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News & Information (Monthly Update)

February 2025 Newsletter
published by Pat Hase on Fri, 31/01/2025 - 21:21

Welcome to the February Newsletter. I hope that you are progressing with your research and gradually breaking down your brickwalls.

Free Help Session Feb 1st Weston Library
February will start with a Free Help Session at Weston Library on Saturday Feb 1st from 2.00 p.m. until 3.30p.m. when our volunteers will be present to assist anyone who attends with their research. You do not have to be a member of the Society  to come along with your queries. 

Members’ Meeting – Feb 12th
On the Wednesday afternoon of February 12th the Speaker at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall will be member, Simon Begent, who will talk about the rich and interesting History of Aviation in Weston-super-Mare.  The meeting will be from 2.30p.m. until 5.00p.m.

St Valentine's Day - Feb 14th 
Looking through your family history do you have any marriages which took place on Feb 14th or any children born on that day who were called Valentine?

Zoom Workshop – Feb 26th
I will be hosting the Zoom meeting with a talk entitled – “She died in Whitechapel”.  This is based on my own family history but has links with the continuing interest in the well documented murders of the late 1880s.  Can you believe everything which was in print? This will start at 7.30 p.m. and members will receive notification of the sign in details before the meeting.

Holocaust Memorial day
On January 27th the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz was recognised by those whose families were involved, on both sides, and by others who see that day as the realisation of man’s inhumanity to man. There is a web site where you can trace the history of the Holocaust https://www.yadvashem.org/holocaust/about.html and add any information you may have about members of your family who suffered at that time.

Researching Jewish ancestors

If you are researching Jewish ancestors there is a web site to assist you https://www.jewishgen.org/?gad_source=1 I have used this site successfully to identify members who have married into our family having come to this country from Ukraine in around 1900.

Document  concerning 158 Moorland Road
I came across this document over Christmas along with some papers which had been given me some years ago. It concerns the sale of a house in Moorland Road in Jan 1906


The seller was a James FEAR and the buyer was a Georgina FEAR  and the price was £300.  It was described as:

All that piece of land with the messuage or dwelling house erected thereon situate in Moorland Road Weston-s-Mare and known  as “Stencliffe”

Street directories show that Stencliffe was situated at 158, Moorland Road. This was on the  west side of Moorland Road towards the Devonshire Road end.

Is anyone familiar with the FEAR family? What was the relationship between James FEAR and Georgina FEAR?

In 1911 a Richard FEAR and his wife Nellie were living at 158.

There was a James FEAR who was a Builder who lived at 59 Moorland Road.  There was a Georgina FEAR who was the wife of an Ernest FEAR who was living at 40 Moorland Road.  Were they connected?

Married from Moorland Road in 1931
A group of people posing for a photoDescription automatically generatedUnconnected with the FEAR family - This photograph appeared in the Weston Gazette Pictorial Review of 1931 and was captioned.

“Mr Francis John Harris, only son of Mr & Mr W Harris, Moorland Road. Weston-super-Mare. married to Miss Barbara Mary Hughes at Emmanuel Church”

Using FreeBMD and the GRO Index it was possible to find that the birth of Francis John HARRIS was registered in the Sept qrt of  1907 and that his mother’s maiden name was WHITTOCK.

His parents, Willie HARRIS and Minnie Martha WHITTOCK  were married in the June Qrt 1907 when presumably she was already pregnant.  Sadly, she died shortly after giving birth, aged just 21. She was buried in Weston Cemetery in Tu 926. Later, Mary Jane HARRIS, grandmother of Francis was  buried in the same plot.
His father had married again in 1911 to Alice Emily BAKER and they can be found on the 1921 Census living at 160 Moorland Road – (next door to the FEAR family at 158!) – with a daughter, Doris Evelyn HARRIS, aged 7.
Do we have anyone who is researching the HARRIS family?  

Family Events in February
February is often a dismal month, weatherwise.  But this month my husband will celebrate his 92nd birthday so we will have something to celebrate. As he looks back over his life in Weston-super-Mare his memories come flooding back.  He was born in Whitecross Road, in the same house as his father had been born, so the family has seen many changes to the town and the way of life here.
His family were concerned with transport in Weston.  Initially with Donkeys and Donkey chairs and later with horse transport as a Cab Proprietor.


His grandfather, John HASE, a cab proprietor, had moved into a newly built  house in Whitecross Road in 1885  from the Victoria Hotel Yard. He built stables in Albert Road which backed onto their house.

In December 1907, John's wife had died from breast cancer and this advertisement appeared early in February for a housekeeper to look after the young HASE family.  Arthur, my father-in-law, was the youngest, then aged just 2 1/2 years. 

A newspaper with text and a picture

Description automatically generated

Note that John was described as an abstainer. Newspapers can often add to your knowledge of the family.  The successful applicant, Susan SANDERS, was to remain with the family until John’s death in 1933. 

1911 Census for Weston-super-Mare
19 Whitecross Road, Weston-super-Mare

First name

Last name

Relation-ship

Marital status

Age

Birth year

Occupation

Birth place

John Millard

Hase

Head

Widower

48

1863

Cab proprietor

Weston-s-Mare

Charlie

Hase

Son

-

14

1897

-

Weston-s-Mare

Henry

Hase

Son

-

9

1902

-

Weston-s-Mare

Arthur

Hase

Son

-

5

1906

-

Weston-s-Mare

Susan Mary

Sanders

Servant

-

43

1868

-

Searice Cornwall

Mike's father, my father-in-law, Arthur HASE, later introduced motor cars into the mix, turning their stables in Albert Road into a garage. He also offered overnight off-street parking for visitors.  

A close up of a cardDescription automatically generatedA garage with a sign on the frontDescription automatically generated

If you look at the original entry of the 1911 census you will see that the enumerator has deleted the entry that one child of John HASE had died,  This was Agnes who was born and died in 1900 from Bronchitis and Pneumonia, aged 7/8 months. It is always a good idea to look at the original entry. As the only girl to be born into this family she was known to the family as “Sissy” for the short time which she was with them.

Having been brought up surrounded with cars it is probably not surprising that these became one of Mike’s main interests – along with his singing.  When he retired from teaching, we bought a Rolls Royce and did Wedding Hire for about 12 years. Perhaps some of you may have come across us in those days.  We did about 150 weddings and they were all joyous occasions. That is until the Rolls Royce engine blew up - luckily when returning from a Wedding – and we could not afford to have it repaired so had to sell the car!


Perhaps we feature in your family history record?

Each month I ask for contributions to the Newsletter in the form of comments from members who have information which they are able to share with other members and which might help others to continue  their research. Please consider adding your comments. Thank you.

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January 2025 Newsletter
published by Pat Hase on Thu, 02/01/2025 - 13:39

From BBC

A Happy, Healthy, Peaceful, Cheerful and successful New Year to you all. Thank you to those who sent cards and messages over the Christmas period. It was great to hear from you especially as I wasn’t feeling particularly well.  I wasn’t sure that you would be getting a Newsletter this time but here is a much shorter one than usual which in Blue Peter Style I made earlier.  Please add suggestions for research during 2025.

2025 has so much to offer. 
It is 80 years since VE Day.  I remember lying in bed asleep when my mother, who obviously wanted to share the news with everyone – woke me up to come and see the bonfires which had been lit along the railway embankment which ran alongside the Bristol Rovers Ground at Eastville in Bristol. I am told I simply said “ OK, I’ll see them in the morning” And went back to sleep!  I was 6.
A train track going through a forestDescription automatically generated with medium confidence 

From YouTube

This shows the Gasometer which is often mentioned in connection with the Rovers.
The 13 arches were demolished to make way for the M32.

There was a Street party, but I have no pictures.  Every type of dining room chairs with a table covered with white sheets and the favourites if the day.  Rabbit moulded jellies and blancmange, egg sandwiches, cakes and coloured drinks – there was probably more!  Do any of you have records of such parties?  This is the problem of relying on official documentation when so much of our lives are unrecorded,
I also remember being fascinated by the streetlights when they came on again – and the arrival of bananas but I don’t think that happened until Dec 1945.

Family Celebrations in 2025

In May 2025 one of my mother’s cousins will be celebrating her 100th birthday.  As her mother also reached a century it does seem that there are some long lived genes on that side of the family.  Happy Birthday Rita! 

January Society Events

Library Help Session
On January 4th there should be a session at Weston Library. The last one had to be cancelled due to the weather and the closure of the library.  All are welcome -  just take along your queries from 2.00p.m. and our valiant volunteers will do their best to set you on the right path. The session finishes at 3,30p.m.

Live Talk to Members on Wednesday, Jan 8th 2.30pm – 5.00
There has been some speculation recently whether an afternoon meeting suits most of our members.  Please make a comment about the suitability of the timing for the future.  This talk will be by Raye Green, the well known Worle historian. Recently she has been researching the 52 Vicars of Worle since 1325  Raye will share her knowledge about Worle history in this saunter through 900 years of St Martin's Church.

Zoom Workshop on Thursday 23rd January 7. 30pm – 9.30pm
This is a change of day for a Workshop from its more usual Wednesday evening to a THURSDAY.  It is important that as many of you as possible attend as it will be about our new web site.  Your comments are important to its development and Rob Clarke will be taking us through it.  You will receive information about how to join the Workshop by email prior to the meeting.

New Resources

 Ancestry

The 1921 Census of England and Wales launches on the 7th of January and will show details including where your relatives were living, who they lived with, what industry they worked in, who employed them - you could even see their handwriting. What will you discover? – Here are some more resources on offer.

A screenshot of a web pageDescription automatically generated

Don’t forget that Ancestry and Findmypast can be used at Weston Library.

Free Research Sites

I wonder how many of these sites you have used. https://shorturl.at/Le1Sq   Were any of them helpful?  Let us know which you recommend.

Membership

Your membership to the Weston-super-Mare & District FHS ended on Dec 31st so your renewall will be welcomed by the society. And of course new members are always welcome.

Finally

Wishing you all a successful, Interesting and healthy 2025 and with many thanks to those who contribute to the Society.  Happy New Year!

 

PS    Received this message this morning – can anyone help?

Message:
Hello. I am trying to see if Backwell House is still standing. Also to see if anyone know about what happened to owners and their children.

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December 2024 Newsletter
published by Pat Hase on Sun, 01/12/2024 - 18:58

Our AGM was held in November and I was pleased to note that we have some possible new committee members.  May I wish them a warm welcome and hope their involvement brings them much joy and pleasure over the years to come.

It’s December already, somewhere I have an account of a family (not mine) celebrating Christmas back in the 19th Century.  It describes the people sitting around the fire, recounts what they have to say and paints a picture of domestic peace and concerns.  It is interesting reading giving an insight into conditions at that time. Perhaps we should all write a description of our family this Christmas so that our descendants get an idea about how we celebrated this year. Family History is not only dates and places but also events and how we lived.

My memory goes back to my childhood Christmases when we spent hours making decorations from coloured paper and received handmade gifts from parents, grandparents and other relations.

I still have this set of handknitted clothes for my doll, “Wendy”, including underclothes. I must have been about 5 years old when I was given this doll.  Later, she had to share the doll’s pram with our dog who allowed my sister and I to push her around in it!

What were your favourite gifts at Christmas apart from the apple and orange in the toe of the sock? 

I remember a visit to the Hippodrome to see a Pantomime with an aunt and being persuaded to stand up and conduct the orchestra who followed my frantic waving with commendable ability!

I remember gathering around the piano at my grandparents’ house with my mother playing carols and old songs which were then rendered by my uncles and aunt.  I remember the warmth of the open fire, the chicken sandwiches (no turkey in those days) and mince pies. We played hilarious games like charades and paper-based games - I do remember an older member of the family being quite surprised when she wasn’t allowed Addock as a type of fish starting with “A”.  Apart from Anchovy I can’t think of a fish which fits this description!

In the next few days Christmas tree decorations dating back over 60 years will be lovingly placed on our tree and fond memories of the first times they were used remembered.

New Ancestry Records

Here are some of the latest additions to Ancestry

·         The Royal National Lifeboat Institution Records are particularly interesting and contain several people from Weston. That the RNLI will be able to return to Birnbeck Pier once the renovation is completed is great news for Weston.

 

photographs reproduced by kind permission of Weston-super-Mare RNLI

·         On Ancestry the REME Records also list some Weston residents. One, taken at random, was Percy Arthur COUNSELL, 1902-1979, who lived in Bedford Road.  He served in India.  He survived the war and both he and his wife Daisy were buried in Weston Cemetery.

·         There are several members of the Polish Forces who are buried in Weston Cemetery. They are included in the list on Ancestry of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940-1947. They include Stanislaw WALCZAK, Alojzy MORAWIEC, Felix ZALEWSKI etc.

Findmypast – Military Records

Last month, with the commemoration of Remembrance Day, Findmypast posted a video about how to find Military Records of our ancestors.  You can find it on https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/british-army-promotions-medals
I was interested this year in watching the TV coverage of the various ceremonies to mark the occasion that the events at Monte Cassino were included.  I have a copy of my father’s military records which include mention of his wounding in Italy on the approach to Monte Cassino at that time, so I was pleased to see it included this year.

Free Sites Online

·         A reminder that there are masses of free sites online to aid our family history research.  You can see some of them here: https://www.family-tree.co.uk/how-to-guides/doing-your-family-history-online-50-best-websites-for-family-history/ The first one listed is Familysearch which has been available in various forms for years and should not be forgotten as a source. 

·         How many of these sites have you used?  Can you recommend others?

LostCousins Newsletter

I often suggest that you read the frequent newsletters for Lost Cousins and this is no exception,  Go to the latest one for news and a mention of the DNA master class which is recommended reading. https://www.lostcousins.com/newsletters2/endnov24news.htm

 

Society Events

North Somerset Archives Service - 5th December

The next visit of the archivist from the North Somerset Archives ServiceEve Bickerton, is on Thursday 5th December from 10:30am to 12:30pm and 1:00pm to 2:30pm (this is a change from the normal times of 11:00am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 3:30pm)

Any requests to bring documents up from Taunton should be made by
Email: 
somersetarchives@swheritage.org.uk

See more details https://www.wsmfhs.org.uk/society_news_view.php?nID=548

Free Help Session at Weston Library – Sat Dec 7th

These sessions take place on the first Saturday of each month from 2.00 p.m. until 3.30 p.m. and all are welcome to attend.  Our Society Volunteers are happy to help anyone who has problems with their research and to point them in the right direction.

Society Members’ Meeting – Wed Dec 11th

This meeting takes place at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall from 2.00 p.m. until 5.00 p.m. As this will be the nearest meeting to Christmas it is a special meeting. There will be a quiz, raffle, short talks by members, and of course cake! Non members are welcome.

Facebook Group and Research Forum

·         We have had some interesting postings on FB about the PUDDY family of Mark and Wedmore.  There was also a post about the PUDDYs on our Research Forum on the Web site.  It is a difficult and large family to unravel.  One suggestion was that we had a facility to compare family trees.  You can post a family tree under the Members’ SURNAME Interests on our Web site.   

·         Please consider posting your queries about your research, not only about PUDDYs, either on the Research Forum or the Facebook Group. 

Edwin and Catherine PUDDY photographed in 1864 in Wedmore. My aunt married Stanley PUDDY, a son of Thomas PUDDY, pictured far right in front row. My husband’s cousin married the daughter of Reginald, another son of Thomas.

AI and Family History

Last month I asked about how many of you have used AI to assist your research but had no response so perhaps you are not using it.  Can anyone recommend an overview of how it can be useful and what pitfalls to avoid?

Finally

Wishing you all a joyeous time over Christmas, however you spend it. Perhaps with family gatherings where you can recount the history of your family, and gather more information.
Looking forward to a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful 2025 when we as a society breakdown all brickwalls, fill in those gaps and find pleasure in those adrenaline shots we get as we find that long lost ancestor. This all helps us to understand the way in which our family lived in the past and to pass it on.

 

 

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November 2024 Newsletter
published by Pat Hase on Thu, 31/10/2024 - 22:45

Welcome to another Newsletter – What with Halloween, Diwali, Bonfire night, and Remembrance Sunday there are several celebrations in which we and our ancestors took part at this time of the year.   How are they recorded in your Family History? – Do you talk about your experiences to younger relations? – How have they changed over the years?

Free Help Session – Nov 2nd

The Weston Library will be closed on Nov 2nd.  We will not be holding a Free Help Session on Saturday November 2nd.  The next one will be on Saturday December 7th. 
In the meantime, we look forward to reading and answering your queries on the Research Forum on our Web Site or on our Face Book Group.

Gloucestershire Family History Fair – Nov 2nd

If you live near Gloucester or have relations from Gloucestershire you should find much to interest you at the Gloucestershire Family History Fair on Saturday Nov 2nd at the Heritage Hub, Clarence Row, Alvin Street, Gloucester , GL13DW.   https://gfhs.org.uk/event/gloucestershire-family-history-fair/
My maternal Grandfather, Ashton B HILL, was born in Cam near Dursley in 1880 and my paternal Grandmother, Alice B JONES, was born in Gloucester in 1879; both after marriage ending up in Bristol.

Remembrance Day – Nov 11th

A red flower with a yellow centerDescription automatically generatedpoppy from freepik.com

While you are wearing your poppy, remembering all who died in the service of this country it is wise to include those who came back.  They rarely spoke of their experiences but returned with many physical and mental problems which stayed with them all their lives.

If you have ancestors who served in WW1 these YouTube videos give some help with available records from the National Archives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2Z0vFH2zMg

A similar video covering WW2 records is also available https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTkVFYvUZYM

A Video about “Using Prisoner of War Records” is also in this series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WvD_mI9CvU

What are your suggestions for researching Military members of your family? 

AGM and Members’ Meeting – Nov 13th
The AGM will be on Wednesday 13th November at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall starting at 2.30pm.  As Hon President of this Society, I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to the Committee for continuing under immense personal pressure to keep this society going.  Whenever requests for help have gone to our members for assistance the outcome has been disappointing. As our committee meetings are held on Zoom you do not have to be a local member to be on the committee, just to be able to support your fellow enthusiasts.

The AGM will be followed by a talk from Jenny TOWEY entitled Hints & Tips for Family History Research 

Hear about the hints and tips that Jenny Towey has discovered over her 50 years of researching her family tree. Research techniques have developed so much over this time, but it is good to have a “Back to Basics” session occasionally remembering that if you are researching online that information is often being updated and you might find new documents available.

DNA
For those members who are also members of the Weston U3A There is a DNA Research Group led by Jenny TOWEY which meets by Zoom monthly on Monday afternoons.  See  https://weston.u3asite.uk/u3a_groups/dna-for-family-history/ for more details.

AI for Family History
In August, FamilySearch published this guide to using AI for Genealogical Research. https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/ai-developments-genealogy 

If you prefer to watch a video about AI – Try this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S71pcTLQs5M 

Have any of you used AI to aid your research?  Please comment with your findings.

I have experimented briefly with Microsoft Co-Pilot which for one question did lead me to a document in the Bristol Archives I had not considered before.  Be careful with your questioning and check the answers carefully to avoid errors in its reply. 

Interestingly, I also asked it  - “ What can you tell me about Thomas Long, born 1818 in Bitton and a leather merchant in Broadweir Bristol?”
Its answer directed me to our own web site!

Thomas Long, born in 1818 in Bitton, Somerset, was a leather merchant who lived and worked in Broadweir, Bristol. He was a tenant at 19 Broad Weir, which was later destroyed by a bomb in 1942. His business was located near the Crown Tavern and he was linked to numerous newspaper accounts and the births of his children.

See Weston-super-Mare & District Family History Society

House through Time
Have you been watching this programme?  This series seems slightly more contrived and disjointed than previous ones but historically correct.  Have you considered researching the residents of your own house through time?

If you live in an older house, you can trace the families who lived there through censuses, parish records, street directories, newspapers, electoral rolls, County Archives etc., building up a picture of the area and changes which occur.  If the house was converted into flats – was it one of Henry Butt’s “Mansions”?
Our house was built in 1935/6, so we have little census information to go on. As the first two owners (father and son) were both called Henry WOLSTENHOME that did cause me some difficulty.  The father died in December 1944 and was buried in Weston Cemetery.  The son moved into his father’s house until about 1952.  It all adds to your own family history.

Birnbeck Pier
With the news of Lottery Funding of £10 million to aid its restoration I was interested to hear that our Mayor, John Crockford-Hawley has discovered that he is a distant cousin of the 4 year-old Cecil Hugh Smyth-Pigott, son of the Lord of the Manor who laid the foundation stone in 1864. Would like to see that Family Tree!

Prize Winning Salmon
It was reported in the Weston Mercury (with a misprint in the Heading) that a 3 lb Salmon had won a Langford resident a trophy.  When reading the article, it was actually a 31 lb salmon.   
This reminded me of Samuel Norvill who in the first half of the 19th century caught a Salmon weighing 32 pounds and a quarter on the west side of Knightstone, in a net in the mud. As it was the first salmon to be caught that season it had to be taken to the Lord of the Manor, at Brockley.  Whoever took the fish to Brockley was given half-a-crown and as much as he and his pony could eat and drink.  Samuel was given three shillings on account of the size of the fish. This is recorded in Ernest Baker’s interviews of Weston inhabitants.

Workshop by Zoom – November 27th
The November Workshop will be looking at “How our ancestors died”.  Peter de Dulin will be considering the various events which affected how our ancestors died. Joining details will be sent to all full members before the event.

All too often we forget to kill off our ancestors and there are some family trees which suffer from this problem.  I was sent one not long ago which was based on a John PUDDY but unfortunately the John PUDDY who was given as the father of a large family had died when he was 2 but this had not been recorded and the wrong John PUDDY chosen to record.

Somewhere I have a small book written by a coroner which lists many causes of death which makes for fascinating reading.

Finally
I hope that as the nights are now drawing in you will have more time for family History and offer your help to others in this society to gain as much pleasure from researching as you do.  Please add your comments and suggestions for a society which meets your needs to this newsletter.

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October 2024 Newsletter
published by Pat Hase on Tue, 01/10/2024 - 18:26

Now that Summer is officially over - What documents have you found to be most useful when you are researching your family? Where have you found them? Which documents have been handed down to you? Do you have a Family Bible?  What about photographs – did your ancestors name the people featured on them?  Have you named and dated any photographs you have taken?

All About that Place 2024

Are you enjoying the short talks which are part of this year’s “All about that Place 2024”?  If you have missed any of them, you can catch up on YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f3Krjf_n7Q&list=PLQkoy8bkE6cBrEWsP6mjLhGVuhGmI_3Nb  There are some nuggets of information in these videos and well worth watching. Start with the one by Dave Annal as an introduction.

Latest UK Documents on Ancestry
 
Here are the latest additions to UK documents in Ancestry – which you can access at the Library.

Note that it includes a 20th Century Index of Professional Boxers.  Interesting to see how many were from Weston-super-Mare.  This Index leads to a commercial company which will sell you information. Be aware of this type of Index.  See example at https://www.boxinghistory.org.uk/Boxer_Don_Trapnell_Weston-super-Mare.htm

Free Help Session at Weston Library this Saturday, October 5th from 2.00 p.m. until 3.30 p.m.  Thanks are due to the volunteers from our society who will be there to help and guide you. Booking not required - Ancestry and FindmyPast available to use as well as all the items in the Library such as Electoral Rolls, Street Directories, Local Newspapers on film, Maps and the numerous files of information about people and places in this area etc.  Look also at the printed transcriptions by the late Brian Austin – including the one he did on the Overseers’ Accounts of Weston which he indexed under the people involved rather than the date.

Using Archives’ Catalogues.

Have you tried looking for documents in the Somerset Archives which feature your surname?

The Catalogue for the Somerset Archives has this entry for 1780 - found when searching for the name HASE:

Repository

  • Somerset Heritage Centre

Reference number

  • D/B/AX/9/1/428

Description

  • Lease by Axbridge Corporation to Elizabeth Hase, widow, of a dwelling house on the north side of the east street bounded on the west with Church Lane, Axbridge, for the lives of Joshua Hase, her son aged 34, Jane Day age 30 and Hester Colesworthy age 25, her daughters. Rent 6/8d.

Date

  • 1780

However, I have yet to establish that these people have anything to do with our family.  The Parish Registers for Badgworth have christenings for Joshua, Jane and Hester with the surname HARSE – parents Henry and Elizabeth or Betty HARSE.  Be aware that variations of the spelling of surnames can happen in original documents as well as in transcriptions.

Don't forget that searching the National Archives using its search facility Discovery will show up documents in other Archives across the Country.  If you sign in to the National Archives there are many documents which you can download free of charge including the PCC Wills.  If you search for "Weston-super-Mare" there are many documents which you can download, including this one at no cost.

House History – Planning Permission

I have recently had a request for information about when a particular house was built.  Information may be gained from Street Directories – but remember that the entries were probably collected during the previous year.  Electoral Rolls should list people old enough to vote who are living at that address. 
Planning Permission found in County Archives may also help but you will need to see the actual plans to identify the Plot with the House number. However, it is sometimes possible to compare the name of the householder in a street directory with the planning permission for additions (such as a garage) to a plot number.  For example, I was able to identify the Plot number of the house in which I live with this as I knew from the Deeds the name of the first owner, Henry WOLSTENHOLME. 


Older property is more difficult to identify although you may find it on older maps.

Criminal Activity

Have you found any evidence of criminal activity in your family history research?  Why is it that we get excited about such events?

  •       One of my great grandmother’s first cousins, called Frances COLES, was born in Bermondsey in 1859 and died tragically in Whitechapel in 1891.  See https://www.jack-the-ripper.org/frances-coles.htm for more details. There is considerable doubt about her assailant, however it has given me hours of distraction reading and researching her life.  My grandfather was alive, aged 17, when she died, but he did not pass the story down to me – I wonder why?!  Did the family know about her?

  •       My husband’s great great grandmother, Hannah NICHOLLS née ROGERS, died following an altercation in Wedmore, with a son-in-law, Sandy CREASE, in 1854, who was subsequently charged with her manslaughter.  This newspaper account gives her age as 35 – she was 55. The case was dismissed when it came to the Assizes.

  •  On the other side of the law, Charles PUDDY, Great Uncle of my husband, born in Mark, and a member of the Cardiff Police received a Bravery Award for saving the woman mentioned in the following incident.

A newspaper article with textDescription automatically generated

  • It is sometimes difficult to find these items.  Newspapers are excellent for bad news as they are today!

    Better News about HASE
    I did find information about a Henry Hase when we ran a vintage car for Wedding Hire and when visiting the home of a prospective bride, I saw one of these bank notes framed and hanging in their loo.

 

  • Note that the Chief Cashier of the Bank of England was a Henry Hase, and I then wanted to prove a connection with our family, although this seemed unlikely!
  • The National Portrait Gallery holds an image of him https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp121343/henry-hase and he was born in 1763.  He was the Chief Cashier of the Bank of England from 1807 until his death in 1829.
  • At that time, I contacted the Bank of England and surprisingly received a very friendly and helpful reply which told me that they did not know where he was born or who his parents were but quoted a piece of doggerel about him from when he succeeded Abraham Newland as Chief Cashier. Dated 1808.

 Ye Directors of England’s vast treasure,

In darkness why always exist?

When Abraham Newland departed,

In the bank he was certainly Mist.

Still a cloud overhangs your proceedings.

I see it, I own with amaze!

(Though perhaps you make light of the matter),

He is now succeeded by Haze!

Notable women in Weston - Next Society Meeting October 9th

On Wednesday October 9th from 2.30 p.m. until 5.00 p.m. the Society meeting at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall will be addressed by Jane Hill.  The title will be The History of Notable Women in Weston & Surrounding area.  Which women would you include?

  •       Edith Graves-Knyfton from Uphill joined the Red Cross during WW1 and became in charge of the Ashcombe Temporary Red Cross Hospital. There are a number of photographs of the Hospital including patients on this site. https://museumandarchives.redcross.org.uk/objects/39448 She also organised help during WW2
  •      Hannah More (2 February 1745 – 7 September 1833) comes to mind, especially when you think of her home at Barley Wood and her philanthropic work - educating women in the area etc. https://wringtonsomerset.org.uk/morelocke/irvingonmore.html
  •       Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence and her work for Suffragettes and for more details see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmeline_Pethick-Lawrence She was the treasurer of the movement and is credited with choosing the purple, green and white colours worn by the women of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) 
  •      Ivy Millicent James who was born in Weston is known her inimitable postcards featuring children. Ivy also designed the banner of the local Suffragettes.

A book cover with a picture of a group of children fishingDescription automatically generated


Note the boy smoking! There are many images of her postcards in Weston Library.

Connections with LDS and Salt Lake City

  • The father-in-law of one of my great aunts, George Thomas DAYER, was born in Newport, Monmouthshire in 1848.
  • He travelled to America in 1868 following the example of his Aunt Ann SPOONER née DAYER, a widow, who emigrated with three of her children in March 1854 on board the Golconda from Liverpool to New Orleans with all the passengers heading for Salt Lake City.
  • A close up of a documentDescription automatically generatedResearching her children revealed that her daughter Sarah Jane later married Benjamin Franklyn JOHNSON becoming the last of his 7 wives – all living together.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9271792/benjamin_franklin-johnson
  • George applied for citizenship of the USA in 1869 – this document was found on Ancestry.
  • A document with signature on itDescription automatically generatedHe married in Salt Lake City in 1873, and they had a son there in 1874. But by 1881 he and his family were back in Bristol. The moral of this story is how interesting it can be to research some people who may not be direct ancestors but shed a light on the conditions of the time.

Course on Family History Research

The Weston-super-Mare Family History Centre run by the LDS at 11, Ellenborough Road, North is offering a course designed to teach people the benefits of Family Search and how to get the best from the site. This is due to start on Wednesday 16th October from 7.00p.m. to 8.00p.m.
Member Christine Fulfit Reid will confirm details.

Other Aids to Family History Research

Some of the TV offerings about researching families are classed as entertainment but on Wednesday Oct 9th at 9.0p.m. on ITV1 is the first edition of another series of DNA Journeys which promises to surprise the participants with its findings.  Do these programmes help you in your research?

Next Zoom Workshop

This will be on Wednesday 23rd October at 7.30 p.m. and will be "An Introduction to the Family and Community Historical Research Society" by Brita Wood, its membership Secretary. 

The aims of this Society are to promote and communicate research in family and Community History, with a particular emmphasis on the contribution of locally based Micro-studies, especially through collaborative research,  Over the years, major projects have resulted in books on the Swing Riots, 19th Century Allotments, and Almshouses and a number of mini -projects have proved immensely popular, with 30-40% of Society Members taking part"

All our full members will be notified of the signing on details nearer the date. Would any of you be interested in taking part in a mini-project?

Zoom Workshop in September

The Video of the September Workshop is yet to be uploaded but once itis all full members will be able tp watch it.

Finally

What do you advise other members to do to further their research during October? Can you suggest methods of breaking down brick walls?  All Comments wil be welcome as will omissions and corrections to this newsletter.  Have fun with your research and let us know how you are getting on.

 

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September 2024 Newsletter
published by Pat Hase on Sun, 01/09/2024 - 2:13

Can I start this newsletter by offering my condolences to two of my cousins who lost their husbands recently. There are times when the current family is more important than researching the past.   We also send our best wishes for a speedy recovery from his operation to Committee member, Bill CAPLE who has freely given so much of his time to this society.  Thank you,  Bill!

Review of August

We’ve had a spasmodic Summer weatherwise. What did you do during August to add to your family tree?  Where are you stuck?  How can the Family History Society help you? Did you visit the Society’s stand at the Hutton Show last week? How can you help others who have connections in this area?  Have you ever posted a request for help either on the Research Forum or on the Facebook Group?  

New Items on Ancestry

 

Most of these are updating – note the death index now goes up to 2023. 

Somerset Wills - see above

The index to Somerset Wills goes to 2001 but it is an index not transcriptions of Wills.  However, you can obtain copies from the Somerset Archives if you find an ancestor in the list.  You could ask for a copy to be brought to Weston Library when the North Somerset Archivist visits on September 5th. 

Local History 

When you have discovered where your grandparents or great grandparents were born it is often helpful to investigate that area of the country.  This can reveal the types of occupations which were available to your ancestors and the conditions under which they lived. How many shared houses?  Look at the whole page of the relevant census to see what occupations their neighbours had.  

Have you considered a One Place Study? or is someone else looking in detail at the area which interests you?

You may find a Facebook group covering the area in which your ancestors lived.  Many of the contributions may be about more recent times but usually there is someone interested in the history of the area who will be prepared to help you. 

Take a look at the web site of the ALHA (Avon Local History Association) for details of local groups who belong .  Do you read the ALHA Newsletters which are available on our web site? 

Tithe Maps

I find that the Genealogist is excellent for detail about Tithe Maps.  Not only are there maps but also the Apportionment Lists showing both Landowner and Occupier. If you have member of your family mentioned on the 1841 census the chances are that you may find the property on the Tithe Map.                                                See below Plot 477 is the Royal Hotel owned by 

John REEVES.  He also owned Plots 480 (later The Italian Gardens) and 476 (now Grosvenor Hotel).

Extract from the Apportionment Book (The Genealogist)

Harvest

Harvest Festivals and Harvest Home events start in late August and are usually well documented in the newspapers. The earliest one was usually at Lympsham.

This is from the Weston Gazette Pictorial Review of 1934 showing the Lympsham Harvest Home where it appears to have been raining!   Do you think that the bottom right photo shows “Uncle Tom Cobleigh and All”? – see newspaper article.

A Newspaper account shows the results of the sports activities – Do you recognise any names?  

My mother often spoke about her father’s family who lived in Cam in Gloucestershire near Dursley. In 1944 or 45 we spent the Summer there and in August I remember “helping” with the harvest.  The fields were cut with a harvester and binder pulled by a horse.  We collected the sheaves of corn and stacked them in stooks ready for collection.  

Picture from “Harvest Time in Cornwall” which is exactly how I remember it in Gloucestershire. 

Who Do You Think You Are?

When you watch “Who Do You Think You are?” the last few have admitted that they really know nothing past their grandparents.  Many people come to research their family history when they retire and when younger seem not to have been interested so did not ask any questions about their forebears. Do you know where your parents and grandparents were born? – have you been to that place or have a picture to add to your tree?   You can use the free site Goggle Street View to find the site today – sometimes the buildings are still there.

For example, I was born in a Private Nursing Home in Hampstead Road, Brislington on a very cold Saturday, in December 1938.  It was so cold that weekend that the husband of the Matron had to come in especially to make sure that the boilers were well stoked to keep the temperature at a level suitable for newborn babies.

A Web page dealing with the History of Weather supports this information with this quote 

1938 (18th to 26th December): BEST 'WHITE CHRISTMAS' OF THE 20TH CENTURY

During the very severe December of 1938, over a foot of snow fell in places over the eastern part of Britain, and to the west, it was in the realms of 2 feet! Snow fell variously from the 18th until the 26th, and with little of the traffic pounding of recent years, contributed to a fine, winter event.

This was where I was born at 54 Kensington Road, Brislington, Bristol. From 1938 Street Directory of Bristol and Google Street View.

It looks as if it has been recently extended  but on the 1939 Register there are 7 redacted entries inferring that at least 7 mothers had recently given birth.  It was normal at that time for mothers to spend 14 days after birth “Lying in” and being cared for.  The Matron in 1939 was a Bridget HOLMES and her husband was a plumber!  I forgot to ask whether Mum and I were discharged before Christmas, but we went to my father’s parents in Stapleton for a while.

Researching in Weston-super-Mare

When I married, my father-in-law, Arthur HASE, told me that his father, John Millard HASE had been born near the Victoria Hotel in Regent Street  - His birth certificate revealed that John had been born in Laura Buildings which ran off Regent Street, next to the Victoria Hotel. You can read more about Laura Buildings on our web site 

Perhaps I’m lucky in that my husband’s family arrived in Weston in the 1850s and (apart from spelling variations) has been relatively easy to trace. 

John had set up in business as a Fly Proprietor while living at Laura Buildings and using the yard of the Victoria Hotel as a base.  He also provided stabling for visitors.

When John married in 1885, he and his wife (Mary Ann PUDDY) moved into a new house at 19 Whitecross Road. From the 1891 Census the house was called “Gordon Villa”.

John built stables at the back of the house with access from Albert Road to continue in business.  This now operates as a garage at 10 Albert Road

  Gordon Villa, 19, Whitecross Road.

Using Newspapers

In Dec 1907,  Mary Ann HASE, wife of John, died leaving him with a young family.  Arthur was the youngest, born in 1905.  John needed a housekeeper to look after him and his family .  This advertisement appeared in Feb 1908. 

Newspapers are valuable aids.  Not all Weston newspapers are online, but they are available on film in Weston Library.  If you know the date of an event you can search them.  Give yourself plenty of time to do this as it can be quite time consuming because there is always something more interesting in a neighbouring column!

By 1911 Susan SANDERS had been appointed who remained with the family for many years. She was a valued member of the family. 

1939 Register

The 1939 Register was taken at the end of September 1939 to list all residents and to use the information in order to issue Identity Cards and Ration Books for use during WW2.  The Register was kept up to date with changes of surnames for women after marriage and changes of addresses. 

As a former teacher of what was then called Domestic Science, I find the amount of food which was allowed under Rationing very interesting. I have several books published during and after the War such as “The ABC of Cookery”, The Manual of Nutrition” and “Better Home Management” which reflect the position held by women in society at that time. In a Chapter entitled “Food Values and Menu Planning” is this comment.

“Knowing how to cook meals is not enough, nor is it sufficient to serve meals which only satisfy hunger. Foods have definite functions in the body, and it is necessary to ensure that the choice of foods in the daily menu covers these needs.”

Allotments were used and land in public parks was used to grow more veg and potatoes We grew many vegetables in our garden to supplement the rations including peas and beans which gave vegetable proteins.  Vegetables were delivered to the door by horse and cart from nearby market gardens and allotments.

I remember my mother adding offal, which was not rationed, such as liver, hearts, fish roe, rabbit  to the menu – she tried tripe, but we didn’t like it!  She preserved eggs from neighbour’s hens in isinglass or waterglass. Waterglass is sodium silicate. Eggs were submerged in solutions of waterglass, and a gel of silicic acid formed, also sealing the pores of the eggshell. Beans were salted in large glass jars.  What other ways of preservation do you know of? 

Of course, my memory may be suspect but not surprisingly I don’t remember seeing obese people. I don’t know how many cases of type 2 diabetes were recorded at that time.

Life in the 1940/50s

It has to be remembered that the expected way of life during and just after the War was very different to today. Most families ate together – the same food, sitting at a table – there was no fast food bought in  – except perhaps some fish and chips.  Women had managed their homes while the men were serving away.  It was also at this time that many girls who became pregnant were sent to Mother and Baby Homes and their babies were adopted. See “Long Lost Families” etc. It was seen as a disgrace to the family to have an illegitimate child.  Even before this period if a daughter produced a baby, her parents often treated it as theirs, baptised it as theirs, and the child did not know that their elder sister was their mother.

DNA Testing

As there are, as yet, no censuses covering this period until the 1951 Census is released it may be difficult to trace some members of your family without the help of DNA testing. This has proved a lifeline for many people. Have you tried it yet?  

Next Society Meetings

Visit of North Somerset Archivist

Thursday 5th September 2024 Sessions are open from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm, and from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm For more information contact somersetarchives@swheritage.org.uk

Library Help Session

Saturday, 7th September 2024 14:00 - 15:30 At Weston-super-Mare Library with free help offered by our experienced members.

Physical Members' Meeting

Wednesday, 11th September 2024 14:30 - 16:30 At Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall when the speaker will be Peter Towey who will discuss Non-Conformist Records.

Zoom Workshop

Wednesday 25th September 2024 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. Topic to be announced

Please feel free to add any ommissions. comments or answer any of the questions posed in this newsletter, either as a comment on our web site or by posting to the FaceBook Group. 

 

 

 

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Forthcoming Events

Workshop by Zoom: She died in Whitechapel a talk by Pat Hase
Wednesday, 26th February, 2025 19:30 - 20:30
Library Help Session
Saturday, 1st March, 2025 14:00 - 15:30
Physical Members' Meeting
Wednesday, 12th March, 2025 14:30 - 17:00
Workshop by Zoom: Brick Walls
Wednesday, 26th March, 2025 19:30 - 20:30
Library Help Session
Saturday, 5th April, 2025 14:00 - 15:30
<- View calendar for more






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