‘Pem’ (Emily) Green’s Shop, The Square, Attleborough c1900. (See page 12 for more photos from the Green Family Album) NUNEATON AND NORTH WARWICKSHIRE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Member of the Federation of Family History Societies http://www.nnwfhs.org.uk JOURNAL JULY 2004 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 Shocking Suicide - By Tom Beebe 3 20th Century Family Myths & Legends - By Jacqui Simkins 4 Nuneaton’s Inns, Pubs and Taverns - By Peter Lee 5 One Of The Most Neglected Genealogical Techniques - By Alan F Cook 11 Family Album - The Green, Brown & Townsend Families’ Holiday Photos - By Anne Paling-Lawson 12 HART - Atherstone Civic Society’s Local Heritage Initiative - By Judy Vero 13 New Books, CDs Etc 14 Get Netted 15 Noticeboard 16 New Members/ New Members’ Interests 16 Publications 17 NNWFHS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN PETER LEE, P O Box 2282, Nuneaton, Warwicks CV116ZT Tel: (024) 7638 1090 email [email protected] INDEXING PROJECTS CO-ORDINATOR CAROLYN BOSS, Nuneaton Library, Church Street, Nuneaton, & VICE CHAIR Warwickshire CV11 4DR Tel: (024) 7638 4027 SECRETARY & ALVA KING, 26 Thirlmere Avenue, Nuneaton, Warwicks. CV11 6HS BURIALS INDEXING PROJECT Tel: (024) 7638 3499 email: [email protected] 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] JOURNAL & PUBLICATIONS EDITOR PAT BOUCHER, 33 Buttermere Ave, Nuneaton,Warwicks CV11 6ET & MICROFICHE LENDING LIBRARIAN Tel: (024) 7638 3488 email [email protected] COMMITTEE MEMBER & RAY HALL, 4 Thornhill Drive, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV11 6TD BURIALS INDEXING PROJECT Tel: (024) 76 744647 email [email protected] PUBLICATIONS MANAGER ROBERT BUTLER, 16 Dovecote Close, Solihull, West Midlands B91 2EP Tel 0121 743 8526 email [email protected] WEBSITE MANAGER BILL BOSWELL, 21 Randle Road, Stockingford, Nuneaton,Warwicks CV10 8HR Tel: (024) 7634 3596 email [email protected] COMMITTEE ALAN F COOK COMMITTEE VAL PICKARD, 108 Lister Road, Atherstone, Warwicks CV9 3DF Tel: (01827) 711863 email: [email protected] NORTH AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVE HARLOW G FARMER, 7101 Bay Front Dr. #124 Annapolis, MD 21403 USA. E-mail [email protected] 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 [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. Also, don’t forget items for help wanted, new websites, software reviews etc Thanks, Pat Boucher - Editor. Deadline for all copy to be included in the October issue of the Journal is September 7th Page 2 Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal NnwFHs Diary A Report From The Chairman, Peter Lee As we enter the summer season family history takes a bit of a back seat. Holidays, gardening, rambling, fishing, etc. and other outdoor pursuits fill up our leisure time. Despite this some of you enjoy visiting some of those places associated with your ancestors. Visiting your roots is a summer favourite, as well as more serious studies, records offices, libraries, museums and battlefields. Light nights and better weather help this. Our family history society never shuts so if you need any help this summer season we are here for you. The Nuneaton local and family history weekend is at the Chilvers Coton Heritage Centre on Saturday, September 11th. If you can make it we are pleased to see you there especially if you are displaying your family records. This is something we welcome very much and we will be pleased to meet you. Not only that you might come face to face with some long lost cousin, or obtain additional local information, which provide new clues where to look next. Tables and display areas are available, but you need to book early to reserve them. To reserve your place at the event please call me on my mobile (07710 233539) which is switched on 24 hours a day and accompanies me everywhere, (even to the pub!). Try and combine it with a weekend in the area. If you are coming a long distance we can help with hotel, guest house and travel information. Also we might be able to put you in touch with a cousin or two who live locally. Our popular second Tuesday of the month sessions at Nuneaton Library (7.30pm-9.30pm) continue despite the hot weather, so please try and make one of those. Bring your family with you as well. Let us show them what records are here and take advantage of the local collections with all the census records 1841-1891, as well as parish records. Thinking of new ways we can maximize the benefits of family history, I was talking to an Indian friend of mine one day who told me all about his family back in the sub-continent. It occurred to me that an “Asian Family History Event” might be a useful addition to our range of services at the Library. So please let me know if you have any expertise in this area. In our multi-cultural society “family” is the same in any language, so there must be a local need here. This is planned for later in the year. Something I have learned about organizing these local events is the total coverage you need to give them. Every available publicity outlet as well as constant reminders to people so that what appeared to be a good idea three months ago is still fresh in people’s thoughts right up until the day of delivery. Forgive me, therefore, if you get the odd e.mail reminding you of what is on. You can always delete it after you have read it. CRIME WATCH 1820 STYLE By Val Pickard The Sheepy Magna Association for the Proscecution of Felons instructed Henry Radford, Solicitor of Atherstone to seek out one William Corbett, Cattle Dealer of Austrey in Warwickshire. This he did by placing an advertisement in The Times newspa- per in early 1820. 15 Guineas reward was offered. NNWFHS William Corbett was charged with having “feloniously stolen, taken and driven away on or about the 16th of December 1819, HELPLINE one beast of the cow kind, the property of Ralph Oldacres of Austrey” it was also said that “he hath fled from justice”. Peter Lee William Corbett, about 48 years of age, 5ft, 3 or 4 inches, fresh (024) 7638 1090 complexion, full and round visage, sharp look with his eyes, 6.30 - 8.00pm dark brown hair, straight in person, very stout made and active. Mon to Sat When last seen in Northampton, on Saturday 19th February he had on a round hat, light coloured great coat and kneecaps. Or email: Don't you wish you had a description of one of your ancestors [email protected] as good as that? I wonder if they ever caught him? Details taken from the archives of The Times newspaper. Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 3 Shocking Suicide By Tom Beebe Thomas Beebe was my great discovery was first telephoned to remains of the deceased were brought grandfather, he was the son of John Hinckley railway station, and the in on a trolley. Witness attended Beeby and was born in Dadlington on station master, accompanied by a subsequently and made an 25th February 1860. He married Clara policeman, immediately went to the examination. The body was Meller at Dadlington on 17th June scene, the body being at once removed, decapitated, one arm and one leg had 1880 (although it is interesting to note and placed on a platelayer's trolley. It been amputated, and the body was that on the 1881 census he is at his being found that the accident otherwise greatly mutilated. Witness parents’ house and listed as unmarried, happened in Warwickshire, the did not previously know the deceased. whilst Clara Beeby is listed as a remains were brought to Nuneaton Death was the result of mutilation and married kitchen girl living at the home station. The exact district in which the decapitation of the body. of Mr Charles Jee at Nuneaton fields). occurrence took place was Hydes Pastures, which is situated in the Clara Beebe, wife of the deceased, The spelling of Beeby had changed to Longford police division. The said her husband was 31 years of age. Beebe when my grandfather was born circumstances surrounding the case He was by trade a collier, working on and they were living at Cold Comfort clearly point to it being one of suicide. the pit bank. He was ill five weeks ago in Hinckley, which was the area were A letter, written in pencil, was found but had not previously been ill, nor yet the Sunnyside Hospital stands on the upon the body, which, after being since. She could not say anything as to A447 Ashby road. When or why they deciphered with difficulty, was found the condition of his mind. He lost his moved to Attleborough I do not know. to read as follows:- "My dear Clara,- I mother some weeks ago, and had been felt so bad I could not help it. You have troubled by this event. During I did not know about what had been a good wife to me. Don't you fret.