Genealogy Chat

I am a parish councillor and another councillor and myself are in the process of capturing the memories of our very elderly villagers.

We are speaking to the 80/90 old residents of our village and recording their memories. All these elderly people were born in the village or have lived here in excess of 70 years We hope to organise an exhibition of these memories as and when they are completed.

Our format is to make notes of these memories, expanding on them after the interview to make interesting reading, to add old photo`s, ie wedding, or as young children, and a direct tree going back as far as I am able.

When all this is completed we hope to obtain some funding to have all the information turned into a booklet.

One of the ladies I interviewed now lives in a residental home and her memory flits back and forth. I have documented her parents and siblings with ease, but on interviewing several other elderly people, they have mentioned that her mother was her fathers second wife, and that he had a family with the first wife.

I have found him in 1891 living with his parents, recorded as being single.

I have found him in the 1911 census living in the shop I knew he had and there are 3 males and 4 females listed living there, but as he did not marry the mother of the lady I have interviewed until 1912, I wonder if this is his first family. I have not found a first marriage for him either.

He was Henry W (Winter) Harvey
Born 1868
Living in Southminster, Essex.

I know this is very cheeky to ask, but if someone could have a peek and let me know the names of the 3 males and 4 females, I would be so very grateful

Kathlyn

Here he is:

HARVEY, Henry Winter Head Married M 43 1868 Grocer Essex Southminster VIEW
HARVEY, Mary Rosamond Wife Married 9 years F 39 1872 Essex Latchingdon VIEW
HARVEY, Roy Attenborough Son M 6 1905 Essex Southminster VIEW
HARVEY, Nancey Brame Daughter F 5 1906 Essex Southminster VIEW
ATTENBOROUGH, George Father In Law Married M 64 1847 Grocer's Carman Essex Southminster VIEW
ATTENBOROUGH, Sarah Ann Mother In Law Married
42 years F 64 1847 Essex Burnham VIEW
HAMMOND, Alice Louisa Servant Single F 16 1895 General Servant Domestic Cambridgeshire Balsham VIEW
RG number:
RG14 Piece:
10188 Reference:
RG14PN10188 RG78PN535 RD196 SD1 ED10 SN131

Registration District:
Maldon Sub District:
Southminster Enumeration District:
10 Parish:
Southminster

Address:
High St Southminster County:
Essex

Marriages Mar 1902 (>99%)
Attenborough Mary R Southwark 1d 254
Harvey Henry Winter Southwark 1d 254

Brummiejan,

BINGO......These are the names that have been mentioned by the other elderly people I have spoken to, well done and a million thanks, may all your children be little ones.


Kathlyn kissy kissy XXX

Steady on!

Slightly off topic, but can I ask what Parish Councillors actually do these days?

The reason that I ask is that the PC precept levied on our council tax has just gone up by 234.2% this year,,,,,,,!

"little bit of politics" there IPG!!

IGP, I cannot tell you what they do these days without checking what they are supposed to do but, if I think hard, I could tell you what I used to do as a parish then town councillor a few years ago :-)

Kathlyn,

Have you considered setting up a website and making these memories and pictures availiable for everyone to see? It costs nothing to set one up at sites like Wordpress.com and it is really easy to edit create an impressive layout tailored to your needs.

Michael

We have done something similar in our village museum but we have recorded people and made a slide show with photos and the recordings which people can look at on our computer. It might be a idea to put some on our website. We have also thought of making them into a DVD.

What a great idea Kathlyn, how interesting their stories will be! I hope it all comes together for you

This is taking a lot of time, but it so enjoyable. I am a "new commer" to this village having only lived here for a mere 30 years, but I am speaking to 97 year olds who`s familes have lived in this area for generatons.

I have learnt so much that is interesting and it is a real joy. Last week I interviewed one lady who is 94, I typed up her memories and took her a copy of the family tree I had done for her. She asked me how did I know her grandfather was called Isaac and her grandmother Hannah, and that I had named her aunt Elizabeth and uncle Thomas and also where they lived and when they were born. The sheer joy on her face that someone had taken the interest and time to do this research made my day. "But it must take up such a lot of your time" she said. My answer to her was...."Well if I was not on my computer researching your family I would be doing housework, shopping, housework, window cleaning etc. etc."

I go on Wednesday for the third time to listed to the memories of a 95 year old who has the memory of an encyclopedia......names/ places/ dates...off the top of his head. he is a joy to listen to. So far I have typed up 9 A4 pages and I have not expanded my notes too much...well it could turn out to be as big as War and Peace.

Kathlyn

Oh, I must say a very big thank you to Brummijan she found me some very vital info on the 1911 census.

Kathlyn

Kathryn, what a wonderful thing you are doing. I'd love to do something similar for the elderly in my own village (now called a town). The results could provide a real insight into village life years ago, and give so many older residents a real buzz.

Thanks for the idea. Off to contact my Town Council.

Meg