My father was in the Royal Engineers during WW2. He served in various areas one of which was in Holland. We know he was helping to mend the dykes on Walcheren and was also in Knokke & Blankenberg. I found out that he was hospitalised whilst testing a dumper truck along a well used track when it struck an uncleared mine. The force of the blast was absorbed by the load but Dad was taken to hospital. I assume it was to a military hospital, but this is not necessarily the case. The RE records are poor as the engineers were working with diverse sections of the fighting army and my enquiries with them have been unsuccessful. Does anyone have any ideas how I may find any more information?
ROGERS published by Pat Hase on Sun, 04/02/2024 - 18:53
Request received from John Lamb a member from Huntspill
In one of John Bailey's Mercury articles he covered the village of Huntspill and related the story of a Miss ROGERS of Hunstspill Court who died of a broken heart after her fiancee, a seafaring Captain was drowned at sea. She was, so the story goes, buried in her wedding dress which was adorned with all her jewellery - so her grave was covered by an extremely large stone to prevent any disturbance or possible theft. In Mr Bailey's 1960 article he stated that the large stone could still be seen at that time.
This incident has been repeated in at least one subsequent publication but any facts to confirm it are hard to come by: e.g. there are no relevant burials recorded in the Parish Registers (the ROGERS were at the Court around the 1830s) and no one, myself included, can recall the stone being there. Are there any family historians interested in the ROGERS from this area, please, who may have any information on this event?
I'm not exactly asking for a solution to this - just an opinion would be good. Twice in as many weeks I have come across a child given the same name as another to the same parents. No - I'm not that daft - I know that parents used to gave the same name to a previous child who had died but in these instances the first child was very much alive and kicking.
First one - Lionel SMITH b 6 Jun 1908 in Brixton to Leonard William & Hilda SMITH. Then Lionel Arthur SMITH b 7 Jul 1912 in Bromley, Kent to Leonard William & Emma Jane Hilda Sarah (signed Hilda) SMITH. In 1911 Lionel SMITH is living with his grandparents in Oxfordshire - in 1921 he is now called Lionel John CLARKE - still living with grandparents. Meanwhile Lionel Arthur SMITH is living with the rest of his siblings in London with the aforementioned Leonard William & Emma Jane Hilda Sarah CLARKE.
Second one - Alfred Harry BOWN b 1868 in Chard to Alfred & Emma BOWN, then Alfred Edwin BOWN b 1880 in Bridgwater to Alfred & Emma BOWN. Both appear on the same 1881 census record for Alfred (called Albert for some reason) and Emma BOWN in Bridgwater.
It is the first (& second!) time I have come across this - has any else had anything similar?
Bedminster Union Workhouse/ Long Ashton Union Workhouse/ Cambridge House/ Farleigh Hospital (all the same place !) - when this was sold to developers - the Chapel/Church was converted to offices. On the borders of Long Ashton/Flax Bourton.
My question - does anyone know where the Church/chapel REGISTERS were deposited when the building was decommissioned ?
Having read the recently published Abbots Leigh memorials I was surprised to see some of the inscriptions. They were certainly not what I would want on memorials for my family! My question relates to the word "relict" which appears on some of the older graves. Can anyone explain what it means?
Richard CHINN died at 189 Moorland Road and was described as the husband of Ellen CHINN. Helen Clara CHINN died at the same time and was described as the daughter of Ellen CHINN. I have not found a marriage of Richard CHINN to an Ellen. However in 1885 Richard CHINN married a Mary SCRIBBINS and variants of SCRIBBINS are given as the mothers maiden name of three girls born with the surname CHINN between 1886 and 1901.
In 1901 and 1911 the three girls are listed with Ellen as their mother, but in 1911 Amelia Lucy Ann SEBBRING (SCRIBBINS?) is living there described as mother-in-law. However, in 1921 there is a Helen Clara CHINN living with a Richard ( with a different age) and Mary CHINN in Bristol but described as his cousin, but also there is Louisa SCRIBBINS as sister-in-law to Richard. Were Ellen and Mary the same person or were there two Richard CHINNs? Please help me untangle this family!
login
1 Comment 
