Genealogy Chat

I'm currently researching my family tree. My father was Stephen Dennis Elwell and my mother was Joan Miller who married on 13th March 1948. My mother remembers that their first married night was spent at a farm they moved into with the Swaine family who I remember calling the mother Grandma Swaine (even though we weren't related). My sister Elizabeth Mary Elwell was born at this farm in 1954. I believe the farm belonged to the Orphanage. The address was 19 Stonnall Rd, Aldridge. The farm is no longer there as there is a housing estate and the Orphanage is now a Nursing Home.

I've been looking on the internet to try and find photograhs of the farm as it is part of our memories. My mum remembers Grandma Swaine had three children who were called Margaret, Harry and Peter. Does anyone know the family or have photos of the farm as I would love to purchase copies.

What sort of period would Peter, Harry and Margaret have been born, Susan?

Hello Susan, why not try the Aldridge local history society?
http://www.aldridgelhs.co.uk/

They invite contact by email [email protected] worth a try.

John, unfortunately my mother can't remember but she seems to think they were all born when she was there, She said Margaret was the eldest, then Harry then Peter. She seemed to think Margaret moved to Coventry, Harry lived in Pelsall and Peter she thought Lazy hill Road.

MarieCeleste, thank you I'll try that website.

Are you sure the surname was Swaine and not Swain?

Penny, sorry I'm not 100% sure of the spelling of the surname it could be either.

Have tried alternative spellings and alternative locations for births. Peter SWAIN(E) should be easiest to find. If Walsall RD there is one Peter in 1938 (Dutton) and one 1964(Hanson). But still cannot get any fix on when the youngest child Peter might have been born or when mother might have been born.

And cannot see any Margarets or Harrys with mmn Hanson or Dutton :-S

John. I tried looking and couldn't find much either. I'll have to try and see if my mum and sister can remember anything else. Next time I visit I'll also see about looking at old Register of Electors for that period. It's a pity those type of records are not accessible on line.

Thanks for looking :-)

If I understand you, your parents moved to this farm 1947. They were still there 8 years later when your sister Elizabeth was born in 1954.

And these 3 Swain(e) children were born to Granny Swain whilst your parents were at the farm in Stonnall. So all 3 children would have been born 1947-1955 on farm and presumably births recorded in Walsall Reg District.

But why call her "Granny Swain" if she was same age as your mother Joan? Why not Auntie Swain? :-S

Susan

You may find these sites interesting

http://www.aldridgelhs.co.uk/orphanage.pdf

www.q-trax.co.uk/blog/Memories_of_Old_Stonnall_1.html

Chap named Gordon Mycock who was born in vailage about 1927 and writes about his childhood memories. Only reference to Swain I could find was:

Wall Heath Lane, Lynn Lane and Lynn
Just around the corner in Wall Heath Lane, the brook emerged from the culvert near a footpath that was a shortcut to Lynn Lane. The brook at this point produced some nice water cress.

There were very few houses in the lane when I was a boy. I remember that a Mr Hodgkins kept a cattle truck in a barn in a small, high-hedged enclosure in Wall Heath Lane in the 1950s. The last house in the lane was a shop, which we called Swain's Shop and which was run by a member of the Swain family who were based in Hilton.

John, I've spoken to my mum to clarify things. Grandma Swain/e was a similar age to my then grandparents hence why we called her grandma. Her three children were all grown up and were married so were not living at the farm when my mum and dad lived there.

My mum seems to remember either Peter or Harry was a mechanic. She also thinks they'd all got children of their own already.

We would like photos of the farm because it was part of our life also my sister being born there.

Susan Many thanks. What I was tring to do was pinpoint their births and mother's maiden name. Then there might be someone who is researching the SWAIN tree on Ancestry or somewhere. And they may have photos.

But still cannot locate the children. Have now searched 1915-1935 births for Peter SWAIN(E). Can't find any in Walsall Reg Dist and about 12 elsewhere in UK. But cannot find an older Harry and Margaret yet.

John, many thanks for your help.