Saunders Family - Progress 2009

1911 Census

The year started off with the publication of the 1911 Census, two years early.

The web-site proved to be user friendly and I found entries for the Saunders family.

98 First Avenue, Plaistow

A correspondent reponding to the website sent me this extraordinary description of the house in which my Great Grandparents, Charles & Emma Saunders, were living in 1901 (per Census and marriage certificate of their daughter Ruth):

"The house was a 3 story house only 2 houses in the street were like this, with six stone steps to the front door (underneath the steps was a coal cellar with the coal hole on the bottom step. There was a boot scraper incorporated in the wall and a window on the pavement.)

Inside, the rooms were small with a fireplace in each. There was a narrow passage leading to a room at the front of the house, a room at the back and a flight of stairs going to the top floor with 2 more rooms, and a flight of stairs leading down to two more rooms and an add on wooden building called a scullery (which we used as the kitchen). There was an outside loo and a small yard for a garden.

My family lived in this house from 1961 until 1983 when the house was compulsorily purchased by the local authority for demolition, this was done by blowing up the house for the film 1984, starring Richard Burton. My parents were guests of the film crew to witness the event. Mum said she would cheer but she actually cried.

Also in 1983 the house was also used to make a music video for the group The Human League titled, 'Fascination'."

James Saunders brother of my grandmother Ellen (Saunders) Brecht

Not one, but two descendants of Charles & Emma Saunders and their son James made contact.

Not only did my grandmother and her sister Ruth marry 2 brothers (names Brecht) but Grandma's brothers James and Charles married 2 sisters (named Trudgill)!

Silk Weavers named Collier

A correspondent, a descendant of Thomas Collier (a Bethnal Green Silk Weaver) resumed contact and there may be a link to my wife Chris.

Remarkably her husband is related to me via the Saunders Family Tree!

Colin Bower
31 January 2010