Notes of Life

Brothers

While I don’t have any photos of Granddad Charlie as a child, I do have a photo of his 4 older brothers together.

Alfred (left), Richard (sat at the front), Edward (stood at the back) and John (right).

I don’t know much about the brothers, but their names were shortened – Alfred was known as Fred, Richard was known as Dick, Edward was known as Ned and John was known as Jack. It seems quite a common thing, in various lines of our family, for people to have either have had their names shortened or to be known by their middle name. Mind you, the boys’ father was called John as was his father, so I imagine it could get a little confusing within the family!

I do have a photo of Granddad Charlie and 2 of his brothers later in life which I should get scanned in.

In total Granddad Charlie had 13 siblings (3 of whom were half-siblings) and a step-sister, so it was by no means a small family!

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Sisters

Nan Gladys also had a large number of siblings – 1 brother and 10 half-siblings (9 on her father’s side and 1 on her mother’s).

Nan (sat down) & Aunt Sally

Again, Nan’s actualy 1st name was Muriel, but she was known by her middle name and Aunt Sally’s proper name was actually Sarah.

They got on well in their early years, but I’m told they argued a lot later in life (though that didn’t stop Aunt Sally coming to live with Nan & Granddad in her later years). I’m told it was 6 of one and half a dozen of the other, most of the time. I think it’s pretty much the same with me and my Dad, so I know where we get it from!

I’m told Aunt Sally once scrubbed the non-stick stuff off a non-stick pan as she thought it was burnt on! She must have scrubbed all day, but she wasn’t going to let it beat her!

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This post was written for the 11th Edition of Smile For The Camera.

The word prompt is “Brothers & Sisters”.

Why not join in?!

I’ve got a newspaper cutting of my Great Grandfather’s obituary in 1936, but I’ve noticed a couple of mistakes in it. The obituary reads:

“The death occurred on Friday at Sarn, Mont. of Mr. Alfred Derricutt, who for many years lived at Wigland. He was 88 years of age, and up to quite recently enjoyed fairly good health. The funeral took place at Malpas Cemetery on Tuesday, when the Rev. P .C. Beeston (vicar of Tushingham) officiated. The chief mourners were Mr. and Mrs. Harry Derricutt, Higher Wych (son and daughter-in-law), M. J. Derricutt, Cholmondeley (son); Mr. and Mrs. Porter, Whitchurch (son-in-law and daughter); Mrs. Davies, Crewe (daughter); Mrs. Mitton, Welshpool (daughter); Mr. and Mrs. Trow Sarn, Montgomery (son-in-law and daughter); Miss Derricutt, Clutton (daughter); Miss Edna Derricutt (grand-daughter); Misses Madge and Doris Derricutt (grand-daughters). Others who followed were Mr. John Evans (Malpas), Mr. S. Evans (Wigland), Mr Appleby (Higher Wych), Mr. T. Leivesley (Wigland), Mr. J. Mullock (Bradley), Mrs. H. Hopley, etc.”

Alfred didn’t die at Sarn, he died at the hospital in Forden. However, Alfred had lived in Sarn during the later years of his life.

“M. J. Derricutt” should read “Mr. J. Derricutt”. Alfred had 4 sons (Thomas, Harry, Francis and John) – although 2 (Thomas and Francis) died before him, as had 2 daughters.

The newspaper cutting looks to be from a newspaper local to Maplas (Cheshire) rather than Montgomeryshire.

I found this photo of soliders in our big box of photos (which I am slowly sorting out), however we don’t know much about it.

My Granddad Charlie is in the back row, 2nd from the right. That’s all we know for sure!

Apart from that, Dad believes it could have been taken at Wrexham Barracks and sometime after the Great War (early 1920’s).

Notes:

1. The soldiers have varying cap badges, indicating they were from different regiments (Granddad was in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers).
2. It seems like quite a relaxed photo, rather than an official one.
3. Soldier 2nd from the right in the 1st row is holding a dog!
4. Soldier in the middle of the 1st row is holding a pipe.
5. Soldier 2nd on the left in the 1st row is holding a cigarette.
6. Soldier 1st on the left in the 1st row looks to have a cigarette in his mouth.
7. Soldier 1st on the left in the 2nd row has his hands in his pockets… certainly not something done in an official photo!

Each year when Remembrance Sunday comes around, I always think of my Granddad Charlie. He fought on the Western Front in the Great War. He made it home, but only after being wounded and captured as a Prisoner of War. I can only imagine what he went through. He also served in the Home Guard in World War Two.

Dearly missed.

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And my thoughts go to all those who fought and never came home.

We think this photo is of my Great Grandmother Ann Trow and her daughter Jane (known as Ginny). On the back of the photo are some numbers which looks to be the date 23.2.93.

My Great Grandmother was born Ann Tye on 14th March 1853, the first child born to Thomas (a labourer) and Elizabeth Tye in the rural parish of Bettws-y-Crwyn, Shropshire, England. However, she spent most of her life living just over the border in Wales.

By the age of 18, Ann was working as a servant/nurse for Edward Morris and his family at Gwern-y-Go, near Sarn in the Parish of Kerry, Montgomeryshire.

On 10th May 1876 Ann married John Trow, a farm labourer from Churchstoke, and a year later they had their first child, Elizabeth. Ten other children followed (including Ginny and my Grandfather).

Sadly, only 5 years after this photo was taken, Ann died from a hemorrhage after giving birth to daughter Edith. She died at home in Churchstoke, aged only 43.

I don’t know much else about my Great Grandmother Ann, I wish I knew more.