St Albans Business Directory - Ben PELLY & Son - Hardware shop

[Ceils]

Thankyou Julie,
Would love any photos of any of the addresses I gave you.  Looking forward to hearing from you again.  Spent a lot of last night trawling through Pelly deaths from 1946 to 1983 searching for the elusive Arth.Rt but to no avail.  I may send for Mrs B Pelly's death certificate in the hope that that may shed some light.  It's good to have a bit of mystery.
Regards
Celia 

[barty bart]

I suggest that Rt stands for Robert perhaps.

(Celia, this is Claire and my Mum is with me - she knew to come here and see what you have been discussing with Julie!)

Ben is a fascinating character.

[JLo]

Of course - Robert!

I have the picture of the shop for you Celia, let me know how you want me to send it 

I had a look at the Hatfield Road address, but nothing there that vaguely resembles the shop    What I did notice is that it is directly opposite the city cemetery - I expect this is where they were buried.  I will try and give the cemetery office a ring to see if they have a plan of the graves.

In case I don't get a chance - the address & phone number is:

The Superintendent
The Cemetery Office
Hatfield Road Cemetery
St Albans
Herts
01727 819362

[JLo]

Had a chat with the very helpful lady at the cemetery and have left her with the names to look up in the register.
Fingers crossed 

[JLo]

  Good News 

Benjamin and his wife are buried in the same plot in the Hatfield Road Cemetery and there is apparently a memorial on the grave.  I have the plot reference so I'll go and take a photo when I get a chance.  In the meantime these are the details I was given:

Benjamin Pelly died 12 Oct 1923, buried 16 Oct 1923, age 62 years
Hannah Susan Pelly died 4 Dec 1944, buried 7 Dec 1944, age 81 years

There was no sign of Luke being buried there.

I have had look at all the addresses (although stupidly didn't take my camera  )  Most of them are still there, so I'll definitely go out with my camera next time 

Julie

[Ceils]

Thanks Julie,
Should have death certificates for Hannah and Luke arriving tomorrow.  Received a death certificate for a William Pelley today, died 4/1 1915, aged 56 in ? Napsbury asylum, St Albans. Can't fit him in anywhere.  He was a Metropolitan Police Pensioner - address 224 Durrants Road, Ponders End, wherever that may be. There is a very posh side to the Pellys (not my tribe, unfortunately, we're all from agricultural stock), they came from Normandy (Le Pelly) to Dorset via the Channel Isles.  Presumably we are all related in the dim and distant past but I have yet to uncover any positive clues.
Celia

[JLo]

I've got photos of Ben and Hannah's grave which I shall email to you when I get a chance.  I also found an obituary for Ben in the local paper which had a few names that I thought I'd leave you with 

He died at home in Hatfield Road.  He had been ill for about a month, although not confined to bed.  He was a regular attendant at St Pauls Church and was on the Parochial Church Council.  The funeral service was at St Pauls which is almost next door to where the shop would have been and is directly opposite the cemetery.

At the funeral were:
Mr & Mrs L Pelly (son & daughter in law)
Mr William Pelly (brother)
Mrs Morley (sister)
Miss Auger, Miss D Cartmel & Miss H Cartmel (nieces)
Mr W Morley (nephew)
Miss Cartmel (sister in law)
Mr A Cartmel & Mr G W Cartmel (brothers in law)

Among the flowers were some from 'Lu & Sallie' (son & daughter in law) and 'grandaughter Stella'

I think we can safely say we have made a definite link between Ben & Luke Pelly 

If you've got the date for Luke's death, let me know and I'll look him up in the local paper.
Julie

[Ceils]

Thankyou so much Julie, this is the sort of info that really brings families to life.  I have the Morleys and Augers on my tree.  Ben's wife Hannah was a Cartmel so that will be the nieces and sister in law.
Luke died 25/2/1961.  His death certificate has his occupation as managing director of china and hardware shop so that ties everything up nicely 
The informant was W Woolford, his son in law - presumably Stella's husband.  I have found a death for Stella Florence Woodford in January 1996 and have sent for her death certificate.  Funny, but I haven't been able to find the marrriage for Stella and Mr Woolford (William Ewart Woolford, I think)  The telephone directory has come up trumps though as it shows W E Woolford at 9 Sunderland Avenue from 1952 to 1984.  This was Luke's address previous to that so presumably his daughter and son in law moved in.  What I really want to know, of course, is whether Stella and William had any children.  Hopefully Stella's death certificate will yield some clues.
Celia

[JLo]

I'll have a look for Luke and Stella's death in the local paper.  I'll also look to see if I can spot some children, it may say something in the death notice.
Sunderland Avenue is an expensive road to live on so I reckon the shop must have been good business!  I'll definitely have to get you a picture of the house.

There are 3 Woolfords in the current phone book, but none at Sunderland Avenue 

I'm just going to download the photos I took of the grave 
Julie