People

Research which takes my fancy!

Pte. Alexander SMITH – Border Regiment (1898-1977)

A Victory Medal. A name deliberately scratched away. A service number just legible beneath a magnifying glass. It was the only thread available — and it led to the story of Alexander Smith of Pendleton (near Salford), a printer’s assistant who twice lied about his age to serve his country, survived the mud of the Somme, and earned the Military Medal before returning quietly to the streets he had grown up on. His name was scrubbed from his medal, his service records destroyed, and his neighbourhood demolished. This is the story of putting him back together again.

Sjt. Walter NEWTON – 11th Manchester Regiment (1890-1973)

In the early 2000s, a British War Medal appeared for sale online, long separated from the man who had earned it by the passage of time. It is engraved 59226 SJT . W. NEWTON . MANCH . R .—a name, a number, a regiment. Walter Newton was born in Oldham in 1890, enlisted in 1915, and served on the Western Front through some of the most dangerous months of the war. He came home, worked in the cotton mills, and ran a post office with his wife Ethel. He died in 1973, aged 83. This is his story.

Moondial & The LOWE Family of Belton, Lincolnshire

During the book and TV series MOONDIAL the main character Minty wanders around the churchyard of St Peter & St Paul, Belton, Lincolnshire and comes across a “tiny thumbnail headstone” with “E. L. 1871” engraved upon it. This is later revealed to be the final resting place of the character “Tom”, E.L. standing for his given name of Edward Larkin, but who was the real E.L.?

Armstrong Garfield Robinson (1883-1954) ~ Trains, Brains and False Claims

From time to time I scan the newspaper archives for mention of interesting historical stories from my hometown of Hadleigh, Essex from the same month. February’s search threw up what at first appeared to be an amusing story of a Hadleigh bridegroom’s over-exuberance in London on the eve of his wedding causing him the need to beg for money to get back home. What I went on to uncover were three generations of well-respected railway engineers, and a clever man’s life blighted by alcohol and the after-effects of a head injury sustained during WWI.

Henry ANDERSON (1893-1966) Gateshead, Durham

A message on the Ancestry UK Facebook group’s page caught my eye at the weekend regarding Henry ANDERSON b.1893 in Gateshead, Durham. His great-granddaughter knew the name of his father but was having a hard time confirming who his parents were. Could I help? Yes!

Margaret BLAKE & Briarholm Nursery, London Road, Hadleigh, Essex

In July 2022 I helped the owner of a newly acquired black and white photograph to pinpoint exactly where it was taken on London Road, Hadleigh, Essex. The photo captured Miss Margaret Blake standing outside her gardening business “Briarholm Nursery” in the late 1920s or 1930s. Always eager to learn more, I went on to research Margaret’s family tree and discovered her mother’s side had a fascinating history including quack doctors, printers, artists and house builders.

The Medal In The Garden | George William BRERETON (1874-1940)

An interesting bit of detective work presented itself to me at the end of August on a local Facebook page for Hadleigh, Essex. A local chap named Ron had been digging a large hole in his garden in order to insert a sunken trampoline for his grandchildren, when two feet down he unearthed a silver medal. Closer inspection revealed it to be a King George V naval Long Service and Good Conduct medal for a G W BRERETON. Ron wondered if any members of the Brererton family were still living in the area in the hopes of being able to pass it on back to them, and I decided to help.

Dr George Simpson & Magnus A. O. Williams

A post for help on an Essex local history group peeked my interest this weekend, regarding a giant brass plate unearthed in a Benfleet garden. It’s inscribed “To Dr. & Mrs. George Simpson, Senior Medical Officer, Calr. From Mr. & Mrs. Magnus A. O. Williams, Calr. In affectionate remembrance. Hold ye the good – define it well. 1934”. Could I discover who these people were?

Henry Moseley and His Four Wives (1803-1869) of Derby, Derbyshire

The project began with a single photograph: a gravestone for Anne MOSELEY, Henry Moseley’s fourth wife, slowly being swallowed up by a tree. Intrigued, I decided to investigate further. What I found was a man who suffered immense tragedy throughout his life, experiencing the loss of three young wives and three of his children. The story is a sad one, especially given that the only tree associated with his name is the one physically consuming his grave.