Research Forum

Seated on the left hand side on the end of the row is Frederick GOUGH whose parents and 4 of his children are buried in Weston Cemetery.  Members of his family are visiting Weston in July from New Zealand and they are wondering if any of our members or visitors to this site can identify where, when and why this photograph was taken.  The family believe that it might have been taken in about 1880 and could have been a Lodge or Guild Meeting - someone else has suggested Foresters.  Perhaps someone has a similar photograph in their family archives and can shed some light on this photo or even recognise any of the other men!

Frederick GOUGH was born in Taunton in 1845 but by 1861 his parents were living in Alma Street, Weston-super-Mare and Frederick was working as a Blacksmith alongside his father. Following his marriage to Susanna Jane POCOCK in 1872 they settled in Palmer Street and he became a successful smith and engineer with a bicycle hire business.  From the 1911 census entry we can see that they had 8 children but that only 4 were living, - hence the 4 buried as children in the Cemetery.  In 1921 you can see Frederick, Susanna and their daughter, Florrie, on board the SS Rimutaka heading for New Zealand (Findmypast). They were joining a married daughter, Rosa ANDREWS, already in New Zealand from 1906 and a son Harry GOUGH, who was in Australia but later moved to New Zealand as well. 

Any ideas about this photograph would be welcome.