WHITTLE family fairground connection

[EAP]

Hello All,

This is my first posting to this section of the message board.

My mother-in-law (born 1906) had aunts or uncles who were brothers and sisters of her mother. They owned a travelling fairground. She spent many childhood holidays with them. The fairground family was well off. Her aunt had a fur coat and lots of gold jewellery.

My mother-in-law's mother's maiden name was WHITTLE, and I know from marriage certificates, 1881 census etc, that she was born in Hillingdon / Uxbridge and that her father, George WHITTLE, was a canal boatman, born Bromsgrove Worcestershire about 1830. Presumably he worked on the Grand Union Canal.

I would be very interested to know whether anyone has come across a) a WHITTLE fairground or b) a WHITTLE girl who married into a fairground family.

My sister-in-law also has a vague and perhaps unreliable memory that my mother-in-law's brothers sometimes helped out at the fairground. This makes me think the fair must have travelled around in the London / Middlesex area.

Edwina
PS. I am NOT after the fur coat or the gold jewellery

[deb usa]

Hi Edwina

If you google whittle Fairgrounds a few things pop up ...these look interesting:

http://www.nfa.dept.shef.ac.uk/history/rides/rplane1.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/radioballads/2006/fairgrounds/credits.shtml

deb


ps ...It would be nice to have the fur coat and gold 

[EAP]

Hi Deb,

Thank you for that suggestion. I'll follow it up now. 

OK. I'll share the goodies with you if anything materialises. 

Edwina

[pezzar]

Hi

i am a Whittle from the Surrey area. According to my Grandmother i too am related to the Whittle's fairground,

Regards

Perry

[deb usa]

Hi Perry

Welcome to Rootschat ! I am sure you will enjoy yourslf here.

Hopefully you and Edwina can find a connection.

deb 

[EAP]

Hello Perry,

What a bit of luck that you have found my message on your first posting. 

I have been looking online this afternoon, and I saw an image of a steam traction engine in the Camberley area that was used in Surrey by the WHITTLE fairground.

http://www.surreyheath.gov.uk/tourism/SurreyHeathMuseums/comeandsee.htm

They do not give any further information. My husband's grandmother was Mabel Alice WHITTLE and her parents were George and Emma (born about 1842, maiden name ALLAWAY). Mabel had a brother George, born about 1866, but I do not know many other details. We are all kicking ourselves because we have forgotten the name of the fairground aunt my mother-in-law used to stay with.

Do you or your grandmother know any more details about your fairground background?

Hope to hear from you soon.

And thanks, Deb, for getting me searching on the internet.

Edwina

[pezzar]

sadly my grandmother passed away last year and grandfather died about 35 years ago, i will speak to my father and try to get more info. His father was Tom Whittle. My father did tell me that the fairground Whittle's became related to the Hickey's of Richmond family who were boiler makers (makes sense being steam folk). If i got it right Hickey's daughter married a Whittle, do you have any more info?

regards

Perry

[pezzar]

The fairground family was well off.

indeed, that is what i was told by elder members of my family. In fact apparently the fairground family owned substantial amounts of property too in the affluant Richmond Hill area. I'll keep digging and see what i can find out

[deb usa]

Hi

Have been  looking around for the whittle Family.

In 1881 George Whittle is 51, Emma 39, George 15 and Mabel is 9months.

 By 1891 We have George and Emma living with Mabel 11 and their son Alfred ,10. Also in the home is Margaret Grafton (daughter, 29 married) and their s-i-l William with Bertie 5, Thomas 3, Nellie 5months and Beatrice 12months 
The children are refered to as Nieces and nephews

George and Emma (nee Alloway) married dec  q 1867 Uxbridge ...so who is Margaret's mother? I cannot find them in 1871.

Did you know of the other children?
Margaret - b 1862
George - b 1866
Mabel A - 1880
Alfred -1881

I cannot find a birth reg for Margaret Whittle.

ahhh okay ...found a marriage : William Grafton 1886 Bethnal Green and on the same page ...Mary Ann Whittle.

will search further

deb