Never Give Up the Search!

Never Give UP the Search!

Strangely enough my concentration on tracing family Ancestors, has mainly been on my Maternal Paternal side of family. Namely the name of Pentecost - my mother's maiden name.

I began Family History Research in the 1980's and was and still is one of the earlier members to join the Weston-super-Mare FHS. In those days we used to meet in the Library at Worle. I am sorry to have to add, that I left Wsm many years ago.

However, tracing my Grandmother (maternal) was not an easy task - but I did know that her maiden name was Davis. This I had derived from her marriage to my Grandfather Halse Ley Pentecost in 1889 in Exeter Devon.
As most of my relatives seemed to be living in the Devon area I assumed that Grandmother - Isabella was born there also, this at the time was a mystery - until!!
 
A coach trip with the FH group was organised to take us to the then St Catherines House, London. I set off on the long journey, with fellow members with great excitement. On arrival, any baggage that we had with us was searched (for security reasons) before we could go into the research rooms. We were only allowed to use pencils to make notes!

The research rooms were massive and we were told that we were free to move about. All records were kept in large leatherbound books. Red for births, black for deaths and green for marriages! They were stored on shelves and Red Black & Green were sectioned in their appropriate order. The years were written above the sections and above the shelves.

I knew that Isabella (Grandmother) was born in 1869 so it was off to search the ledger books of Births of that year under Davis. Placed around the room were long tables - they were certainly needed, because the books were large and heavy to lift! I must mention at the time, that I spent a lot of time battling with American tourists whom were also researching their ancestors!

Finally I traced the book I required and there I found in the September quarter of 1869 written in beautiful handwriting Isabella Davis born 26th September 1869 birth registered at Axbridge, Somerset!
Whilst I was there I took the opportunity to check on the death - ledgers of when my dear brothers had died, there were two whom had died in infancy (or before the age of five).

So armed with the information of Grandmother's birth, all that remained, was to order a Birth certificate to give me more information. This I finally did and discovered that not only was she born in Somerset, but in Weston-super-Mare in Alma Street.

Her father (my Great-Grandfather) was a carpenter/journeyman - Charles Davis, who obviously had travelled to Wsm from Devon to get employment. He had brought his wife Eliza Davis (nee Mayne), my Great-Grandmother, and  they were renting a house in Alma Street. There my Grandmother was born.

Later they moved to Bristol, where more children were born!
Finally the whole family moved back to Devon. My Grandmother when grownup, became a Dressmaker and when in the employment of John & Rester Elizabeth Pentecost (who were tailors)! Met their son, my Grandfather RaIse Ley Pentecost (he was a carpenter)!

The couple married in 1889 and had ten children - one of which was my mother Beatrice Irene born in 1905.

I enclose a photograph taken in 1911. Unfortunately not all the family are there, certainly not my Grandfather - he probably took the photo, also the photo is damaged. The following year my Grandmother at the age of 43 gave birth to another child - a boy, whom was perfect!

Anyway the moral to this tale is never to give up, and one cannot always assume! Remember there were not the computers to do research then in the 1980' s. It was mainly by micro fiche!

Journal Article: 

never-give-up-the-search-70.pdf