19 March 2009

PM Discoveries

Today I'm nearly back to normal and I can present three birthdays, in order of closeness:-

Firstly, my great-great-aunt Eleanor Staden, born today in 1872 in St Ives, daughter of George and Sarah (nee Carter). She remained in the town, as far as I am aware, until her early death, at the age of 45, in 1918. She's one of a number of ancestors who grace the precincts of Broadleas Cemetery in St Ives.

And then there's Alfred Wade (1st cousin, 3 times removed), born in 1857 in Chatteris, son of Edward and Phebe (nee Bigley). Until about four hours ago, my last sighting of him was in the 1871 census but I have since found him two wives (not at the same time, honest), three children of his own and three step-children. All this and he found time to transmogrify into a market gardener by 1901.

Finally, meet James Fordham, my 1st cousin, 4 times removed. He was born in 1868 in Hemingford Grey, the son of John and Mary Ann and, like Mr Wade above, I had very little about him until this afternoon. Until, that is, I logged on and his Army Pension Records positively threw themselves at me. A farrier when he signed up at the age of 18 years 9 months, he joined the Hussars in January 1887 and stayed with them for the next 20 years, including service in South Africa during the Boer War. He was discharged in Aldwych in 1907, by which time he had also found time to marry Katherine (Christmas Eve 1894 in Ireland) and to begat six children. I must try to find them in 1911.

All in all, a good afternoon's discovering!

More soon.

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