Author Topic: A serendipity moment  (Read 2373 times)

Offline radstockjeff

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A serendipity moment
« on: Thursday 13 December 18 22:38 GMT (UK) »
One of my little exercises has been to write up a brief history of my wife's grandfather, Edward Smith (1869-1955), one time Mayor of South Shields (1921-1923) and a Centenary Freeman of the Borough (1950).

One of my other interests is in Brass Banding; I played for some years for the Bath Spa Band and one of the cornet players was Tom, who joined about the time I left the Band and I did not really get to know him.

Many years on I rejoined another local Brass group and who should be sitting on the Cornet bench, yes Tom.  It was clear that he had some North Country connections and I eventually discovered that he had lived for his early years in South Shields.

This week I was sorting through my files and came across a copy of the piece which I had written about Edward Smith and  thought "I wonder if Tom would find this of any passing  interest." So I sent it off via Postman Pat ( it was rather too large a file to send by e-mail).

Tom rang today.   Thank you, yes he found my piece very interesting and brought back memories of his time living in South Shields.

"On page 22 you mention that Alderman Edward Smith was made Freeman of the Borough.
Well on that occasion Alderman Charles Smith was also made Freeman of the Borough. He was also mayor of the Borough (1936).
He was my gandfather!"
Nurse, Musther, Smith, Julnes, Rogers, Parsons,Grieves(Greaves,Greeves),Wood,Cray,Scrine,Shellard,Greenstock,

There's nothing wrong with being mediocre...as long as you're good at it!

Offline WhiskyMac

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Re: A serendipity moment
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 15 December 18 19:05 GMT (UK) »
What an absolutely charming and inspiring story.

Thanks for posting on Rootschat ....  :)

WhiskyMac

Offline Finley 1

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Re: A serendipity moment
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 15 December 18 19:27 GMT (UK) »
The warmth you feel when something like that happens... is wonderful

xin

Offline gazania

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Re: A serendipity moment
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 15 December 18 22:23 GMT (UK) »
A wonderful story of unexpected connections.
ALDERMAN, Bucks
BELK, Yorkshire, London
CARLING, Bedfordshire
CUNDITH,CUNDILL, Yorkshire, PALIN. Lincolnshire
FOX, Essex; Camberwell Surrey
LANE, Cork IE;Askeaton LIM, Liverpool, Clifton, Bristol
VOLLER, Surrey
WALL Clonlara Co Clare Ireland
WAREHAM, Esher, Surrey; London
WINCH, Surrey


Offline goldie61

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Re: A serendipity moment
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 16 December 18 09:31 GMT (UK) »
Great story Jeff.
Was Charles Smith related to Edward Smith?
If so, it seems they would be related to your wife!  :)

Or is it just a coincidence of surname?
Lane, Burgess: Cheshire. Finney, Rogers, Gilman:Derbys
Cochran, Nicol, Paton, Bruce:Scotland. Bertolle:London
Bainbridge, Christman, Jeffs: Staffs

Offline Mowsehowse

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Re: A serendipity moment
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 16 December 18 10:25 GMT (UK) »
Great story Jeff.
Was Charles Smith related to Edward Smith?
If so, it seems they would be related to your wife!  :)

Or is it just a coincidence of surname?

My thoughts exactly.   :)
BORCHARDT in Poland/Germany, BOSKOWITZ in Czechoslovakia, Hungary + Austria, BUSS in Baden, Germany + Switzerland, FEKETE in Hungary + Austria, GOTTHILF in Hammerstein + Berlin, GUBLER, GYSI, LABHARDT & RYCHNER in Switzerland, KONIG & KRONER in Germany, PLACZEK, WUNSCH & SILBERBERG in Poland.

Also: ROWSE in Brixham, Tenby, Hull & Ramsgate. Strongman, in Falmouth. Champion. Coke. Eame/s. Gibbons. Passmore. Pulsever. Sparkes in Brixham & Ramsgate. Toms in Cornwall. Waymoth. Wyatt.

Offline radstockjeff

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Re: A serendipity moment
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 16 December 18 14:07 GMT (UK) »
Co-incidence of surname.
Glad you liked the  story.
Nurse, Musther, Smith, Julnes, Rogers, Parsons,Grieves(Greaves,Greeves),Wood,Cray,Scrine,Shellard,Greenstock,

There's nothing wrong with being mediocre...as long as you're good at it!

Offline radstockjeff

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Re: A serendipity moment
« Reply #7 on: Sunday 17 March 19 09:51 GMT (UK) »
Our son Andrew and his girl friend were married at a civil ceremony in a clearing in the middle of a eucalyptus forest in Victoria Aus. back in 2005. They chose a poem by Roy Croft-I Love you- as part of the ceremony.

Back home here in England some years later a friend had been clearing her dad's house and brought around a number of items, books, music etc to see if we would like any of them.

We took them and in the fulness of time sorted through. One of the books was a collection of poems which we looked at , flicking quickly through before putting it back on the able....where to our astonishment it fell open at a Poem

"I love you" by...................Roy Croft.
Nurse, Musther, Smith, Julnes, Rogers, Parsons,Grieves(Greaves,Greeves),Wood,Cray,Scrine,Shellard,Greenstock,

There's nothing wrong with being mediocre...as long as you're good at it!

Offline pinefamily

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Re: A serendipity moment
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 19 March 19 23:05 GMT (UK) »
Serendipity is one of the great joys of genealogy research.
Well done, Jeff.
I am Australian, from all the lands I come (my ancestors, at least!)

Pine/Pyne, Dowdeswell, Kempster, Sando/Sandoe/Sandow, Nancarrow, Hounslow, Youatt, Richardson, Jarmyn, Oxlade, Coad, Kelsey, Crampton, Lindner, Pittaway, and too many others to name.
Devon, Dorset, Gloucs, Cornwall, Warwickshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire, Wilts, Germany, Sweden, and of course London, to name a few.