Genealogy Chat

Wonder if anyone has any ideas? Having sent a fan chart and some brief details of everyone on it to an elderly aunt recently I received a telephone call from her asking the following question :- ‘Have you found out anything about your grandfathers cousin, who was a hermit and lived in a hovel near Little Staughton (Beds.)?’ On further questioning it turns out that this man was a hermit living in the hovel at least in the late 1920’s and early 30’s. My aunt remembers that none of the family visited unless they had to, but she remembers cycling there from Bedford on several occasions with my grandparents (her parents) as a small child (she was born 1928) and describes him as a ‘vile, nasty old man’. Our family name is Small – my grandfathers name was Robert John Small (b.1900 Wellingborough, Northants). He was the oldest son of John Small (b. Little Staughton 1872) and Frances Mary Lines (b.1871 Wellingborough) youngest of five siblings (Elizabeth, Mary, Eliza and Samuel) all the children of Peter Small and Hannah Lawson. I don’t believe that they he is a relation/child of Elizabeth’s as my aunt remembers visiting her and her family in Bedford on Sundays during the summer, but he could be related to any of the others or indeed to the brother or sister of Frances Lines. If anyone has any suggestions where I might start looking for a hermit in a hovel I really would love to know – this one has me completely stumped!!!! Thanks Trudy

Trudy Try googling 'little Staughton' and history. It appears to be covered by both Beds & Huntingdonshire Local Family History societies. nell

Hi Nell, thanks already tried that, and the contact emails for Beds family history on their site aren't working. Trudy

Thanks Dee

Most of us that live near there live in little hovels! Isn't 'hermit in a hovel' just terminology for a rather perhaps sad little , probably widower, that didn't live a very perhaps, clean & tidy lifestyle? Did he have a name? ~Jess~ name Peter? Amos? both Small in Lt Staughton on 1901 census

Hi Jess - no not sure of a name, waiting for auntie to ring me back when she's had a think on it! Definitely a 'hermit' and definitely a 'hovel' - when they went there the girls had to wait outside because Grandad wouldn't let them go in in case they caught something!!!! The Peter and Amos on the 1901 were John's brothers, but they were both married and had families but were widowed by 1901. Trudy

Trudy, It's a shame it's so recent! I had a relly living alone in a barn in Suffolk on the 1881 census - and I bet it wasn't a 2 milliopn pound conversion!! LOL maggie

thanks Maggie and Chris - I am just fascinated to find out if the story is true, and if so, who he was.