at 1 Clarence Gardens, NW1. The second taken circa 1920 at 37 William Street, NW1. I checked various street directories and trade directories on line and found nothing against the first address but the second one showed the name Percival Matheson, Photographer.
There are some family trees on Ancestry but he is missed off of them due to when he was born and what happened to his parents. I managed to trace his life back and found that he was born in 1882 in Marylebone, his dad died soon after and his mum sadly was sent to an asylum and he was sent to an orphanege school. He had at least two brothers and two sisters. His grandfather was a successful farmer in Ruislip/Northwood. In 1901 he is woking as an errand boy, living in lodgings in London, ten years later a bakers assistant, still living in lodgings. But at least three years later he is married and working as a photgrapher and according to the later trade directories carried on as a photogapher into the 1930s. He doesn't seem to have had any children. He died in Eton, Bucks.
I am only guessing but I expect he adopted the trade name Little Tich because like his namesake he was short of stature and it was a memorable name.
But what I think is odd is that I can find no mentions of him as Little Tich or Percy/Percival Matheson in any newspaper, not even in a small trade advert. Also I can find no other examples of his work on line, on ebay or any other source. I would have thought using that name he would be remembered by more people but I seem to be the only person has heard of him and has examples of his photographic work.
Please see photographs and stamps on reverse below.
So I am asking has anyone else heard of Little Tich AKA Percival Matheson or do you have other examples of his photographic work. Or any other information at all would be welcome.
In more recent years I began to wonder who this Little Tich might be because having looked up the real Lttle Tich (born Harry Relph 1867-1928) he was an actor/dancer but never a photographer.
It is only recently that I took two of the photos from their frames and saw on the back that they have his name Little Tich stamped on them and his business address. The first photo is of my great-uncles (twins) taken in 1914 was taken at 1 Clarence Gardens, NW1. The second taken circa 1920 at 37 William Street, NW1. I checked various street directories and trade directories on line and found nothing against the first address but the second one showed the name Percival Matheson, Photographer.
There are some family trees on Ancestry but he is missed off of them due to when he was born and what happened to his parents. I managed to trace his life back and found that he was born in 1882 in Marylebone, his dad died soon after and his mum sadly was sent to an asylum and he was sent to an orphanege school. He had at least two brothers and two sisters. His grandfather was a successful farmer in Ruislip/Northwood. In 1901 he is woking as an errand boy, living in lodgings in London, ten years later a bakers assistant, still living in lodgings. But at least three years later he is married and working as a photgrapher and according to the later trade directories carried on as a photogapher into the 1930s. He doesn't seem to have had any children. He died in Eton, Bucks.
I am only guessing but I expect he adopted the trade name Little Tich because like his namesake he was short of stature and it was a memorable name.
But what I think is odd is that I can find no mentions of him as Little Tich or Percy/Percival Matheson in any newspaper, not even in a small trade advert. Also I can find no other examples of his work on line, on ebay or any other source. I would have thought using that name he would be remembered by more people but I seem to be the only person has heard of him and has examples of his photographic work.
Please see photographs and stamps on reverse below.
So I am asking has anyone else heard of Little Tich AKA Percival Matheson or do you have other examples of his photographic work. Or any other information at all would be welcome.
6
The Common Room / Re: Family connection to Russian Tsar's family - Help needed please
« on: Monday 12 May 25 20:30 BST (UK) »
Just checked the witnesses on the 1916 marriage in Walthamstow, they are groom's father and groom's sister and husband, no relatives of Florence Ryan which may be significant. I wonder who gave her away if her dad was deceased?
7
The Common Room / Re: Family connection to Russian Tsar's family - Help needed please
« on: Monday 12 May 25 18:08 BST (UK) »
Thanks for all your replies.
mckha489 - you are right about the age being wrong. I hadn't spotted that. And yes on the birth cert the mother's name is Roberts, I forgot to mention that. I can't see the DOB but I have complained to the GRO, hoping thy will correct it.
The Wiliam and Sarah on the 1894 baptism sem to be William Ryan and Sarah Couchman who marred in 1880. But there is no sign on a Florence or Rose being their daughter. And why is the monters name Roberts on the 1891 birth Cert?
maddys52 - I think you might be right that the death s another Florence and the 1894 baptism is my one.
Regarding the nanny Florence's son Charlie Higgins told my mum that it was his mum's grandma but he may have got it mixed up and it could be an aunt, so its posible that Margaret Eager is his mum's relative.
Jennaya - I suppose the Ryan ancestor could have been a nurse rather than a nanny, I wsn't given many details.
I also saw there was a woman called Nellie Ryan who was a nanny to the Archduke Karl Stefan of Habsburg, maybe that is more likely as the name is correct, but I can find no biog details for her and it all just adds to the confusion.
LizzieL - I saw Edward Ryan in 1901 and wondered if there was a connection but its hard to piece it all together. i will look into that family and see if it works.
ghadowey - you're right about the dates. But usually in most family stories there is some truth in it even if it is distorted in time, so maybe it was Florence's aunt or great aunt who might be younger than her grandmother.
jorose - I will check the witnesses names when I get home.
It would be nice to know the answer because my grandmother Florence Wisby was named after Florence Ryan and we have postcards she sent when my nan was born, so I'd love to find an answer.
mckha489 - you are right about the age being wrong. I hadn't spotted that. And yes on the birth cert the mother's name is Roberts, I forgot to mention that. I can't see the DOB but I have complained to the GRO, hoping thy will correct it.
The Wiliam and Sarah on the 1894 baptism sem to be William Ryan and Sarah Couchman who marred in 1880. But there is no sign on a Florence or Rose being their daughter. And why is the monters name Roberts on the 1891 birth Cert?
maddys52 - I think you might be right that the death s another Florence and the 1894 baptism is my one.
Regarding the nanny Florence's son Charlie Higgins told my mum that it was his mum's grandma but he may have got it mixed up and it could be an aunt, so its posible that Margaret Eager is his mum's relative.
Jennaya - I suppose the Ryan ancestor could have been a nurse rather than a nanny, I wsn't given many details.
I also saw there was a woman called Nellie Ryan who was a nanny to the Archduke Karl Stefan of Habsburg, maybe that is more likely as the name is correct, but I can find no biog details for her and it all just adds to the confusion.
LizzieL - I saw Edward Ryan in 1901 and wondered if there was a connection but its hard to piece it all together. i will look into that family and see if it works.
ghadowey - you're right about the dates. But usually in most family stories there is some truth in it even if it is distorted in time, so maybe it was Florence's aunt or great aunt who might be younger than her grandmother.
jorose - I will check the witnesses names when I get home.
It would be nice to know the answer because my grandmother Florence Wisby was named after Florence Ryan and we have postcards she sent when my nan was born, so I'd love to find an answer.
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The Common Room / Family connection to Russian Tsar's family - Help needed please
« on: Sunday 11 May 25 22:24 BST (UK) »
One of the stories in my family was regarding the wife of my great'grandmother's brother, Florence Rose Ryan. She married James B Higgins in London in 1916. Her son told me that her grandmother worked as a nanny to the Russian Tsar's children. He said that she was well liked by the family and received a pension after she came back to England. He couldn't remember her name or any other details.
Recently I discovered a woman called Margueretta Eager from Ireland who was nanny to the children of the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II. Could she be the relative?
I looked into Florence Ryan's family a few years ago but gave up as I hit a brick wall. She married James Bartholomew Higgins in 1916 when she was 25. I bought her marriage certificate and it shows that her father was called Frederick Ryan and was deceased (no ocupation shown). She was 25, so born in 1891. I couldn't trace an obvious Florence Ryan with a father called Frederick on the Census.
More recently, having found Florence Higgins on the 1921 census, and later voting registers I discovered her full birth name was Florence Rose Ryan. So armed with this extra info I looked at births and saw a Florence Rose Ryan born in Clerkenwell in 1891, the only one, so it had to be her. I bought a digital copy of the birth certificate which was missing part of the image but I discoverd he father was called William, proffesion piano maker, mother's name beginning with E (full name is one of the parts that is missing) living at 18 Busaco Street, Clerkenwell in London. Exct date of birth mising from the image.
Next I looked on the 1901 census hoping to find a piano maker called William Ryan with a daughter called Florence age 9/10. I did find a piano maker called William Ryan with a wife called Eliza but not in London and no daughter Florence or Rose.
Then as Florence was born in a cenus year I decided to look up the Busaco Street address on the 1891 census and found a group of people the, one of them called Elizabeth Ryan but age 20 and single. Could she be Florence's mother or sister? But where was William?
I was stuck again but then I rememberd my earlier research and found that I had looked up a baptism of a Florence Rose Ryan from 1894 in Holborn, I checked and the parents names were William and Elizabeth and he was a cabinet maker (close to a piano maker). And the address was 18 Busaco Street. So I thought I had found it and that she was baptised at age 3. However against the baptism was written the word Private. I checked and that meant that the child was probably very ill and was baprtised at home. This was possibly true as a child called Florence Ryan died the following year age 1 in the same parish, Holborn.
So I am puzzled. My reseach so far has shown that Florence's father has two difererent names, the address of her birth was also the same as a child of the same name born 3 years later who died the following year to parents of the same name. I cant trace her parents or siblings with any certainty, let alone find a connection to the myserious nanny who supposedly worked for the Tsar.
Any help/advice would be appreciated, not just the Tsar connection but with tracing Florence's ancestors.
Recently I discovered a woman called Margueretta Eager from Ireland who was nanny to the children of the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II. Could she be the relative?
I looked into Florence Ryan's family a few years ago but gave up as I hit a brick wall. She married James Bartholomew Higgins in 1916 when she was 25. I bought her marriage certificate and it shows that her father was called Frederick Ryan and was deceased (no ocupation shown). She was 25, so born in 1891. I couldn't trace an obvious Florence Ryan with a father called Frederick on the Census.
More recently, having found Florence Higgins on the 1921 census, and later voting registers I discovered her full birth name was Florence Rose Ryan. So armed with this extra info I looked at births and saw a Florence Rose Ryan born in Clerkenwell in 1891, the only one, so it had to be her. I bought a digital copy of the birth certificate which was missing part of the image but I discoverd he father was called William, proffesion piano maker, mother's name beginning with E (full name is one of the parts that is missing) living at 18 Busaco Street, Clerkenwell in London. Exct date of birth mising from the image.
Next I looked on the 1901 census hoping to find a piano maker called William Ryan with a daughter called Florence age 9/10. I did find a piano maker called William Ryan with a wife called Eliza but not in London and no daughter Florence or Rose.
Then as Florence was born in a cenus year I decided to look up the Busaco Street address on the 1891 census and found a group of people the, one of them called Elizabeth Ryan but age 20 and single. Could she be Florence's mother or sister? But where was William?
I was stuck again but then I rememberd my earlier research and found that I had looked up a baptism of a Florence Rose Ryan from 1894 in Holborn, I checked and the parents names were William and Elizabeth and he was a cabinet maker (close to a piano maker). And the address was 18 Busaco Street. So I thought I had found it and that she was baptised at age 3. However against the baptism was written the word Private. I checked and that meant that the child was probably very ill and was baprtised at home. This was possibly true as a child called Florence Ryan died the following year age 1 in the same parish, Holborn.
So I am puzzled. My reseach so far has shown that Florence's father has two difererent names, the address of her birth was also the same as a child of the same name born 3 years later who died the following year to parents of the same name. I cant trace her parents or siblings with any certainty, let alone find a connection to the myserious nanny who supposedly worked for the Tsar.
Any help/advice would be appreciated, not just the Tsar connection but with tracing Florence's ancestors.
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The Common Room / Re: Help needed understanding crime registers
« on: Tuesday 29 April 25 14:08 BST (UK) »
Antony - thanks for your help with this, I think you responded to my other George Lay post. So a recognizance was a promise to stay out of trouble. As you say it didn't work although there were periods when he stopped commiting crime (or at least stopped getting caught!).
I have just realised that there were two crimes he committed while he was in the army in 1917 and 1918 and they seem to have been treated as recognizances with the 1919 crime so presumbly he didn't serve time in prison at that point but they were included in his sentence.
I am still confused over when he was convicted in 1919 where there are conflicting details on when his sentence started and the length of the sentence is diffefrent.
I have just realised that there were two crimes he committed while he was in the army in 1917 and 1918 and they seem to have been treated as recognizances with the 1919 crime so presumbly he didn't serve time in prison at that point but they were included in his sentence.
I am still confused over when he was convicted in 1919 where there are conflicting details on when his sentence started and the length of the sentence is diffefrent.