Eastcrabbe (audrey @t opol1.freeserve.co.uk) of N. Lincolnshire, writes: Alice Maud Bulmer was my grandmother born 1879. Her father was manager? of Dicker Mill, Hertford, and reputedly drowned in the River Lea. Any information would be most welcome to help in our family research.

Dicker Mill circa 1900 from Discovering Hertford

The 1881 census shows the following family living at Dicker Mill, in the parish of Hertford St John:

Henry BULMER	Head	45	Foreman Oil Mill	Croft, Lincolnshire
Margarett J. BULMER	Wife	42		Hull, Yorkshire
Mary C. BULMER	Daur	16	Scholar	Hertford
Thomas G. BULMER	Son	14	Scholar	Hertford
Blanch E. BULMER	Daur	10	Scholar	Hertford
Sarah J. BULMER	Daur	8	Scholar	Hertford
John H. BULMER	Son	6	Scholar	Hertford
Alice M. BULMER	Daur	2	Scholar	Hertford
Frederick W. BULMER	Son	5 m		Hertford
Fredrick RICKETT	Servant	38	Grinder Oil Mill	Hertford
William J. GIBBIN	Servant	23	Grinder Oil Mill	Hertford

Also living at the mill, at the same time, were:

Edward MANSER	Head	57	Justice Of Peace Borough Hertford Seed Crusher employing 36 Men 12 Boys	Hertford
Ethel M. MANSER	Daur	13	Scholar	Hertford
Ada M. MANSER	Visitor	16	Scholar	Clapton, Middlesex
Emily THUROGOOD	Servant	22	Cook	Weston, Herts
Elizabeth E. COX	Servant	26	Housemaid D S	Walworth, Herts
Emily BAKER	Servant	22	Housemaid D S	Great Hormead, Herts

The following entry is under Hertford in the 1882 Kelly's Directory:

Manser Edward & Co., linseed & cotton seed oil manufacturers & seed crushers, Dicker Oil Mills

The 1901 census will be available online in January so you should be able to look up the family yourself - and this should tell you if Henry Bulmer was alive then. You have enough information to get the birth certificate of Alice Bulmer - and thence the maiden name of her mother. Her parents probably married in about 1864 so you could get their marriage certificate which would give the names of their fathers - but you might also like to check the 1871 census microfilm at your nearest LDS Family History Centre (see familysearch for the address) to see if there were older children who had left home by 1881.

Eastcrabbe (audrey @t opol1.freeserve.co.uk) responded: Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Chris. What a wonderful picture of Dicker Mill! The Census information was most useful and will perhaps help me trace relatives of grandmother Alice Maud Bulmer who may still be in Herts . We do have Alice Maud's birth cert. and her marriage cert. She married an Eastcrabbe - hence my name. Our family history is proving difficult - your help has inspired me to carry on the research! Thank you again.

September 2003

Jackie McNamara (jackie @t petittor.fsnet.co.uk) writes: Mr. Eastcrabbe is presumably the son of Claud Eastcrabbe, my mother  (Vera Bulmer)'s cousin. My Grandfather was Frederick William, (b. Dicker Mill 1880),brother of Mr.Eastcrabbe's grandmother, Alice Maud Bulmer. I look forward to making contact with Mr Eastcrabbe as I have considerable information to exchange.

If you can add to the information given above tell me.