My 1st cousin 3 times removed, Emily Ann BURROWS, born in Bristol, married Prince Zacharius Basilius GORTZACOFF (a Russian Prince , or so she thought) at All Saints Church, Knightsbridge on 14th Oct 1872.  In reality he turned out to be Sir Basil ZAHAROFF, a Turkish Arms Dealer of dubious morals.  He is the subject of this article in the Smithsonian Magazine. 

I would like to find the date of Emily's death.  The Weekly Dispatch (London) ran a couple of interesting articles about her in December 1936  - they can be seen in the British Newspaper Archives.   

I am researching Peggy Edith Norrish Stone who was a Stone in the 1939 census but married in 1950 with the name Brown, she married Percy Teall in WSM

Her father was Edwin J Stone in the 1939 census

Any info would be great regarding which is her surname

Paul

Is anyone researching the Puddy family that seem to have lived in Mark, East Brent and Brent Knoll.  There are so many different branches to the family that I fear I have lost my way.

I have James Puddy born ? died 1803 married to Joan Nash born c. 1765 and buried 1841 at East Brent aged 75.  She remarried after the death of James to Stephen Hole.  James and Joan's last child was born 1802 so feel happy that I have the right death for James in 1803.

I cannot find a baptism for him assuming he was about the same age as Joan so I wonder if the only baptism I have found for a James is son of Grace in 1749 Mark, a love child.  She was baptisd 1725 daughter of Richard and Sarah and buried in 1754.

I had James as the son of Samuel and Jane until I found their marriage in 1770 and realised it could no be right.

Does anyone have Grace in their tree or James for that matter who could put me straight before I delete a lot of Puddy's that may not be part of this branch of the family.

As the document I added to the Newsletter appears to have disappeared I am posting it again here with a request for further information about these schools, their staff and pupils. 

The document is a provisional list of Private Schools with some dates, references and names of Principals which is incomplete and may contain errors.  If you have any information which could be added please let me know.   

I have just noticed that Sir Arthur Eddington, the famous Scientist, Astronomer and Mathematician who lived in Walliscote Road - there is a bronze plaque on his house - was educated at Brynmelyn.

We have Elizabeth HODGES born 1861 in Donyatt, and have traced her as far as 1891 census in Lewisham, when she was a housemaid. Nothing more was found about her until 1939 register when she is living in Ilminster with other members of her family.

We then receive an email from a relative in Australia stating he is in possession of a clock inscribed "Elizbeth Hodges from Mr & Mrs HOWARTH, The Ferns,Beckenham August 1908"

We assume this was presented to her for long service or some such but can not find any more details. Neither Elizabeth nor HOWARTHs have been found in 1901 or 1911 censuses.

Any thoughts please

With the news last week of the closure of the last Private School in Weston - Ashbrooke House - I have started to compile a database of all similar schools in Weston over the years of which there were many. I will collect information from Street Directories, Censuses, newspapers etc and if any of you have found ancestors with connections to any of these or others - I would be pleased to add them to the list.

At the moment initial information about the following schools has been collected: The Schools vary in size, age range and sex of their pupils. Some are Day Schools and some offer Boarding.

Ashbrooke House, Athelstan, Beaconsfield, Beaurivage,  Beausejour, Belle View House, Brambridge House, Brean House, Brynmelyn, Buena Vista, Burton House, Carlton House, Clarence, Coombe Road,  Cottesloe, Dunmarklyn,  Eastern House, Etonhurst,  Eversley, Fairleigh, Greystones, Hazel Croft, Hazelhurst, Holywell House, Hope House, Ingleside, Ivydene, Kendale,Kingsholme, La Retraite, Lancaster House, Lewinsdale, Lewisham, Melrose, Montague House, Petergate, Radford House, Rodney House. Rossholme, Rostherne, Ryeford House, St Andrew's College, St Aubyn's, St Cuthbert's, St Faith's, St Peter's, Stanmore House, Sunnyside, Tarradale, Tavistock House. The College, The Firs, The White House, Tower House. Trefloyne, Westcliff, Westgate, Winchester House, Winthorpe, Woodabay, Wyncroft.