Avins Yard, Atherstone

NUNEATON AND NORTH WARWICKSHIRE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Member of the Federation of Family History Societies http://www.nnwfhs.org.uk

JOURNAL OCTOBER 2002 Price £1.50 (first copy free to members) Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 1

CONTENTS PAGE NNWFHS Committee 1 NNWFHS Diary - A Report From The Chairman, Peter Lee. 2 Letters to the Editor 3 Hertford Hill Sanatorium - By Alan Croshaw 4 Cousin Harry - By Jacqui Simkins 7 The Ratherams and Broad St Presbyterian Church, Birmingham - By Andrew J Ratheram 8 Help Wanted and Offered 9 How Can We Be Sure We Always Remember to Respect The Dead - By Alan F Cook 10 A Genealogical A to Z - By Dr Ash Emery 11 In The Name Of The Father, A Personal View - Part 2 - By Tony Davis 15 The Ensor/ Shakespeare Connection - By Peter Lee 16 Nuneaton’s Greatest Author: Where Was He Tried? - By James Sambrook 19 Get Netted 20 Notice board 21 New Members/ New Members’ Interests 22 Publications 23

NNWFHS COMMITTEE

CHAIRMAN PETER LEE, P O Box 2282, Nuneaton, Warwicks CV116ZT Tel: (024) 7638 1090 email [email protected]

SECRETARY LEIGH RIDDELL, 14 Amos Avenue, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV10 7BD Tel: (024) 7634 7754

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY JOHN PARTON, 6 Windmill Rd, Atherstone, Warwickshire CV9 1HP Tel: (01827) 713938 email [email protected]

TREASURER & CELIA PARTON, 6 Windmill Rd, Atherstone, Warwickshire CV91HP NORTH WARWICKSHIRE CO-ORDINATOR Tel: (01827) 713938 email [email protected]

LIBRARY & PROJECTS CO-ORDINATOR CAROLYN BOSS, Nuneaton Library, Church Street, Nuneaton, & VICE CHAIR Warwickshire CV11 4DR Tel: (024) 7638 4027

JOURNAL & PUBLICATIONS EDITOR PAT BOUCHER, 33 Buttermere Ave, Nuneaton,Warwicks CV11 6ET & MICROFICHE LENDING LIBRARIAN Tel: (024) 7638 3488 email [email protected]

MINUTES SECRETARY & ALVA KING, 26 Thirlmere Avenue, Nuneaton, Warwicks. CV11 6HS BURIALS INDEXING PROJECT Tel: (024) 7638 3499 email: [email protected]

PUBLICATIONS MANAGER CHRISTOPHER COX, 9 Binswood Close, Coventry, W Midlands. CV2 1HL Tel: 024 7661 6880

COMMITTEE MEMBER & RAY HALL, 4 Thornhill Drive, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV11 6TD BURIALS INDEXING PROJECT Tel: (024) 76 744647 email [email protected]

COMMITTEE MEMBER STEVE CASEY, 16 Cliveden Walk, Maple Park, Nuneaton, Warwicks CV11 4XJ Tel: (024) 7638 2890 email [email protected]

WEBSITE MANAGER BILL BOSWELL, 21 Randle Road, Stockingford, Nuneaton,Warwicks CV10 8HR Tel: (024) 7634 3596 email [email protected]

NORTH AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVE HARLOW G FARMER, 7427 Venice Street, Falls Church, VA, USA. Telephone 22043 703 560 6776 E-mail [email protected] Page 2 Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal

NnwFHs Diary A Report From The Chairman, Peter Lee On Saturday July 20th we organised a visit for members and guests to Mancetter church and Polesworth Abbey. Many of us in North Warwickshire have ancestors doing their church business at Mancetter although the village today is overshadowed by the nearby town of Atherstone. First time researchers are often confused as to why there are no church records for Atherstone when their relatives records are all at Mancetter, and yet they lived in an important coaching town on the Watling Street. I always feel a bit on shaky ground when trying to explain this, as I am not knowledgable enough to talk about the history of Atherstone in much detail. There have been some well researched books on the town over the years and if anyone needs references to them please let me know. In addition there is an excellent ‘Atherstone Online’ web-site. Suffice to say that Atherstone was a chapelry of Mancetter until 1825 when its own church records (baptisms) begin.

The Church of St Peter at Mancetter is a lovely old solid stone building with almshouses adjacent and a nearby 13th century Manor House. The interior of the church has been made warm and comfortable. There are monuments to the Saxon Bracebridge family descended from Osbert, son of Churchill de Arden by his second wife Leverunia, heiress of the Saxon kings and earls of Mercia. In the church yard there are many names we are familiar with in our researches. The church yard is kept in very good or- der with neat floral displays.

In the afternoon we were entertained by Father Phillip Wells, the vicar of Polesworth Abbey (with Birchmoor) www. Polesworthabbey.co.uk. Of course, the Abbey is no more. It was dissolved in 1539, and the property passed to the Goodere fam- ily. Our visitors to the church were made very welcome by Father Phillip, who is a great character, and we all warmed to him. He is certainly full of lively stories and enthusiastic about his work and the parish. We discovered too that he was a fine musician and a maestro on the church organ. He served us tea in the church rooms which are attached to the vicarage, a nineteenth century structure which looks to have been recycled from various parts of the former Polesworth Hall, which had in turn been reconsti- tuted from the former Abbey monastic buildings. I was fascinated by the great stone fire place in the church hall where tea was served. If I recall correctly this was taken from the old Abbey and re-used in the Hall. Its appearance now was that it was well worn with time and I could imagine, in my minds eye, Michael Drayton - the poet, William Shakespeare, Ben Johnson, John Donne, and the other important Elizabethan literary figures standing in front of it about the year 1600, as the guest of Sir Henry Goodere, taking refreshment after visiting Sir Henry to access his great library.

I was pleased to see that Father Phillip had published a leaflet on the possibility of Shakespeare being one of Sir Henry’s literary set, so I sent him my researches on the subject.

We were fascinated by the church and the old Abbey precincts which are steeped in history, not least a great mound in the church yard which I suspect is a heap of building materiel left over after the old Hall and Abbey buildings were rebuilt. This rather prompted me to consider writing to the Channel 4 TV and Discovery Channel programme “Time Team” to come along and put a few slot trenches through it. Maybe there is more lurking below the surface there which would shed considerable light on this interesting part of old North Warwickshire!

On Saturday, September 14th we were engaged - jointly with the Nuneaton Society and the Chilvers Coton Trust - in opening to the public the 18th century school rooms at the Chilvers Coton Heritage Centre as part of the Civic Trust’s Heritage week-end. Many historic listed buildings were opened but our local and family history event was a big draw. The place was crowded in the morning but the afternoon turn-out was slightly down on last year. We speculated it might have clashed with a soccer match. September is one of those months when there are a large number of outdoor events competing for trade at the tale end of the summer season. Thanks to everyone who came along and supported this event, especially those of you who brought along your research to share with us.

Amongst our visitors were Jim and Lilian Enzor from Willow Springs, just outside Chicago. They had centred their UK trip on Nuneaton to take in this event and explore their Ensor ancestor’s roots. I took them to the village of Ednesor on the following Sunday with a tour around Chatsworth, the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire which is adjacent. The original village of Ednesor in Derbyshire was dismantled and re-built as a model village a little further away from the house in the 19th century.

Each year we aim to hold jointly with the Nuneaton Society, a learned lecture on an aspect of local or family history in Nunea- ton. This is called the Mike Palladino Memorial Lecture to honour one of our fellow founding members of the Nuneaton Society. Last year our subject was the Stratford family 17th century lords of the manor of Nuneaton. This year it will be given by Stuart McKay on the early history of the De Havilland aircraft company founded by Geoffrey De-Havilland whose father was vicar of the St. Mary’s Abbey Church in Manor Court Road, Nuneaton. Over the years we have forgotten to think of Geoffrey De- Havilland as one of Nuneaton’s Worthies and I hope this will redress the balance. It will be held on Friday October 18th in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall, starting at 7.30pm. Please let me know whether you are able to attend as admittance is by ticket. Please contact me by e.mail: [email protected] or by phone: 024 76 381090. A small entrance charge will be levied to cover the cost of the speaker who will be travelling from St. Albans for the lecture which will be illustrated with slides and possibly cine film. Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 3 Letters to THE EDITOR It is all in the genes

I had to smile at Tony Davis’s article in the most-readable July 2002 Journal! It reminded me of a phrase I was told many years ago when I first got hooked on genealogy and was encouraged to research female lines rather than male ones - “The mother is the mother, the father is who the mother says he is.”

I have to admit that I am partially reassured to have descended from an early child of my 5xgt grandfather, who was still siring children at the ripe old age of 70 when his second wife was 46. The doubt comes in latter years, as there was an assistant miller – who was the same age as the wife!! Of course we now have DNA testing, should anyone wish to check the possibilities.

Whilst it is, to a degree, amusing to cogitate on what might have been, there can be a down side to inherited genes: there are current research projects for genetic illness. My mother’s family has a dominant and seri- ous trait to hypertension with sudden death from heart attack. Grandmother was 47, her four adult daugh- ters were aged 47-65, when they died and we cousins are now being “picked off”: two down (one male and one female who just managed to see her 61st year), four to go, three of whom are known to be hypertensive. It is not a particularly pleasant state of affairs as the same health problem runs in the descendants of grand- mother’s sister and possibly in other lines that I am not in family contact with. My own GP was sceptical when I suggested my hypertension was genetic: however, when the tests proved nothing else was wrong, and a particularly stressful period at work saw a decrease (albeit miniscule one) in blood pressure, it was acknowledged that my genes were likely to blame.

Some of us therefore would like to find the odd gene eliminated - be it by indiscretion, as in Tony’s article, or medical science. In the meantime we keep taking the pills and hope for science to find a cure.

Anon.

Griff Hollows

In the very early years of WWII (I would be about 3 or 4) a nice Sunday after tea walk was from Heath End Rd along the Coventry Rd towards Bedworth and into Griff Hollows. The massive grassy bank to the left had a rabbit hole every yard apart in all directions and sitting at almost every burrow was a beautiful big rabbit. My parents taught me a little poem:- The furry little rabbits keep very, very, still, and peep at me across the grass as I go up the hill, For if I venture near them or even stop to play, the furry little rabbits run right away!

I now live in Dobcross in the Pennine Hills and don't visit Nuneaton very often, when I do I always try to drive along Hill Top and down the Griff Hollows, 60+ years later - guess what I think about?

There was another occasion when I was about 20 and courting my wife-to-be from Bedworth. I had been to see her on my bicycle ( as we all did in those days) and was cycling back home on a week night at about 11.30pm and very tired ( I had started work at 7.00am at Griff No 4 Colliery). You could get a good speed up no matter which way you approached the hollows. My mind floated back to the furry little rabbit days. Being very tired in those few yards down the hill I fell asleep and did not wake up until the bike fell on top of me. Imagine the following morning trying to explain to my workmates why I was walking with a limp and had a badly grazed leg.

I am glad they are leaving Griff Hollows alone.

Clive A A Ball Page 4 Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal

HERTFORD HILL SANATORIUM By Alan Croshaw Hospitals inevitably feature in our went from Nuneaton. I myself did not In fact the first person to speak to me lives; in Nuneaton in the thirties that lack visitors, since none of my many was the Bookies Runner who inquired meant the Manor Hospital and later friends were deterred from visiting “any bets?” for the treatment was gen- the “Emergency Hospital” but every me, for which I was grateful, but the erally quite leisurely and the challenge Sunday morning a group of people time did drag and I was relieved to fi- was to find ways of combating bore- would gather in Bond Gate to await nally catch the train and alight at dom and this included occupational the arrival of the Midland Red bus that Milverton station from where a few therapy, chess, solo whist for ambu- would take them to either Hatton or others and I were collected by van. lant patients and getting up to mischief Hertford Hill. Most of them were in various ways such as I quickly dis- regular visitors to see long stay pa- The basic treatment was to imbibe lots covered when I received unsolicited tients and there was a communal bond of fresh air, and the buildings reflected mail advising me on “Ventilation”! between them. this. Pavilions four and five were brick built but at the top of the hill was a Routine was the overriding factor and Hatton was the Warwickshire hospital long wooden building with a verandah yet I struggle to remember some of the for mentally ill patients and adjoining along its length - this was Pavilion six details? One difference to other hospi- it was the Hertford Hill sanatorium for and my home for the next eight tals was that we numbered plates and the treatment of tuberculosis. At that months. It comprised 24 cubicles: mugs and metal “spittoons” with lids time both of these illnesses carried a twelve single, twelve double, each that were all boiled up each day. The degree of social stigma and perhaps with but three walls and a mere three meals were cooked centrally and for that reason these hospitals were foot wall to the verandah so that when brought out to the pavilions by porters isolated, but isolated in beautiful coun- it was snowing and the wind was in on trolleys but despite their best ef- tryside with a commanding view of the wrong direction you got snow on forts it was never hot. Breakfast was Warwick town dominated by the mag- the bottom of your bed! Fortunately it porridge although many patients had nificent church and spire of St Mary’s. was spring and I was able to acclima- cereal brought in by their visitors and tise. I was in a double bunked cubicle this was followed by fried bread with I never did set foot in Hatton but its with an extrovert Irish lad and since sausage or bacon and egg but served Victorian buildings looked rather for- nearly all the nurses, mostly male, lukewarm it was not a good start to the bidding at a distance although it seems were Irish too I felt like a second class day. Then the ward would be tidied up that many patients at that time proba- citizen as they chatted animatedly to ready for the doctor’s round. For pa- bly should not have been there and John Patrick with their backs to me. I tients solely on bed rest the burning were able enough to be employed in had not the political nouse of my wife question was would they get “an hour” farming and other work so that in ac- who, arriving at St Joseph’s at the age because if your temperature stayed cordance with the Victorian work of seven, told her fellow pupils that down you were allowed to dress and ethic the place was run at compara- she was “from Hanley - near Ireland!” get up, initially for one hour each day tively little cost. for a week, after which it would be in- creased to two hours and on attaining Rest, however and not work was the three hours this meant that you could theme at Hertford Hill Sanatorium, or walk down to the dining room for the to give it its correct title “The King midday meal where the female pa- Edward VIIth Memorial Hospital. It tients also dined, but at the opposite was opened in 1924 and closed in the end of the room. When my friend 1980’s and having spent nearly two George got to this stage, as did his years there as a patient I thought that it wife who was also a patient, it was would be useful to give a first hand ac- only after strong representations that count of life there for the record. they were allowed to sit together - in isolation - at a little table at the front I was first diagnosed with pulmonary and right under the nose of Sister! tuberculosis in the spring of 1947 when I was 19. At that time it was In continental fashion we had a com- virtually a death sentence although pulsory siesta called “Rest Hour” with the optimism of youth, that was when even ambulant patients had to lie not something that I took too seri- on top of their beds from twelve until ously. Such was the demand for treat- one, mainly I suspect to allow the staff ment that the waiting time for a bed time for lunch, after which the patients was then eight months and so I had to were aroused for their meal. I was a wait at home and rest. A few years patient there on the very day that the later the NHS tackled the backlog by National Health Service was inaugu- sending patients to the famed moun- Pavillion 6, which was my home rated when we were told that in future for 8 months. tain clinics in Switzerland, and some (Continued on page 5) Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 5

(Continued from page 4) we never won again, and with cash days to get used to but the other pa- if we broke our personal thermometer prizes of thousands of pounds, being tients were supportive and my chess we would not have to pay the one shil- just one clue off a winning entry was improved no end. This treatment ling towards its replacement. However frustrating - but we did savour our mo- proved to be very effective and within on the next day the spirit of years of ment of glory. eight weeks the cavity had completely prudent spending prevailed and the or- closed when I was visited by Mr der rescinded but after a few weeks we Apart from rest the treatment in vogue Leigh-Collis, the surgeon, who told saw the first sign of the revolution, a was pneumothorax, whereby air was me that they would shortly remove a sprung interior mattress appeared on introduced into the chest wall to par- few of my ribs to ensure that it stayed the ward which was naturally allo- tially collapse the lung and allow it to closed. This created strong feeling on cated to a patient confined to bed. The heal. This involved fortnightly refills the pavilion since the waiting time for rest of us had straw filled pailliasses with x-ray screening over a long pe- this operation (thoracoplasty) was with not a lot of straw which were riod with discharged patients returning eight months and as others had already very uncomfortable so that when a as outpatients for many months as I been waiting for months I was accused week later dozens of the new mat- did. of “having friends in high places!!” tresses appeared, one for each patient, But the nurses and the more level there was a carnival atmosphere and I was discharged in 1949, catching a headed patients used sweet reason to we all thought that the NHS was in- bus outside the main gate and recall good effect and peace was restored. deed wonderful. that the bus conductor had a machine Much later I learned that just at that that printed your ticket when he turned time they had discovered that by al- a handle instead of a pre-printed col- lowing postural retention patients to oured one. get up to await surgery the healing was undone and irreversible and I was The aforementioned stigma raised its the very first male patient at Hertford head when I reported back to work at Hill to benefit. the Coventry Colliery laboratories with a medical note to the effect that I After Christmas I was transferred from was “fit for work” I was sent home my fresh air environment to a sub- and my P45 followed in the post the tropical surgical ward in Lakin Road next day! Unbeknown to the manage- general hospital in Warwick It was a ment however, although it was a staff four bedded annexe and the other men appointment, I was a member of the on the ward thought that we were pri- Transport & General Workers Union, vate patients since we were segregated having been advised to join a trade un- and were prescribed a bottle of stout Me in 1952 at Hertford Hill Sana- ion at the time of nationalisation and each evening. The surgery went well torium, Warwick. after a quiet word by the T&GW Area and I was at last able to return to a ver- Secretary to the NCB Area General tical stance and start to convalesce One lasting memory that I have on Manager I was quickly reinstated. considerably aided by attractive young combating boredom was the experi- lady sadists who were called physio- ment with the News of the World After just over a year of resuming my therapists. However, to my surprise, crossword. Four of us decided to sub- normal lifestyle my fortnightly visit and way ahead of schedule, in order to mit a combined permutated entry, per- for screening revealed that the disease free my bed I was whisked from my mutating the six most ambiguous clues had returned and infected the top of hot house environment back to pavil- and sending in the maximum number my other lung and I was quickly read- ion six. The contrast could hardly have of entries each. Since we were in two mitted (to pavilion 5) but this time been greater; the roads were covered adjoining double bunks we had to with some apprehension although I with snow and ice in a prolonged bit- shout to one another in our delibera- soon realised that the atmosphere had terly cold spell. It was too slippery to tions and since it was three weeks be- changed; patients were not dying regu- push a wheelchair up the steep hill to fore our first entries were published, larly and there was a new optimism Pavilion 6 and so I had to walk, very some of the other patients gave us a about the place. Streptomycin and P. gingerly, with a nurse on each arm - hard time, but when at last the papers A.S. had arrived, prescribed in liquid one of whom, Kathleen, shrieked with were delivered - to our glee we read form to save money, but it was the amazement to find that I was tall, hav- that we had won three first prizes and most foul tasting medicine imaginable. ing only ever seen me with my feet in eight second prizes and although this Peppermints were the common anti- the air. only amounted to twelve pounds each dote although it took nearly an hour as it was a low dividend - this was for the taste buds to recover. I was put in a single bunk between two Week 1!! The rest of the sanatorium - old inhabitants who were hibernating patients and staff - all thought that we My treatment was then a brand new under the bedclothes which I was un- had found a way to print money and one, called postural retention and in- able to do as I could not lie down but clamored to join our syndicate but we volved raising the bottom of my bed the nurses took up the challenge with calculated that to add just one more by two feet and lying on one side enthusiasm and I was clad with two clue to our perm would need nearly a against a board and never raising my vests, thick pyjamas, polo neck pull- hundred more entries and said no, but head above horizontal. It took some (Continued on page 6) Page 6 Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal

(Continued from page 5) “weight watchers” we were all anxious drive but only as far as a large sign over, bed-jacket, woolly hat and muf- to gain weight since tuberculosis or warning “Patients are not allowed be- fler plus six hot water bottles changed “consumption” as it was once called yond this point without permission” It two at a time day and night. However, was a wasting disease and at that stage was about 20 yards from the gate and what kept my spirits up was the radio I was actually gaining one pound main road and a red public telephone (via earphones, which also kept my every week to the envy of many. booth and a temptation to many! An ears warm) that is until King George old stager observed that Saturday af- VI with a deplorable sense of timing After the trauma of January and Feb- ternoons were very quiet and follow- was inconsiderate enough to die. For a ruary these were the best weeks of my ing his advice one sunny day I crossed long long week the BBC broadcast ab- sojourn there. Our pavilion Sister was the road and walked over to the nearby solutely nothing but funereal music. It a dragon but on Saturday, her day off, canal and along the wondrous flight of was too cold on the hands to read for both patients and staff relaxed. She- locks. It was another world. very long and my spirits sank lower lagh’s father kept pigs and so she used than the mercury in the thermometer to bring me in home cured bacon. Ted, We were also allotted minor tasks and and time seemed to stand still. my bunkmate, had asked his wife to I brushed and ironed the only snooker bring in a frying pan and so on Satur- table - Pavilion 5 had a recreation At long last Family Favourites reap- days he would sneak into the kitchen room. Unusually I also managed, with peared, the sun came out and I was to fry bacon and eggs, fresh and hot the help of my surgeon, to be allowed transferred to a double bunk with a and for us - “Cordon Bleu” and since to work for one hour five days a week kindred spirit. It was like awakening there was enough for four my popular- in the carpenters shop. Duke, the car- from a bad dream. Ted, my new bunk- ity soared but this came to an end penter, who had made the board and mate was good at leatherwork and so I when it was decided that I was now chocks for my postural retention was took it up and designed and made a ready for more surgery and taken back surprised when I told him that I pigskin camera case. Occupational to Lakin road to have the original dis- wanted to build a photographic therapy was a thriving concern; partly eased lobe of my right lung removed, enlarger. I described the theory of it all because it was something to do and for a fairly new operation but for me un- and Duke quickly came up with a some married men a source of income. complicated and this time the weather clever design quite unlike the com- One chap made a quality, hand sewn was more amenable. Shortly after my mercial enlargers as it had a wooden leather handbag each weekday and on return to Pavilion 5 to convalesce the base, column and slide with a large tin Sunday his wife collected them to sell. Medical Superintendent, Dr Budge, a as lampholder. I had telephoned from I had previously made silk dressing ta- martinet, caught me out of bed one the end of the drive to Len Bott in ble sets and embroidered a linen table- evening making tea for four patients Nuneaton Camera shop opposite the cloth, even stitching it to my pyjama confined to bed. The German nurse Council House and he had kindly sent leg! on duty however assured him that I in condenser lenses with Shelagh. had asked her permission to go into With my discharge date looming and Most of the Irish nurses had moved on the kitchen, which I had, and said that my working hours limited Duke did a and had been replaced by young Ger- I was a very well behaved patient. She bit of overtime and it was ready. I man girls most of whom were called was reprimanded and I narrowly es- even had transport for it as Canon Hildegarde. Their alleged lack of hu- caped expulsion. Herbert’s wife from St Nicolas very mour was tested to the full as we re- kindly drove over to pick me up and wrote German history arguing Dental care was by a Coventry dentist take me home. amongst ourselves as to the date that who volunteered his services once a The Reichstag burned down. The girl month for no fee and on the occasion Gradually tuberculosis became just an- within hearing would of course correct that he varied his date and only Pavil- other treatable illness and at subse- us and with very straight faces we ion 6 got the message I was his sole quent annual check ups I was fre- would assure her that she could not patient and since he did not want to quently told that my surgery would not possibly be right and she would get waste his time I had two extractions have been necessary “nowadays” and would get very worked up about it un- and four fillings and took to my bed. whilst it was true that sanatoria were til eventually the penny would drop happily no longer needed I knew that and we would all have a good laugh. When a patient was “up all day” he they had played their part in the battle was encouraged to exercise by walk- to overcome the scourge of tuberculo- For all ambulant patients there was a ing and the only place to walk any dis- sis and for me and many others they weekly weighing ceremony but unlike tance was down the long entrance had literally been life savers.

If you have a photograph or an article which you would like to be published in the next journal please contact Pat Boucher either at the monthly meetings, telephone 024 7638 3488, email ap- [email protected] or by post at 33 Buttermere Ave, Nuneaton, Warwicks, CV11 6ET. I am happy to accept word processed articles or scanned photographs etc on computer disk.

Deadline for all copy to be included in January issue of the Journal is December 7th Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 7 “Cousin Harry” By Jacqui Simkins Thanks to Peter Lee and Pat Boucher I someone would recognise one as being Bates line. We have not unravelled the went along to the Chilvers Coton Heri- in their collection also. My father re- puzzle, but went away with ideas for tage Centre on 14th September. Both calls childhood visits to Bates relatives further research! As I doubt DNA Pat and I have Bates of Mancetter an- in Nuneaton, I therefore felt that some testing will become the norm in the cestry and we displayed some of our of the photographs had to be members foreseeable future, others tracing par- research: in Pat’s case all beautifully of the Bates family – but which ones allel lines are recommended to meet, laid out and laminated, with pictures in and who were they? compare information and family leg- the right places! Sadly, mine was a ends in addition to their “hard facts”: patchwork of people, arrows and a Sadly nobody claimed a relative, but it may enable you to climb one of rogues’ gallery of unidentified photo- one person commented, “isn’t that the those unassailable brick walls. Tele- graphs. same chap as on Pat’s?” which phone calls and emails would not have prompted much comparing of photo- spotted the likenesses amongst our graphs. There are similarities - not photographs: it took an onlooker! least in both being “cousin Harry”, though my photograph was from what Peter Lee suggested a “gathering” of appears to be a Melbourne Australia descendants and others with a Bates photographer, whilst Pat’s “Cousin interest from Nuneaton & North War- Harry” was in America. A third and wickshire. Maybe something should slightly later Harry, brother of Maggie, be organised…anyone interested? If so was renowned for working in shirt- contact me or Pat Boucher and we will sleeves, in all weathers. see what we can arrange.

Above: My great grandmother, Maggie Bates, born 1875. She was married to Francis Reuben Henry Stevenson and widowed for over 40 years after he died of tetanus in 1916. She died in 1959. Below: Frank Stevenson, born 1900, son of Maggie, pictured in 1949 at his son’s wed- ding.

Above: Harry Bates “cousin” on Pat Boucher’s side, born 1863, who emigrated to America. Right top : “Cousin Harry” photographed in Melbourne and sent with the greeting “Aunt Jane Bates with fondest love”. Right bottom: Harry Bates, born 1880, of Browns Farm, Arley, brother of Maggie The unnamed photographs were in a ———————————————– box that recently came back to my fa- It is amazing how lateral thinking ther – it had belonged to my great aunt kicks in when two individuals with and great grandmother. Some were probable links into the same family annotated “ten months of age”, or discuss possibilities together. There is “Aunt Jane Bates with fondest love… a facial boldness in both families, re- [in a hand much like Maggie’s] Cousin called by Pat as “the Bates’ nose”. Harry”. (Maggie’s mother was known Some of Pat’s “cousins” from the past as Jane). Most say nothing and, being have a likeness to some of my contem- in Nuneaton I hoped beyond hope that poraries who also descend from the Page 8 Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal The Ratherams And Broad St Presbyterian Church, Birmingham By Andrew J Ratheram

Upon reading the article in the last is- Anyway back to the point of this missing. There were no Sunday sue “Some possibilities from the re- somewhat rambling article. When the School minute books so mine must be cords of non-conformity” by Jacqui church did close down, no one was the only survivor. I decided to consult Simkins I thought that my experiences really interested in all the records that the Communion Roll first. This ap- in this field may be of some interest to had been kept over the years (Mom peared to be a continuation book, as it other readers, as it turned up some in- said there were cupboards full of old started in 1854, but it provided my teresting facts that were previously un- books) so Pop kept one of the old Sun- first bit of good luck as listed in 1854 known to me. day School Minute books and gave it were Charles and Martha Ratheram to me. It was dated February 3rd who were my great, great, great grand- When my parents first met, my mater- 1883 - October 14th 1895 and many of parents. Their address, given as nal grandad, Fred Vizor, (I always the entries were signed by James Oozells St North, was also correct. I called him Pop) upon hearing that my Ratheram, Sunday School Superinten- continued on through the book. James dad’s name was John Ratheram, said dent. Pop also gave me a “Potted His- appeared in 1874 - I knew he was the that as a child in the 1920s he was a tory Of Broad St Presbyterian Church” son of the Charles above and was my Sunday scholar at Broad St Presbyte- by R.W. McKenzie, just three pages of great, great grandfather’s elder rian Church Sunday School where he notes culled from the records that no brother. James’ wife Eliza was listed could remember there being an old longer seemed to exist. In them was in 1875, then an Emma in 1883 (I man in charge known as Daddy mentioned “16 November 1923, the don’t know who she is yet). John Ratheram, who sat at the back with a resignation of Mr Ratheram after 70 James, son of James and Eliza appears long cane. Unfortunately, dad had years service” but even more interest- in 1888 and is listed as leaving in never followed up this fact and, as he ing was the entry “Mr Rotherham was 1901/2. In 1883 James is mentioned as and both my mother’s parents had died appointed caretaker of the church from a member of Session and listed as an by the time I became interested in ge- Christmas Day 1834”. The spelling of Elder of the church in 1886. I contin- nealogy, it became a matter of interest the surname was different but was that ued on through the book to the end, to me. due to a typing error or could the two Fred Vizor appearing in 1930 and both be Ratherams and related to each Rose Vizor, my Nan, appearing in Fred Vizor had attended Broad St all other? A further entry was “January 1941. his life, becoming a full member in 1883, J Rotheram appointed Elder”. 1930, and an Elder in 1950. The Three different spellings on three There were no other Ratherams listed, church was originally situated in pages certainly made it worth another so was the caretaker appointed in 1834 Broad St Birmingham but this build- look. I checked the name in the Min- my Charles? I found another docu- ing was sold due to internal prob- ute Book and that was definitely ment, a list of members from 1853, lems – too complicated to go into now Ratheram. and number 168 was Charles but never the less fascinating - and the Ratheram who was admitted by ex- church moved into the old Sunday I started to try to find out what hap- amination November 1st 1833. This School building in Ozzells St North, pened to the original records. The was good enough proof for me, the just behind Broad St. As a child the problem was that the Presbyterian caretaking must have been a part time place had fascinated me, my parents Church no longer existed, having be- job as he always described himself as were members for a short time and my come part of the United Reform a Japanner, the occupation given in the brother was christened there. As Nan Church in the 1970s. I could find no member list along with an address of was also a prominent member we mention in Birmingham Library. I Mill St. Martha’s date of joining was spent many hours there at jumble asked Mom and she thought they had February 2nd 1850. The interesting sales, beetle drives and various family all gone to Carrs Lane Church but they thing is that they were having their parties. I can never smell coal gas had no knowledge of any items from children christened in St Phillips, the now without being instantly trans- Broad St. I checked central Presbytery Cathedral Church in Birmingham, be- ported back to the downstairs room records at Oxford and they had noth- tween 1829 and 1837. I know that where everybody used to meet (the ing either. I Phoned Birmingham Li- Martha was christened in a Baptist church proper being on the first floor). brary again and spoke to a different Chapel, so perhaps they had to agree The Church was closed, due to com- department who got back to me later on a compromise for the christenings! pulsory purchase in 1969, but not to say they had some original docu- I still haven’t found Charles’ christen- knocked down for several years. I ments that had recently come to light ing, so I think he may have come from used to still see it on the number 3 bus and would I like to see them? Would nonconformist stock too. going down Broad St. The site is now I!! I took a day off work to see what I the Sea life centre. Sunday night on could discover. I spent more time calling up various Broad St, waiting for a bus after the documents and items from the store, service in the late 1960s was a bit like On arrival and after checking in I one of which was a minute book of the a ghost town –it is a bit different to asked to see what information they meetings of the Elders. As I was now Broad St now with all the clubs and had. I was surprised at how much was running out of time I started to flick pubs, etc.! available but also how much was (Continued on page 9) Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 9

(Continued from page 8) lodgers of respectable appearance and through the book from the back, look- in the afternoon of Monday 24th April, In the 1841 census there are seven ing for any Ratherams. I started to find his room had been entered and a box members of the Ratheram family liv- references to “Mr Ratherams problem” broken open from which the money ing in Swallow St in the centre of Bir- and on 6th September 1844 entry £24-18-0 belonging to the funds of the mingham. With lodgers as well it must number 192 read “Resolved that the Church (besides some money of his have been quite crowded but it gives Treasurer be authorised to pay Mr own) £2 1-5-0 of which belonged to some idea of the way families lived in Ratheram the salary due to him of £7- the seat rent and the £3-13-0 to the those days. They also moved around a 3-6, deducting there from the sum of fund for the increase of Ministry Sti- lot, living at five different addresses £2-14-0, the deficiency not yet made pend - at the same time his lodgers between 1829 and 1861 by which time up to replace the loss” disappeared and have not since been they had moved to the back of number heard of . Mr Ratheram was ques- 4 Oozzels St North, where Charles’ This was intriguing to say the least, tioned by the committee as to all the son John - my great, great granddad - what had happened? Why weren’t the circumstances and requested to retire” was still living as late as 1914 accord- Elders paying out? What had hap- ing to the rate returns for the district. pened to the money? How much was The Committee resolved to express involved? There were more references their sympathy with Charles, but ex- So there you have it, a church connec- on the pages until I came to entry 124 pected him to repay the money, which tion between my paternal and maternal on 12th May 1843 which read “The must have been a huge sum for him to families dating back from nearly 170 Treasurer explained that Mr Ratheram find in those days. They allowed him years ago. It was strange to think that I had been robbed of a very consider- to approach the occupants of the had been in the very same rooms that able portion of the amount collected rented seats to see if they would pay Charles must have known so well and from seat rents for the current quarter again and resolved that each member where his son James had been in and that he was in attendance to ex- of the committee of Elders would give charge of the Sunday School for so plain what had happened. Mr what they could to help, a sum of £9- long, retiring in 1923 and dying in Ratheram was introduced and in very 1-0 being raised by the committee. 1924 aged 88. What would Pop have great detail explained the whole cir- The problem rumbled on until late thought as a small child had he known cumstances connected with the rob- 1844, but by 20th August 1847 it was that his daughter would marry a rela- bery and the measures taken to en- “resolved that Mr Ratheram’s salary tive of the old man at the back of the deavour to find out the parties, the be raised from £6-10-0 to £10-0-0 per class! It’s good to know that a family substance of which was as under: - Mr annum” so he must have been back in legend has been proved right. Ratheram had let part of his house to favour by then.

HELP WANTED AND OFFERED

Mr Michael Cooke, Member 136, 3 Berkshire Court, 205 St. Mary Church Rd, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 3JT. Tel: 01803 323242 John COOKE, station master at Kingsbury, is listed in a directory of 1864. Does anyone know anything about him please? Was he one of the Cookes of Baddesley Ensor and Hurley or was he ‘imported’ by the railway company?

Brenda Adams, Member 258, 17 Lawford Grove, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands B90 1EX A book that has been in the possession of my family for years has the fol- lowing names handwritten on the inside cover: Joseph L ADAMS, Coton Road Nuneaton. Edward PALMER, Bedworth, Nune 1818. M BALL Bulkington 1827. Are the names familiar to anyone? They may be mem- bers of my family but I am not sure. NNWFHS HELPLINE Tony Davis, email [email protected] A framed Certificate has come into my hands. It was presented by Coven- Peter Lee try Archediaconal Church Extension Society to Hannah PICKARD in (024) 7638 1090 1886. It was for The Lent Examination at Bedworth Central School. I have never heard of this Coventry etc Society. From some casual research 6.30 - 8.00pm I believe Hannah Pickard was born at Bedworth, 14.5.1854, the daughter Mon to Sat of William and Hannah Pickard. Later, there are two marriages for a Han- Or email: nah Pickard: the first o William BIRCH 24.12.1872, and the second to [email protected] Joe JONES 19.5.1875. It would be nice to find an ancestor of this young lady to pass it on to. I have also sent a Copy to Bedworth Echo. Page 10 Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal How can we be sure we always remember to respect the dead? By Alan F Cook What do 1852, metal polish, Birming- mified. Needless to say we started the pieces of archival evidence missing ham Middle Ring Road and recent search to find out whom they were. for this period. The parish never really church extensions have to do with That process took a long time and regained its former stability after that. each other? (I hear you ask!) there were no obvious clues to their The railways came, land was agricul- identity (and no church records). turally altered, the castle fell into If you have hobbies and a profession Eventually a family was tentatively growing disrepair and then came the like mine - an awful lot. I remember found and the bodies buried with houses. when they landscaped the churchyard names. at St Nicolas many years ago, the So who is the mystery guest beneath headstones were lifted and moved, turf Why is 1852 so important? The Burial the floor – he will be identified one was laid after some ‘rotovation’. Over Act of that year forced all burial to be day when all the evidence has been the next few weeks I was amazed at at the new depth of 6 foot. This was a sifted through. Hopefully there may be how many human teeth and small reaction to increasing outbreaks of ill- a plaque made to mark his final resting bones were revealed. They were be- ness (cholera, gastro-enteritis etc.), place. But it would be even better if yond identification, but probably came growing awareness of germs and bac- we did not have to take peoples’ final from areas of the cemetery that were teria, groundwater contamination from resting places. It would be better if we used before 1852. I wonder if some nearby rivers and cemeteries etc. Prior took the excavation and search more were from Joseph Scrivener? to that, burials were literally as shal- seriously, diligently and earnestly. If it low as 18” to 24” (450mm to 600mm). had been a pot of gold, would things When Coton Road was widened in have been different? A maxim of these 1974, the difficult decision was made To end my account, a mystery grave troubled times with all their financial to take some of the Catholic Church was encountered during the construc- dabblings: If you do not want to find graveyard. This involved the emo- tion of a parish room at a local church. something, you won’t! tional task of exhuming many graves, The site had been excavated by ar- some not that old. I was a witness to chaeologists in accordance with Plan- that process and must say I found it ning Policy Guidance Note 16 Archae- The Spelling Chequer harrowing. Most of these were post ology and Planning (2001). The trou- 1852 and details were well known ble was that did not go deep enough By Linda Percival from burial records and ‘plot’ maps. and the cemetery burial plans did not record the grave. So who were they I have a spelling chequer I had visited the Catacombs in Rome and when were they buried? But more It came with my pea see, and worked on Roman skeletal re- to the point how do you begin to find It plane lee Marx for my revue mains from Smockington Hollows out? Well that process is still going Miss steaks I cannot sea, when it was first widened in the on – it can take a long time. The depth Each thyme when aye have 1960’s. With those experiences and was exactly 6 Feet – so it was after others, I thought that I was equipped 1852. The bones that I saw were defi- struck the quays, to deal with our ‘mortal residues’ (to nitely from a male skeleton. The skull I weight four it too say quote Dr John Watson in: Hound of sutures fully closed – at least 28 yrs If watt I rote is wrong or rite, the Baskervilles). old, teeth quite worn with caries – per- It shows me strait a weigh. haps early 50’s? Adjacent burials were As soon as a mist ache is maid, What I next encountered I was not in the late 19thC. There were handles, It nose bee four two late, prepared for. During the building of very dirty, but when I polished them And eye can put the err or write the last segment of the Birmingham they were good quality brass, with no As this rime demon straights. Ring Road (mid 1980’s) a churchyard true corrosion – just tarnish. The cof- I’ve run this poem threw it, had been carefully searched and many fin looked good quality with some And I’m sure your policed too no bodies found and re-buried with dig- slate, lead traces in its lid and floor. nity. However, I had a phone call at Its’ letter perfect in it’s weigh – my office, I was on call-out, and had How did this person ‘fall through the My chequer told me sew! to go. When I arrived at the church- net’ of bureaucratic administration? yard the bulldozers had been cutting He may have been the last person on down through the soft brown sand- the last page of the register. That page Note from the editor: I have seen stones and they had broken into a cata- got ‘dog-eared’ or even ripped so the many and various versions of this comb “Birmingham style”. I had to go entry was lost? In 1856 there were poem often attributed to different into the catacomb, which I found very changes in who held the Manor, Sam- authors, so I hope I have given credit upsetting and chilling and it took a uel Bracebridge Hall died, it then to the correct one and, if not, I long time to get over it. There were 6 passed to Bracebridge Heming Hall; apologise. It made me smile, or 7 lead-wrapped slate coffins on Rev. G Sanford remained as the Vicar. especially as I’m probably guilty of brackets fixed into the sandstone The castle, Manor, estate and lands some of these errors in the journal!! walls. The bodies were almost mum- were being split up and there are Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 11 A Genealogical A to Z By Dr Ash Emery © This A to Z has been taken from the National Organisation for Counselling and the Library of the Society of Gene- pages at Genuki and is reproduced in and Adoptees and their Parents alogists (SoG). Most initial research is this journal with the kind permission of (NORCAP) exists to help adoptees and likely to be undertaken at the FRC the author. A few amendments and ad- (presumably) both types of parents. It is (perusing the Civil Registration indexes ditions have been made by the editor. located at 3 New High Street, Heading- or winding through microfilms of the Please note that some addresses and ton, Oxfordshire, England, OX3 7AJ. Victorian censuses). Every County has telephone numbers may have changed There is also an organisation named a CRO and there are LDS FHCs situ- since this information was written so Adopt-A-Link who advertise regularly ated in major centres throughout the please ensure that you check the dtails as "specialists in tracing birth families world. The FFHS issues a free leaflet before either visiting or writing - Pat for adopted children." Adopt-A-Link is called You and Your Record Office. Boucher run by P G Peacock, 3 Mulberry Court, Various books and many useful guides Meadow Way, Petworth, West Sussex, to archives are obtainable fromFFHS, AGRA - Association of Genealogists & England, GU28 0EP. SoG and other specialist genealogical Record Agents book services. ASGRA - Association of Scottish Genealo- AGRA: The Association of Genealo- gists & Record Agents gists and Record Agents was founded ARMY, NAVY & AIR FORCE: War AUGRA - Association of Ulster Genealo- in 1968. Sooner or later you will need deaths are accessible at FRC in separate gists & Record Agents professional help in your research, par- registers to civil deaths. Most of the re- BigR - British Isles Genealogical Register BL - British Library ticularly if you are researching your cords relating to military service are BMD – Birth Marriage and Death British ancestry from abroad. AGRA held at the PRO. Various archives are BTs - Bishops' Transcripts has a code of practice so there is pro- held covering the Home Office, For- CHI – Catherine House Index tection for clients located outside the eign Office, War Office, Army, Royal CLRO - County of London Record Office UK. A list of members can be obtained Navy, merchant navy, Royal Air Force, CRO - County Record Office for a small fee from the Secretary, etc. The Imperial War Museum has a FFHS - Federation of Family History So- AGRA, 29 Badgers Close, Horsham, department of documents that include cieties West Sussex, England, RH12 5RU. British private papers and captured FHC - Family History Centre (of LDS), German documents. The War Museum also known as FHL (FH Library) ANCESTRY: Webster's defines ances- is at Lambeth Road, London, England, FHLC - Family History Library Catalogue try as a line of descent or persons initi- SE1 6HZ. The Commonwealth War FHS - Family History Society ating or comprising a line of descent. FRC - Family Records Centre Graves Commission was set up to iden- FTM - Family Tree Magazine Before you begin tracing your own an- tify and maintain the graves of Com- GEDCOM - Genealogical Data Communi- cestry, write on paper what you want to monwealth forces killed in World Wars cation accomplish. Talk to relatives. Seek out I and II. Records are also kept of those GOONS - Guild of One-Name Studies old papers. Look for entries in family who have no known graves. In late GRD - Genealogical Research Directory bibles. Know what it is you want to do 1998 the Commission put its records GRO - General Register Office before you spend real money. Access online on the Internet. This is a phe- IGI - International Genealogical Index the ever increasing riches of the Inter- nomenal, and free, fully searchable ar- IHGS - Institute of Heraldic & Genealogi- net's World Wide Web. Check whether chive for those researchers fortunate cal Studies someone has previously researched IRCs - International Reply Coupons enough to own a PC with access to the LDS - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day your area(s) of interest. Check what World Wide Web. For those many re- Saints names are registered with the GOONS. searchers not online, information in- LMA - London Metropolitan Archives Visit your local reference library. See if cluding photographs of known graves MIs - Monumental Inscriptions there is a FHS dedicated to your area of can be obtained from the Commission NBI – National Burial Index research. Visit your local LDS FHC. at 2 Marlow Road, Maidenhead, Berk- NNWFHS - Nuneaton and North Warwick- View the IGI and refer to the library's shire, England, SL6 7DX. Two special- shire Family History Society books and materials. Order appropriate ists in military research are Sunset ONS - Office of National Statistics fiches and/or microfilms. If you live PAF - Personal Ancestral File Militaria, Dinedor Cross, Hereford- PR – Parish Register outside the UK, complete your prelimi- shire, England, HR2 6PF who have an nary research before you contact or- index to over 5.5 million soldiers enti- PRO - Public Record Office ganisations in the UK. RO – Register Office tled to medals from the First World SH - Somerset House APPRENTICESHIP RECORDS: War and Dennis James of 18 Mill Lane, SoG - Society of Genealogists Many records exist for children and Toft, Cambridgeshire, England, CB3 —————————————————- 7RW who undertakes RAF research. ADOPTIONS: Adoptions have been men learning a trade. Guilds, some dat- legal in England and Wales since 1927. ing from the Middle Ages, evolved to ASGRA: This is the Scottish equiva- Previously children were "fostered" and protect members of a particular trade lent of AGRA. Write for a list of mem- tracing natural parents of a fostered (first) and the public (second). The bers and specialised services to the Sec- child is close to impossible. The GRO Statute of Apprentices of 1563 required retary, ASGRA, 51/53 Mortonhall maintains an Adopted Children Regis- an individual to qualify in his trade by Road, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 2HN. ter and indexes thereto may be exam- serving an apprenticeship. The appren- ined at FRC. The indexes give the tice would typically serve a period of AUGRA: The Association of Ulster adopted name of the child and date of seven years' training before being ad- Genealogists and Record Agents is adoption but not the names of the natu- mitted to the guild. The apprenticeship based at Glen Cottage, Glenmachan ral parents. Two forms of certificate indentures were signed by the guild Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT4 can be issued but only the full should master and the apprentice's father or 2NP. guardian. Many of these indentures sur- be ordered. The full certificate includes BANKRUPTCY: Falling into debt the adoptive name and surname, sex, vive and not just for the famous Lon- don livery companies. Check records was a crime until relatively recent times date of birth and (where known) coun- and was not an occasional misdemean- try or district of birth, details of the or- held at SoG, the CROs (including the LMA) and see what exist on microfiche our. Over 30,000 debtors were arrested der (date and court) and particulars of in England in 1837 alone. An individ- the adoptive parents. The Children's or film in the FHLC at your nearest FHC. ual not engaged in business but de- Acts of 1975 and 1989 enable an clared insolvent prior to 1861 could not adopted person over the age of 18 years ARCHIVES: There are many record be made a bankrupt but could be sent to to exercise his/her right to obtain a repositories and libraries in the UK that prison until his debts were settled. A copy of the original birth certificate af- are of value to the researcher such as commercial trader heavily in debt often ter counselling. A pamphlet, Access to the various components of the British escaped imprisonment but was declared Birth Records, is available from the Library. Among hundreds of others are a bankrupt. After 1861 an insolvent Registrar General, local Social Services the PRO, the Guildhall Library, the Na- person and a bankrupt were treated Departments or adoption societies. The tional Libraries of Scotland and Wales (Continued on page 12) Page 12 Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal

(Continued from page 11) able on fiche from FFHS Publications, on 1 January and end on 31 December. 2/4 Killer Street, Ramsbottom, Lanca- In addition, and in 1752 only, the calen- similarly. The London Gazette, first shire, England, BL0 9BZ. Individual dar was adjusted to omit eleven days - published in 1665, regularly and re- fiche by county may be obtained from 2 September 1752 being followed by morselessly printed notices of bank- the appropriate . 14 September. The "new" calendar, ruptcies. Complete copies of the Ga- known as the Gregorian calendar, had zette are held at PRO, SoG and the BIRTHS: (See Civil Registration and been adopted by Scotland and the coun- British Library, and various indexes ex- Certificates.) tries of continental Europe over 150 ist. Other journals publishing similar years earlier. Dates between 1 January notices were the Scottish Gazette, the BISHOPS' TRANSCRIPTS: These and 25 March and prior to 1752 are Times, Gentleman's Magazine and are copies of the parish registers com- typically dated for both calendars by Perry's Bankrupt & Insolvent Gazette. pleted on an annual basis by the clergy researchers and historians. Thus, a bap- The PRO also holds records of the and forwarded to the local bishop. The tism on 3 February 1712/13 means the Court of Bankruptcy and registers of practice commenced in 1598 but those event occurred in 1712 under the pre- bankruptcy actions as well as records of transcripts that still exist must be vailing Julian calendar but by today's certain debtors' prisons including Mar- checked where possible with the origi- (Gregorian) calendar would be recog- shalsea where John Dickens, father of nal registers as not all copies are accu- nised as occurring in 1713. (Note: It is Charles, was imprisoned. CROs and the rate. not unusual to find errors in transcrip- Newspaper Library are useful if one is tion due to the confusion of the calen- researching a known insolvent or bank- BRITISH LIBRARY: Most collec- dar before 1752. One source book pub- rupt in a particular time frame. tions of The British Library, the na- lished in the 1930s by an eminent re- BANNS: A marriage by banns necessi- tional library of the United Kingdom, searcher contained many errors in dat- tated the banns (announcement of mar- are housed in a huge custom built ing events.) riage) being called in the parishes of premise facing St Pancras Station in both of the intended at three weekly in- London. The Department of Manu- CATHOLICS: Only marriages in the tervals before the marriage. Wealthier scripts has huge collections from the Anglican church were legal after the in- people frequently married by licence to Magna Carta through copies of most troduction of Hardwicke's Marriage Act avoid the unnecessary publicity. Many books published in Britain and the old of 1754. Catholics were allowed to old banns books and copies of licences Empire to Captain Scott's diary com- worship in their own churches from are still available. It is worth checking piled on his last South Pole expedition. 1791 but they still had to marry in An- the FHLC at an FHC or the archives at This department also contains cata- glican churches. Most surviving Catho- the appropriate CRO. Be aware that an logued collections of family archives lic registers date from the late 1700s entry in a banns book or the existence including pedigrees, title deeds and cor- and most are from the north of Eng- of a licence does not prove a couple respondence. The BL was formed in land. Many have been published by the was married 1973 from four previously separate na- Catholic Record Society, 114 Mount tional libraries and is at Euston Road, Street, London, England, W1X 6AX. BAPTISMS: London, England, NW1 2DB. There The Catholic Family History Society is Records of British baptisms have been are two further archives of particular based at 2 Winscombe Crescent, Eal- maintained by law since 1538. The interest to researchers: the India Office ing, London, England, W5 1AZ. Marie early baptism records were usually at 197 Blackfriars Road, London, Eng- McQuade of 8 Ecclesall Avenue, jumbled together with the marriages land, SE1 8NG and the Newspaper Li- Litherland, Merseyside, England, L21 and burials and some of them were brary at Colindale Avenue, London, 5HQ has an index to over 200,000 written in Latin but by 1732 all regis- England, NW9 5HE. The India Office Catholic baptisms, marriages and buri- ters were required to be written in Eng- has archives of the East India Com- als that took place in Liverpool. lish. During 18th century the baptisms, pany, the India Office and Burma Of- marriages and burials were maintained fice and is an invaluable source if your CEMETERIES: Many cemeteries, in separately. For the first 200 years it ancestor served on the sub-continent.. parish churchyards and burial grounds was normal to record only the father's The Newspaper Library has a large col- have been mapped and/or indexed for full name and that of his child in baptis- lection of 18th, 19th and 20th century those interred therein. Each modern mal entries, so proving ancestry for a publications. This is a useful repository cemetery has a register which can be popular surname is often difficult. Re- if your ancestor "made news" and you consulted for relatives but sometimes at member, the date in a baptism entry is are aware of the date(s). Obituaries a fee. Many a FHS has indexed ceme- not the birth date. Typically, a child were not so common in 19th century teries within its particular area. Both was baptised a few days or weeks after but newspapers carried news stories the SoG and the Guildhall Library have birth but this is not always the case. and advertisements, which could be cemetery register holdings. The Com- The obvious starting place to search for useful if your ancestor was a local poli- monwealth War Graves Commission's baptisms is the IGI. When searching for tician, land owner, tradesman or crimi- online Web site gives precise instruc- baptisms don’t forget that your ances- nal. The newspapers are both national tions on finding cemeteries (abroad and tors may have been non-conformists. and local, and most are originals al- within the UK) where gravestones or though some are on microfilm. memorials commemorate men and BERNAU's INDEX: A card index of women who fell in the two world wars. about 4 million slips mainly relating to BOYD's MARRIAGE INDEX: 533 individuals involved in court cases, re- typewritten volumes of English mar- CENSUS: The first official census of cords of which are held at the PRO. riages between 1538 and 1837 com- England and Wales took place on 10 The index relates chiefly to 18th cen- piled by the late Percival Boyd. The in- March 1801. Censuses have been taken tury Chancery Proceedings and was dex contains about 7 million entries or every 10 years since with the exception compiled by the late C A Bernau. Mi- about 12% of all marriages before 1837 of 1941. Details of individuals only ap- crofilmed copies of the index may be and is located at SoG. Like the IGI, peared on a compulsory basis for the viewed at SoG or ordered at any FHC. Boyd's should be treated as an index first time in the 1841 Census but a Sus-

BIBLE: Old bibles often contain re- with all extractions subsequently sex researcher was able to provide me cords of a particular family's births, checked against the appropriate parish with names and ages of individuals baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials. registers. from the 1821 Census so do not assume Check with your parents, grandparents the early years are not worthy of inves- and cousins to see if your family has CALENDAR: Current arguments on tigation. Because of the so-called 'One the basis of a history. whether the second Millennium ended Hundred Year Rule', the census returns on the last day of 1999 or 2000 fade available for the genealogist are only BigR: The British Isles Genealogical into insignificance compared to previ- those up to and including 1901. The Register (BigR) is a directory of re- ous radical changes in the calendar. Un- 1841 census was undertaken on 7 June, searchers' interests. The BigR was ini- til 1751 England and Wales followed 1851 (30 March), 1861 (7 April), 1871 tially published in 1994 with similar the Julian calendar whereby the year (2 April), 1881 (3 April), 1891 (5 aims to those of the GRD but limited to commenced on Ladyday, 25 March and April) and 1901 (31 March.) The cen- Britain and with surnames sorted into ended the following year on 24 March. sus returns were for all the population county order. A further edition was Lord Chesterfield's Act of 1751-52 published in 1997. The BigR is obtain- stated that the year 1752 would begin (Continued on page 13) Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 13

(Continued from page 12) ter offices will not search the registers Other diminutives include Ann unless you also provide the name of the (Hannah), Nelly (Ellen or Helen) and as at midnight on those dates. The cen- church where the ceremony took Peggy (Margaret). I have also found suses of 1841 to 1901 are wonderful place). While certificates are not cheap, Ann as a diminutive of Agnes. Jack, pools of research. 1851 to 1901 give they are often essential in proving an- currently the a popular name for newly more information than the 1841 census cestry. If you are uncertain of the dis- born males in England, was once only but all enable the historian to identify a trict where an event occurred and/or found as a diminutive of John. family at a particular point in time. The you cannot visit FRC, use a reputable addresses pinpoint a family to a par- record agent or certificate service. The CIVIL REGISTRATION: Lord Mel- ticular location although the relation- price of a certificate through an agent/ bourne's government of 1836 intro- ships, ages and occupations may not be service is about £8 if you supply the duced two major pieces of legislation: precise. (An in-law in the 19th century full reference (ie Name, Year, Quarter, the Marriage Act and the Registration meant something different to what it Place and, preferably, Volume and Act. The acts necessitated the creation means today. A son-in-law could mean Page Number.) The cost of a five year of a new office, the General Register stepson of the householder, ie son of search and certificate is about £10. Office (GRO) in 1837. Under the new the householder's wife and therefore a legislation, all births, marriages and son in the eye of the law.) The 1851 to CHANCERY PROCEEDINGS: deaths were to be recorded and appro- 1901 censuses provide pointers to an Chancery was the high court of equity priate certificates issued. Copies of the ancestor's parish of birth since there is a in England and Wales. The PRO holds records were kept locally at a parish 'Where Born' column. The Industrial Calendars of Chancery Proceedings register office and centrally at the GRO Revolution resulted in the migration of containing records of disputes heard by and copies of the entries may still be many people from the countryside to the Court of Chancery from 14th to obtained from either the local (district) the major cities during the first half of 19th centuries. (See Bernau's Index.) Register Offices or the GRO - (see Cer- the 19th century. By the time of the tificates). Most, but not all, births, mar- 1881 Census the population of London CHRISTENINGS: (See Baptisms.) riages and deaths were recorded until was 3.8 million and living within its 1875 when it became an offence not to bounds were more Scots than in Edin- CHRISTIAN NAMES: ONS now register an event. The GRO merged burgh, more Irish than in Dublin and publishes annual statistics relating to with the Government Social Survey in more Roman Catholics than in Rome. the most popular first names registered 1970 to form what is now known as the The censuses of 1841 through 1891 are in England and Wales. The lists reflects ONS. The Public Search Room was available on microfilm at the FRC. The current British preferences for names housed at Somerset House from 1837 1901 has been available at the PRO at made famous by Hollywood stars, until 1973 when it moved to St Cath- Kew and also on line as a pay to view models, TV actors and presenters. An- erine's House (hence still being some- searchable site on the PRO website. cestral research can be helped by nam- times referred to as the ‘Catherine’s Despite early problems it does now ing patterns established centuries ago. House Index’ or CHI) before relocating seem to be working well. The 1881 A first born son often took his father's to the FRC in 1997. Today there are census for England, Scotland, Wales, name and a first born daughter would more than 8,500 leather bound volumes the Channel Islands and the Isle of be named after her mother. In Scotland available on shelves for the public to Man, and the 1851 census for War- and the northernmost part of England a examine. Births are in red covers, mar- wickshire, Norfolk and Devon are more sophisticated pattern was often riages in green and deaths, appropri- available on computer CD from LDS used. With male offspring, the firstborn ately, in black. The volumes contain in- Distribution centre in Birmingham. was named after the father's father, the dexes with references not original en- They are fully searchable and an in- second son after the mother's father and tries. A researcher may consult the in- valuable research tool. Certain copies the third boy was given his father's dexes without charge and obtain there- of the census 1841—1901 are also Christian name. The pattern for daugh- from a reference to a particular event. available at CROs, FHCs, FHSs and at ters was a variation on the theme. The Then, a form has to be completed for a other archives. Many of the streets have eldest was given the name of her certificate to be issued at a cost - see been indexed by various bodies includ- mother's mother, the second daughter Certificates. No certificates are issued ing FHSs. There are various finding bore her father's mother's name and the on demand, there is a delay of several aids at the FRC including surname in- third girl was given her mother's name. days if a certificate is collected. There dexes for some areas for particular Researching Welsh names 300 or more can be a delay of several weeks if a cer- years. The census returns at the FRC years ago may be difficult because a tificate is requested to be mailed. If you are available to the public free of child was given his father's Christian are researching at a distance and cannot charge. Publications about using the name as his surname. Even in relatively personally visit FRC, DO NOT write to Census include Gibson's Census Re- modern times Welsh research is diffi- the GRO but engage the services of a turns on Microfilm and McLaughlin's cult because of the popularity of sur- record agent or certificate service. They Censuses 1841-1891 both available names developed from forenames. An- are much cheaper and much faster since from FTM. other popular naming pattern in Eng- they make both the initial search/ land was the adoption as a second given ordering visit and the collection visit on CERTIFICATES: (Also see Civil name of the mother's surname. This your behalf, and will furnish you with Registration). The GRO registers can- was often given to daughters as well as the same result - an official certificate not be examined by the public so a cer- sons so this helps research in extracting of a birth, death or marriage. The Pub- tified copy of an entry of a birth, mar- names from registers and indexes. Sta- lic Search Room of the GRO is located riage or death will be issued against a tistics vary regarding the number of il- at FRC, 1 Myddelton Street, Finsbury, reference obtained from the indexes legitimate children born in any particu- London, England, EC1R 1UW. Scot- held in huge volumes at FRC or on mi- lar period but 5% is a reasonable esti- tish civil registration commenced in crofiche at SoG, FHSs and FHCs. Cer- mate for the 1800s. The given name(s) 1855. Although there may be an online tificates can be obtained in several may assist in tracking a line of descent. link to Edinburgh, Scottish records are ways. You can personally visit the A "baseborn" child of (say) Sarah not maintained at FRC. Irish civil regis- GRO at FRC, write to or telephone the Brown may be named Thomas Woods tration commenced in 1864. There are GRO at Southport, use the services of a Brown or Thomas Taylor Brown with no Irish records at FRC. record agent or certificate service, or the second name being the surname of contact the appropriate Register Office the father. We all "lose" ancestors in COMMONWEALTH WAR if you know the district where an indi- the Victorian Census or in Civil Regis- GRAVES COMMISSION: (See vidual was born, married or died. The tration but they are often there but un- Army, Navy & Air Force.) price of a certificate obtained by per- der another name. It is not uncommon sonal application at FRC or the relevant to find a child born Anthony John to go COMPUTERS: The world of family Register Office is £6.50. Applications through life as John and be buried as history research has been changed for- direct to the GRO will cost minimum such or John A if one is lucky. An an- ever by the growth in home use of PCs £8 if you have the exact reference they cestor of mine registered at birth as (personal computers) and the explosion require. ( I have found applying direct Madeline Annie was Annie M when of the World Wide Web of the Internet to the GRO at Southport to be most she died. Perhaps bigger problems are online service. One cannot totally ig- useful when applying for marriage cer- the diminutive forms of given names. tificates as, even when the exact quarter Aunt Polly may have been born Mary. (Continued on page 14) and district is known, some local Regis- Page 14 Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal

(Continued from page 13) several hundred thousand names taken ELECTORAL REGISTERS: Elec- from wills, PRs, Chancery and other toral registers or poll books are histori- nore computers because they are in- court proceedings, and a large selection cal lists of those entitled to vote in par- creasingly being made available for re- of Virginia records covering the period liamentary elections. These are useful searchers at FHCs, local libraries and 1550 to 1700. To enquire about the in- aids if you are seeking an ancestor in a many archives so, even if you never dex and for current prices contact Noel particular parish or town. The Reform own a PC, you may have to become at Currer-Briggs, 3 High Street, Sutton-in- Act of 1832 increased the electorate by least partially computer literate. The the-Isle, Ely, Cambs, England, CB6 50% but most Englishmen and all Eng- LDS is moving more of its records on 2RB. lish women still had no vote. The Re- to CD-ROM ) and is selling database form Act of 1884 extended the fran- indexes to the public at very competi- DEATHS: (See Civil Registration and chise to two-thirds of the adult male tive prices. Family History is one of the Certificates.) population but women only received world's fastest growing hobbies and the the vote after the First World War. personal computer has spawned numer- DEED POLL: This is a legal process Electoral registers and poll books may ous specialised genealogy packages to effect a name change for an individ- be examined at many Local Studies and that will maintain a database of your ual. This can be confusing to a re- reference libraries, at CROs and SoG. family and generate family trees, ances- searcher of a 20th century ancestor as try charts and so on. Packages come anyone can change his or her name un- EMIGRANTS: Hundreds of thousands and go and others change name fairly der English law. (For example, you of British citizens left for the old colo- regularly. Some of the most popular of- may search at the GRO for the marriage nies in 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. ferings at the time of writing are Ances- of a previously married male Jones to a There have been giant strides made in tral Quest, Brother's Keeper, Cumber- female Smith and not find a matching 20th century to identify them. The land Family Tree, Family Origins, reference being unaware that Smith Famine Immigrants by Ira A. Glazier is Family Tree Maker, Generations changed her name to Jones by deed poll a seven volume schedule of Irish immi- (Reunion), Kith & Kin, ROOTSWin, years before the marriage at a time grants who arrived at the Port of New the Master Genealogist (TMG) and Ul- when Jones still had a legal wife.) York between 1846 and 1851 (and Sus- timate Family Tree. They all have their sex born ancestors of mine with no strong points and a weakness or two. DIRECTORIES: Before the advent of Irish connection have been found Before purchasing a package you must the telephone and yellow/white pages, a therein). The SoG's library has Ameri- ask the question: has it got GEDCOM company or individual may have been can shelves containing such publica- facilities? (and you MUST have GED- listed in a directory. Kelly's was the tions as Filby's Passenger & Immigra- COM for transferring data between the biggest publisher of directories in Eng- tion Lists Bibliography 1538-1900 and different packages and for sending and land. Kelly's retained a copy of virtu- Meyer's Passenger & Immigration Lists receiving family research by disk or e- ally every directory issued and the en- Index. The latter comprises 3 original mail). The original genealogy package tire collection was deposited at the volumes and numerous supplements sold to patrons by the LDS through Guildhall Library but, until recently, and contains records of over 2 million FHCs was PAF (Personal Ancestral was not available for public scrutiny. passengers who arrived in the USA and File), a Microsoft DOS based system Nevertheless, the Guildhall Library has Canada. There is excellent archive ma- still widely used. Other than regular up- an extensive collection of its own terial for emigrants to the West Indies grades, I still use what I did five years which is available for visitors. Most di- and India but less extensive collections ago: Windows based Family Tree rectories were focused on counties (or for Australia and New Zealand. Immi- Maker and PAF. I also use Ancestral parts of counties) and towns. Directo- grants to these countries should use the Quest, a 100% PAF compatible pack- ries will be found in most CROs. SoG superb facilities in the Antipodes. The age, that enables me to manipulate the has an unusual collection of Dublin di- Society of Australian Genealogists is PAF database in a Windows environ- rectories. located at 120 Kent Street, Sydney, ment. Researchers downloading IGI ex- DISSENTERS:(This will be covered NSW 2000, Australia and has over tractions from the CD-ROM versions under Non-Conformists.) 20,000 books plus extensive records on held at FHCs will require additional fiche and computer. There is also an software such as IGIREAD, GIPSI or DIVORCES: Very few divorces oc- Australian Association of Genealogists IGI255. These utilities convert CD- curred before the 1857 Matrimonial & Record Agents. A list of members ROM downloads into a database format Causes Act. Indexes to divorces since can be obtained from the Secretary, PO for easy processing on you home PC. 1858 are held at the Family Division, Box 268, Oakleigh, Victoria, 3168, There are utilities and peripheral pro- SH, Strand, London, England, WC2R Australia. Please send two IRCs or a grams today for virtually everything: 1LP. Although a 75 Year Rule applies large stamped, self addressed envelope. IGI Search is a Windows shareware to files and a 30 year rule to the in- The Archives Authority of New South program that performs searches on IGI dexes, the Divorce Registry will con- Wales was extremely helpful to me. data previously downloaded at a FHC; sider a search in the records of decrees The office is at 2 Globe Street, Sydney, Will Reader is a suite of four programs absolute for researchers. The initial fee New South Wales 2000, Australia. that enables you to read and interpret is around £5 for searching a specified There are also special groups for de- old wills and inventories; Birdie and 10 year period. This could be an expen- scendants of convicts and first fleeters. GenMap will display surname distribu- sive exercise if the researcher does not The New Zealand Family History Soci- tions geographically; TreeDraw and know the date of divorce. An alternate ety is located at PO Box 8795, Sy- Family Publisher will make your family route to locating divorces in one's an- monds Street, Auckland, 1035, New tree look that bit different; and there are cestry is at the PRO, which holds di- Zealand. Moving on to the 20th cen- hundreds more. Some are available as vorce indexes (in J78) that refer you to tury, over 17 million immigrant Ameri- shareware, enabling you to try the prod- the divorce files containing the most cans passed through Ellis Island be- uct at a nominal cost before registering detailed (and often lurid) information in tween 1892 and 1952. It is believed that as a user. series J77. The indexes are annual so it at least 40 % of living US nationals can may take a while to find the reference trace their ancestry back to these stal- CRO: If you know where your ances- you seek. Copies of documents from warts. The Immigrant Arrival Records, tors were born or once you find out af- J77 can then be made at a nominal cost. held on microfilm at the US National ter initial searches at FRC and the PRO, Archives and Records Administration, you may want to target CROs. Each old EDUCATION: The registers of vari- are being digitised and entered into an county in Britain had its CRO as a cen- ous universities and colleges from the electronic database that will be made tral repository for its records. CROs Middle Ages to the 19th century are at available at the American Family Im- typically hold parish registers, probate SoG. There are also registers of public migration Centre to be located on Ellis records, rate books and local census re- (in English terminology - private or in- Island. For a nominal fee, visitors will turns. Every CRO will have a brochure dependent) schools. The SoG publishes be able to obtain a printout of their an- or guide about its facilities which typi- a guide of its holdings: School, Univer- cestors' data and a scanned reproduc- cally include fiche and microfilm read- sity and College Registers and Histories tion of the original ship's manifest. ers that must be booked in advance. in the Library of the SoG. You will find that many schools and universities The Genealogical A to Z will continue CURRER-BRIGGS INDEX: The maintain their own archives of registers in the next journal or you can see the Currer-Briggs Genealogical Index is and photographs, and records may also complete A to Z through links at www. actually a number of indexes containing be found in libraries and CROs. GENUKI.org.uk Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 15

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, A PERSONAL VIEW— PART 2 By Tony Davis May I emphasise that this follow up is What of the loving married couple nated embryo? In another case a not judgmental or meant to be critical where the male partner has fertility grandmother gave birth to her own of modern practices in any way, but problems. For nearly half a century grandson to assist her daughter. purely what I perceive may be some ‘sperm donors’ have filled the gap. For difficulties for later genealogists. five pounds, to supplement their stud- We will still have births, marriages ies, some university students replied to and deaths registered but now, with Part one covered the pitfalls that may advertisements to supply their ‘seed’ ambiguous data, how will future gene- be found from ancient records. I em- into a plastic bottle. A sample that alogists meet the challenge of follow- phasise that, when tracing a family could contain more than a hundred ing such diverse procreation of their tree, it is so important to make sure million sperm to be divided x times ancestors. that you are researching the correct and stored in liquid nitrogen until the line, whether it be paternal or maternal sperm were reawakened to wriggle Is that familiar chat about ‘the birds branches. Maternal lines from the past again and fulfil their purpose. and the bees’ to be extended to explain are reasonably straightforward to fol- that they may have come from a dif- low. Then the mother was the mother How many children did John Smith, ferent nest or hive? In the future, will but a grey area may have arisen re- fair haired, blue eyed, six feet tall and the pleasurable conventional method garding the father. very athletic, sire from each sample that has suited us since Adam and Eve provided in his past, and who was the become redundant? Will less pain kill- My suggestion that the majority of ge- father on the birth certificate? It would ers be used as the late night headache nealogists are ‘barking up the wrong not have been John Smith. Legislation will not be a necessary opt out? tree’ by following a paternal line that might soon allow the children of such is false has increased during the last donors to trace their genetic father, fifty years. leading to John Smith having a big MEMORIES surprise one day on his ‘happy family The single mother with her baby are home’ doorstep. How many children When teaching Genealogy, one of now accepted as the norm in society could knock on the door of this hap- my first suggestions is to go and but is the father named on the birth pily married man. visit your eldest relative for infor- certificate? Sadly, that same mother mation. Occasionally, as I look may have other children from different Gay and Lesbian couples are exploring around, I realise that the ‘eldest rela- partners. Similarly, one of the fathers their own ways of producing a child tive’ is probably in front of me. I may have sired children with a number that they want to raise. A lesbian suggest that they get an exercise of partners. What details are on their might use the sperm of a gay or other book and scribble away to convert birth registrations. What confusion male, and a plastic pipette does the their memories onto paper. This is will arise in future years if those chil- rest to impregnate her waiting ovum. so important, otherwise they will dren research their family tree! A friendly Lesbian may allow her take the most wonderful material to ovum to be used for a gay male cou- their graves. Now we face the genetic pitfalls to a ple. The woman acting as the incuba- family history, created in the latter tor. Whose names will be on the birth This suggestion has resulted in a 20th and early 21st centuries to blow certificates. Who would be registered couple of elderly folks sending the some parts of genealogical study into as father and mother in both scenarios. material on to me as they didn’t turmoil. Future researchers could be in know what to do. I have found their ‘Never, Never Land’ as they will have Surrogacy is again very delicate. An memories a valuable addition to so- different scenarios to deal with. ovum is supplied to be impregnated by cial history. So, I have typed them X’s sperm and you can have the baby up and scanned in their wonderful What of the child who experiences at delivery. What details are on the old and new photographs. Both have adoption resulting in the trauma of try- registration certificate? Much like been very pleased with the result. ing to trace both genetic parents at a John Smiths availability. Then what For free I do two copies, one for the much later date, after having had a se- happens when the ‘incubator’ refuses sender and one for the local library. cure and happy childhood with those to pass on the result from her nine Any further copies have to cover my he always regarded as mum and dad. month rented uterus? costs. Rightly, they will be in a turmoil to trace their roots. If they get answers, Recently, two embryos were formed in I have the time to do this and their then they might be aware of, or meet, a petri dish. The originators of the ge- memories should not go to waste. true or half brothers and sisters that netic material only wanted one of were previously unknown. The out- them. The other embryo from the If you would like me to produce come could go either way. In a century ‘bank’ was given to another infertile your memories then phone me, of time will those records be available couple. Here we have twins growing Tony Davis, on 02476 279647 and to researchers? up in separate family groups. Who are let’s talk. registered as the parents of each do- Page 16 Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal

The Ensor/ Shakespeare Connection Mystery By Peter Lee I would particularly like to thank Ron what connection he might have had Law in Hinckley, Leicestershire. In Cofiell in San Francisco, USA, Fran with North Warwickshire – or indeed the Harpur of Burton Latimer collec- Van Meer in Canada, Jeremy Ensor if his brothers had male descendents tion at Northampton CRO [Item 128, now resident in Frankfurt, Germany, who would give rise to such a connec- 1759] "Settlement by John Strong En- Simon Ensor who lives in France, and tion. It is said that of his three broth- sor and Anne his wife of Mansion Moreton Ensor in Massachussets, ers, none married, and only one seems House of Exning, Suffolk; lands there USA and Alan Cook who have given to have born a son who died as a pre- and in Stoney Stanton, Narborough me a large amount of help in trying to pubescent youngster, the mother of the and Cosby, Leics." unravel this connection. child not being married to the father and unrecorded in any records so far Then another reference: "1857, June 2. I first became aware of an Ensor/ discovered. Died at Hastings, aged 62 William Shakespeare connection when looking Hammond, esq. of Camden Road vil- through John Nichols “History & An- Sarah Strong of Sutton in the Elms, las, and Scott's-yard, London, and tiquities of the County of Leicester” Leicestershire was a product of the Exning, Suffolk, a magistrate for the Vol 4 Part II (published 1811) where I marriage of George Strong and Sarah County of Middlesex, and for upwards found on page 602 in a family tree of Shakespeare; but then another Shake- of forty years a respectable merchant the Purefoy family a note of a mar- speare appears a further generation of the city of London, The deceased riage between John Strong Ensor and back. John Strong Ensor's grandfather was said to be one of the last lineal Anne Purefoy in 1747. John Strong another John Ensor (1667-1723) mar- descendents of Shakespeare." Ensor born 29.4.1716 and baptised ried Grace Symes nee Shakespeare 13.5.1716 died 1768 was the son of who died in 1704. A Grace Shake- The chronology seems to be that the John Ensor of Wilnecote (1681-1750). spear who might have been the one Exning passes from John Strong Ensor In reference at the bottom of page 602 baptised at Little Packington, War- by bequest in the former's will to Wil- it said: Of John Strong Ensor – wickshire on 15.11.1655 dau. of Tho- liam Hammond – a relative - and both “whose sister was wife of the reverend mas and Grace Shakespear married a shared this common Shakespeare tra- John Dyer: and whose grandmother Rev. John (Dyall) on 7.8.1689 at dition. was a Shakespeare descended from a Shenstone in Staffordshire. (Although brother of every body’s Shakespeare.” a birth of a first son at the age of 45 is Another connection - "The Pauls of stretching her fertility but is clearly Wilnecote, who descend in common One of the intriguing interests of any not unknown). This couple just might with Mrs. Dyer from Grace, but not family history is what I term have been the parents of John Dyer from Strong, are familiar with an idea “proximity” – that is where a family (1700-1757[8]) known as the ‘Bard of of relationship to Shakspeare." The being researched seems to have elu- Gronger Hill’. This John Dyer married Pauls inherited the Ensor Tinker’s sive links either with famous people in Sarah Ensor born 12.6.1712 baptised Green property at Wilnecote, which history, the nobility, historic places or 16.6.1712 died 3.9.1760. Sarah was had been in the Ensor family for 300 important events. In the case of Attle- the sister of John Strong Ensor. years descended from the Comberford borough, the family of Fortescue Edensors. which lived there in the 19th century Amongst the papers Ron Cofiell sent by their very name must have de- to me: In 1756, John Dyer, wrote to What was, if any, the relationship be- scended from the noble family of that William Duncan:- 'More of myself, tween William Shakespeare and the name but parish records and the ac- which your good natured curiosity Ensors? On this point I can only cepted printed works on the subject of draws from me, is this, after having guess, the truth may be out there but it the Fortescues are entirely silent on been an itinerant painter in my native has lain dormant and unrecognised for the connection. In this case Nichols, country (South Wales), and in Here- five hundred years. The only evidence not known for errors, may be correct fordshire and Worcestershire, &c. &c. we have is circumstantial and proba- and there was an Ensor/Shakespeare I married and settled in Leicestershire. bly evolves from the so called “lost connection but despite great activity in My wife's name was Ensor, whose years” between 1585 and 1592 when this direction I have yet to find it. An- grandmother was a Shakespear, de- he has already established himself in other example is where the Pauls of scended from a brother of everybody's London where he is referred to by Chilvers Coton have links with the Shakespear.' Robert Greene as “ the upstart crow”.

Pauls of Wilnecote who take over the The reality, however, may be very property of the Ensor family – but John Strong Ensor was clerk to an at- mundane indeed. After leaving Strat- what is their connection with the Pauls torney in the North Warwickshire ford Grammar School he had received of Attleborough where they lived in town of Coleshill, hardly a bowshot a good education, and was an intelli- close proximity to Chilvers Coton? from the estate manor of Little Pack- gent scholar. I suspect he was put to ington (two or three miles – the next work by his father. John Shakespeare The accepted printed biographies of parish) where Grace Shakespear was ( -1601) in his trade as a glover or William Shakespeare and what little christened. He married Anne Purefoy whittawer, wool and skin merchant. A work has been carried out on his gene- and went into partnership with George alogy, again are entirely silent, on Purefoy his brother in law, Attorney at (Continued on page 17) Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 17

(Continued from page 16) In Twelfth Night (iii.1.13) Festa says Shakeshaft to be under the influence whittawer was a worker in white to Viola: ‘A sentence is but a cheveril of men who lived one hundred miles leather which was a soft and supple glove to a good wit: how quickly the away of whom the youthful Shake- material used in the finest quality wrong side might be turned outward’. speare probably knew nothing. It glove making. In 1586, when John There are more like this. seems far more feasible that William’s stood bail for a local tinker, he was father having spent a goodly amount described in the court records as a William Shakespeare - (1564-1616) of money on his schooling would have “glover” and in 1573 (when William had three brothers: Edmund Shake- preferred him to be a resource within was nine years old) as a “whyttawer”. speare bapt. 3.5.1580 - 1607, an actor; his business, instead of wasting it on Even in the 17th century after his death Richard bapt. 11.3.1574 - 1613 and poetry, play acting and wafting around local anecdotal evidence would sug- Gilbert bapt. 13.10.1566 - 1612. Gil- the country in the homes of aristo- gest he was still remembered as a bert was a haberdasher in Stratford. cratic and aesthetic gentlemen. Glover. Thomas Betterton, the Resto- Leaving aside Edmund and Gilbert ration actor, described him as “a con- who did not play a great part in their As well as gloves, products made siderable dealer in wool.” father’s trade, it could be that Richard would have been small, value added (or another brother – which I will refer accessories such as fancy belts, bags, In 1571 (when the Bard was seven) to later) would be a likely candidate to purses, sword hangers, satchels and John spent £210 on wool. This in- have carried on working for their fa- breeches. Finished goods would then cluded the purchase of 200 tods ther after William left to tread the be taken to the London market again (5,600lbs) of wool in Westminster and boards in London. We know very little by John, probably accompanied by a further 100 tods (2,800lbs) in Snit- about Richard besides the bare bones William and Richard to provide the terfield. Records of the Court of Com- of dates. additional pack horse capacity needed mon Pleas, record that in 1599 John to make a viable load. Maybe also fine Shakespeare sued John Walford, a It is clear from these records that John soft leather would have been taken in clothier from Marlborough, Wiltshire carried out his trade over a wide area bulk to sell to the specialist glove for failing to pay a debt of £21 for and I suggest mostly by personal rep- makers to turn out the fashionable per- twenty one tods of wool, a bargain resentation on horseback as far afield fumed gloves so sought after in Eliza- which had been agreed thirty years as London, and various markets bethan times. Local Glovers would, of earlier. It is clear that despite sug- throughout Warwickshire, Gloucester- course, have been more knowledge- gested financial problems later on he shire and Oxfordshire as well as be- able about London tastes than a pro- continued to carry out an extensive yond that. It is also my assumption vincial Glover like John Shakespeare. trade over several counties. To do this that on these trips one or more of his It is not surprising then that William his business he must have needed as- sons, including William, would have was, by the time he set out on a liter- sistance and where better to find this accompanied him. Through these jour- ary career he was “a man of the than by investing in a good education neys William might have acquired a world”. Through his father’s extended for his children. To employ them later detailed knowledge of the hostelries dealings and occasional dealings with within the family business. The Rev. where they stayed, particularly Ox- the law he had learnt something of the Frederick Leigh Colville contains ford, the half waypoint to London. In complexities of the English legal pro- some reference to this distinct possi- addition John Shakespeare would have fession. His business dealings with bility within “The Worthies of War- had business with the large estates in traders of all descriptions left him con- wickshire” who lived between 1500 the counties visited, with estate man- fident and able to talk to them on a and 1800”. Published 1869. agers and often with the owners of like for like basis. An ability that stood these properties, the landed aristocracy him well for the future. He wrote: “With such opportunities of of England. He would travel to bring conjoined employment and enjoyment, back suitable skins, maybe he and his Of course, scholarly thespians would as his father’s business afforded him, sons carried the high quality skins condemn such humble activities as not we need not wonder at being told ‘that used in the whittower’s trade whereas worth thinking about but Shake- when he was a boy he exercised his bulk sheepskin by carters engaged by speare’s Warwickshire “lost years” father’s trade, but when he killed a either party. It is probable that ser- were, I suspect, more mundane than calf, he would do it in high style, and vants or retainers back in Stratford they wish to contemplate. Shakespeare make a speech,’ so at once doing his carried out the processing of these has been elevated to such a status that duty, and taking the edge off the ap- skins. a modest interpretation of the lost parent servility of his occupa- years is unthinkable to most literary tion.” (The original source of this in- Scholarly historians whose great scholars. formation appears to be Thomas books of biography on the life of Wil- Greene, an uncle of Shakespeare bur- liam Shakespeare appear entirely to My theory is that it was during one of ied 6th March 1589/90) ignore the possibility that William these business trips with his father that worked for his father. Instead they he came to meet Sir Henry Goodere Shakespeare displayed a fair knowl- find scraps of information that might (1534?- ) of Polesworth Hall, and edge of the tools and materials of his tie a William Shakeshaft into the will from this meeting an introduction to father’s trade. In the Merry Wives of of Alexander Hoghton of 1581 of Lea, the “Polesworth Literary Circle”. That Windsor Mistress Quickly asks” Lancashire, and then set out to create a John Shakespeare knew Sir Henry whether Slender wears a great round possible scenario around it. Clutching beard ‘like the Glover’s paring knife”. at straws and making this William (Continued on page 18) Page 18 Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal

(Continued from page 17) man as a kindred spirit. I suspect that It may be that Richard Shakespeare Goodere is beyond doubt. In a book one day probably in the 1570’s that an acquired the Little Packington estate entitled “A Chapter in the Early Life equally precocious and youthful Wil- prior to his father’s death and been of Shakespeare” by Arthur Gray – he liam Shakespeare, on either visiting inamorata with a serving wench in his reported that the Corporation of Strat- Polesworth with his father on trade own household, their giving rise to the ford Upon Avon at the Bear Inn in business or through Michael Drayton Ensor relative in later years. When he Bridge Street entertained Henry arriving at Stratford in the entourage died in 1613 it was only right that his Goodere, together with Sir Fulke Gre- of Henry Goodere a strong bond of body should be returned to his native ville, Sir Thomas Lucy, and Clement common interest begun which was place Stratford to be buried but his Throckmorton. And that John Shake- nurtured within the Polesworth Circle, clandestine offspring may have re- speare (High Bailiff – as we would where also Shakespeare first met Ben mained at Little Packington for at least term it today – Mayor of Stratford) Johnson (1572-1637), etc. their intial another one hundred years. would attend such meetings and other meeting at a time before they had all Corporation meetings when “Henry become established in their respective Another more possibility may lie in Goodere, was pay’d horse hire to at- literary and artistic careers. Little Packington itself where a Tho- th tend”. In 1570 Henry Goodere was mas Shakespeare made a will on 26 appointed High Sherriff of Warwick- Ben Johnson later wrote: April 1610. Could this be another shire. He was knighted by Queen “When I would know thee, Goodere, brother of William? Elizabeth at Leicester in October my thought looks 1586. Upon they well-make choice of friends According to the Monumental Inscrip- and books; tions found in St. Bartholomew’s Within the Polesworth Circle were Then do I love thee, and behold thy church at Little Packington there is a gathered the very people who would ends, memorial to a Shakespeare family become the acquaintances if not good In making thy friends books, and thy who lived there until their estate was sold to Lord Aylesford sometime in friends of William Shakespeare in books friends.” th later years. Notably Michael Drayton the 18 century.

(1563-1637), the poet. Drayton origi- It could have been one of these books This memorial reads: nated from Hartshill near Nuneaton which was a great friend to William “Near this place was interred George and was a year older than Shake- Shakespeare. In the adjacent manor to Shakespeare of Packington Parva, speare. Drayton’s father was a tenant Polesworth stood a house called Gentleman, Thomas Shakespeare, farmer (and tanner) of Goodere at Ath- Bramcote Hall. In the household of the Gentleman and Grace his wife. Tho- erstone. Therefore, here was a man owner, Thomas Burdet, was his stew- mas Shakespeare, Gentleman and involved in the animal skin business ard a man called Ralph (or Raphael) Mary his wife. Which Mary was like John Shakespeare. It is popularly Holinshed ( -1580). Holinshed’s daughter of William Lapeth [Lapworth supposed that Michael Drayton ful- Chronicles – A history of England, P.L.]Gentleman. filled the role in Goodere’s household Scotland and Ireland published in

as a surrogate son. Drayton had en- 1577 was a known research source to They had also two sons and two tered Goodere’s service as a servant – William Shakespeare who used it ex- daughters, Thomas, George, Mary and later a page. Sir Henry Goodere and tensively to trace the plots of: Cymbe- Grace. his wife only produced daughters. line, Henry VI, Henry V, Henry VI, Through the good will of his noble Henry VIII, King John, Macbeth (his George Shakespeare, he departed this benefactor Michael Drayton was edu- sole source), Richard II, and Richard life 27 May 1725 aged 43, by whom cated at Oxford. He is first reported to III. Where did he find that book? – in this monument was erected in pious have been within the Goodere house- the library of Holinshead’s regard to the memory of his great hold around the year 1572/3. Their neighbour – Henry Goodere. (Or grandfather, grandfather, grand- relationship must therefore have been maybe at Bramcote itself) mother, father and mother, brother a close one. Maybe taken under and himself, 1726. Goodere’s wing as the son he could After William became involved with not have. the stage and London took up more of I have also noted (for what its worth) his time it is entirely possible that his that in that same graveyard are in- As a child it was said of him: “In brother Richard played an increasing terred at Little Packington: childhood he was remarkable for the role in his father’s affairs. Despite this Edwin George Dyer (1882-1947) attractions of his person, and for his William kept his interests in Stratford Margaret Emma Dyer (1886-1985). modesty and sweetness of temper. He where he purchased New Place in early evinced a great taste for poetry, 1597, and remained in touch with his Could it be that Thomas Shakespeare and at his particular request, his stud- family there, no doubt returning to ( - 1610) was a brother of William ies were especially directed to an ac- look after his business matters, par- about which history tells us nothing. quaintance with the poets of antiq- ticularly when the plague raged in Let us examine the circumstantial evi- uity.” London, and plays were cancelled for dence: John Shakespeare and Mary fear of spreading it. His father’s Arden had eight children: Beguiled by Drayton’s intellect and changing fortunes might have also Joan (1558-1558) poetic ability, charm and character, Sir needed his attention from time to time. Margaret (1562-1563) Henry Goodere took to this young (Continued on page 19) Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 19

(Continued from page 18) William (the eldest son 1564-1616) Nuneaton’s Greatest Author: Where Was he Tried? Gilbert (1566-1612) By James Sambrook Joan (1569- ) Anne (1571-1578) A little of the pre-history of the Wars brought in a true bill but Malory was Richard (1574-1613) of the Roses was played out in Nunea- not tried, probably because it suited Edmund (1580-1607) ton in 1451, when Sir Thomas Malory Buckingham to keep him in prison (in of Newbold Revel and his followers London, where the proceedings were It will be noticed that the first seven were accused of a string of robberies, transferred in October) rather than children were conceived within a 2-4 extortions and violent assaults, two have the accusations tested in court. year cycle, whereas Edmund breaks rapes, and the attempted murder of (Source: P.J.C. Field, The Life and tradition being born some six years Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Bucking- Times of Sir Thomas Malory, Cam- after Richard. Could it be another ham, the greatest landowner in Eng- bridge, 1993.) son – Thomas – was born in between land, a leading Lancastrian in politics, those two, and that he started the fam- and a man of power in north Warwick- The charges brought at Nuneaton ily at Little Packington.? But why do shire. Buckingham himself, at the head would have only slight interest as il- we know so little about this brother if of sixty followers, arrested Malory but lustrating the political feuding and he existed and why is he not recorded did not send him before the sessions or general disorder which broke into the in the parish registers of Stratford the peace at Warwick, as would have full-scale War of the Roses in 1455 church like his siblings? been normal, probably because Malory were it not that the accused was al- was a Yorkist and Buckingham feared most certainly the same Sir Thomas As an aside: In “A Dictionary of that any legal process in that town Malory who, a few years later in a Characters and Proper Names In The would be opposed by the powerful London prison, would write Le Morte Works of Shakespeare” by F.G.Stokes Yorkist Richard Neville, Earl of War- Darthur, a work of immense literary he writes – Wincot – Wilnecote, near wick. Instead, Buckingham took and cultural influence through five Tamworth, famous for its ale in the Malory to Coventry and on 25 July centuries. One might even argue that 17th century! Wilnecote the home of 1451 handed him over to one of his Malory’s involuntary association with the Ensors. own supporters, Sir William Mount- Nuneaton makes him our most signifi- ford, sheriff of Warwickshire, who cant local author. The Wilnecote Ensor line splits - imprisoned him in his own house at After the Elizabethan period the Wil- Coleshill. Though Malory escaped by Be that as it may, I’d be interested to necote family splits into various swimming the moat on that occasion learn what building in Nuneaton in branches: and allegedly committed more violent 1451 might have been suitable for the The Irish branch descended from Job robberies, he was indicted on Monday, trial of an allegedly dangerous and Ensor of Wilnecote (1688- ) this led 23 August 1451 at a sessions of the violent criminal who had a gang of to the Ensors of Armagh, Dublin, peace in Nuneaton before Buckingham local followers. Could it have been in Limerick, Fermanagh and Ardress himself, three other justices, and juries Nuneaton priory? The Victoria County (until 1960). The Rolesby Hall branch, from both Knightlow and Hemiling- History of Warwickshjre mentions of Norfolk, descended from John ford hundreds (the two areas where the ‘The Habit’, a mansion situated in the (1773- ) who married Amphillis alleged offences occurred). This court outer court of the priory, which ap- daughter of Edward Mapes of was essentially an inquest to determine pears to have been the lodging of the Rollesby son of this same Job. These whether the accused should be com- prior (IV. 167). in turn led to the Dorchester and New mitted to custody and trial. The court Zealand branches. There were also branches (presumably from the Wilne- Registration of twins and still births cote branch) in Birmingham and I recently contacted a local Register Office to apply for a birth certificate for an ancestor around Measham in Leicestershire. who was said to have been a twin, his twin sibling having been still born. I knew that for any multiple birth the time of birth was always noted and entered on the certificate as well It could be that a John Ensor who mi- as the date. However, when the certificate arrived it did not have a time noted leading me to grated to Maryland in America and believe that he was, in fact, not a twin after all. Dissatisfied with this situation, I rang the attested the will of William Gaines, of registrar who explained that a time was only noted if more than one of the babies from a Baltimore County on November 10th. multiple birth was born alive. As my other twin was still born no time would have been 1693 was an Ensor from the Wilnecote noted. Also she told me that still births are registered but not locally. They are entered onto a special register of stillbirths kept by the General Register office. - Pat Boucher branch who took up the Quaker relig- ——————————————— ion. On page 131, Of Baldwin’s Mary- land Calendar of Wills, appears the Minimum legal age for marriage entry: “in 1727 Richard Taylor, Balti- I recently contacted the PRO requesting information regarding the legal age for marriage and received the following reply which I am sure will be of interest:- more County, I A bou of John Ensor “The minimum age for marriage (with parental consent) in England and Wales was only for a Meeting House and burying raised to 16 years as late as 1929. The former minimum age of marriage ie the legal age at place for Friends.” which a marriage could actually take place, goes back to the middle ages and was 14 for a male and only 12 for a female. Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act of 1753 made parental The next chapter of this story deals consent necessary for those marrying under the age of 21, but did not change the legal age at with the Ensors who moved to Nunea- which parties could be married.” - Richard Powers. ton and Attleborough. Page 20 Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal

GET NETTED www.a2a.pro.gov.uk tive is to provide free Internet searches of baptism, marriage, The A2A (access to archives) database will give you precise and burial records, which have been transcribed from parish and useful information about archives in England. It is regu- and non-conformist church registers in the UK. larly updated, so visit often for the latest information. The A2A database does not yet include digital images of docu- www.hunimex.com/warwick/mi_indx.html ments. Nor does it include full transcripts (copies) of the text Pickard Trepess has just posted the index to the MIs at the of documents. The catalogues in the database will help you church of St Mary & All Saints at Fillongley. He is also in find archives, but they are not always a substitute for the ar- the process of uploading many FOLESHILL records for chives they describe. Contact details for contributing ar- Baptisms and Marriages, and also census data (1840-1901) chives repositories are available from the Contacts page and for the WHITE families living in and around Nuneaton. from your search results, so that you can arrange to see or order copies of the documents you are interested in. Archive CD Books www.archivecdbooks.org This is a project to reproduce Index of place names old books on CD for genealogists and pay for the restoration Chris Phillips has contacted the editor regarding the of books in Record Offices, Libraries, etc. following websites. He writes:- I thought you might be Mailing list [email protected] (for discus- interested to know that I have recently compiled an index to sions), [email protected] place names mentioned in the titles of topographical articles (announcements & news), e-mail enquir- in the published volumes of the Victoria County History. [email protected]

The index is available on my medieval English genealogy Genealogical Help web site at: There are a number of websites which have the main aim of www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/vch/index.shtml connecting people so that they can help each other and share The Warwickshire contents page is at: genealogical research. They all offer similar things and have www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/vch/warwickshire.shtml numerous links to other sites. You can search various data- bases, search for others with your surname interests and add I hope this index will be useful to those, including students your interests, join a mailing list, register to receive free of medieval genealogy, who regularly consult the VCH, and email newsletters etc etc. They all have easy instructions for particularly to those who do not have access to a complete first time users. The following are but a few examples of set of the published volumes, and who may need to arrange a the best. loan of the volume covering a particular parish. www.rootsweb.org

www.ancestry.com Some items on this site are free but for At present, the index covers only the topographical sections, many you need to pay a subscription. It contains mainly but I hope to extend it to place names mentioned in the titles records for USA of articles in other sections, such as those on religious www.genuki.org.uk The aim of GENUKI is to serve as a houses and educational institutions. ‘virtual reference library’ of genealogical information of particular relevance to the UK & Ireland. It is a noncommer- The web site in general aims to provide information useful cial service, provided by volunteers in cooperation with the to those researching medieval English ancestry, including a Federation of Family History Societies and a number of its guide to sources, classified lists of links to online source member societies. In the main, the information that is pro- material and family histories, a hyperlinked medieval vided in GENUKI relates to primary historical material, calendar, and some other reference material, including a rather than material resulting from genealogists' ongoing collection of corrections and additions to the Complete research, such as GEDCOM files. Peerage (in progress). Genealogical Magazines http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/ You can obtain free trial copies of the following American FreeBMD stands for Free Births, Marriages, and Deaths. Family History magazines online. For FAMILY CHRONI- The FreeBMD Project's objective is to provide free Internet CLE visit www.familychronicle.com. Articles include access to the Civil Registration index information for Eng- ‘Civil War Records’, ‘10 Ways to make the Most of Census land and Wales. The Civil Registration system for recording Research’, ‘Consanguinity: Close Marriage Questions’, births, marriages, and deaths in England and Wales has been ‘Breaking Through Brickwalls’, ‘12 Ways to Find a Female in place since 1837 and is one of the most significant single Ancestor's Maiden Name’. For HISTORY MAGAZINE resources for genealogical research back to Victorian times. visit www.history-magazine.com/. Articles include ‘The The FreeBMD project only contains index information for History of Zoos’, ‘Armor through the Ages’, ‘Everyday Life the period 1837-1901. in the Confederacy’, ‘The Women Who Won the West’.

http://freereg.rootsweb.com Thanks to Sylvia Showell and everyone else who has This site is being developed but is not actually searchable emailed contributions to me for this page. Please keep yet and is for Parish Registers. The FreeREG Project's objec- them coming in - Pat Boucher Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 21

NOTICEBOARD

Forthcoming Events Friday 18 October 2002. Mike Palladino Memorial Lecture. The De-Havilland Aircraft Company and its Founder. Geoffrey De-Havilland spent his childhood in Nuneaton. He discovered the wonders of flying during his time in the town. He put this interest to good use founding the aircraft company which took his name. Stewart McKay of the De-Havilland Moth club will give us a talk on the history of the company and its founder. 7.30 to 9.00 pm in the council chamber of Nuneaton Town Hall. Admission £1 for members £2 for non-members. Please contact Peter Lee to obtain your tickets on 024 76381090.

Saturday 19 October 2002, 10 am - 4pm Oxfordshire FHS Open Day. This year’s Open Day will be at the society’s usual meeting venue: Exeter Hall, Oxford Road, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1AB. Admission to the Open Day is free, whilst light refreshment will be on sale at reasonable prices. The venue is situated on a frequent bus route, and is easily reached by public transport. Those travelling by car will find Kidlington close to the main A34 and A40 trunk roads. There is limited free car parking on site.

The Open Day will feature :- well known guest lecturer Audrey Collins giving two or three presentations on topics of interest to family historians; a demonstration and workshop on the scanning of old photographs by Kevin Tomes of the well-known Oxford printing firm “Parchment”; an assortment of visiting societies, dealers in second hand books and postcards, sales of microfiche readers and the like; the society's library and search services; a beginners' helpdesk; computing demonstrations giving advice on such things as which genealogical software package to choose, and the use of the internet in family history.

For more information visit the society’s website at www.ofhs.org.uk or email Paul Gaskell at [email protected]

Tuesday 22 October: Warwickshire Recreation, a talk by Craig Williams. 7.30 - 9.00pm at The Chilvers Coton Heri- tage Centre. Admission £1 for members £1.50 for non-members. For more information please contact Peter Lee.

Introducing Family History - A Talk by Joyce Finnemore. Date and venue to be announced. Details will be posted on the website or contact Peter Lee. 1901 Census Whilst the PRO 1901 census website remained frustratingly ‘down’, Alva King began to input all of the census information for Nuneaton into a huge database. At the moment she has inputted over 10 thousand names and has completed most of Nuneaton, Chilvers Coton and Attleborough. If anyone would like me to perform a search of the database please either email or send an SAE to Pat Boucher.

An invitation to join the History of Atherstone Research Team An exciting new £25,000 project to research the history of Atherstone through its buildings and documents is being planned. A new partnership of local heritage groups and professionals has been set up by Atherstone Civic Society and has applied to the Countryside Agency for a Heritage Lottery funded Local Heritage Initiative.

The group has enlisted the expert help of Dr Nat Alcock, whose books, Old Title Deeds, and People at Home: Living in a Warwickshire Village, 1500-1800, are standard texts for local and family historians. He will be working with groups of vol- unteers to transcribe and interpret Atherstone’s vast archive at the Warwickshire County Record Office and elsewhere. Also in the team will be building surveyor, Bob Meeson, who will work with small groups of volunteers surveying and recording the town’s oldest buildings. By analysing all the relevant documents it is hoped to trace the occupancy of these buildings over the ages.

Dr Terry Slater, of Birmingham University, who wrote A History of Warwickshire, will be showing volunteers how to meas- ure up Atherstone’s ancient burgage plots to try and understand how the town developed, and there will be lectures from a number of leading academics.

The project will appeal to anyone interested in old buildings, local or family history, and it is important to stress that no one has to be an expert. All that is needed is a curiosity about the past. However, the team is also looking for someone with a tal- ent for drawing and someone who understands computer databases.

Study sessions will be held during the daytime and evening with some fieldwork and workshops at weekends. This will en- able people with work or family commitments to be included, and it is hoped to arrange a crèche so that mothers with pre- school children can attend. The project will be based at the White Hart Heritage Centre in Long Street, Atherstone. It will run for two years at the end of which the findings will be published as a book to be used as a resource by schools, local histo- rians, planners and conservationists. All participation is free of charge and expenses will be paid where necessary.

It is hoped that the project will begin in late October or early November. Meanwhile, anyone wishing to take part is invited to contact Judy Vero, honorary secretary of Atherstone Civic Society, telephone 01827 712250, email [email protected]. uk. NNWFHS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2002 The NNWFHS AGM will take place at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 12th November 2002 at Nuneaton library (before the usual research meeting). All of the current committee EXCEPT Steve Casey are standing for re-election. This leaves the committee one short of its minimum number allowed by the constitution. If you are a fully paid up member and would like to stand for the committee, your nomination should be submitted, in writing, to our Chairman, Peter Lee, by October 31st at the latest. Please mark the back of the envelope “Committee nominations”. If no nominations are received then the Chairman may take nominations from the floor at the AGM. The committee meets at 7.30 - 9.00 pm on the first Tuesday of each month at Nuneaton Council House in Coton Road. If you would like more details about what being on the committee involves please do not hesitate to contact Peter Lee or any of the other committee members.