The Resident Genealogist

I am not the most organised individual and over the years my library of book gets more disorganised and more scattered as it expands out of my overfull office. I have decided enough is enough and started  a major spring clean. As a result I am already selling off some material on ebay (currently mainly Buckinghamshire) to make room while other non-local history books are going to a local charity shop.

Online activity this week has been dominated by people who have kindly donated material to help improve the site. In particular Bill Hardy has produced scanned imaged of old post cards of Thorley (near Bishops Stortford) while thanks to Martin Thompson I now have access to digital copies of some rare references works relating to Berkhamsted from the early 20th century. Such help is always appreciated

In addition to the changes reported below there have been some queries which were answered quickly off site, and others where more information was requested. Three people were supplied with high resolution digital scans, one because it showed the contact's house 100 years ago, another for a book illustration, while another may end up on a commercial web site.. I am planning a web page discussing various copyright and related issues, following a query about quotations from The Mortonia (published nearly 90 years ago).

Meeting on BT Archives

The Herts Family History Society meeting on 26th February is on the B. T. (telephone) Archives - Future meetings are on "Fobidden Love" and "Old Watford newspapers' horticultural competitions before World War I"

The Parish of Thorley

There has been extensive correspondence with Bill Hardy, who has updated "From the Archives" section of the church web site. As a result he has provided a number of images of post cards of Thorley, and I have significantly extended the pages on this village, to include information on some post cards linked to the village.  Relevant updates have been made to Bishops Stortford Post Card Publishers,  I have provided information on the publishers of The British Mirror Series and the Canon Series - allowing the cards to be more precisely dated. Further pictures, of the locks on the River Stort, etc., will be added next week.

Hertfordshire Hospitals

During a quickie query from Lynda relating to the transfer of buildings, shrubs and trees from Denton Hospital to Watford Isolation Hospital I discovered the web site Lost London Hospitals and have now set up a Hospitals subject page.

Some useful Berkhamsted Sources

Martin Thompson has kindly provided digital images of four booklets which contain very useful information about Berkhamsted on the first few years of the 20th century. I have posted many pictures and advertisements from the Souvenir of the 1902 Coronation. Details of the others will have to wait until I tidy up the Berkhamsted pages - hopefully later this year.

Souvenir of Coronation Day, Berkhamsted, 1902

Published Newman

Berkhamsted Guide,  circa 1910

Published Borrows

Berkhamsted Directory, 1919

Published Loosley

Old Berkhamstedians Association Members List

 1924

Visit of the Shah of Persia to Hatfield House, 1889

He also visited Earl Brownlow at Ashridge House, Alfred de Rothschild, Halton, Bucks, and Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild at Waddesdon Manor.

Clutterbuck's Sandridge - The Churchill Connection

Recently Ann requested a copy of the ROWLATT family tree from Clutterbuck and I decided to put online the whole of the Clutterbuck pages on Sandridge from The History of the County of Hertford (1815).

The Parish of Weston

Martin told me of a book on the parish, by Judith Evans, and I also took the opportunity to add some new links.

Since the last blog I have had a lot of queries, some of which has not yet answered and some of which needs tidying up before being added to this site. A minor infection, plus antibiotics, has left me feeling under the weather. Postings planned for this week are being carried over to next week - for posting here on or before 18th February.

 How the Romans may have affected who your ancestors married

What was the connection between Elstree and a stables in the West End of London in in the early part of the the 19th century? Did the couple net and married because of the traffic along an ancient highway? see Bull Baiter's Farm, Elstree for details.

Stagenhoe House, St Pauls Walden

Following last week's Blog Philip wrote asking for a high resolution scan of this picture as he is writing a web site article on the house. He has another article on his Hertfordshire ancestors in the press - for the April Issue (pub March 10) of Family Tree Monthly.

An American Connection with St Pail's Walden

Further to last week's item on LEWIS, Webster's Hall, St Paul's Walden, 17-18th Century Antony has pointed out that the Victoria County History (British History Online) shows that the manor of nearby Ayot St Lawrence was sold to Thomas Lewis in 1714 who died in 1718

    Jeff raises some interesting questions about English and Irish banks, which I am afraid is outside my experience - but perhaps someone else can comment,.

Tracking down property in Watford

Iain is trying to discover more about the property, sometimes called Hedges Yard, in Watford High Street - see  HEDGES, 122 High Street, Watford, mid 19th century. I record the history of the property between 1841 and 1912 and identify the building in an old photograph of the High Street. If you know of other pictures, particularly any which show the yard, Iain and I would be delighted to hear from you.

 The Online Guides are there to be used!

Occasionally I get questions where the questioner has rushed to ask a question when the answer is easily available in the online guides. This week I got a question where the answer could be found by clicking on "Family Events" in the main Menu, then "Burials" and then reading the page Looking for 20th Century Burials.