Memories of Chirk

[JustLooking]

The 1841 census has 5 instances of Jummer: in Cheltenham and Finsbury

In 1851, there were 12 - London, Birmingham, Lancashire

None after that (not even for variations of name) -where did they all go 

[keithwynne]

JL and Morgan,
I think you have pre-empted my next question. The Jummer's Hole I remember from about 1947 was sited opposite the Bottom Row between the two entrances to the farms run by Kate and Garnett Ellis and (I think) Davies.
It consisted of a large hemispherical dome, built of brick and covered with soil making it appear as a hillock. The council decided to demolish it and my father had the job. I remember standing inside it but never asking what it was for. If Chirk Green Farm was called Jummers then perhaps this was intended as some form of out-building used for storage.
Incidently, I'm having a great time looking at the old maps of Chirk but am unable to see the two entrances to the farms I mentioned. Was Chirk Green Farm divided into two at some time?
Many thanks for your help, much appreciated.
Keith

[JustLooking]

Hi Keith

This is from memories of over 60 years ago -i must have been a little girl of 2-3 when I used to be running in and out of Garnett's to talk to Aunty Kate and get her to teach me Scottish dancing (I think she and her sister Jessie  came from Perthshire - I'll check them up as a project for this year!).

Anyway, as far as I can remember, Garnett's was more a small holding to the east (uphill) of the main farm. I have a picture in my mind of their backyard with turkeys and chickens.

The main farm was much bigger. Mum used to tell the tale of running across one of Davies's fields (a short cut from the Cottage Hospital) with a bull chasing her. I think she had my sister with her as well 

Also, can you tell me the name of the man that Jessie married, please,  as I can't find Garnet(t) and Aunty Kate's marriage and I need their maiden surname to chase up Aunty Kate's line


JL

[keithwynne]

Hi JL
The location of the Ellis small holding you mention makes sense. Now you mention the turkeys I can also remember them. He must have kept more than fowl though, since I have a memory of someone ploughing the top field with a horse drawn plough and assumed it was Garnett but of course it is more likely to have been someone from the Davies farm. If he did have the small holding it would explain him working as a postman to supplement his income.
I can't remember the name of Jessie's husband, I think it may have been Harry, or perhaps that was a son. If you can contact my friend in Chirk I'm sure he will know.
Keith

[Gadget]

I think most of the land belonged to the Davieses. Mum and Dad were great friends of Alice and Ross Jones of Highfield Farm which was above those top fields and I'm sure I remember Ross talking about Davies - I don't think there was much love lost between Ross and Davies. Also, I have this feeling that the Davieses didn't mix with the rest of us 

Well, for what it's worth, I've found Garnett's death reg - June quarter 1975, Wrexham as Charles Garnett Ellis. He was born 16 Sep 1902.

He was deaf all the time that I knew him.

As we're an inquisitive lot, we'll no doubt have all of Chirk sorted before we're through 

Gadget


PS - so sad that all these folk are now long gone 

[JustLooking]

Hmmmmmmm that Gadget pops in every so often, doesn't she  

This is his birth registered as George Garnett Ellis, Sept, q, 1902, Elham, Kent, 2a, 1143

He is with his family in Chirk later on. His mother was Irish.

Found the marriage in Scotland - and you don't see many of these as they married by declaration rather than that old formal stuff - good old Aunty Kate 

17 July 1926 - 36 High Street,Perth by declaration in the presence of Edward Richie, 3 Union Street, ?, Perth and Jessie Mowat, Marl Lodge, Ochtertyre, Crieff

Charles Garnett Wadsworth Ellis, 24, Postman of 109 Chirk Green,  Chirk, Denbighshire

and

 Catherine Mowat, 27, domestic servant of Marl Lodge, Ochtertyre, Crieff

Garnett's parents were  William Henry Ellis, coal miner and Annie m.s. O'Neill

Kate's were James Mowat, mechanical engineer and Helen m.s. McIntosh

Warrant of Sheriff Substitute of Perthshire, dated July 17th 1926

Oh, this will keep me interested for a long time 


JL

(Aunty Kate was fond of her drams  )

[JustLooking]

And for the record, Aunty Kate told porkies (a wee bit!)

1901

17 Church Street, Govan, Lanarkshire

Mowatt
James, 26, Traction Engine Driver, b. Kincardineshire,  Glenbervie
Helen J, 26, b. Kincardineshire, Kinneff
David B, 7, b. -do-
Catherine, 3. -do-
Gordon, 2, -do-


JL

(she taught me to do Scottish dancing at that age  - bless  )

Just found that Kinneff was close to Catterline where Joan Eardley did some of her fantastic sea paintings 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Eardley

PS - sister Jessie D(algleish) Mowatt married a Robert Jones

[keithwynne]

So Garnett lived in Chirk Green before taking on the small holding. Curious that he should have ended up in Chirk having been born in Kent. I've been to Eltham, looked pretty prosperous (and the Palace is well worth a visit.) and what was he doing in Scotland?
He was our village postman, hard of hearing, Sam Halman covered Chirk Bank, Gledrid and Oakland Road and thereabouts. Mrs Edmund Rowlands covered the Castle and all stops to the Kennels. I can't recall whose round took in Pontfaen & the Fisheries. The postmaster at the time was Raymond Jones who had taken over the new post office when it moved from, what later became the Baby Linen shop next to the co-op drapery. He emigrated with wife and daughter to Australia about 1955.
Keith

[JustLooking]

From what I can gather, his father was from Flintshire originally. I'm not sure why he was born down there.

I've no recollection of the old Post Office, although my Mum worked there before she married. She was also the telephonist and used to enjoy listening in to the odd conversations between the 'posh' of the village 

I do remember the shop when it was the Baby Linen - all that wool, patterns, etc. Can't remember what it became afterwards but it was certainly still that in the late 1950s.

I've just discovered a photo of me on or near Jummer's Hole that Uncle Darrel must have taken.

Just wondering if it could be anything to do with a possible air raid shelter. When did your father knock it down?


JL