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Messages - Mike Churcher

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Berkshire / Re: Wokingham Blacks
« on: Thursday 22 March 12 11:51 GMT (UK)  »
Delighted to be of help. I'm not an expert on the Rance family though. A friend and I have been researching the names of the 217 fallen from The Great War and building their family trees. We try to be as accurate as we can, but.

What has now really caught our attention is how the families of the 'old Wokingham' married into each other. Some of the names are in the Barkham registers which go back to the 1500's. We found multiple names on the memorial which at first we thought were brothers or cousins, but it turns out the families are so old the connection goes back to far for us to find. We've run trees up of each name and then run a 'compare' programme and not one name matched ! It has become a fascinating journey and makes us realise that the idea of 'community' was not about friendly neighbours, but it was actually an extended family. It also makes us understand that if news of one of the men were killed (many more in Wokingham than the 217 remembered in its memorial) the loss would reverberate throughout what was then just a large village. Wokingham is a typical town in England and this connectivity will be no doubt replicated throughout the whole of the country.

Kind regards,

Mike Churcher
Wokingham Remembers

2
Berkshire Lookup Requests / Re: Wokingham Parish Registers - Cornhill
« on: Wednesday 21 March 12 14:31 GMT (UK)  »
Hi... sorry I'm a bit late for this entry, but I found it impossible to ignore ! Willliam Cornhill of Wokingham was my GGG Grandfather.

Also, by chance I lived in Wokingham for 15 years and have just left, moving to Eastbourne for a short while. With a friend, I have been tracing the trees of 217 servicemen who are named on the First World War Memorial. So, following about 80 not mentioned on the memorial, we have completed about 300, which means thousands of names of people from Wokingham. Fascinated to see names appearing so regularly. Chandler is such a name and two brothers are named on the memorial (more info on: http://www.wokinghamremembers.com/?page_id=1011 )  These families are named back to the 1500's in the Wokingham area and over the generations move around within a 5 mile radius. David was right to ask about the specifics of the area as the close knit families developed in pockets around the Wokingham area. However, in all the census records I have examined around the Wokingham area (hundreds), people tended to be very specific about where they came from, Barkham was Barkham, Hurst was Hurst etc. My belief therefore was that William was from Wokingham Within, which even then had the highest density of population in the area.

I am really grateful to Wendy for the information provided and hope, even after the passage of time, you will contact me. Although my mother has passed on, her sister is alive and was interested in her mother's (Dulcie Cornhill) line. As too am I. Having built www.wokinghamremembers.com I feel particularly connected to the town knowing my family was born here. Coincidentally, I have Wokingham family from my father's side, but my moving to the town was entirely coincidental.

Mike Churcher

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3
Berkshire / Re: Wokingham Blacks
« on: Wednesday 21 March 12 13:15 GMT (UK)  »
I noticed you are looking for Rance family. On the following website there are two Rances killed in the Great War: http://www.wokinghamremembers.com/?page_id=4865 There is also a story of a descendant of the Rance family: http://www.wokinghamremembers.com/?p=5066

There is a road named Rances Lane, named after the landlord of a pub which sat on the original land.

Hope this is of interest

Mike Churcher

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4
Berkshire / David Southon Beasley killed 1914
« on: Wednesday 21 March 12 13:05 GMT (UK)  »
Hi, I saw the name Beasley and my message. A friend and I have been researching the names on the Wokingham War Memorial and have struggled with the history of David Southon Beasley. His parent Thomas and Sarah Beasley were married in St Pancras. I would be very grateful if you could have a look at our entry and see if there is anything you can add or change: http://www.wokinghamremembers.com/?page_id=1105
Many thanks

Mike Churcher

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5
Berkshire / Re: Nicholson family
« on: Wednesday 21 March 12 12:42 GMT (UK)  »
Hi probably a bit old now, but here is some info:

A friend and I have been researching the names on Wokingham's War Memorial. There are three brothers of Walter who were killed in the Great War. We posted their biographies and trees quite recently: http://www.wokinghamremembers.com/?page_id=812 If you go to the surname bar you will find the other two. If you have found anything on Walter, I will be honoured to post it on the site - this was a tragic brave family.

Mike Churcher

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