The Bower & Collier Family History
Research by Colin Bower
Progress in 2011
Other Projects
The Big One!
I continued to make good progress in writing up my family history records:
Silk Weavers names Collier
I undertook a review of the information that I had obtained to date and filled a number of gaps from searches on the internet:
As a result I moved Weavers James Collier & Samuel Collier from Family 12 to Family 9.
I reviewed the information held and made some searches where I had been unsuccessful before. A number of the gaps were filled and changes were made to many of the Family details and a section, Things we wish we knew, added to each family:
Families of Silk Weavers named CollierI also typed up the details of Census entries and Parish Records that I had obtained:
Census Entries Obtained Parish Records Obtained I resumed issuing Newsletters to correspondents interested in Cockney Colliers particularly Silk Weavers named Collier: Cockney Colliers - NewslettersI also attended the Third Gathering of the Gaucheron/Kemp/Collier and met a new descendant of James Collier.
As a result, it was established that James Collier was a Silk Weaver despite being described as a carpenter in Charles Collier's (second marriage) marriage certificate in 1863. It also meant that there was a link between Family 7 with Family 1 and possibly Family 4:
Visit to City of London 8 October 2011 including- Visit to Guildhall Library
- The Third Gathering of the Gaucheron/Kemp/Collier
- Visits to Christ Church, Spitalfields and Shoreditch
The London Weavers Company 1600-1970
I purchased a secondhand copy (ex library) of the book, the London Weavers Company 1600-1970 by Alfred Plummer.
In the book are references to Francis Dearman, Silk Weaver who married Maria Collier daughter of Charles Collier in 1856:
Francis Dearman, Silk WeaverElizabeth Emma Collier
I was contacted by a descendant by marriage of William, Silk Weaver, & Hannah (Hood) Collier. My correspondent's mother in law was Elizabeth Emma Collier born 1911 in Stepney and married William Edwin Edger at St Dunstan's Stepney in 1937.
Naval History
Sinking of the SS Britannia 1941
Alf Warren
I was contacted by a correspondent who was the son of Alf Warren another survivor of the sinking of the SS Britannia in 1941.
His father was the survivor picked up by the Cabo de Hornos who had been 5 days on a raft but at the last moment put his foot in the water and was bitten by a shark.
I remember my father talking about this survivor. His son has begun to construct a web-site:
www.SSBritannia.org.uk
Spencer Mynott
Another survivor from the raft was Spencer Mynott who signed my father's menu (Column Six):
Father's Menu signed by the survivors picked up by the Cabo de Hornos
Remarkably I was contacted by Spencer Mynott's son who told me that his father had an account of his survial published in the Sunday Pictorial in 1960 and met up with Alf Warren:
Ten Little Sailor Boys - A Story of Survival by Spencer Mynott
I was able to put Alf Warren's son in contact with Spencer Mynott's son!
Launching of SS Britannia
A correspondent advised me of a Pathe News report on the launching of the SS Britannia in 1925:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=24147
Amazing!
Local History
Find the Lady!
Efford Cottage, Everton
I have proved that the Victorian lady who kept a Calling book in 1883-1893 was Mary (Fawcett) Murray:
For a time she lived at Efford Cottage, Everton described as the dower house to Efford House.
A correspondent contacted me to say that he lived at Efford Bower (no relative!) which may have been the dower house and he was investigating the house's history.
Captain John Whitby
Captain Whitby sailed under Nelson and Cornwallis and his wife helped Admiral Cornwallis develop Newlands Manor in Milford (now Milford on Sea). Mary (Fawcett) Murray appears to have met his daughter Mrs West.
I was contacted by a descendant of Captain Whitby. He was her 5 x Great Grandfather and I was able to put her in touch with someone who has undertaken a great deal of research into the Whitby family.
Jesson, Palmer, Nelson Palmer and Stephens Families
Mary (Fawcett) Murray accompanied Major Murray when his regiment was in Galway.
One of the entries in the Calling Book was for Nelson Palmer and I was contacted by the 2 x Great Grand-daughter of Thomas Palmer who was a cousin of Nelson Palmer.
I was able to put her in touch with two people who gave me the information on the Jesson, Palmer, Nelson Palmer and Stephens families.
Hoopers Hill, Miton 1911
A correspondent sent me 2 valuable items:
1. A copy of the 1911 Census entry for Hoopers Hill
Hoopers Hill, Angel Lane, Milton near Ashley Clinton
Henry Stuart Murray (49) Retired Major H M Army born Edinburgh
Mary Florence Sophia Murray (48) born Lymington, Hampshire
Ruby Claudia Stuart Murray (19) born Lymington, Hampshire
Geoffrey Howard Reynolds (24) Visitor/Estate Pupil born Brockenhurst, Hampshire
plus servants
History of Solicitors Moore & Blatch and Bellevue House, Lymington
2. Pages from a local history publication including Solicitors Moore & Blatch and Bellevue House.
There are 6 names mentioned in the publication that appear in the Calling Book:
Moore& Blatch, Lymington
St Barbe
Rawlins (1880)
Vores (1891)
Daniel (after 1878)
Bellevue House, Lymington
Misses Noakes (from 1871)
Edition of Heir Hunters broadcast on BBC2 1.12.2011
Chris and I were watching a TV programme (a repeat, of course!) Heir Hunters on BBC2 on 1 December 2011, when we were surprised by the inclusion of a recent addition to the estate of Frederick West of Ruthin Castle (father of Frederick Richard West who married Theresa Whitby).
The programme plotted the fascinating history of the Cornwallis West Family:
The Extraordinary Cornwallis West Family
I sent a summary of the content of the programme to two ancestors of William Cornwallis West and Mary Fitzpatrick (Patsy).
Fuller description of the programme
Heir Hunters BBC2 1 December 2011
Colin Bower
1 January 2012
