Week 45 (Nov. 5-11) Multiple

For the prompt of 'Multiple' I have chosen Thomas May, my 3xGreat Grandfather, who married multiple times.  Thomas had a total of 5 wives, outliving all of them.

Thomas May was born 20 September 1762 in West Mersea, Essex and was baptised 16 October 1762 at the church of St Peter and St Paul.  He died on 27 February 1843 in West Mersea and was buried on 7 March 1843. 

Wife 1 – Elizabeth Godwin
Born 1763 Thorrington, Essex
Married 27 March 1787 Thorrington, Essex
Died 25 August 1790 West Mersea, Essex
Children – Thomas, Edward

Wife 2 – Sarah Sadler
Born 1775 West Mersea, Essex
Married 1792 West Mersea, Essex
Died 7 January 1799 West Mersea, Essex
Children – Elizabeth, Sarah, Hannah, John

Wife 3 – Henrietta Stevens
Born Unknown
Married 12 May 1801 St Mary, Lambeth, Surrey
Died 2 May 1812 West Mersea
Children – Henry, Mary

Wife 4 – Susannah Balls Green
Born 7 June 1770 West Bergholt, Essex
Married 10 November 1818 Fordham, Essex
Died 11 February 1828 West Mersea, Essex
Children - Nil

Wife 5 – Mary Ann Pullen
Born 13 October 1791 West Mersea, Essex
Married 9 August 1829 West Mersea, Essex
Died 1838 West Mersea, Essex
Children – Edward, Sophia Mary Ann

It is his 4th wife, Susannah Green (nee Balls), where the relationships become truly convoluted.  Susannah's son Isaac (from her first husband John Green) was married to Thomas's eldest daughter Elizabeth.  So Thomas became not only father-in-law but also step-father to Isaac, and his new wife Susannah became mother-in-law and step-mother to Betsy.

Family Tree US Magazine

The latest issue of Family Tree US magazine is now available free online for Campaspe Library members via our subscription to Libby eMagazines. 

Inside this month's issue : 

• Web Highlight: Family Tree Turns 25
• ‘Monumental’ Updates to AncestryDNA
• MyHeritage ends DNA uploads
• ‘Finding Your Roots’: Back for Season 12
• Records of Recent US Generations
• Sharing Stories with Relatives
• Tour Family Tree Maker 2024
• Next steps in DNA
• Tools of the Writing Trade
• What to Do With Too Few (or Too Many) Recipes
• Exploring Records at Scotland’s People
• Preserving Pet Memorabilia
• On the Origin of Surnames
• Where and How to Find Your Immigrant Ancestors
• And more... 

 

Website Wednesday - The Rats of Tobruk Association

This October has seen the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Victorian Branch of the Rats of Tobruk Association.  The story of the Rats of Tobruk looms large in the Australian memories of World War 2.  The Rats of Tobruk website includes the story of the siege, Honour Roll, Vale Notices and more.  There is a link to an online exhibition and to the Association's online journal.

Around 14,000 Australians were in Tobruk during the siege. After they returned to Australia, the veterans looked for continued comradeship. They wanted to perpetuate the ties created amongst those who were in Tobruk during the siege and to ensure any in need were supported. In 1944, the Rats of Tobruk Association, NSW was established. This was followed by the establishment of the Victorian Branch on 2nd October 1945. From there, other branches and sub-branches were established across Australia. In 1946, a Federal Council was established, which was responsible for coordination of the many branches and sub-branches being established. 

In more recent times, branches and sub-branches have been wound up owing to the small number of surviving veteran members. The only exception has been the Victorian Branch. In 2012, veteran members of the Victorian Branch, decided to open membership to descendants and relatives. Since then many new members have joined the Rats of Tobruk Association Inc (the former Victorian Branch). Membership has grown to over 400 Affiliate Members from across Australia.

Who Do You Think You Are Magazine

The latest issue of Who Do You Think You Are magazine is now available free online for Campaspe Library members via our subscription to Libby eMagazines.

Inside this month's issue : 

• Ancestry wins appeal over access to Scottish records
• New digitisation project will put 'Tudor Domesday Book' online
• Welsh Women's Peace Petition exhibition opens
• Migration's rich rewards 
• Your complete guide to family trees 
• Researching a Glaswegian ancesto 
• Convict transportation
• Houses and streets
• National school records 
• And more... 

Week 44 (Oct. 29-Nov. 4) Rural

Earlier #52Weeks (Week 32) the focus was 'Wide Open Spaces' and I wrote about being born on a sheep station called Para and growing up in the country.

Para Homestead

Many of my ancestors lived in rural areas.  My father's family had strong ties to Fordham Hall (also called Manor Farm) in Essex, being tennants at the Hall for several generations.  Although they were not the owners, they were major local landholders and were the gentry of their small community.

Fordham Hall, Essex

 

The Green family of Fordham Hall farmed the land, kept a pack of foxhounds,and took part in many community events.  The article below, from the 'Essex Standard' on Friday 13 October 1837, mentions Isaac Green of Fordham as one of the judges at the annual meeting of the local Agricultural Society.

Week 43 (Oct. 22-28) Urban

While many of my ancestors were farmers and farm labourers, others resided in a much more urban setting.  Tracing their addresses through censuses, directories, newspaper articles and other resources.  As cities grew and industrialisation drew many into urban living, urban ancestors became more and more common.

One ancestor, Christopher Prentice, worked as a Water Bailiff in Ipswich, Suffolk in the late 1700s.  Too early for the census records, much of my knowledge of Christopher's life comes from newspaper articles.

I hadn't known the job of Water Bailiff  was an elected position until I found the article above, which was placed in the Ipswich Journal on Saturday 12 September 1778 thanking those who had elected him to the position for their trust.

Website Wednesday - Old & Interesting

Antique household equipment, furnishings, utensils - housekeeping as part of social history. Domestic life, household management - how people ran their homes and did the daily chores. Yesterday's everyday objects are today's antiques or museum pieces, making us curious about past ways of life.

Old & Interesting takes a look at how these everyday things were used, how people managed their home life - and more.

The site includes a history of laundry - a unique set of pages about laundry methods and tools, including histories of  ironing, washboards,  starch and bluing.

There is a Kitchen Antiques Directory for the best online resources on culinary equipment, cooking and eating tools as well as baking, butter, and other traditional and historic food preparation pages
 

Information on beds and bedding includes featherbeds and bed warmers for comfort, or simple straw mattresses and rustic box beds.
 

There are also one-off pages on topics from brooms to meat screens or hasteners to cleaning with stone and sand.