West Middlesex Family Society Journal 2006

Annual General Meeting 2006 - Notice of Agenda
The Annual General Meeting of the West Middlesex Family History Society will be held on Thursday 16 March 2006 at Montague Hall, Montague Road, Hounslow. The Agenda for this meeting is as follows:

Every year we produce an index (see the yellow-coloured insert in the Journal) based on the four editions of the Journal published during the previous year. The index is aimed at providing references to the topics covered both in the Journals and at monthly meetings, and at facilitating your search for places and names that appeared in print during 2005. The index, then, lists the 16 printed articles on family/local history, 10 reports on talks, 8 photographs, the 131 placenames and 171 individual names appearing in the 16 articles, and finally 343 surnames culled from the regular "Help!" and "Members' Interests" sections throughout the year.

There should be enough material here to merit all readers' curiosity! Copies of the 2005 Journals are available from the Membership Secretary, or the Editor can supply a copy of a particular item. [Members, of course, get a personal copy, very probably before details appear on this web site.]

The Story of Greenwich - John Neal

In October, John Neal recounted the story of Greenwich, a place packed with history and famous buildings, the most prominent of which is Wren's riverside Royal Naval Hospital, later the Royal Naval College and now Greenwich University, with Inigo Jones' Queen's House peeping between two great blocks; to one side of the University is the Trafalgar Tavern, with rooms named after famous captains and well known for its whitebait dinners. Up on the hill, the Royal Greenwich Observatory stands in Greenwich Park. [The printed version continues with more on these subjects and more.]

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(1) (March 2006)

Surnames on the Internet - Peter Christian

In November, Peter Christian, of Goldsmiths' College and the Society of Genealogists, offered advice on researching surnames on the Internet. His first suggestion was to use every possible method to make contact with other people researching the same names, for instance by perusing the Members' Interests section of a family history society journal, the Genealogical Research Directory, or the Register of the Guild of One Name Studies. These people will already have done a lot of the groundwork for a particular name. But printed reference material, and addresses can get out of date. And the Internet has the widest possible circulation. So, if possible, consult 'surname interests lists' online. The Guild of One Name Studies lists, with e-mail addresses, can be consulted online at GENUKI. Some FHSs have their members' interests online (but without full contact details for privacy reasons), so look at the websites of family history societies in your area of interest (find them here). You can arrange for messages to come to you automatically via e-mail: all [?] surnames have a mailing list, with an archive of past messages.

Some commercial genealogy companies, such as Ancestry run free message boards on which it is possible to place an enquiry and get replies; the Rootsweb and Ancestry boards are actually the same site. pedigree databases, such as those produced by the Ancestry's World Tree is free to consult, as is GenesReunited. Peter advised caution when dealing with commercial genealogy companies: some retain copyright of submitted material and can then sell it on. Two commercial sites are World Tree and One Great Family. With all these sites it is best to check what the organisation's policies are with regard to material. It is generally expected that living people are not included. Record matching, such as Lost Cousins, is relatively new; you can submit details from the 1881 Census which refer to your ancestors and the site will match you up with others who have submitted the same person, but until more people submit material, the chances of a match are small. Finally, many people are setting up their own websites on which they can post family history material. As this takes time and trouble, you must decide whether the benefits - probably a lot of contacts - are worth it.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(1) (March 2006)

Christmas Past and Present - Colin Chapman

During our enjoyable Christmas party in December, the Society welcomed Colin Chapman who added to the seasonal atmosphere with a talk on 'Christmas Past and Present', shedding light on the origins of many of our Christmas traditions.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(1) (March 2006)

The Rural Past - Patricia Williamson

Your fascinating article on Pansy Plots in the December issue got me thinking about the agricultural and horticultural past in our region of interest. My father's maternal grandfather William BARNES ran a market garden in the Sunbury/Feltham area around the middle of the 19C. The tale has come down to us that, returning from Covent Garden after selling his produce, he would hide his takings under the manure in his wagon, before crossing Hounslow Heath, which was then a notoriously dangerous place frequented by thieves and cut-throats. Let's hope the cash was in waterproof bags!!

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(1) (March 2006)

Tales From the Harlington Parish Registers - Philip Sherwood

In the mid 1980s, the late Connie Zouch and I transcribed the Harlington parish registers. Several copies of the transcripts were prepared and deposited in appropriate locations by the Society. The exercise was not entirely altruistic on my part because on my maternal grandmother's (Sarah COTTRELL) side of the family I have connections with Harlington going back for more than 300 years. The work of making the transcriptions therefore gave me the opportunity to inspect the registers in detail and make photographic copies of the entries that were of particular interest to me. I had an additional interest in the registers as two of my direct ancestors and another member of the family, all named William Cottrell, were the Parish Clerks over the period from 1754 to 1848. This situation is not at all unusual and explains reports of Parish Clerks and Churchwardens living for an extraordinary length of time. For example, in the neighbouring parish of Harmondsworth it might appear to the unwary that James Tillyer was a churchwarden for more than 100 years.

Since making the transcriptions, I have been on the list of indexes held by members of the Society and my details appear inside the back cover of the Society's Journal. Because of this from time to time I receive requests askig for information about the contents of the registers. [The article continues with information about the COTTRELL family that came to light as a result of one such request from Canada. Names mentioned: COTTRELL Abigail, Deborah, Elizabeth, Esther, Solomon, Thomas, William; EAGLES Ann, John, William; AGALE, Abigail.]

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(1) (March 2006)

A Very Unconventional Great Aunt - Margaret Watson

My grandfather, Woodruff TILBURY, was the eldest son of eight children born to William Wix TILBURY and Jane Woodruff, both of whom had been born in Hayes, Middlesex, and who had married on 16th July 1867 at St John's Church, Fulham. William Wix was made a freeman of the City of London in 1897.

[The writer knew something about six of the other seven siblings, but what happened to Millicent, who was born 16th May 1877 in Hayes, Middlesex? Find out in the printed Journal. Names mentioned: BAILEY Priscilla Madge; BLAKE Frederick Henry; FULFORD Frances Ellen; GIRDLER Louisa Girdler, Walter; PAILTHORPE Alfred Clinton, Edie Millicent, Milly, Walter Henry, William Girdler; TILBURY Alfred, Alfred Clinton, Edith Fanny, Jane, Jessie Louise, Joseph Woodruff, Julie, Mariette, Millicent, Walter Henry, William Wix, Woodruff; TROTMAN Charles Henry, Frank; WEATHERLEY Herbert; WOODRUFF Charity, Stephen.]

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(1) (March 2006)

Hayes Middlesex - Andrew Jackson

The word Hayes means brushwood, heath land, bushes and shrubs. The parish is almost entirely flat, with Hillingdon Heath to the west and Hounslow Heath to the south and no land is above the 125 ft contour. London clay predominates and there are extensive gravel deposits.

The earliest artefact found in Hayes is an axe head from the Bronze Age, but the recorded history of Hayes starts in 790, when King Offa of Mercia created Hayes Manor by granting land to the Archbishop of Canterbury. This document is probably a forgery, but in 830 a priest named Warherdus did bequeath the land to Canterbury Cathedral. At the time of Domesday, 1087, Hayes Manor was still owned by Canterbury, being in the hands of Archbishop Lanfranc. The parish was known as a "Middlesex Peculiar" and this lasted until 1845.

[The article continues with brief descriptions of agriculture, religion, the Manor, housing, prominent residents, transport, education, industry, recreation, and developments since 1940.]

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(1) (March 2006)

Enclosure in the 19th Century (Part 2) - William Wild

This article compares and contrasts two dissimilar parishes in different parts the country. Both were enclosed by Acts of Parliament within six years of each other, Thorington in 1813 and Harmondsworth in 1819. Much of Thorington consisted of heathland (the Great Heath and Tenpenny Heath), while Harmondsworth lying in the Thames Valley was made up of rich alluvial soil, which was watered by four rivers (two natural and two dug). Both, however, had to go through many of the same processes to produce their awards.

We looked at the process of enclosure in Thorington in the first part. Here we continue the comparison between two different parts of the country only six years apart.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(1) (March 2006)

Editor's Notes

The stock of articles from members about their family history is getting low, so please think about contributing some of your interesting stories to the Journal. Short pieces are always needed and I would be pleased to receive any new material that members might care to send in; remember it does not have to be a full article. A small piece on some aspect of your research, or your views about a family history matter, are also welcome. The response has so far been very heartening, thank you.

Nothing can be achieved without your input, so please put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard! (Articles can always be e-mailed if it is more convenient.)

Deadlines for the quarterly issues of WMFHS Journal are:

15 January; 15 April; 15 July; 15 October

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(1, 2) (March, June 2006)

Annual General Meeting 2006

The Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the West Middlesex Family History Society held at Montague Hall, Montague Road, Hounslow on Thursday 16th March 2006 have been published in the June 2006 edition of the WMFHS Journal.

Maggie Mold, Tony Simpson and Mike Cordery had completed three years on the Committee and offered themselves for re-election; having been duly nominated and secondeded, they were elected unanimously. There remained four vacancies on the committee: Yvonne Masson, Chris Hern and Brian Page were proposed, seconded and elected unanimously; the remaining vacancy would be filled by cooption in due course. [The Committee subsequently elected Yvonne Masson as their Chair.]

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(2) (June 2006)

The Postal Service - Roy Hewitt

In January Roy Hewitt gave a talk which imparted some extremely important information about the postal service operating during World War One between British troops posted to the front lines and their families back home. While on holiday, Roy purchased eight old postcards for their vintage postage stamps. He then realised that they were all from the same person, Cecil Edward John WARNE, and they had all been posted from the War Zone to Warne's wife at home in Kent during 1918 and 1919.

Postboxes available to soldiers in the trenches could be just a sack hanging from a nail in the trench. Both postcards and letters had then to be perused by the men's officer for censorship purposes. Soldiers were issued with special envelopes in which to put (unsealed) their letters and postcards.

Roy Hewitt was able to obtain information from the Internet about the location of a lot of the field post offices and was thus able to trace the movements of Cecil Warne from northern to southern France and then to Italy. Roy looked up Warne's service records at The National Archives, Kew and found he had spent some time in hospital in England before being sent back to Northern France. Later, Warne was sent to Egypt, returning home in March 1920.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(2) (June 2006)

Romanies - Stewart King

In February, Stewart King spoke on "Romanies and their Crafts: 1000 Years on the Move and Still a Mystery."

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(2) (June 2006)

The West London Local History Conference - Yvonne Masson

The 26th West London Local History Conference was held on 18th March 2006 at Hounslow's Montague Hall. The theme was "Waste Not, Want Not", and dealt with the often avoided, but very important, issues of how a greatly increasing population has historically disposed of its waste, down to the very modern vogue of recycling.

First to speak was Judith Flanders, author of 'The Vistorian House: Domestic Life from Childbirth to Deathbed', on the subject of 'Hogwash: Waste and the Victorian Household.'

After a break for coffee, James Wisdom, Chairman of Brentford and Chiswick Local History Society, spoke on 'Fertiliser, Fuel and Flagstones: Sewage in Victorian Chiswick.'

Lunch was followed by the traditional readings on the Conference theme by members of the Conference Steering Committee. Then, archaeologists Alistair Douglas and Victoria Ridgeway of Pre-Construct Archaeology spoke about 'Garderobes and Glass: Disposing of Waste in the Archbishop of York's Palace at Battersea', a fascinating account of the unit's 2002 excavation in Battersea at the Price's candle factory, which is being written up.

After a break for tea, Nick Goddard, Professor of Environmental History at Anglia Ruskin University, spoke on 'Rivers of Gold? Sewage disposal and Water Pollution in Victorian West London.'

The final talk concerned recycling and was given at short notice by Ronny Morgan of ECT, which provides recycling services in the boroughs of Ealing, Hounslow and Brent. Paper was being recycled as early as 1690, while New York introduced metal recycling in 1776. The 1848 Public Health Act regulated waste disposal. In 1892 the majority of waste was ashes, in 2002 non-biodegradable plastics.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(2) (June 2006)

An Eccentric Will - from the Uxbridge Observer 1894

The contents of a most eccentric will, left by M. Zalesky, a rich Polish landed proprietor, who died in the province of Taurida in March 1889, has just been published. The property left by the deceased was valued at 100,000 roubles, and his will was enclosed in an envelope bearing the words, "To be opened after my death." On this envelope being opened, the executors found a second envelope, on which was written "To be opened six weeks after my death." The stipulated time having elapsed, the second envelope was opened, and a third was found with the words, "To be opened a tear after my death." At the end of the year, a fourth envelope was discovered, which was to be opened two years after the death of the deceased. This continued for five years, and when at length, in 1894, the actual will was read, it was found to be as eccentric as the directions attached to its opening. The testator bequeathed half of his fortune to such one of his heirs as has the greatest number of children. The rest of his money he directed to be placed in a bank, and at the end of 100 years distributed, with the accumulated interest, among the descendants of the testator. The heirs of the deceased, however, have taken proceeding to test the legality of the will on the groun that M. Zalesky was not in sound disposing mind.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(2) (June 2006)

A Family Beset by Tragedy - Joan Scrivener

The many unhappy events that befell Princess Alice, third daughter of Queen Victoria, and her family between 1873 and 1939.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(2) (June 2006)

Five Names - One Person - Carola and John Beckett

Florence Louisa BECKETT / PARKES, formerly Flo(ra Lucy) PARKES, formerly Flora Lucy WILLIS, formerly Florence Hughes WILLIS (1890-1930) of Kensington and the Lake District. A mystery (partly) resolved. [Would you have been able to untangle this remarkable tale of unstable names?]

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(2) (June 2006)

Diary Dates
Sunday 1 October:	WMFHS Open Day, The White House, Community Centre, 45 The Avenue, Hampton, Middlesex TW12 3RN. 10-4.
Saturday 7 October:	East FHS AGM and lunch. Christ Church, Redford Way, Uxbridge. Talk at 2pm by guest speaker. Anyone with an interest in the name East/Este is welcome. Enquiries to June Lines, 45 Windsor Road, London W5 3UP or see East FHS website.
Sunday 15 October:	Eastleigh Fair, Fleming Park Leisure Centre, Eastleigh SO50 9NL. 10-5. Large Fair with up to 120 stalls. Admission £2.
Sunday 22 October:	Cheltenham Fair, Pitville Pump Room, Pitville Park, Cheltenham. 10–4. Free parking, Refreshments available. Admission £2.
Sunday 29 October:	The Liverpool Aintree Fair, Aintree Racecourse, Princess Royal Exhibition Suite. 4000 Car Parking Spaces, Refreshments. 10-5.
Sunday 19 November:	The East Anglia Family History Fair, St.Andrews Hall, Norwich. Norfolk’s Largest Fair. 10-4
Sunday 26 November:	The Dorset & South West Family History Fair, Queen Elizabeth Leisure Centre, Blandford Road, Wimborne. 10-5.

A Remarkable Addendum to the Story of the Unconventional Great Aunt - Margaret Watson

Since writing the story of my unconventional great aunt,(March 2006) Millicent Tilbury, I have been contacted by Richard Pailthorpe, a descendant of Samuel Pailthorpe, a brother of the father of her children, Walter Girdler Pailthorpe. He told me that he had a copy of Walter's last will and testament and that it made very interesting reading, especially considering that it was written in 1906. He generously sent me a copy. It solves the mystery once and for all of Millicent and Walter's relationship.

The relevant section of Walter's will reads as follows:

"…and shall pay the income of the said monies … to Millicent Tilbury … aforesaid and after her death shall hold the said trust premises and the income thereof in trust for my children Tom or Thomas Tilbury Edith Pailthorpe Millie Pailthorpe and Alfred Tilbury and any children or reputed children I may have by the said Millicent Tilbury (all of whom are included in the expression my said children)who being male shall attain the age of twenty one years or being female shall attain that age or marry ….”
"… In witness whereof I the said Walter Girdler Pailthorpe have to this my will set my hand this twenty second day of May one thousand nine hundred and six …"

This is an amazingly candid will considering the date when it was written! Clearly, Millicent and Walter never did marry. It is easy to see that the couple could not marry whilst Walter's wife, Louisa, was still alive, even though Millicent had two children by Walter during Louisa's lifetime. It is less clear why they didn't marry after Louisa's death in 1901. It would seem that many members of the Pailthorpe family were Plymouth brethren and it could be that a second marriage would have been frowned upon. However, openly living together although not married must have been equally unacceptable to members of that sect. Indeed, it was a remarkable occurrence at the beginning of the twentieth century and probably must have outraged many who knew about it. It does explain, perhaps, why Millicent was never mentioned by my rather straight-laced grandmother and why contact was lost between the two families.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(3) (September 2006)

A Very Victorian Affair - Chris Hern

This story of life and love in late Victorian times came my way during research into the history of St Stephens Road Hounslow. It is a story into which local and military history are interwoven, and it is also about families, though not mine - for which I make no apology - and rightly deserves to be related in a family history journal.
Characters featured: Henry and Ada Layton; Colonel Charles Gostling-Murray; Mrs Mary Ann Naylor; Captain Clifford Walton; Clara Walton; Henry Hughes.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(3) (September 2006)

Alice German RN, USA - Valerie Walker

I wrote a short article in WMFHS Journal Vol. 12 No 4, December 1994 about my great aunt, Alice German, and how Lois Wilson in New Zealand had found details about her in a diary kept by Louisa Higginson who had nursed with Alice on Malta at the Hamrun Hospital for Officers on Malta during WWl. I also visited the British Red Cross Society's Archives, and on Malta found the building at Hamrun – previously the Istituto Technico Vincenzo Bugeia - which had been made into a hospital.

From the BRCS, I had details of Alice's training in the USA but first I had to establish when Alice had gone to the USA. I have postcards sent from Canada to my grandparents starting in October 1904 and the last one was from Detroit in August 1906.

A few years ago I had done some research for one of our members, Eileen Prince in Pennsylvania, and I asked for her help. What follows is thanks to Eileen's diligence in following up with perseverance every avenue beginning with the Ellis Island records, and contacting everyone and anyone by e-mail, letter, and telephone. One problem was that Alice took five years off her age to the authorities in the USA and the BRCS but I do have her birth (12 November 1867 in Limehouse House) and death certificates - the latter showing her correct age. She also said she had entered the USA through New York on 15 June 1904...

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(3) (September 2006)

Traces of DNA - Brian Page

This could be one of the greatest aids to Family Historians. My interest began in 1995 when I was finishing my working career in the U.S.A. There was a book in the local library written by a Colonel George Page, about the origins of the PAGEs. This book made many presumptions, however this turned out to be a blessing because it generated a lot of Pages to write to him. I was one of them. The outcome of this was that Colonel George decided to start a database of D.N.A. swab results. To date he has approx 110 PAGE participants and they fall into 7 main groups and some others. D.N.A. changes ever so slowly from one generation to another and research shows where and at what rate this “mutation” occurs. We now come to the reason for this little article. My D.N.A. is in group F and I have three very close “cousins” with about 350 years between us. Two are American and one English...

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(3) (September 2006)

Was Your Ancestor a Police Officer? - Metropolitan Police Research

Keith Skinner is a professional independent researcher who in 1989 established Causeway Resources Historical Research which specialises in researching Metropolitan Police Records and Registers. Keith is co-author of The Official Encyclopaedia Of Scotland Yard and is recommended by the Archives Section of New Scotland Yard. He has successfully handled many hundreds of Metropolitan Police family history enquiries.

Address: Causeway Resources (Historical Research), 8 The Causeway, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0HE

Website: www.metpoliceresearch.co.uk

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(3) (September 2006)

HELP!

This service is free to members of WMFHS (please quote your membership number when writing). In order to ensure that your appeal is published correctly and is clear to other readers, please make entries clear and concise, give all personal and place names in BLOCK CAPITALS, and all dates in full. Entries from non-members can be accepted, at a rate of £3.00 for up to ten lines. Payments must be in Sterling only, with cheques made payable to WMFHS.

TOOLE

I am trying to find my husband’s paternal grandfather ALFRED TOOLE whose parents WILLIAM and ELLEN TOOLE were living in Lambeth (16 Mary Street) but went to HESTON for Alfred’s birth in 1870.

I have searched the ledgers in the Family Record Office in Myddleton Street Islington 1867-1873, checking spelling variations to no avail. The 1881 census gives William TOOLE 56 born in Ireland. Ellen TOOLE 43 born in M Drayton Middlesex England (we know this to be (WEST DRAYTON) and Alfred TOOLE 11 ..eston Middlesex England (which should read HESTON). Web site Freebmd, unable to find him. On the 1901 census it reads Alfred Toole 30 born Hounslow Middlesex. I am hoping that when the HOUNSLOW records for that period are updated he will be included, but I am not very confident. I also wish to find his mother’s maiden name and his parent’s marriage date so I am rather stuck at the moment. Any suggestions are most welcome.

PS As a matter of local interest ALFRED and his mother ELLEN, although they both died in Lambeth, are interred in St Leonard’s churchyard in HESTON. ELLEN TOOLE in 1907 aged 65 and ALFRED TOOLE 1919 AGED 50.

Patricia M Toole, 6 Kevins Grove, Fleet, Hants GU51 3LJ

JOHNSON

My grandfather, Albert Johnson, bought/leased? (I have no idea how), Albion Nursery at 107 Laleham Road, Shepperton around 1895. I spent many happy hours there as a child. I just wondered if any of the Johnson family still live there or even if the property is still there. Searches on British Telecom, Google and others, have not come up with anything useful.

As you will know, finding ancestors between 1800 and 1900 is relatively easy, before that is not too bad even from here in Australia, after 1900 it is almost impossible. Nothing much has been indexed yet but it is happening. If anyone can help I would be very grateful. Needless to say, if I can return the favour for anyone who wants information from here I'd be only to happy to help.

Eve Portsmouth nee Johnson,

LARKIN

I am trying to find what happened to my great grandfather Frederick LARKIN (1840) and his family. He is listed at 1 Grove Mews, Hammersmith on the 1881 census. His wife had died “of her own act”, drowning in the Grand Union Canal on 14 October 1880. He was left with 8 children under the age of 13. Minnie Jane (1868), Fanny (1870), Annie Edith (1872), Elizabeth Frederica (1873), Maud (1875), Frederick Henry (1876), Arthur Charles Valentine (1878) and Emily Ada (1879).

I have found him again on the 1901 census at 8 Southbrook Street, Hammersmith with his son Frederick Henry LARKIN (1876) and wife. My father was born there on 20 November 1902 – another Frederick Henry LARKIN.

I am also seeking the death of my grandfather Frederick Henry LARKIN (1876). The family story was that he had a work accident with a head injury and died in the “workhouse”. This would have been early 20C. I have searched Hammersmith workhouse records in vain.

Maureen E.B. Caughey, 11 Darley Park Road, Darley Avenue, Derby DE22 1DB

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(3) (September 2006)

Editor’s Notes

I have unfortunately had a hard disk failure and the recovery has been minimal. May I ask anyone who has not had any response to mail or articles to please email me again. The stock of articles from members about their family history is getting low so please think about contributing some of your interesting stories to the journal. Short pieces are always needed and I would be pleased to receive any new material that members might care to send in; remember it does not have to be a full article. A small piece on some aspect of your research, or your views about a family history matter, are also welcome.

Nothing can be achieved without your imput so please put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard! (Articles can always be emailed if it is more convenient.)

May I also remind all computer users to ‘backup!’.

Deadlines for the quarterly issues of WMFHS journal are: 15 January; 15 April; 15 July; 15 October

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(3) (September 2006)

Annual General Meeting

Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the West Middlesex Family History Society will be held on Thursday, 15th March 2007 at Montague Hall, Montague Road, Hounslow.

Reports will be presented by the Chairman and Treasurer and members will be asked to accept the accounts for the year 2006 and elect accounts examiners for the coming year.
Elections will be held for officers and members of the Executive Committee.

Members who wish to bring forward any matter at the AGM, or to propose nominations for the Committee, are asked to write to the Secretary at the address below by 5th January 2007.

The agenda for the AGM will be included in the next [printed] issue of the Journal, to be published and distributed at the beginning of March 2007.

Tony Simpson, 32 The Avenue, Bedford Park, Chiswick W4 1HT

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(4) (December 2006)

Amended Constitution

Nearly five years have passed since our Constitution was updated – time enough for new legislation, especially in the field of charities (and we are formally registered as a charity), to require a thorough review. Your current Committee has, therefore, begun the following process: a rewrite of the clauses with close regard to the Federation's "model constitution"; full consultation with the Federation's legal advisor; a final check with the Charity Commissioners, before the key step of putting any amendments to our Society members; finally, a copy of the approved WMFHS Constitution will be lodged with the Commissioners.
Full details of any proposed changes will be given to members well in advance of the Society's meeting required for approval.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(4) (December 2006)

Wills - Wendy Mott

Over the years I have collected many wills, most in the name of CATER. Some of them have quite interesting passages, which I hope will prove of interest. [see printed version for details, other than the one example following:]

John CATER 1611, Leics.
"I give to my brother Stephen my parte of the Lease of Dole meadowe and of whittington I do give hym my best fatt hogg and my black filly at Stanton I do give hym the trees I bought in Bomnon haye all but fower which fower I do give to Humphrey Thompson. I do give to Humfrey Thompson fower Trees that lyeth uppon the Himplecke. I do give to my brother Thomas my parte of the trees that an betwixt Peter Bonney and me. I do give hym a great Tree that lyeth at the upper end of Dole meadow and my fower trees in Whittington."

More CANT Chronicles - June Lines

I advertised John CANT (1852-1890) born Kensal Town and Mary McCarthy (b 1852) in Practical Family History magazine's column for great-grandparents and was delighted to hear from Sylvia CANT who married one of their descendants. She also has a keen interest in family history, so we pooled our information and made new discoveries ...

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(4) (December 2006)

Records at The National Archives - Ian Waller

In August professional genealogist Ian waller came to speak to us on what kind of records are available at The National Archives and how to get the best out of a visit there.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(4) (December 2006)

Brookwood Cemetery - Wendy Mott

In the last Journal, Val Walker wrote an article about her experiences in Brookwood Cemetery and how we were going back to try and trace the stones from Holy Trinity, Hounslow, the churchyard of Holy Trinity having been cleared when the church was rebuilt in the late 1950s.

It is not a beautifully laid out cemetery and the ground is covered with brambles and potholes. Unfortunately, we found no trace of any stones in the designated area, so came to the conclusion that only the bodies were reinterred here and the stones just 'disappeared.'

[The printed account includes some examples comparing the very limited details recorded from the missing stones with the details of the individuals concerned published in George James Aungier's "The History of Syon Monastery" in 1840. Names cited: BRENT, COZENS, LONG, ROSSITER]

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(4) (December 2006)

An Exercise in DNA for Research - John Welsh

As a kid growing up in Brentford in the 1950s, I was always fascinated by some larger than average black and white photographs that my parents had with the normal holiday snaps. I was told they were of my father's family from Isleworth and of my father and his siblings taken in 1952 in Greet Road, Brentford after the funeral of my grandfather Frederick George Ilbury. I suppose, looking back, these photographs encouraged me to want to know more about this surname ILBURY, my father's birth name.

[The account goes on to describe an exploration into the ILBURY, ILBERY, ILBREY, HILBURY and HILBERY names around the world and used DNA testing to link parts of the scattered branches of the family tree.]

The research goes on to take me back to the 1500s and to see if I can find records linking myself to the other two families. I would certainly use DNA again and, if I can find enough like-minded males, use it to link common families with the name HEFFORD, my late mother's name.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(4) (December 2006)

Our Open Day

Our Open Day on 1st October threatened to be a wash out! The weather was very poor and we wondered if anyone would bother to come out. But they did and we had the highest number of people we have ever had! Our new venue was voted a success and, with increased room, people were able to move around and visit the numerous and varied stalls.

We were very cheered to see young Stephanie Knight (aged 13) enthusiastically tracing her family history. She arrived with her folder and list of queries, putting a lot of us to shame as we tried to remember who we were going to search for! Her mother strove to keep pace with her daughter as she moved around the various stalls and rooms. If there were more like Stephanie, the future of Family History would be secure, although the recent television programmes "Who Do You Think You Are?" have generated considerable interest with an obvious number of new researchers. [A recent international survey of family historians showed that far more young people were involved in family history in the UK than in other English-speaking countries, so Stephanie is far from being unusual. - Webmaster]

[For more details of the event, participants and acknowledgement of the hard work by so many, please see the printed version of the Journal.]

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(4) (December 2006)

Dick Turpin's Inn

1924: A favourite resort of Dick Turpin, the notorious highwayman, the old Castle Inn, at Smallberry Green, Isleworth, built in 1597, is being converted into a modern house. The house was often visited by Charles Dickens.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(4) (December 2006)

Charlie Duncan - Robin Purr

During our Members' Evening in September, Robin Purr spoke about some fascinating research he has carried out on his father's cousin, Charlie DUNCAN, who was known to have died during an RAF mission in World War Two ...

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(4) (December 2006)

The Christmas Tree

Why do we have a decorated Christmas Tree? Read the printed version to find out!

We wish all our members a happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

West Middlesex FHS Journal 24(4) (December 2006)

Births, Marriages and Deaths on the Web - Stuart A Raymond	£6.95
Part 1, Southern England, The Marches and Wales
Births, Marriages and Deaths on the Web - Stuart A Raymond	£6.95
Part 2, The Midlands, Northern England and East Anglia
The Second Edition of these publications are excellent reference books with over 100 pages of updated websites to help you with your researches. The General section covers such topics as Civil Registration and Transcripts on the Web for each of the areas covered. The main part of the book is divided into counties and then subdivided into parishes. Here is a wealth of material in easily accessible format.
Scottish Family History on the Web - Stuart A Raymond	£6.95
The Second Edition of this Directory has a different layout from the books covering England. Here the websites are divided into categories, such as Libraries and record Offices, Family History Societies, Surname Lists, Monumental Inscriptions and many more, covering the whole of Scotland, rather than a particular county. With 75 pages of references, this is an excellent resource for anyone with Scottish ancestors.
Genealogical Jargon for Family Historians - Stuart A Raymond	£3.95
At 42 pages, this is a reference book for those just starting out in family history. Defining common history terms and abbreviations, it could be a useful tool for those finding their way through the mass of research material facing the beginner.
Dating Twentieth Century Photographs - Robert Pols	£6.50
Following on Robert Pols' informative Dating Nineteenth Century Photographs, this new volume covers the problems encountered when attempting to date the photos of the 20th century. The impact of the Box Brownie altered family photography for ever and he suggests strategies for dating snaps of our ancestors in timeless backgrounds, such as the beach or the countryside. Costume of course plays an important part, but he also gives a history of photography - how the size of the negative or print can help, when transparencies first came on the scene and many other tips.
A Guide to Jewish Genealogy in the United Kingdom - Pub: Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain (Jan 2006) ISBN: 0 9537 669 7 Pbk 144pp	£5.95 plus 80p p&p (UK), £3.00 p&p (Overseas) or US$16.00 incl postage
This new guide in the 'Jewish Ancestor' series is hot off the press and packed with an abundance of helpful information. If you don't know what specific archive, library, museum, record office, organization etc in the UK may hold in the way of Jewish genealogical material and resources, then this guide will give you the answer. If you need to find a Jewish cemetery within the UK, then this book attempts to list all of them, giving some information on when they opened and closed, who is responsible for the up-keep and records, plus details of the location in order to help people visiting the UK from overseas. This enlarged publication updates and augments the previous Beginner's Guide to Jewish Genealogy in Great Britain. It now covers the whole of the United Kingdom (not just Great Britain). Other Guides in the 'Jewish Ancestor' Series: A Beginner's Guide to Jewish Genealogy in Great Britain A Guide to Jewish Genealogy in Germany and Austria A Guide to Jewish Genealogy in Latvia and Estonia (Sold out - New guide due Spring 2006) A Guide to Jewish Genealogy in Lithuania A Guide to Organising Your Family History Records A Guide to Reading Hebrew Inscriptions and Documents Genealogical Resources Within the Jewish Home and Family
All the books listed above are published by the Federation of Family History Societies and can be purchased from the Society Bookstall, or on line via the Federation Publications website.

JOURNAL

Vol 24 No 4 (December 2006) - Contents

Vol 24 No 3 (September 2006) - Contents

Vol 24 No 2 (June 2006) - Contents

Vol 24 No 1 (March 2006) - Contents