Category: family history

family history, HowesLeave a comment

Making the conscientious objectors count Comfort in a dissenting community?

Cutlock & Co

Cyril Pearce, the key expert on ‘Conscience and dissent in Britain during the First World War’, gave a talk on this subject the other day for the Working Class Movement Library.

This is a subject of particular interest in Cutlock towers due to grandfather Sydney Howes’ appearance in the database that Pearce has compiled, as the secretary of the Battersea branch of the No Conscription Fellowship. More about that in the article ‘Piecing together the anti-war evidence‘. » Continue reading “Making the conscientious objectors count Comfort in a dissenting community?”

family history, Osborne, PhotosLeave a comment

Delving into the Osborne gallery More mystery images

Cutlock & Co

Could this photograph be of 3 times great grandmother Mary Ann Osborne, nee Dawe? A fresh batch of interesting old family images have been emerging courtesy of cousin Rob {1}, and this one is particularly intriguing.

Granny Osborne, but which?

The back of the photo is the place to start, with its difficult to decipher writing but also with the printed details ‘Photo by Mayo’s Studio, 7 Paget Road, Barry Island’. Mary Ann (often recorded as just Mary) lived in Misterton with husband Robert but she is already noted as being away from him at times. » Continue reading “Delving into the Osborne gallery More mystery images”

family history, London, O'Brien/FarrallLeave a comment

In tune with the times Music, migration and print

Cutlock & Co

Further research on the O’Brien and Farrall lines {2} has unsurprisingly revealed more relatives to contact via Ancestry or other means. That’s not really worthy of a written note on Cutlock & Co – but perhaps a musical version instead, as one of these relatives has turned his hand to writing songs. A cousin to “uncle Charles”, he has put together an album’s worth set around their common ancestors’ journey from Ireland to London in the 1840s. » Continue reading “In tune with the times Music, migration and print”

family history, WatkinsLeave a comment

Squaring the circle Connecting from Cummins to Watkins

Cutlock & Co

One of those “It really is a small world” moments – discovering a distant in-law cousin on my dad’s side is connected to a close cousin on mum’s.

Cutlock & Co has been researching the family tree for a second cousin’s spouse for quite a while. Roy’s line goes back to William Cummins, a ‘tide waiter’ (customs officer) and later ‘Chief Collector of Customs’, born 1835 in Portsmouth. William came from a humble background, his mother Jane the housekeeper (and perhaps more) to prosperous tobacco merchant William Cavander in Portsmouth. » Continue reading “Squaring the circle Connecting from Cummins to Watkins”

family history, Howes, Maps, NorfolkLeave a comment

Bottling it in Besthorpe Giving the Howes line a home

Cutlock & Co

Of all the ancestral home towns and villages, that of the direct Howes line, namely Besthorpe in Norfolk, has been the most neglected to date. This stands alongside the minimal details held on the last known family member to spend all his life there, 3x great grandfather James Howes. The direct line can be quite easily traced back to him, born in the village at the turn of the 19th century {1}. » Continue reading “Bottling it in Besthorpe Giving the Howes line a home”

family history, WatkinsLeave a comment

A tribute to Islwyn His contribution to Knighton and beyond

Cutlock & Co

Your editor recently met Ken Harris at Malvern U3A’s family history group, after a presentation by me which mentioned in passing cousin Islwyn Watkins. Here is the resulting tribute from Ken to his old friend.

A fellow South Walesian

Islwyn and I were friends virtually from the time I arrived in Knighton in 1985. Both being from South Wales, we immediately struck a rapport and later, when his father arrived to live with Dwynwen, he and I struck up a similar rapport and friendship. » Continue reading “A tribute to Islwyn His contribution to Knighton and beyond”