Frederick William Spackman

[John Porter-Weiss]

It would seem that we share the same grandfather.
I was given his name as my middle names. I was named as John Frederick William Porter at birth but my name is now John Porter-Weiss. My mother was Clara Spackman, changed to Porter after marriage. His widow Alice I think, who I also seem to remember, preferred to be called Elizabeth (my/our grandmother) and claimed to be originally a Romany gypsy lived with us until the 1960s. (my sister has her name Alice as her middle name). I still remember her reading tea leaves in our front room
However, i do not think that he was blinded in the first world war although he was temporarily blinded in a gas attack. I believe he became blind in later life due to a combination of cataracts glaucoma and stroke. My grandmother used to tell us stories of how he used to rage against God as he was losing his sight (unfortunately I also have glaucoma and cataracts and have had mini-strokes. I have also lost some sight due to this myself). He received a pension from St Dunstan's blind ex-servicemen's organisation in the latter years of his life.
I am quite fascinated by finding this entry and would like to know who you are and how we are related.

[Browny1]

John,

We are 1st cousins once removed. Frederick William Spackman never saw active service. He was considered blind in the 1911 census. He did the medical and that appears to be all. St dunstans did look after him and train him in basket weaving and mat making. Alice wasn't a romany, and odd she'd be known as elizabeth. That was her sisters middle name and she disappears from the records after 1901, and is believed to have been sent to canada as father died when she was young and mother died in 1914, but I have not found her in this country or abroad.
Frederick and Alice were also imprisoned for child cruelty in 1931, and Alice would have been pregnant with Clara at the time.

I will send you a personal message with my email so you can contact me directly.

Regards

Phil Brown

[John Porter-Weiss]

Browny1 Sorry, I posted a reply but as it is such a long one, I will send it to your email instead

[Browny1]

Fredericks medal record is on a family history site but due to rootschats rule I can't tell you the site. I edited the record to say it was him after finding out his number from st dunstans. I've checked my info and he was enlisted but didn't fight in active service. I have all the details from St Dunstans that they could legally share with me.
We have the same person though with different info. Unfortunately I've never found any German parents for him. His father was born in Marylebone in 1847, and mother was born 1846 in Paddington, and one generation back they are from england. It's not the first time I've heard of a continental link. I had a letter sent to me 10 years ago quoting dutch in the lineage but I've not found any such details.

[KGarrad]

Fredericks medal record is on a family history site but due to rootschats rule I can't tell you the site.

What rule is that?

If it's on Ancestry or FindMyPast, then just say so

[Browny1]

I was told a while ago not to mention any sites by a moderator so I don't. Got told off.

[Stace1]

Hello, I'm trying to fill in my family tree and research history. An ancestor of Frederick myself I'd be looking for any information possible. I already have quite a bit and have done a lot of research but haven't looked into other family links yet!

Tia, Stace.

[KGarrad]

Welcome to RootsChat!

Think you'll find you're a Descendant of Frederick's, not an ancestor!