Shake the tree and nuts fall out!

  Week 33 (Aug. 16-22): Tragedy - Haylock Sisters The biggest “ tragedy ” I have come across linked to my family/ancestors was 3 sisters who were killed as civilians in the WW2 bombing at the place they had been sent to for safety, shelter and refuge. Their mother died 2 weeks after the bombing that she had survived but sustained injuries at. The 3 sisters were my 3 rd cousins twice removed but of my direct maternal linage. Florence Emily, Dora Ellen and Marjorie Haylock are the young girls of this “ tragedy ”. Florence was born 14 th August 1922 in Bermondsey, Uk, she was the eldest daughter of Alfred George Haylock and Florence Elizabeth Ogier.  Dora was born 6 th February 1928 in Bermondsey, UK and the middle daughter and Marjorie was born January 1930 in Bermondsey, UK and was the youngest child. The quote left is quite shocking in itself but doesn’t even cover the “ tragedy ” that was to follow as the war progressed. The first day of the Blitz in Bermondsey was S...

Week 32 (Aug. 9-15): In the City  - James TOWNSEND I couldn’t think of anyone linked to the word “ city ”, especially as so many ancestors lived out in rural farm areas. Another word for “ city ” is town, and I have a gentleman James Townsend in my tree, so I am going to use him. James Townsend is the husband of my 1 st cousin 4x removed, so not a close ancestor but not exactly distant either. James was born in July 1852 in Sawston, Cambridgeshire. His parents were Joseph Townsend and Mary Andrews, Joseph was from Sawston and Mary not far away in Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire. I haven’t looked into his family, so I don’t know about siblings etc. James married my 1 st cousin 4x removed Emily Haylock, on the 17 th May 1873 in Linton, Cambridgeshire. They had 8 children between their marriage and the 1911 census, of which 1 died as a child. James and Emily's children were as follows: Alice born 1874, Elizabeth born 1876, George born 1881, Lilly born 1884, Ellen born 1887, Emily born...

  Week 31 (Aug. 2-8): Favorite Name – clara Many people have a “ favourite name ” for many reasons – it’s linked to someone close to them, it’s their own name, has a religious link to them or something else. I for one have a “ favourite name ” but I can’t tell you why I like it, I just do. My “ favourite name ” is Clara. It sounds lovely, not too posh or common, is easy to say and spell and is also slightly unusual. It was a popular name in the late 1880-1890s and seemed to make a comeback in the 1990s but since then has gone down again in popularity, in 2020 it was at 103 in the top names list. I don’t actually know anyone called Clara. I have loved this name for many years, but strangely it was only a passing suggestion as a name if I had had girls, I’m not sure why it wasn’t on my definite list, however, if I was to have another baby and it was a girl I am 99% certain it would now be on the list. Clara isn’t a common name, and neither are my 3 sons so would fit in well. I have 3...

  Week 30 (July 26-Aug. 1): Health Margaret Rose Thompson Nurse “ Health” could cover many things – those that have bad “Health ” (there’s loads of them including myself), it could be linked to those who ended up in asylums (again there’s loads but I can’t think of who offhand), those who died from “ Health” problems or those who worked in a “ health ” care profession (I was a volunteer with St John Ambulance as were my children, but not using that option.) I have decided to use my Aunt Margaret Rose Thompson, she was born 9 Nov 1944 in Ely Cambridgshire and was the daughter of Amy Rose Bland and Arthur Thompson and sister to Victor, Fred, Doreen and Joyce. Margaret was only 8years old when her mother died of cancer and she was only 14 when her father died. She was then brought up by her sister Doreen. The photo left was taken in Ely in 1948 and shows Margaret (child), sat between her parents, the lady on left is her sister Doreen, the man standing is her brother Fred and the...

  Week 29 (July 19-25): Fashion “ Fashion ” is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. In its everyday use, the term implies a look defined by the “ fashion ” industry as that which is trending. There has been many “ fashions ” over the years and looking at some of the clothes my ancestors wore I’m glad I wasn’t around in that time, yet others i have had the "wow" i would love o have worn that. I don’t have anyone that has been linked to “ fashion ” in the sense of designing it or making it (that I know of). But I do have lots of photos of ancestors in different “ fashions ” over the years. There was no way I could pick just a couple of these “ fashion s” so I have made a collage of some of them (I could have added loads more), ladies, mens and weddings. It shows how things have changed over the years. Ladies: Weddings: Mens (not...

  Week 28 (July 12-18): Transportation – Guymers/Haylocks to Australia I have a few family photos of family with cars etc but most I have already added a story on, the main being Cecil Lackey, he liked his cars and was in a local paper following a road accident. But, I also have many ancestors that travelled abroad by ship. So for “ transportation ” I am going to use the Guymer family who were “transported” by 2 ships from the UK to Australia. Elijah Guymer Haylock was the first of the family to be “ transported ” to Australia. Elijah was the 4 th child and second son of John Haylock and Mary Gascoyne Guymer. He was born 10 JUNE 1832 in Great Thurlow, Suffolk, England. Elijah left the UK from Plymouth on 9 th February 1851 (see ships list below) on board the Catherine, and arrived in Adelaide Australia 26 th May 1851. Due to his travel, he is not on a UK census in 1851. Elijah was married to Harriet Gayland on 22 Aug 1853 at Trinity Church Adelaide Ade, South Australia. Th...

  Week 27 (July 5-11): Free – Freeman family I did think about using the “free” genealogy websites and tools available, but there are so many and I would feel bad on missing some out, I then thought of any family members that were “Freemasons” , but I couldn’t think of any that were, I know there are some but my mind went blank. So I typed “Free” into the search bar on my tree and there are a few “ Freeman ” members, it appears that they are from 2 different families and not linked (this has not been fully checked so could be a link further back). So, I plan to do a little bit on each of them. First up is Albert Granger “ Freeman ”, he was the husband of niece of spouse of 2nd great-grandaunt to me. Albert was born 1 st September 1886 in Leeds, Yorkshire. He married Elsie Clingo on 15 th April 1911 at Prospect Chapel, Domestic Street, Holbeck, he is listed as a Commercial Clerk. They were married after the 1911 census and he is with his family on that. In 1939 him and Elsie ...