Genealogy Chat

How lovely - is'nt it great when all the pieces come together. Thanks for sharing it with us. Sue.

great news Linda! Here's the family in 1881: Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability Thomas PEATFIELD Head M Male 40 Wakefield, Lancashire, England Warehouseman Martha PEATFIELD Wife M Female 40 Ireland Register Office Servant ( ) Margaret E. PEATFIELD Daur Female 12 Oldham, Lancashire, England Scholar Marion E. PEATFIELD Daur Female 10 Oldham, Lancashire, England Scholar Thomas C. PEATFIELD Son Male 8 Southport, Lancashire, England Scholar Martha A. PEATFIELD Daur Female 6 Manchester, Lancashire, England Scholar Arthur A. PEATFIELD Son Male 2 Manchester, Lancashire, England 32 Broughton Lane Cheetham, Lancashire, England Perhaps Arthur is Mary's relative. Crista

Linda, What a great success story. Have you taken a copy of the ration book? For your own keepsake and just in case the post loses it. I hope the son writes to thank you!

Hello Lynda and Aileen, I thought it would be right to send the Ration Book back to the family. I must admit I am a bit nervous about posting it, even Special Delivery, just before Christmas. I'd hate for it to get lost in the frenzy of Christmas mail! I will definitely try to keep you informed of any further progress. Merry Christmas, Linda.

Dear Linda, Thankyou SO much for sharing this news with us. I like others, have been thoroughly fascinated reading your story and couldn't wait for the outcome. It is marvellous that you have managed to put the pieces together and I'm sure you made Ronald's son's day when you contacted him today. Please keep us up to date with any further developments!! Kind regards, Aileenxx

Linda What an interesting day for you, and how lovely that the ration book will return to the family it belonged to. Lynda

FANTASTIC NEWS!! I would like to thank all of you for your help in this brain-teasing quest, especially Crista who's information was invaluable. I have this very afternoon been speaking to the son of 'the' Ronald Crompton Peatfield who is named on the Child's Ration Book! He too is a Neurologist, living and working in London. His Grandfather Thomas Crompton Peatfield and his Grandmother Mabel B. Peatfield came from Alderley Edge in Cheshire to a grand house in Sharpthorne, West Sussex. They then moved to the Meads area of Eastbourne in East Sussex. His Great Grandfather, Thomas Crompton Peatfield, who was born in 1839 and died in 1913, is buried in Prestwich on the outskirts of Manchester. I have also been in touch with a lady, Mary (nee Peatfield), in Canada who believes that her GGrandfather is the brother of Thomas Crompton Peatfield! This we have yet to confirm. I am going to arrange for Mary to contact Dr. Peatfield so that they can compare notes. I also promised to return the Ration Book to it's rightful owner! Oh. By the way, Dr. Peatfield and I think that my mother was one of a host of staff employed by his Grandparents. Again I need to verify this. Blimey, what a day I've had!! Thanks again, Linda.

Linda, Let us know if you pluck up the courage to call Richard's secretary. There aren't that many Peatfields around, let alone one with Ronald Crompton in his name and I feel sure we are onto something here. If his wife Ruth is still alive then we might have some answers. Crista

There are also 302 on the 1901 Census, and most of them seem to be from Lancashire as well. Paul

I have just had a look at the 1881 Census on LDS, using the exact spelling of Peatfield. There are over 200 of them, and most of them are from the North of England (Lancashire, Cheshire, Yorkshire), with more in the Notts area. Of course, there had to be one born in Ireland, and a couple of Welsh for good measure. But I digress - there is a bunch of 8 I spotted from Sussex, there may be more!!! 183. Frank J. PEATFIELD - 1881 British Census / Sussex Son Gender: Male Birth: <1871> East Grinstead, Sussex, England 184. Jane L. PEATFIELD - 1881 British Census / Sussex Daur Gender: Female Birth: <1872> East Grinstead, Sussex, England 185. Eliza PEATFIELD - 1881 British Census / Sussex Daur Gender: Female Birth: <1875> East Grinstead, Sussex, England 186. Annie PEATFIELD - 1881 British Census / Sussex Daur Gender: Female Birth: <1876> East Grinstead, Sussex, England 187. Henry PEATFIELD - 1881 British Census / Sussex Head Gender: Male Birth: <1854> Chatham 188. Mary PEATFIELD - 1881 British Census / Sussex Wife Gender: Female Birth: <1855> New Brompton, Kent, England 189. William H. PEATFIELD - 1881 British Census / Sussex Son Gender: Male Birth: <1878> New Brompton, Kent, England 190. Sidney H. PEATFIELD - 1881 British Census / Sussex Son Gender: Male Birth: <1880> New Brompton, Kent, England Just thought I would add to the sound of frying brain!!!! Paul

Crista, Thank you. I can't believe my luck - nor can I find any link to my family! Shame to have all this information and not know where I'm going with it! lol I'll go investigate further, with all the help I've had it's got to lead somewhere. Again many thanks, Linda.

Linda, Richard works in Charing Cross hospital. I'm sending you the number of his secretary. Crista

Linda, I just Googled his name. It says he has a son called Richard Peatfield who is a consultant neurologist also. You might be to track him down. Says he practices in Northwood and London. http://www.specialistinfo(.)com/consget.php?con=peatneur01 http://www.quns.cam.ac.uk/Queens/Record/2000/Old%20Members/deaths.html Crista

Hi Paul, I know my mother was in service at some stage and I've racked my brains to try to remember the name of the family she worked for. If I could work out how old she was then I might stand a chance of finding her on one of the Sussex Census - with other servants? Thanks for the sugguestion, I'll keep thinking! Linda.

Hello Crista, Where did you find that link? Whoops! manners!! THANK YOU for that link. It's very interesting, especially with a picture. Maybe the Ronald Crompton Peatfield on the Ration Book 'dropped' the George! The dates could fit couldn't they? The ration book is 1918 and George Ronald Crompton Peatfield was born in 1912. This little Ration book is certainly flexing my brain. I took a family photo' apart (well I broke the glass) and found a Clothing Book dated 1945 - 46. Heaven knows where that will lead me! Many thanks, Linda.

How about the possibility of the child's mother also being in service in the same area?? Paul

Perhaps he is related to this George Ronald Crompton Peatfield born in 1912: http://bmj.bmjjournals(.)com/cgi/content/full/318/7192/1216#resp8 Crista

Hello Ann and Lynda, Thanks for your replies. Yes my mother was in service but in East Sussex. I will try to find out more! Thanks for the 'Quick Search' suggestion Lynda. I'll give that a whirl. Thanks and Merry Christmas to you both. Linda.

Linda If you go into quick search and put the name Peatfield in the surname box, there is a William Peatfield Sussex there. Perhaps it would be an idea to contact him,as there are very few Peatfields, maybe worth a try. Lynda

How fascinating? I wish the names meant something to me ... your mother wasn't ever in service with this family or something like that A