Don't Forget Them...

Have everything ready for the new arrival...just need to 'phone Marie this evening to get directions...hope we can go tomorrow.

So, in the meantime I've been trawling Ancestry again.

I know it probably sounds pretty silly, but I don't like finding young women who died in childbirth...or maybe soon after. All too often there will be the record of a death and it coincides with a baby's birth...

And I don't like finding a person who probably worked really hard for their entire life, being described as a 'pauper' on a census return...no Old Age Pension in the early 1800's and many villages and small towns still didn't have Parish Relief funds which at least ensured the less well-off...or the paupers...had a few pence each week to help them out.

The poor were more poor than we could ever imagine ourselves to be I think...

My babies were born in clean labour wards and there were qualified nurses and Doctors in attendance...not so for the girl who married an Ag Lab in 1840...

At the other end of the social order were the lads who went to University...usually to read Law or Theology. I found a person today who was only fifteen when he entered Caius College...nineteen when he emerged with an M.A. in Theology...imagine the sheer hard work which went into getting a Masters in your chosen subject at that age...of course this was in the 1600's when entry to an established seat of learning was practically a given for those in the higher social classes.

The contrasts were huge...still are I suppose...between the rich and the poor. Little boys, no more than ten years old, employed in cotton mills in the 1800's to scramble about under the heavy machinery...pulling at threads caught and picking up the cotton fluff...

Small girls weaving straw bonnets in dim front rooms of cottages alongside their widowed mothers...

While the wealthy enough Yeoman was leaving 20 shillings in his Will to be paid out ' to the Poor of the Parish' on the day of his funeral...

And I can't leave anyone out.

There are those who compile their family trees concentrating on the direct lines...ignoring brothers and sisters...nieces and funny old Uncles who probably smelled of wet dog and pee.

They don't much bother until they reach the 1500's and suddenly realise Auntie Jane was a Lady and her house is open to the public for a modest entrance fee...it's only then they add everyone in sight.

It is so often that the interesting stories come to light when I delve into the life of a brother or sister...they might have fought in the Boer War or been transported to Van Diemen's land for sheep stealing...had I ignored some of the relations of a tree I'm presently researching, I'd have missed a trial at the Old Bailey and the yet unproven tale of a man hanged as a Highwayman...

Of course it's grand to find a few Lords and Ladies scattered about...but don't forget the second cousin five times removed who might have been the first Governor of the State of Indiana or may have been thrown from his horse when it bolted and you can read the entire story from a newspaper clipping of the day...

[freefaller]

So true Vashti. There could be some really interesting stories. I did my partner's family tree and it is really interesting. Unfortunately, I lot a lot of the information when an external hard drive we had saved it on went down. Since then we have not used an external hard drive but I also haven't chased all that info up again. Should do I suppose.

Hope the new arrival fits in nicely.

Love and hugs

Sian

xoxoxoxo

[Hidden in reply to freefaller]

Finding those who passed before us is just a bit of an obsession with me!

[newlands]

Hi Vashti my mother died in childbirth 73 years ago What's really sad she never got to hold me or see me

Take care

Dorothy

[Hidden in reply to newlands]

Know exact how you feel Dorothy- my mother died seventy three years ago when I was seven months old. She went into Hospital when I was four months old with a brain tumour & unfortunately there was nothing they could do. I feel really sad that we never knew each other.

[newlands in reply to Hidden]

Yes. That is also so sad I was adopted by my fathers sister so that was good but he had to relinquish all rights and not contact me in any way

We had contact when I was 36 for 5 months before he died ,he also had copd

Take care

Dorothy

[Hidden in reply to newlands]

Oh Dorothy...that is so awfully sad.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

She would have loved you Helen...and you would have loved her xxxx

[sassy59 in reply to newlands]

Very sad Dorothy. xx

[Hidden in reply to newlands]

Women suffered needlessly didn't they...xxx

[newlands in reply to Hidden]

Yes my father was in the army a maiden aunt was next of kin and she wouldn't sign for a blood transfusion it was against her religion

Who's to say if she would have lived we will never know

Take care

Dorothy

[Polly4acre]

I read your post this morning and

it reminded me of a Midwife's log that she kept when attending births. This covered about eighteen months, was hand written and told of the grinding poverty in Glasgow tenaments in the early 1900s.

I found this among a box of books that I bought at auction round about 40 years ago, I was collecting stuff about horticulture at the time and this brought me to tears. Accounts of borrowed towels and sheets, kind neighbours who lit bedroom fires and who sprinkled Dettol on the stone stairways to prevent infections.Most mothers had not a tooth in their heads as it was thought that the pregnancy would deprive the unborn child of calcium, dentures were for the very few able to afford them.

Many a night was spent at the labour and the Doctor was only called for in extreme circumstances, and then only by the Midwife leaving to find the nearest telephone box.These were clinical notes written next day with few descriptions but the whole picture was there .Sad, very sad accounts of her leaving a newspaper wrapped bundle on a window sill for the Doctor to collect and examine, stillbirths that grieved her. Fathers were absent or who had taken off to the pub while it was going on. I sent this account to an ex colleague who had gone to work in a large hospital in Norway and it was passed to everyone there. My friend had been born in Glasgow and she knew from older relatives how typical it was. I wish I still had it to send to you. So, quite recent history really and would have been of huge interest to you and like us all so grateful for the care of today. Love your posts, I look forward to each new one, Polly x

[Hidden in reply to Polly4acre]

I'd have so loved to have read that diary Polly...

We once drove right through the Gorbals in Glasgow...many years ago now when I was a teen and we were going further north for some reason. Father became hopelessly lost...

But even in the 1960's, when I worked in the worst of the slums in Birmingham, the conditions for those living there were totally abysmal...

Now we have far too many people living in doorways...

[sassy59]

Fascinating stuff Vashti and you do seem to enjoy your Ancestry but it doesn't always throw up nice things. My dad's mum died aged 26 whilst pregnant with baby No. 6. She had rheumatic fever as a child and had heart problems she knew nothing about. All very sad and makes me cry even now. Silly isn't it but life seemed so hard back then.

Hope you get your kittens today. Do let us know. xxxxx

[Hidden in reply to sassy59]

Poor girl...26, with five children already...

All too often I find records that make me sad...

[Nikkers]

As you know Vashti, I've researched my tree way back and I agree with you....some of the more interesting are in the "removed" relatives. I have one that was sent to "the Colonies" (as they put it) just for stealing a pig - I have the original record of the trial! There were a couple ( distant relatives )who got married in Newgate Prison, and at least 1 missionary and 2 vicars in the tree....their teachings obviously didn't influence my genes! lol.

On the other side, I'm distantly related to Sir Barnes Wallis (he of the bouncing bomb) and Donald Bradman the famous Australian cricketer....maybe that branch started with the man who stole the pig? lol.

[Hidden in reply to Nikkers]

Exactly my point...if you stick too rigidly to all the 'firsts' then you're missing out on seriously interesting ancestors who are more remote...

I can beat your vicars...I have nuns and priests in mine...lol

And of course it could well be that Douglas Bradman wouldn't be...had it not been for the man who stole the pig!