Genealogy Chat

I received your message and am delighted that you can now explore Alice's life further. Good luck with your future research.

Hi Judi,

This post is 5 years old and may not be being checked for replies anymore.

You can try clicking on Janet's name and send your message that way. If she still has the same email address she will be notified.

I am sure she would like to hear from you. Cx.

Alice Ayres was my Great Grandfather's sister (Ayres is my maiden name). I only knew a little about her from my Grandmother but not how well known and celebrated her heroism was at the time of her death in 1885. Since reading this post my son and I have decided to visit Alice's plaque in Postmans Park and her grave in Isleworth Cemetry. My family moved to the North West from London in the 60's but all our ancestors were from the south of England. I am grateful that I know more about Alice now. I have been researching my family tree since early this year and its fascinating!

Totally agree it is a shame there isn't a website about all these people.

I recall Alice Ayers' name from that film Closer where Natalie Portman took her name

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closer_(film)

Postman's Park is a small green memorial garden in the City of London. It is located between King Edward Street, Little Britain and Angel Street. It was created in 1880 from the churchyards of St Leonard, Foster Lane and St Botolph-without-Aldersgate together with the graveyard of Christ Church Greyfriars. St Leonard's had been a ruin since the Great Fire and was probably demolished at the time of the creation of the park. St Botolph's is still open and stands at the north east corner of the park. Christ Church was detached from its graveyard and is now a ruin on the other side of King Edward Street.
The park was the idea of the painter George Frederick Watts who wanted to celebrate people who may otherwise have been forgotten. Its name celebrates the postmen who work in the principal London post office and the former sorting office in King Edward Street.

A wall in the park has 34 hand-painted tiles paying tribute to everyday people who sacrificed their lives helping others. The hand-lettered tiles were made by Royal Doulton. (wiki)

The names of those commemorated are listed below together with the website that shows their memorial tile.

1. Walter Peart and Harry Dean 1898.

2. Edmund Emery 1874

3. Mary Rogers 1899

4. Herbert Maconoghu 1882.

5. Samuel Rabbeth 1884.

6.William Drake 1869

7. David Selves 1886.

8. Elizabeth Boxall 1888.

9. George Lee 1876.

10.George Stephen Funnell 1899.

11.Henry James Bristow 1890

12.John Clinton 1894.

13.Robert Wright 1893.

14.Sarah Smith 1863.

15.Thomas Griffin,1899

16.Ernest Benning 1883.

17.Joseph Andrew Ford 1871.

18.Thomas Simpson 1885.

19.William Donald 1876.

20.William Freer Lucas MRCS LLD 1893

21.Alfred Smith 1917

22.Amelia ? 1871

23.Richard Farris 1878

24.Ellen Donovan 1875

25.Samuel Lowdell 1887

26. ? Blake 1895

27. Edward Morris 1897

28. Joseph William Onslow 1885

29. Arthur Regelous and Alice Maud Denman 1902

30.Arthur Strange and Mark Tomlinson 1902

31.Daniel Pemberton 1903

32. Frederick Alfred Croft ?

33.John Cranmer 1901

34. Alice Ayres 1885

35. G Garnish 1885

36. Godfrey Nicholson, George Elliott and Robert Underhill 1901

37.James Bannister 1901

38.Elizabeth Coghlam 1902

1 and 2 from http://www.urban75.org/london/postman.html
3 to 20 from http://www.thejoyofshards.co.uk/london/tiles/ppark/index.shtml
21 to 38 from http://knowledgeoflondon.com/curiosities.html

It is a real shame that there doesn't seem to be a complete list of these people and their deeds available online (or indeed the photos of all their memorials)