The Bower & Collier Family History
Research by Colin Bower
Find the Lady! - Progress 2008?
The role of "Calling" in "Courting"
There was an interesting article in "Choice" magazine this month which showed how formal "Calling" was part of the formal process of "Courting":
Courting in 19th CenturyThe Shrubb Family of Boldre
A descendant of Ida Marcia Augusta Shrubb (Marcia), searching the web about the influential Shrubb Family of Boldre, came across my web-site.
He set out some detailed and very interesting information about the Shrubb Family. This included the extraordinary 1899 wedding of Marcia Shrubb, to which the cream of local society was invited plus Daisy, Princess of Pless formerly Mary Cornwallis West:
The Shrubb Family in BoldreAnnie Fluder
He also gave me more information on Annie Fluder who is a good candidate to be the Lady who kept the Calling Book.
Annie Fluder1873 Diary of Sybilla (Fluder) Shrubb
My correspondent usefully transcribed the 1873 diary kept by Sybella Shrubb and it presents a fascinating picture of life of a Victorian lady including the birth of her daughter Marcia on 11 March 1873 (Sundays were entered separately in the Diary):
Page from Diary - March 1873
Page from Diary - Sundays 1873
Introduction to Diary
Transcript of Diary
Names Index
Arthur Edward Fluder
The husband of a descendant of Arthur Fluder advised me that Arthur was the sister of Sybilla Fluder who married John Shrubb.
Mary (Fitzpatrick) Cornwallis West
I was very pleased that a Fitzpatrick descendant had found my web site and pointed out a typing error!
Important Marriages and Name Changes
Correspondents have advised me of other important marriages in the Symonds and Shrubb families so I have updated the "people" section of my research:
Important Marriages and Name ChangesMeyrick Family - Visit to Hinton Admiral
We were able to visit Hinton Admiral when its gardens were opened on a lovely Sunday afternoon in early May 2008. Hinton Admiral is near to Chewton Glen and New Milton and has been the home of the Meyrick family for many years:
The name Meyrick does not appear in the Calling Book.
The Castle/Sheepshanks Family
This month a correspondent made contact havimg seen the diary mentioned above in which Miss Castle and Mrs Sheepshanks are mentioned.
He was descended from the Castles and Sheepshanks. The Victorian lady who kept the Calling Book met a Mrs Castle and the lady herself could have been a Sheepshanks.
Found the Lady!?
On a visit to the Hampshire Record Office in Winchester, I obtained some additional information which has revealed the stongest candidate yet to be the Victorian lady who kept the Calling Book:
Mary (Fawcett) MurrayI will concentrate my research on Mary and her husband Henry Stuart Murray. Nearly there?
Colin Bower
15 December 2008
