On this day in JANUARY ...

[Seoras]

On January 30th 1885, Henry Steen, the only brother of my great great grandfather James was having a medical that would see him invalided out of the army after 18 years and 362 days service that took him to Egypt, India, Afghanistan and the East Indies. His notes on the day read,

'varicose veins: he states it originated during the Afghan campaign and has increased. The disability first came to notice at Parkhurst about a year ago. It is the result of his service in India and during the Afghan campaign. It was caused by the heavy marching during the campaign'

His ailments during his army service were many but he survived to marry one of the nurses on the Isle of Wight where he died in 1911. I know lots more about Henry but will save it for another day.

The British were still in Egypt at this time and just four days previously General Gordon had been killed at Khartoum in Sudan. Lucky for Henry that he wasn't there as the entire garrison of 7000 was wiped out.

[nanny jan]

My 1st cousin, once removed, Matilda Florence Crumpton, born in 1895 in Shoreditch to Alfred Edward Ernest and Matilda (nee Barham);  their first child. Registered and baptised as Matilda Florence she then chose to switch and marry as Florence Matilda (a trend often followed by females in that line).  She married Sidney George Arnold in 1915 in Dalston; he survived WW1 and they had 2 children.  Matilda/Florence died in 1982 in Hackney having lived all her life in London.

[terry h]

1st Cousin 4 x R Margaret Herbert b 31/1/1841 Yetholm, Roxburghshire, daughter of Andrew & Jessie
Herbert nee Sherrif.

1st Cousin  4 x R Mary Herbert chr 31/1/1841 Yetholm, Roxburghshire, daughter of  William & Isabella Herbert nee Gilholme.

1st Cousin 3 x R William Hastie b 31/1/1866 Fogorig, Berwickshire, illegitimate son of Margaret Hastie. William d 23/2/1927

My Nephew Paul b 31/1/1986

Last but most definitely not least my lovely mum b 31/1/1936 Hawick, Roxburghshire, died of Breast Cancer aged 48 on 08/08/1984.

[genjen]

I know it's not quite February yet but it soon will be for those on the other side of the planet from me, so I have started the February thread here:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,633790.new.html#new

Please keep adding any January 31st BMDs though - we have over twelve hours of this day left so there's time to join in yet!

[groom]

Today 60 years ago my sister was born. It was also the night when waves flooded around 150,000 acres of Eastern England and over 300 lives were lost. One of the worst affected areas was Canvey Island where 59 people died.

[Lydart]

I remember this event    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21272289

We had a collection at school for the flood victims. 

[Seoras]

I had yet to make an appearance but did watch a documentry recently on that flood, with some gripping eyewitness accounts.

On January 31st 1714 my 5xG grandfather John Wardlaw was baptized in Kirknewton, he was a twin, as was my grandmother. I know he had at least two older siblings, Agnes and Jannet. Kirknewton baptism records at the time are vague when it comes to mothers, well they are more than vague, they just don't mention them, though I am fairly sure who she was. I am still popping back to this one now and again to try and prove it. His father was another John and was a servant to one John Gray, a portioner in Kirknewton. A portioner, I take to be someone who owns a parcel of land that was once part of a larger estate. The same John Gray was one of the witnesses to the baptism.

and.......

On January 31, 1714, Russian Emperor Peter I, aspiring to boost the literacy level amongst teenage members of the nobility, issued his decree only allowing the young men to get married after they had completed their studies

[LizzieW]

Lily Blain (nee Cockett) my mother’s sister (my aunt) was born in Manchester in 1904.  She died tragically in 1967 aged 63, from a brain aneurysm whilst playing bridge.  I was told that when my uncle called to collect her from the bridge club, he was told she’d died. 

John Alden my g.gran’s first husband was baptised in Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk in 1825.  Although I said that John was my g.gran’s first husband, it is highly probable that he was her only husband and that she and my g.grandfather were never married.

Eliza Mumby my 2 x g.g.aunt was baptised this day in 1814.  I mentioned her yesterday as she died and was buried on 30 January 1818.

William Dye my 2 x g.g.uncle was baptised in Newton Flotman, Norfolk in 1830

Janet Wilkinson my 7 x g.grandmother was baptised in Holme Cultram in 1673/4

Elizabeth Woodward (nee Hayes) my 3 x g.grandmother died in Frodsham, Cheshire in 1825.  On her gravestone, the inscription reads, “Here lieth the body of Betty, Wife of John Woodward of Five Crosses who died Jan 31 1825 aged 41 years”.  That makes her date of birth approx 1784, but the only Elizabeth Hayes I’ve found was baptised in 1786.

Ann Cockett was buried at All Saints Church, Holbeach, Lincolnshire in 1845.  She was buried in her mother’s grave, her mother dying at Ann’s birth.  However, her name is carved right near the bottom of the stone and is very worn, so it doesn’t show up on the photograph we took of the stone.

Elizabeth Postlethwaite (nee Postlethwaite – yes her maiden name was the same as her married name but I haven’t managed to connect the families yet) my 4 x g.gran was buried at St Mary’s Parish Church, Dalton in Furness, Lancashire in 1837. 

Oswald Stanton my 1st cousin 5 times removed died in Donington in Holland, Lincolnshire in 1822 aged 6 months.

Modified -

Oops missed one

Robert Tubbs my 6 x g.g.uncle married Alice Salmon in Haddenham, Cambridgeshire in 1718/19

Starting tomorrow 1st Feb, unless I only have a few ancestors on any particular day, I'm only going to show close ancestors, or interesting ancestors.

[stonechat]

George Bicknold and Jane Stedman married on this day in 1594 in Bramley, Surrey
He was a yeoman
They were 9 x great grandparents

Also

John Lee and Ann Crossland married on this day in 1734 at Kirkburton in West Yorkshire
They were 5 x great granparents