INNES, HOPKIN(S), AYRES. Nuneaton area funfair.

[susanearl]

I am hoping to find some memories of my family's fairground activity in the Nuneaton area between 1900 and the 1950s.  Most of the genealogical records I have found relate to a 25 mile radius of Nuneaton in the time frame stated although I have evidence of much wider travelling before 1900.  My problem with the fair is that they probably operated under an alias so without a bit of luck I am not optimistic about a trip to the World's Fair archive - but that will be my next port of call.

My interests in the 20th Century are:

My Great Grandparents George Alexander INNES and Mary Ann HOPKIN(S),
My Grandfather William Ratcliffe INNES and his first wife Florence AYRES (daughter of Henry AYRES, Hawker).  They divorced soon after their marriage (m 1904 at Nuneaton) and Florence and her child(ren) disappear off the radar.

In 1911 they (but not Florence) are with their steam roundabout, coconuts, etc at Higham on the Hill, Hinckley.  I have various references to them at Coventry, Leicester, Nuneaton, Hinckley, Bedworth, Swinford, and Wolvey.

I would dearly love to find someone who remembers the fair.  My wildest wish would be to find some photos of fair rides and people!!??

Prior to 1900 I have evidence of the family being in Newport, Sheffield, Oxford, Nottinghamshire and Leicester although the evidence of fairground activity is more sketchy.  Mary HOPKIN was a dancer/stage worker as part of a travelling theatre and it seems my Grandfather was wheeled out onto the stage whenever a child actor was required.

Best wishes from Susan

[bandray]

Hello my name is Edward Hague

i have some information about your grandfather william ratcliffe innes and his first wfe florence ayres.

Florence is no longer off the radar as i am their grandson. 

florence ayres had 2 children under the name of ayres called ivy and ruby.

she then re-married in 19??  to  surname oswin and had 3 more children called, gladys, rose, and richard.

she left the travelling world and settled down in tooting south london sw17, until she died around 1974ish.

Richard is the only living son left of the 5 children

Ivy is my mum and died at the aged of 98 in 2005.

i now live in Sandhurst, berkshire.

i have photo's if you would like me to send you some, but not of fair rides

please contact me if there is anything else you would like to know.

Eddie

[susanearl]

Amazing to hear from you Eddie.  I guess that makes us cousins!

I've made a great deal of progress since my original post, both in terms of the Funfair and the people although Innes photographs are proving somewhat elusive.  I do have copies of some published Ayres family group photos taken alongside their Walker Gallopers in the late 19th or early 20th Century.  I did manage to trace Florence in Census and BDM records and there were probably three children fathered by my Grandfather - Ruby and Ivy, and Lilian May who sadly was an infant death (born 1905 Q2 at Lutterworth, Leics, and died 1905 Q3 at Woodstock, Oxon).  All three were registered as Innes and we have Florence, Ivy and Ruby in the 1911 Census in the household of Priscilla Ayres (widow of Henry Ayres) where they are listed as INNS.

Any photographs would be an absolute delight. 

I suggest we establish proper contact by email in order to exchange these personal details.  I suspect we have a lot to talk about.  My email address is (*).  I currently live in South Lincolnshire.

I really look forward to hearing from you very soon.  With very best wishes, Susan.

(*) Moderator Comment: e-mail removed in accordance with RootsChat policy,
to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data.

New members must make at least three postings before being allowed to use the PM facility.
See Help-Page:  http://www.rootschat.com/help/pms.php