Category: London

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, Howes, London, Photos, Wales, South, WatkinsLeave a comment

Picturing the moving home front A London to and fro in WW2

Cutlock & Co

The second world war was a time of upheaval for many, and this was particularly true for Cutlock & Co’s family lines. It became obvious when going through a collection of old postcards and photographs that there was a story to be told visually. Mum and Dad’s notes help to stitch them together.

Out of London

Being born in 1926, Dad (Arthur) was well into his grammar school life when war broke out and disrupted things. » Continue reading “Picturing the moving home front A London to and fro in WW2”

family history, London, Rhondda, WatkinsLeave a comment

Finding a Reason for this solicitor

Cutlock & Co

Here’s an intriguing new little puzzle. Ancestry.co.uk’s hints feature, suggesting records and other trees connected with an individual in your own tree, is highly variable in its usefulness and has come up with very little for most of this year. Yesterday it threw up a couple of hints on the Welsh side – the Hughes and Rees lines, which often seem a lost cause in research with such common names.

The 1922 probate calendar record for great great grandmother Mary Hughes, nee Rees, must be hers, as the address is 13 Francis Street, Skewen, where she had been since at least 1891. » Continue reading “Finding a Reason for this solicitor”

Baptism, Census, family history, London, Norfolk, ResearchingLeave a comment

Hanging by a thread Discovering the Smith family

Cutlock & Co

Discovering more about the Smith part of the family tree has proved remarkably easy, after having put off looking for ages due to the very common surname.

See Entirely to the Water from Birth for first stages.

Now it was time to find great great grandmother Harriet Smith’s siblings and their immediate offspring. The practice of using the mother’s (or grandmother’s) surname as a middle name was very helpful –jane bacchus smith baptism1818_crop Bacchus for two of the girls, Harper (the grandmother’s name) for one of the boys. » Continue reading “Hanging by a thread Discovering the Smith family”

Events, family history, Howes, LondonLeave a comment

Sixty years on

Cutlock & Co

Today, 6th December 2012, marks 60 years since the height of the great smog in London. The Guardian has produced a picture gallery of those days and other smogs in London and Manchester.

And 60 years since the day my paternal grandfather Sydney Charles Howes died after cycling in the smog from his teaching job in Nunhead to home in New Cross. As previously mentioned here last year, when a photo blog featuring similar photos surfaced. » Continue reading “Sixty years on”

London, Maps, NorfolkLeave a comment

Exploring Historical Maps

Cutlock & Co

It is gradually getting easier to find old maps, or rather current maps with historical details, online. Two areas of interest to me have recently come my way, and are reasonably new. Not forgetting some pointers on using the 1851 England boundary maps available on FamilySearch.

Historical Maps of Norfolk

Norfolk County Council has a historic maps section to its website. With the interactive map explorer you can view historical maps alongside historical aerial survey data and modern day Ordnance Survey maps. » Continue reading “Exploring Historical Maps”