Photographs of Shrewsbury / completed

[J.J.]

Dearest Jan and Monica,
  Many thanks for all that you have done for me. Jan your wonderful pics & help, &
Monica for filling in so many blanks! I was really busy over the Christmas season
with so many things, that I didn't get on here, much....but want to wish you both
        HAPPY NEW YEAR [/b]
and hope that you enjoyed the holidays....Thinking of you!
                                               Many Cyber New Year Hugs!   J.J. 

[J.J.]

Many thanks to Jan & Monica for all the help and mostly history found for me on this thread.  I just read it all through and enjoyed it once again...Never did
find a Rockstro or Gaire tie-in, yet, Monica, but will keep my ear to the ground...
 Still hoping we can get there in a few years time and meet you both.

My mom just loves all the information you both provided on her precious birthplace, Shrewsbury.    Tons of Hugs, J.J.

[Lloydy]

Just a quick reply JJ - if ever you win the Lottery, or find yourself in the position that you are able to come to Shrewsbury, please do give me a shout.  I'd happily be your tour guide

Jan

[J.J.]

We all hope we get the opportunity to take you up on that, Jan!  hugs!  J.J.

[Lloydy]

....and I haven't forgotten to take photos of the Blunt graves in St Chad's Churchyard  

Jan

[J.J.]

Well, if you have time...but as I say, if we can make it there, it's something
we hopefully can do ourselves!  Oh, the more I talk about it the more real
it becomes. ...Darn the lottery for never picking my numbers!   J.J.

[J.J.]

Just for sheer interest Rockstro / Rockstroh shows up in Germany on the IGI
and has only a few BI entries...Rackstraw has many variations... It will be interesting when the connection is found

WIlliam Smith ROCKSTRO OR RACKSTRAW - IGI
 b. Jan 5 1823 North Cheam, Surrey, England
Well known composer / on 1881 as Composer Of Music (Musician 3/7)
died 1895 Fulham

and in 1881 perhaps a brother, as Richard S. ROCKSTRO  born  c.1827 Cheam, Surrey is a professor of music in Croydon
( full name is: Richard Sheperd Rockstro, .."A treatise on the construction, the history and the practice of the flute...")
Married 1848 Clerkenwell  as Rackstraw / Death 1906 Hendon

Also IGI a John Sambroke Rackstraw DE ROCKSTRO married Maria ULEYATE
Aug 26 1838...

[J.J.]

EEEK< EEK< EEEK>>> Is this just coincidence?
in the 1881, the William I spoke of earlier...

Newton Abbot St Mary Church, Devon, England
RG11 P 2169 F 172 p.38
William S. ROCKSTRO age 57, b. London Middlesex 
also in household, a Mary ROCKSTRO Neice age 29 born London

On the BMD just now I found this...
Death  Dec. Q.  1909
Mary Gaire Rockstro    age 59   
Fulham vol.1a  p.194

The names Gaire & Rockstro together...How amazing is that?

*AHEM* anyone know any good sleuths who can help me find out more??? 
J.J.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Must be the mother of the musicians:
Death Sept. Q  1876
Elizabeth Margaret Rockstro 
age 79  Newton Abbot  vol.5b  p.101

and Deaths Sept Q. 1857
Rockstr_    Richard
Newton Abbott vol. 5b  p.97

1861 Census  Torquay - Devon / St Mary Church /  Elm Cottage
Piece: RG9/1410  Folio: 119 Page: 38 Schedule: 191
ROCKSTRO Elizabeth M is a widow age 63 (Gentlewoman) Surrey        
        William S. Son single age 30 a Music Composer born Surrey        
                 Sarah E, Grndaughter age 11 born London / St Pancras
                 William Hy. Main / Visitor -  Ann Hunt & Mary Tapper Dom.

[J.J.]

For Rockstro I was too focused on looking for a more direct ancestor....I was getting close but confused and never went back to it...The real middle name of Smith should have been my clue...as that is the main connection for all my search problems.

A very very distant but extremely kind rellie who saw the query has been good enough to share her hard work with me. More than one marriage back then, change of locale, and half siblings has been my thorn, and so she's cleared a few things up in one fell swoop!

To tie in the above....Samuel Sambrook Rackstraw married GRGRGrandfather Thomas's wife's sister Elizabeth Margaret Smith....( another sister married his half-brother from a previous marriage so that solved my Chemist Blunt query as well)
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N6BC-B6T   
William Smith Rackstraw changed his name to William Smyth Rockstro
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N24C-1VF
and brother Richard Shepperd Rackstraw to Richard Shepherd Rockstro
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N1BW-F7S

There are a great deal of christening for a Samuel Sambrook Rackstraw as father so
he may have been married previously as well...

and the Gaire tie in is that Mary Gaire married for the second time to a John Smith and the Smith sisters above are their offspring...so the Gaire mystery and another ancestor thanks to her! I am so fortunate to have this information...I am not sure if could have solved this on my own!  I somehow manage to do it for others, but tend to find it harder with my own family.

Adding: Oh, no I just looked back at my earlier notes from all those years ago and realize I again have another Smith as Robert Senior's first marriage was likely also a Sarah Smith....and he had at least 4 children prior to the next marriage with four more...I'm in for it now!   J.J.

Huge Hugs to Monica and Jan...Long time no "e"