Weston-super-Mare & District Family History Society

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'Winora' - No 1, Atlantic Road South - Win & Norah
published by on Thu, 06/07/2017 - 12:56

I wonder if anyone can help me?

I have recently been researching four photo albums containing a wonderful snapshot of life in W-S-M (and environs) for two wealthy sisters, Win and Norah between 1922 and 1925.

http://wsmfhs.org.uk/sites/wsmfhs/files/users/%5Bcurrent-user%3Aname-raw%5D/img_3846.jpg

Using a hunch, lots of google street-map trawling and more than a bit of good luck!, I have managed to track down their house â€˜Winoraâ€™ to â€˜No.1 Atlantic Road South'.

Iâ€™ve also managed to find out lots of information about the places shown in the pictures: Knightstone Island, Brean, Sand Point, Grand Pier,Clevedon,'Annandale'- Worle...

They drove a beautiful 'Talbot Darracq Tourer' (that took some finding too!).

But, I havenâ€™t yet managed to put a surname to the family or find out much about them.

Does anyone know about the house at â€˜No.1 Atlantic Road South' and the people that lived there?

Can anyone offer any advice on researching my pictures further? - I would love to find out a bit more about 'Win' & 'Norah' and their friends and family... they all seem so alive in the pictures that it doesn't seem possible that they aren't all still up there at No.1 having a laugh and some tea! :)

Thanks in advance.

Kind Regards,
Gareth Wonfor.

Comments ..

Submitted by on Thu, 06/07/2017 - 18:57

Hi Gareth

i have just checked 1939 register & at that time the household consisted of:-

Norman A Marsden Brantry Manager Life Insce

Norah J Marsden (Isabel) housewife

Pamela A Marsden single, presume daughter, later becomes Pamela Wilkins.

dob Norman :30 Apr 1896

Norah 28 Sep 1899

Pamela 21 Jun 1927

from this should be able to follow up marriages & find Norah's maiden name & that will give you Wins name. Also you should find them on 1911 census.

In 1939 they were living at The White House, 1,Atlantic Road .South & there appears to be 5 other children, but records are closed.

Submitted by on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 12:09

I will definitely look into this 'Norah'! - It could be that she took on the ownership of the house from her parents after she married. The birth date for her looks a little early as I would have estimated that she was about '18' in 1924, but pretty close so worth further investigation. Thanks very much for the info!

Submitted by Pat Hase on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 0:39

If you search the Somerset Heritage Centre Catalogue for Winora you will find that in 1924 a R.F. MERRICK had applied for planning permission to build a garage at that address.

Robert Frank MERRICK (1952) and his wife Charlotte (1929) are both buried in Weston Cemetery as is their daughter Winifred who was born in 1899 and died in 1981. They also had a son called Bernard but I can find no trace of a daughter, Norah. Perhaps she was a cousin or other relation.

Submitted by on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 12:21

WOW, thanks so much!

Now, this is a real lead as 1924 falls slap bang within the date range covered by the photo albums so pretty much confirms the surname I think - Wonderful! - The son is in the photos as well.

'Win' looks the same age as Norah in the photos and interestingly the norah mentioned in the previous comment has the same birth year! - i wonder of maybe a cousin or adopted living as a sister? - I am sure this will come out with some further research.

I think I will pay a visit to weston Cemetery and pay my respects.

I am going to upload all the pictures to my Flickr photostream over the coming weeks so I will share links and info here as i get to it.

Thanks SO MUCH for this info... really great.

Submitted by on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 15:23

hi Gareth

A Winifred Thurman married a Richard Gerred in Bristol district in Sept. 1931.

a Norah Thurman married Norman Marsden in Kings Norton in Dec. 1920

are these the 2 sisters, it certainly looks like the Norah living at Atlantic Road South in 1939, or just coincidence. Think you need to look at some census returns for Thurman family.

Submitted by on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 16:10

I think you're right, that sure looks like the 1939 Norah... some further investigation needed I think. At the moment my gut feeling is that the Norah of 1939 and the Norah in the pictures are different people... after all, why would they have changed the name to 'White House' if it were the same Norah? (HouseName=Win(N)ora(H)) but I need to prove this - lots of info to go on though, so I'm sure I can get to the bottom of it! - if worst comes to the worst there will always be the 1921 census! :)

Thanks very much for all the info, much appreciated.

Submitted by Pat Hase on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 23:27

I think I have sorted it out!

On the 1939 Register - Winifred MERRICK born March 7th 1899 was living at 42 South Road with the retired Chief of Police, Charles CHARSLEY and his wife. Also residing at the same address was George William Dare FRAMPTON - owner of the local newspaper and his wife Norah.

Norah was born Norah CHARSLEY on the 12th Feb 1905 daughter of Charles CHARSLEY, the Chief of Police of Coventry. When Norah was married in 1929 the chief bridesmaid was Miss Winifred MERRICK - I rest my case!!

An account of the marriage is in the Western Daily Press of Tuesday 02 July 1929.