Genealogy Chat

List all known places please......Serious question!

Had that problem too. My sister was born within the sound of the bow bells and I have since discovered she was born in West Ham. Apparently they can be heard for miles around! Sandy

my sister was born in guys hospital, london, my mum says you can hear the bow bells from there. sharon

This thread will be of help:- ''''Help Within the Sound of Bow Bells'' - in which I posted this:- I saved this from the rootsweb London mailing list. Hope it is of interest. >My father was born in Tradescant Road, South Lambeth, London. I understand >that my grandmother could hear Bow Bells when he was born ... or so I was >told anyway. As Ken Boyce wrote, there was a lot of discussion of this topic on the list a few months back. As well as the URL he quoted, visit: http://www*.*steeljam*.*dircon*.*co*.*uk/cockney.htm This has a map showing the distance at which Bow Bells could be heard, from scientific research carried out in the early 90s. Much further north of the Thames than south--I don't pretend to understand why, but maybe there is a scientist on the list who can explain! However, the whole of Lambeth was within range. I was born in a little maternity clinic in Stoke Newington, at the furthest northern periphery of the bells' reach (well, if they had been in existence in 1950 it would have been), so just squeak in as a Cockney (Do what, guvnor? Knock it on the 'ead!). There was another site with detailed commentary on the survey and the map, but I haven't been able to find it. The chief imponderable is the difference background traffic noise makes. I *suspect* this is underestimated in the study. I remarked, during the earlier correspondence, that during my childhood in the late 50s/early 60s the Armistice Day cannon salute could be heard as far out as Palmers Green/Bowes Park, some 6-7 miles distant. It was Bow Bells that legendarily called Dick Whittington back, a similar distance. No chance now. There was fierce competition between London parishes over whose bells were the loudest/furthest-carrying, detailed in Peter Ackroyd's marvellous 'London: The Biography'.

nudge

I expect it also depends on which way the wind is blowing.

Maid Marion Thanks for that excellent description of Bow Bells. Many people with East End ancestors claim they were born within the sound of Bow Bells but true or not? My mother always reckoned that many of the family were born within this sound, but birth certs show otherwise! Hope you get more thanks for this excellent coverage. Janet

You're welcome .... thank goodness for rootsweb London mailing list ... :) I hope that people saw the thread that I nudged, too.

Yes, You do get some gems on Rootsweb and I have found many gems from Family History Societies. I must have missed the other thread first time around as I have just been reading some of the comments there. Hope others read and see. Janet

Thanks for helping My nan tells me that my grt grandad was born within hearing distance of the 'bow bells' But the only Leonard Barker that I can find is in Woolwich or Shoreditch...........and given I live in Wales how do I find this out?