Walter P.Blakesley, Middlesex Regiment

[Ian Blakesley]

Thanks very much, Phil, for this extra information. The trouble is, I can't use it, as the National Archives won't let me register as a new account. I'd really like to find out if the Middlesex Regiment have a Regimental history and/or an archivist I could contact, which could help me in finding out about Walter's sporting achievements throughout his time in the Army.  Thank you again for being so helpful to me.
                        Best wishes                   Ian Blakesley.

[hannah ward-burns]

Hello Ian, my name is Hannah Ward-Burns.  I am the grand daughter of Hannah Elizabeth (Blakesley)Ward.  I believe that she was the sister to the Walter Pearson of whom you are referring to. 
My father Eric, (in his eighties) has mentioned Uncle Walter many, many times over the years and might be able to help you with some questions that you might have about "Great Uncle" Walter.
I know that I would love to hear everything that you know about Walter. 
My father Emmigrated to Canada after the second world war and my grandparents, Hannah and James Ward followed suit in the 60's.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Please send me an email at

Mod comment...Welcome to Rootschat...Email removed to prevent spamming!  Once you  have x3 posts you can send a PM through the RC system!

[Ian Blakesley]

Hullo, Hannah! I am overjoyed you have contacted me. For the last year or so I have been trying to trace my great-aunt Hannah Elizabeth (my grandfather's elder sister) and her husband James Ward, who I met only once, in 1958, when they visited my grandfather Harry Blakesley in Leicester in September of that year.

They had been staying with my great-uncle Walter (my grandfather's younger brother) and his wife Margaret at Hunton, near Maidstone, Kent, who had their address in Canada. Walter died on 22 December 1967 in Leicester. His wife noved to Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, where we visited her once,in 1970.  She died on 9 July 1979; I have not been able to trace her papers, so I have ner had Hannah and James Ward's address in Canada, though I recall my late father told me they lived in Toronto.

I am a member of Ancestry.co.uk and have built up as many family member profiles as I can with the information available through their databases. I could not trace Hannah and James Ward's family fully.

Similarly with great-uncle Walter, I was able to trace most of his life, except for his marriage. I believe it took place either in India or Ceylon sometime between 1927 and 1931, but I cannot find a record anywhere of that event. If your father can help, I would be most grateful.


Unfortunately, your e-mail address has not been shown, so possibly the best way we can communicate is either through RootsChat, or , if you have a friend who is a member of Ancestry.com, through them. If you use the latter method, please feel free to access my family tree and view the profiles of the Ward family in Canada and (I believe) in Massachusetts USA.


I really do look forward to hearing from you all.




              Best wishes

                                        IAN BLAKESLEY

[hannah ward-burns]

That is definitely my gran!  I was able to get a quick view of a picture on Ancestry.ca that showed my gran as a young woman.  OH! I so would like to view more. This is so exciting!!! 
Who have you contacted in Mass?  Bernard, my now deceased uncle moved there in the 1970's with his daughters Amy, Amanda and I believe that his youngest daughter Jessica was born there.  I have not  seen these cousins since I was about four years old. They have two half brothers close to your age, Peter and Michael who live in Ontario, Canada.  My Aunt, named Cisley is also deceased. She had one daughter named Lesley.  My father Eric remains the last living child of Hannah and Jim.
I do not have many pictures of my grandparents and so to see them is a wonderful thing.  Hannah and Jim died within 6 months of each other when I was four, in 1973. 
From what little I understand, Dad says that Walter worked for Thomas cook while he was in India.  I look forward to seaking to you more so that we can connect through personal messages and perhaps phone...Do you have skype?  It is a wonderful way to connect with people.

[hannah ward-burns]

Ian,  you might also be interested to note that my Father, Eric is putting together his memoirs at the moment.  I believe that he will be of great use to you.  All the best.
h

[Ian Blakesley]

Hullo, Hannah; thank you so much for your latest message. Unfortunately, I don't have Skype yet as far as I know. I am a comparative novice with computers, but luckily I  have an excellent family-run IT shop very close to my flat, so I'll ask their advice.

I would love a copy of your father's life story. I know so little about your side of the  family other than what I have gleaned through my Ancestry research and memories of my own. For example, I know far more about Great-Uncle Walter.

Through RootsChat, I got in touch with the official archivist for Thomas Cook Ltd. They forwarded extracts from the Company's Magazine, which summarised his career, but were unable to tell me when and where he got married to his wife. Could your father tell me, possibly?


Thank you for telling me when James Ward and Hannah Ward died and also your aunt Cicely. I assume she emigrated to Canada at the same time as them?



I have not contacted anyone in Massachusetts, as I have no addresses. All I know is that Bernard Ward became a naturalised US citizen in 1965 in Billerica.


I attach some more photographs, which, I hope, you will like. I have your e-mail address, so I'll e-mail you so as to give you mine, so as not to reveal it here (RootsChat privacy protection),



      Best wishes

                                   IAN BLAKESLEY





           

[scrimnet]

Just to add to this lovely family reunion...I know Spratton VERY well!!!

My dad was born in Coton 

[seahall]

Hi Hannah and Ian.

I live near to Spratton and know it very well.

If you wish for help to earlier records for Spratton "Wards"
let us know by starting a topic on the Northants Board.

I have all the gravestones of the Churchyard and Cemetery
if you wish me to look up any remaining family (if they still
remain) are noted.

The Spratton Local History Society have also brought out a book
and a cd rom of the Inhabitants of Spratton which lists "Wards" but
at an earlier time span.

Rootschat at it's best - uniting relations already in the New Year.

Sandy

[hannah ward-burns]

I have been in that graveyard.  It's a bit strange to see your name.   I had thought that the cottage at the end of the road near the curve was in the family for some time.  that might explain the exisitance of Wards...Dad was born in that house and when he was  eight months old, they moved.

these are some notes that I took when this summer I visited my father in Toronto. Dad was going over his "humble" beginnings.

Eric George Ward  had Jaundice
When Eric was 8 months old James George Ward  took an appointment in Canterbury

hannah Elizabeth Blakesley called nana was in service, she was a ladies maid...  She overcame her basic upbringing and was afforded luxuries that appointment  allowed
Hannah's brother was Harry Blakesley asked what Jim's intentions were towards his sister.  This was a result of a 10 year courtship.
Mary Pearson Blakesley, born in the villiage Wold or Old.
William Blakesley was a brewmaster called Will and had three children when he married Mary and she had three children, Hannah, Walter and Harry.

I look forward to more and more and more.  HOW EXCITING!!! I have attempted to attach a photo of Eric from this past summer.