Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - oldcrone

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 ... 59
1
Surrey / Re: Epsom Workhouse "Middle House" in 1941
« on: Tuesday 07 December 10 18:55 GMT (UK)  »
Thank you so much for posting this original post, because it confirms my suspicion that my grandfather's wife and 4 children ended up in the Epsom workhouse in 1914, when they returned from his army service in India.

It seems incredible but: my grandfather was serving with an Irish regiment in India (1911-1914) and his family went out there with him; my uncle Len was born out there.  When WW1 was imminent, my grandfather's battalion was recalled, only to be sent out as part of the expeditionary force to France in 1914.

As far as I can make out, on a private's wage, his family weren't terribly well off.  But it seems that they ended up in the Epsom workhouse during the WW1 years.  My late aunt Betty was born in Middle House in 1919, when grandad had obviously returned from the war.  He is listed, at her birth, as living at 'Press Forward Lodge, Leatherhead'.

Something I'm really interested in is: what were the conditions of living in the workhouse at this time (ie early 20th century) and also how were workhouse inmates regarded? 

2
The Common Room / Re: Attitudes to a suicide in the 1920s
« on: Saturday 14 August 10 20:16 BST (UK)  »
Thank you, redroger, I totally agree; although I did 'probe' a bit before I told my mum the gory details.  X

3
The Common Room / Re: Attitudes to a suicide in the 1920s
« on: Saturday 14 August 10 19:33 BST (UK)  »
Quite a few months later, just updating...  I told my mum about the suicide of her grandfather.

I asked her initially if she wanted to know something rather unpleasant/unhappy about her paternal forebears.  On this Davies side of the family, my mum knows literally nothing; her father was pretty absent when she was young, and then disappeared off to Australia, apparently marrying bigamously while he was there (he then died of a heart attack, after fighting a forest fire in Victoria, aged 56).  But mum wanted to know!

My mum's grandfather cut his own throat with a cut-throat razor.  Apparently, he almost severed his head from his neck.  I can't for a minute imagine how desperate this man must have felt at the time.  But he'd survived WW1.  Perhaps this says it all in terms of how he might have felt at that time.

Anyway, I told my mum.  She was actually pleased to hear about this branch of her family, which she knew nothing about.  Even the gruesome suicide...

clarabelle X

4
Australia / Re: My grandfather: Victoria immigrant c. 1950 - lookup please
« on: Friday 30 April 10 19:59 BST (UK)  »
Just wanted to say, thanks again for all this information - a pity about the marriage certificate being elusive, but as you've all said, perhaps my grandfather didn't actually marry Elizabeth (the long-standing bigamy story blown out of the water!).

Cando: thanks for the information re: my mother applying for a (potential) marriage certificate: I'll have to put this to my mum when I see her.

The info about my grandfather's passage to Australia, and the electoral roll registers are fantastic.  I'm visiting my uncle (mum's brother) tomorrow and I'm sure he'll be interested to see this info about the father he hardly knew.

I'm away for a week, so if anyone adds to the thread, sorry if I'm a while responding.  Thanks everyone for your brilliant help - I appreciate it alot.

Clara  ;D

5
Australia / Re: My grandfather: Victoria immigrant c. 1950 - lookup please
« on: Wednesday 28 April 10 08:18 BST (UK)  »
Wow, thanks for all this extra info - I need some time to digest it all and follow various links, etc....

(Cando: yes, the address was Fernvale Rd, not Ferndale - my mistake.)

Clara  :D

6
Australia / Re: My grandfather: Victoria immigrant c. 1950 - lookup please
« on: Tuesday 27 April 10 20:38 BST (UK)  »
By the way: just wanted to say, I'm revisiting information I was seeking 4 years ago.

Sadly, I didn't get some of the answers I was looking for at the time (esp about my grandfather's bigamous marriage), but I'm very aware that so much more information has become available online (eg Ancestry) over recent years.  Kris's information about my grandfather's immigration is a first for me.

Clara   ;)


7
Australia / Re: My grandfather: Victoria immigrant c. 1950 - lookup please
« on: Tuesday 27 April 10 20:18 BST (UK)  »
Thanks, Kris - absolutely brilliant that you've found his immigration details so quickly - thanks so much for that.  Haha, a 'farmer' - no way!  But great to have his address at the time.

I'm stunned that you've managed to find this information so quickly.  Thank you so much.

Clara  ;D

8
Australia / My grandfather: Victoria immigrant c. 1950 - lookup please
« on: Tuesday 27 April 10 19:04 BST (UK)  »
I'm hoping someone might be kind enough to look up information about my grandfather's immigration to Australia, and also his marriage certificate.

The details: his name was William Robert Stanley Llewellyn Davies, born 1903 in Harrow, Middlesex, UK.  He emigrated in the late 1940s/early 50s (sorry, I don't have a more specific date) and I know that in 1954, he is on the electoral register in the state of Victoria (district: La Trobe, subdistrict: Croydon).  He is living with his wife, Elizabeth, in Ferndale Rd, Mt Evelyn (source: Ancestry).

Some years ago, my mother managed to get a copy of his death certificate - he died on 23 April 1958.  I know that he suffered a heart attack fighting a bush fire in Millicent, S Australia, and someone from this board a few years ago managed (quite incredibly!) to get me photos of his gravestone.

In short: my grandfather deserted my grandmother, moved to Australia (c. 1950) and married bigamously.  I would really appreciate any information anyone might be able to find on: his move to Australia and the bigamous marriage.  I have very little information about my grandfather, or even photos, as he was persona non grata within the family, for leaving my gran.  My mum was really hurt when she got a copy of his death certificate, as under the section which says 'children', it was recorded as 'none' - presumably this had come from his second wife, Elizabeth, who probably had no knowledge of his previous life in England.

Many thanks for any help.

Clara  :)

9
The Common Room / Re: Attitudes to a suicide in the 1920s
« on: Saturday 24 April 10 23:02 BST (UK)  »
Sorry, I've been away for a few days, but thanks for the further thoughts/advice.  As for my earlier post about telling the rest of the family, I'm afraid I was being a bit glib!  Actually, I have very few members of the family to tell.

My mum is visiting for a week fairly soon.  I will broach the subject in a roundabout way with her.  I appreciate everything that's been said about it being better to tell her; I agree.

Best wishes and thanks!

Clara  :)

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 ... 59