On This Day in FEBRUARY ...

[LizzieW]

Lydart - The Colletts have been traced by me and many others for generations back and there is a website available to anyone to see all the ancestors back to about 1360 on my line.  I researched the Dameron line and all their ancestors - you asked how we do this. In the case of the Damerons and ancestors, because they were wealthy people there is lots of info available which you can find in Google books, Burkes peerage etc. plus wills available from National Archives or the other usual places, of course I ignored the so-called "True trees" which have been put together by Americans who make the ancestors fit the facts they want them to.

For many others of my ancestors I've seen the parish records, or other people (including Rootschatters) have looked at them for me, also many of them are now available on line on FindMyPast and Ancestry and other sites.  The ones from 1837 onwards I've bought certificates, or been sent copies by other people, distant relatives etc.  I suppose it helps that many were large families, so lots of branches means lots of distant relatives to help out.

Lizzie

[genjen]

I have been trying, without success to save a newspaper report into a format which could then be posted in here. It seems I am going to have to type it all out by hand, which will take me for ever.

Anyway, the gist of it is this:

February 13th 1892, Benjamin Howe, mariner of Brightlingsea and my 2 x great grandfather, took his own life by hanging himself from the iron bedstead at his home. He was found by his sons and the inquest gives lots of detail about the state of his mind and the various reasons for his extreme depression. Hi wife had died some years previously and although he was about to re-marry, his suicide note explained that he simply couldn't go through with it and that he wished he had been buried with his wife. The coroner recorded a verdict of 'suicide whilst temporarily insane'

Ninety-five years later, on February 13th 1987, Benjamin Howe's 3 x great-grandson was born ( my nephew) and in true family tradition, as eldest son, he shares the same christian name.

[Lydart]

Forgot to add this picture .... the grandparents mentioned above, whose wedding anniversary it is today.  This was their wedding photo.

[groom]

VALENTINES DAY

I have 6 relations called Valentine Howell, but as far as I can work out the only one who may actually have been born on the 14th of February is the first one, who was born in London in 1730. The rest were just given the name to pass on the tradition.

However, I do know that my grandfather, Valentine William Waters, was born on this day in 1876. He died from pneumonia on the 2nd May 1934, when my mother was 13. I managed to find his grave a couple of years ago and found that he was buried with his mother. I took flowers to the spot - no headstone, they were too poor for that I suspect. It is just a shame that I didn't discover this until after the death of my mother.

[Seoras]

Well I thought I had quite a few for today, all marriages too, which would have suited the date. However on checking I found they were 14th April . I do have one though and a rare foray from Scotland.

On February 14th 1864 my 3xG grandmother Sarah's sister, Susannah Cudworth married William Marshall in St. Saviour's church in Leeds. William was a dyer and Susannah appears to have just been a spinster. Both father's were named William and her father, my 4xG grandfather William is registered as a shoemaker. Shoemaker indeed, I'll have you know he was a cordwainer, surely this is a better class of shoemaker  .
My ancestry for some reason is awash with shoemakers though I myself have never felt the urge to knock up a pair of boots.

I did however, at junior school and via the art of French knitting, once turn out a fairly presentable tea cosy 

Here's where they married. Looks a bit grim to me.

[genjen]

Just one for me today.

14th February 1846, 3 x ggrandparents, James Daniel and Margaret Hay were married in Cruden, Aberdeenshire. James was a farmer but his father was a cordwainer/shoemaker - description varies from one document to another.

I also have a fair numbr of shoemakers in the Scottish side of my ancestry.

[LizzieW]

Not many for me today.

Thomas Harper my husband’s 3 x g.g.uncle was born in Liverpool in 1794

Mary Middleton my 3 x g.g.aunt was  baptised in Millom, Cumberland in 1803

Elizabeth Anne Clarke(e) my husband’s 2 x g.g.aunt was baptised at St Mary’s Church, Warwick, in 1836

Hilda Dawson who would have been my husband’s aunt if she hadn’t died young, was buried in Phillips Park Cemetery, Blackley, Manchester in 1906.  She was just over 7 months old.

John Uffindel and Margaret Daintry my 8 x g.grandparents were married in Histon, Cambridgeshire in 1661/62

[genjen]

15th February 1754, Joseph Martin was born at Howlands, Belhelvie. 6 x great uncle. I've just found Howlands on the map - it seems still to be there so maybe next time I'm in the area, I'll go and have a little look.

15th February 1919, Lily Milne and James Bruce Scott were married in Aberdeen. 2 x great aunt and uncle. Here they are. My nan, Ethel Raitt was a witness at the wedding.

[LizzieW]

Elizabeth Cockett (nee Hidson) my 5 x g.grandmother was buried in Weston, Lincolnshire in  1746/47

Joseph Pemberton my 1st cousin 4 times removed married Elizabeth Griffin at Manchester Cathedral in 1841.

Margaret Benson (nee Wane) my 5 x g.grandmother married William Addison at St Cuthbert’s Church, Aldingham, Lancashire (now Cumbria) in 1765.  She had previously married my 5 x g.grandfather in 1749 at the same church but he died in 1752 leaving her with two sons.  They were baptised on the same day as each other but I don’t know if they were twins or not.

Minnie Whittaker (nee Hardy) my husband’s paternal grandmother was born in Hooley Hill, Audenshaw, Lancashire in 1877.  It must have been a popular name at the time because his maternal grandmother was also called Minnie

Frances Stanton my 2 x g.g.aunt was baptised in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire in 1834

Eliza Stanton my 2 x g.g.aunt died in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire in 1845 aged 13.  Her cause of death was consumption (TB).  She was one of Frances’ (above) sisters, the eldest one became my 2 x g.grandmother.