I have stumbled across your amazing website whilst trying to solve the mystery of my paternal great grandfather Charles Scanes. The information I have gained from my grandmother is that he was abandoned as a baby and brought up by two elderly ladies with the surname Wilkins in Pebworth and then, after their deaths, by the Sheward family also in Pebworth. As such, for his childhood he was known as Charles Wilkins. When he came to marry in 1934 the vicar produced a copy of Charles' birth certificate.
The copy of the birth certificate lists the mother as Emma Scanes with her occupation as a laundress at Badsey, the father is left blank. The address given of his birth is 1 Hampton Road, Hampton near Evesham. His date of birth was 3rd October 1908 and the birth registered 18th November 1908 so it is possible his mother cared for him for a short while. I have searched on ancestry.co.uk for Emma Scanes and cannot find any information on her and have looked at the census in 1901 in the areas mentioned above and cannot find anyone that Emma could be.
I suspect maybe she used the father's surname instead of her own or simply made up a new name completely. Charles Scanes went on to marry Linda Griffiths in 1934 and to have my grandmother Barbara Scanes in 1935 I would love to be able to solve the mystery of my great-grandfather for my grandmother as she has always been curious about the history of her father. If anyone has any information regarding this, any family rumours or the like I would be extremely grateful.
Hello from the frozen North, well it feels like that at the moment. I have just discovered, to my pure delight, the Badsey site. My family came from Badsey at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and I have already found some of them in the parish records on your site. I would like to order a copy of "A Brief history of Badsey and Aldington" please.
Is it also possible to post an enquiry on your site? I am trying to trace the birth/family of Jonathan Harris would married Sarah Holland 14 June 1810. I am not sure how I can find his parents or if it is possible. My Harris's moved eventually to Hednesford, Staffs, and then Walsall. My grandfather, Frank Herbert Harris, died in 1911 when my father was only a few weeks old and we have had a lot of difficulty finding his roots.
Hello Christopher. Your Jonathan Harris was buried aged 59 at Badsey 9 Jul 1838 which puts his birth about 1779. Looking at the IGI there is a baptism at Church Honeybourne of Jonathan Harris son of James and Mary on 16 April 1775 which looks at reasonable fit. Church Honeybourne is a couple of miles to the east of Badsey. Hopefully this is a start.
May I first of all thank you for the wonderful village site that you and your team have produced. If only all villages could do the same. I first found your site a couple of years ago and it gave me a really good start to my search for the family tree. You have obviously worked very hard since then and I was delighted to be able to now go back (I think), a lot further.
My interest is in the Jones family who lived, in my grandfather's time, in Bretforton. Like most researchers I started with the census in 1901 and found:
In 1901, Walter Jones 31, born Bretforton and his wife Frances and 4 boys, one of whom would become my grandfather.
In 1891, aged 22 with his parents, Thomas 70 b. Badsey, and Elizabeth (neé) Sorrel 65, b. Harvington.
In 1881 he was 12, with Thomas 60, Elizabeth 56. Here you have Thomas as a Badsey Stray.
...
Could you please point me in the direction of any further information?
Your Thomas Jones is descended from William Jones (c1709-1784). Daniel Jones was Assistant Curate at Badsey from 1788-1808 and is not related to your Jones family. As regards the IGI reference to a marriage between John Jones and Mrs Elizabeth Jones at Badsey in 1820, don't believe everything you see on the IGI! The Mormons have done wonderful work in transcribing many parish registers but that record was not placed there as a result of a methodical IGI transcription; it was simply placed there by a member of the Latter-Day Saints who obviously had John and Elizabeth Jones in their ancestry and thought they must have been married at Badsey in about 1820 (the basis being that they first started baptising children at Badsey in 1821). But they already had several children by the time they moved to Badsey. We have methodically transcribed all the registers and the IGI record is most definitely wrong. In order to see what land your ancestor owned in Badsey at the time of Enclosure in 1815, go to www.badsey.net/enclosure, then click on "Digitised Badsey Enclosure Map from the WCC GIS site". In the search box, enter John Jones of Abberley and then click on Find. This will show you where, on the Badsey Enclosure map, was the cottage and orchard which your ancestor owned. Having located its position, you can then go back to the photographic image of the map (section B1 - ie second row down, first one) and print out the map. On the digitised map, if you type in just John Jones or Joseph Jones, you will see that your John's cousins were major landowners in Badsey. You may find A Brief History of Badsey and Aldington useful as background reading (it includes a photo of Harrington House which was owned for a time by your family in the 18th century). And a novel Christmas present might be our Enclosure Map tea towel which features some of your ancestral homes! Details on the website if you wish to purchase any of these. Good luck with your researches.
Had a quick check through my records to see if I can immediately add to what it already known. Your are probably already aware that Walter Jones married Frances Sarah Edkins in 1895 in Solihull. Both are buried in Bretforton churchyard. Frances Sarah died in 1910, aged 41 and buried July 26, 1910. Walter died in 1940 in Evesham Infirmary, aged 72, and buried December 18, 1940. According to the 1901 census they had four boys but was to have another child, Eustace Eugene, in 1903. Walter’s parents Thomas & Elizabeth, are also buried at Bretforton. Thomas died in 1899, aged 79, and buried April 25, 1899. Elizabeth died in 1909 at Warwick, aged 84, and buried March 11, 1909.
I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your website.
I am descended from a market gardener, William Knight (1846-1934), who, according to the 1901 Census for Badsey, lived at Belmont Terrace. Elsie May Jefferies, the daughter of Sarah Ann Knight, was my grandmother. She married my grandfather, Sidney Halford of Broadway in 1922, and in 1924 they emigrated to South Africa with my mother, Joyce, who was one year old at the time. My grandfather managed an export fruit farm near Cape Town, South Africa. My grandparents never returned to England, but my sisters and I grew up hearing them talk with nostalgia about the Vale of Evesham and the Cotswolds in general. I moved to Germany in 1971, where I met my American husband, and moved to the United States in 1976. I now live in Sarasota, Florida. My middle sister, Melanie, still lives in Cape Town, and our youngest sister lives in Essex, England. My cousin, Helen, is also a granddaughter of Elsie May and Sidney, and lives in Cape Town.
In 1973 my mother and I visited England. It was my first visit, and my mother’s first since 1924. We managed to track down my great uncle, Cecil Jeffries, and enjoyed visiting with him and his family, but I have not stayed in touch.
My mother died in Cape Town in June of this year. Since her death, my interest in researching my roots has been renewed. Last August my sisters and I, accompanied by my husband, Jim, and Mel’s son, Simon, visited the Cotswolds. While having dinner at the Round of Gras in Badsey one evening, we couldn’t help looking around at other diners and wondering whether we were related to any of them! We spent some time in area graveyards looking for family names among the tombstones. Thanks to the work of your organization, I was able to identify the graves of my great-grandparents, John and Sarah Ann Jeffries.
In Sarasota, market gardening is enjoying a renaissance. There is a market downtown each Saturday, where local market gardeners sell their produce. The local extension service (which is a collaboration between the state university and the local government) even offers courses in market gardening, with a focus on holistic methods. The organically grown vegetables and herbs are particularly popular with both residents and restaurants. Environmentalists like the fact that the produce is grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, probably the only method our forbears knew; people also like the fact that the produce is not trucked thousands of miles to reach market, thereby reducing carbon emissions and gas consumption. The market has a festive atmosphere. In addition to the farm stands offering fresh vegetables, herbs, fruit, and ornamental plants, there are local bakers and various cottage industries selling their wares, and there are food aromas and live music in the air. Also, it is an opportunity for people to take their dogs on a downtown outing, and show them off. After the market closes, customers gravitate to outdoor cafes, where they can enjoy a meal accompanied by their pets, and watch the world go by.
From your historical website I discovered that in 1901 my grandmother’s youngest uncle, Thomas Henry Knight, was still living at home. His obituary gave me an idea of the life that my forbears lived. I remember my grandmother telling me with great pride about her uncle who had played the organ in his church for 70 years. During our graveyard adventure in August, we parked our car beside picturesque Wickhamford Manor, so it was nice to know that the manor had been a part of my family’s history (Thomas married the cook, Nellie, and my his father, my great grandfather, worked in the garden twice a week).
I am also descended from William Crane (1818-1902), who is mentioned in your recent Badsey Society newsletter. What a pity that I missed your Flower Show in July. Perhaps I’ll be luckier in the future.
I am interested in your project, The Last Market Gardener, and look forward to the release of the book.
Sincerely,
Jane Aguilard (born Gilmour)
Sarasota, FL 34238, USA
I have discovered your website today, I was looking for my Grandmother Maggie May Porter, I was thrilled to find her family almost straight away in the 1901 census, I would love to hear from anyone who has more information about them. Maggie was born in Badsey in 1896 to Joe and Martha Porter I understand Joe was a market gardener who came originally from Haybrook in Herefordshire born in about 1855.
My own notes and details from local cemeteries shows that Joseph Porter married Martha Ann Coneybear in Evesham in 1876. They are both buried in Bengeworth Cemetery, Evesham in Section E, Plot 75. The substantive headstone also commemorates the death of daughter Annie who died May 20, 1909 aged 23 years and Albert Charles Joseph Porter who died March 9, 1955, aged 77. Both of these children are actually in Section E, Plot 111. Annie, the daughter, is buried under the name of Payne. She married William Payne in 1908 in Evesham. Albert Charles Joseph Porter was a retired publican. He married Lucy Cullen in Evesham in 1904. She died in 1918, aged 37 and also buried in Bengeworth in Section F, Plot 42. Also in the same plot is a Kathleen May Porter who died in 1928, aged 48. There is no monument on this grave. Also in Bengeworth is another son of Joseph & Martha, Edward John Porter who married Ada Mary Thornton in Evesham in 1908. He died in 1938, aged 56 and Ada Mary died in 1972, aged 85. They are buried in Section K, Plot 17. Also in the plot are the ashes of their son Hubert Henry Porter who died in 2003, aged 79 and the ashes of their daughter Dorothy and son-in-law Albert Merrett. A large headstone and kerb monument is on the plot with all the details. There are 21 Porters buried in Bengeworth cemetery from 1879 to 2003.
I am descended from Brookes’s who lived in Warwickshire and Worcestershire in the 1700 and 1800s – they moved along the A46 between Aston Cantlow and nearby villages along towards Evesham and were in and around the Littletons.
I note from your website, which I think is a fantastic site and great resource for genealogists, that the Brookes name is quite prominent in the Badsey area although I’m yet to make a link with the Brookes names you list. I have linked with some other names through marriages.
My great grandfather (George Brookes) was born in Offenham in 1829 before the family moved back to Warwickshire (Great Alne) and then into Birmingham. I have found a record of a Samuel Brookes being married to a Sarah Malin around the late 1700s and wondered if there was any useful info on the Malins that you had or if you could point me in the right direction.
I have researched the Malin families of both Badsey & Offenham, who are related, and another unconnected Malin line in Evesham. Those who settled in Badsey (1860s) & Offenham (1830s) are all descended from Giles Malin who was born at Stanway, Gloucestershire in about 1680. The Evesham line are descended from John Malin (b.1760) who married Martha Weston in 1789 at Weston-on-Avon, Gloucestershire. The Sarah Malin who married Samuel Brookes in the 1700s does not appear to be connected to any of the lines I have researched locally.
However, there is a connection with the Brookes of Badsey and Offenham. Obadiah Brookes was born in Offenham in 1826 and baptised there 17.12.1826. He was the son of Thomas & Elizabeth Brookes (nee Moore) who were married in All Saints Church, Evesham 27.2.1824. Obadiah married Mary Ledbetter in 1847 and settled in Badsey where they had a large family (see under Brooks in our Surname Index). Obadiah died in 1898 and was buried in Badsey churchyard.
I have heard of Obadiah and Noahdiah too, who were from Offenham around the same time as my Great Grandfather, but I’ve not yet been able to link them with my tree but I’m sure there must be a connection somewhere. I’ll try and see if I can trace Thomas back into my line. My Great Grandfather’s Grandfather (also George Brookes 1799- 1852) had a farm in the Littletons called Norval which I’ve visited and there is a family grave in the churchyard in Nth Littleton (St Nicholas, I believe). I live in the east of England so don’t manage to get to Worcester very often.
My name is Dave Knight. I've been trying to trace my family history, I have been estranged from my family for a long time. Prior to this I could not get much information from parents and grandparents. What I do know is they came from Worcestershire. My grandfather named Frank Knight (born around 1909) had at least one brother named Tom, and three sisters, Hilda, Millie, the third one I do not know. There is some connection with the Vale of Evesham as they used to transport fruit and veg to Cradley Heath.
Frank I believe had no or little contact with his father, but his mom was either married or lived with a man he called Pop, who may have been a miner. What had happened is not known by me, because they would never talk about it. My father and mother divorced, and he did not really like kids, so we don't see each other, and haven't spoke for nearly 20 years.
Because I have so few details the usual searches don't really help. Does anyone in your village have any knowledge of parts of the Knight family moving to Cradley Heath or Old Hill in the early 1900s. We also had relatives near Malvern, but again no details I know this is a long shot, but it just might help.
Having stumbled on the entry in your Visitors Book (see April 2009), I thought you might be interested in the family’s anecdote as to how Bonner Shekell came to be buried in the copse.
To be honest, I have never followed this up, but with your local knowledge and access to various local records, I would be interested to know if it is true. Or would I? Sometime the truth can be a disappointment.
The story I was told by my father was that Bonner Shekell didn’t see why he should contribute towards the cost of a vicar in Pebworth when he could do the job just as well. He took holy orders and returned as vicar for a number of years. Again, this is legend, but it is said he was a bit turbulent. Relations with the Bishop and the Church were strained, to the extent that Bonner declared that on his death he would not be buried in consecrated ground. Hence the large stone in a small copse.
The family members have now moved away from Pebworth although we still have links with the village both above and below ground.
Thank you for jogging a family memory,
Andrew Shekell, Cumbria
Thanks for the note on Bonner Shekell from Andrew Shekell. It is a fascination to me too as my mother had always pointed out the grave as we visited my grandmother in Pebworth as a girl. I spoke to my mother hoping she could throw some light on the matter.
Bonner died when she was about 8 or 9 so her memories are limited. She remembers the funeral as everyone in the village was told to close the curtains and stay indoors while the cortege passed. Bonner Shekell had been involved in a shooting accident and was handicapped in some way. That may have explained why he was single and singular! He lived in the Manor House with his housekeeper, Miss Haines living in the bungalow at the bottom of the drive. On his death she inherited the bungalow which was a generous gesture and speaks of his high regard.
I searched the 1911 census and found the Vicar was William Tate-Stoate. My mother remembers the vicar was Rev. W. Boyd in her day. I also found the truth that Bonner was a clerk in Holy Orders but not the vicar all the time. He was a very good landlord to my grandfather who rented Manor Farm from him and was on the various village committees with him. A very approachable man. I believe he was well respected and like.
Isn’t it strange how a small pebble in a pond can lead to large ripples? Not only has your village website adopted a large rock some miles away, but also it has shown how the villages are linked by personal experience. All from a passing question and a spontaneous web surf. It is amazing how much information is now available. My Uncle began to investigate the family in the 1960s and he took years and many miles of travelling to find information we can now access at the click of a button.
Thank you Jane for your reply, just for information, Bonner was shot accidentally by his brother when they were both young men. It appears they were climbing over a stile and Bonner’s brother had forgotten to break his shotgun. His brother was sent, or volunteered to go to the Far East, in some disgrace and worked in Burma and Thailand before returning to the UK many years later and married. As two old Pebworth families the Shekells and Haines were distantly related.
Attached is a photo I took of the gravestone in 2001 after much crashing through the underbrush that conceals it. Mr. Rainbow, the tenant farmer of the Shekell property at Pebworth, had kindly directed me where to look. Bonner lived between 1864 - 1932.
I am currently researching for my family tree and it appears that my Great Grandmother, ETHEL MAY MALIN, lived in Cow Honeybourne when the 1901 Census was completed, as a Boarder. She gave birth to my Grandfather, GEORGE SYDNEY NORIS MALIN, on the 7th April 1911. I believe her mother was MARY MALIN. ETHEL MAY MALIN later married THOMAS HOLTOM and their marriage was registered in Evesham.
Can anyone help me with trying to get some background for them? I hope someone can shed some light on the history.
We guess your great grandmother is the same lady who was baptised at Badsey on 15 Jan 1893. So Ethel May Malin was a Badsey girl, as in fact was her mother before her. You will find records of her and her family on the Badsey website (start with the name index). Maureen Spinks has also written some notes on this family which we will forward these to you. Good luck with your search.
I hope you do not mind me contacting you but my partner and I have been searching Badsey high and low for something which he spotted about seventeen years ago but now can no longer find! It is really perplexing. We are looking for a grave which was right by the roadside in a little triangular plot with a small headstone and had some sort of fencing around it? My partner first spotted it all those years ago and seems to recall it was situated somewhere near a hauliers yard? If anyone could throw any light on this I would be extremely grateful, even if it is no longer there, as it has sat in my partners head all these years and now he lives back in the area it would be nice to put this to rest!
Mystery solved! It turns out it is not Badsey at all. Sarah wrote: Just to let you know that we have now finally detected the mystery grave and it is located at Pebworth .It is just off the Long Marsdon Road and you need to look out for a Windmill Farm on the left hand side. About five yards past this there is a ditch with two wooden planks running over it into a very dense overgrown area. If you walk over these planks into this area you will just see from the road a very large piece of stone in a misformed triangle shape. This is on top of what we believe to be a grave. The brass plaque which has been molded into the stone reads 'Bonner Shekell' and the dates 1864 - 1932. It is all very, very strange!! If you could throw some light on this I would be very grateful again. We are aware the the Bonner Shekells were very wealthy landowners around this area but which one the dates relate to remain a mystery and why they are buried in such a dense piece of woodland is also something of a mystery.
See also Andrew Shekell's letter received January 2010.
My name is Susan Wardle (née Lunn). I have been sharing some of the comments and photographs on your website with my mother. Her name is Iris Lunn (née Poynton) and she is the niece of Fred Tandy. We were delighted to read some comments made by my aunt Pam Cotton who now lives in Australia. We all have some lovely memories of family visits to Badsey and of the Tandy family visits to our home in Midway, Derbyshire.
Kind regards
Susan Wardle, Griffydam, Leicestershire
I am the great great granddaughter of William and Lavinia Harris, who are mentioned in the website. My grandfather is Albert Harris who went to school in Badsey 1903 - 1910. In the 1901 census the family are living in Bretforton.
My particular interest is with William. Family legend has it that he fell on a hay knife and died from his injuries in 1910, but I can find no record of this. Does anyone have any information or records about William and Lavinia? I do not think they lived in Badsey for very long, but Lavinia was born in Bourton, and in 1911 was living with her mother Harriet in Moreton. Harriet was married to William Mustoe, born in Chedworth, and sentenced to transportation for "carnally knowing" Fanny Shill in 1866! I notice both Mustoe and Shill families listed on your site, I wonder if there are connections?
Thank you for this most informative site, I have furthered my knowledge about grandfather Albert's early years, and look forward to learning more!
William Harris died in 1909, not 1910, which was why you were unable to find the correct death certificate. He was buried at Badsey on 7th October 1909. Smith’s Household Almanack for 1909 lists a William Harris as a Hay Trusser. Hopefully, the death certificate will give sufficient information to back up the family legend!
I have taken a look at the school registers to try and find out when the Harris family left Badsey. The youngest son, Ernest George, last attended Badsey School on 9th October 1909, two days after the funeral. Interestingly, though, Albert Vernon, did not leave school until 21st February 2010. He was nearly 13 at the time of his father's death and so presumably it was not felt worth moving him to another school as he was so close to school-leaving age. Frederick William, the eldest brother, had already left school on 9th August 1909. The normal school-leaving age was 14, but children who passed an examination showing proficiency at Standard V were allowed to leave early. What happened to Florence, the little sister, born in 1901? She was never a pupil at Badsey.
As far as the Mustoe family is concerned, there does not appear to be a connection between Lavinia Sarah and the Mustoes of Badsey. Mustoe seems to have been a fairly common name in Gloucestershire. The William Mustoe of Badsey was born at Cirencester in 1841 and lived to the grand old age of 102! His parents were William and Hannah Mustoe of Siddington. But presumably your Lavinia, even though she bore the surname of Mustoe, was not actually a Mustoe by birth if William Mustoe had already been transported to Australia in 1866.
I have researched the local papers regarding William Harris and can find no reference to his death in 1909, not even a notice of his death. The fact that other accidental deaths are mentioned in the same year in the papers, would suggest that William did not die as a result of injuries received.
The Vale of Evesham Historical Society have just been given some old maps/plans of Evesham and the surrounding area one of which dated 1923 shows a Chocolate Factory in what we all know as LBG. Does anyone have any knowledge of this factory and if so could you please let me know?
There is a possible clue on the Blackminster Business Park website which gives some history of the site. They say the site was built in the early twentieth century by George Cadbury of the Cadbury's Chocolate family. His plan was to create a fruit canning factory. But there is no reference to chocolate being produced there. LBG took over the site from Cadburys. Is it possible the map just got it wrong, or is there more to discover?
I suspect that the chocolate factory was just an assumption on the part of Ordnance Survey. As far as we know, it was just a fruit canning factory. Graham Corbett (see below) tends to confirm it was probably just fruit canning. His mother, Molly, was born in 1911; she married Frank Corbett in 1934. I think she worked there in the 1920s and 1930s after leaving school and before getting married.
My mother did work at Cadburys at Blackminster and it was a fruit canning factory. I have a few photos of her their with her work colleagues. I don't know if they ever made chocolate there but I have a vague recollection of mother saying that she had chocolates there to eat. Perhaps they had an internal shop there for employees. I would not be confident enough to say that was so for sure ... I am sure that the Cadbury World history department would be able to give an answer.
I have just come across a newspaper cutting of my grandparents' wedding, and it states my Nan was a member of the Girls' Friendly Society. Does anyone know anything about this? The marriage was in 1933.
Appreciate all the work being done on the web site, could spend hours reading through it all.
There is some information about the Girls' Friendly Society on our website. See if this helps. Also, on page 111 of 'A Brief History of Badsey and Aldington' there is a photo with the caption 'The motor caravan of the Girls' Friendly Society parked outside Seward House whilst on a visit to Badsey in the 1920s.'
I have just spent a very enjoyable two hours, whilst husband watching football, looking at pictures and news of Old Badsey. I found a photograph (not seen before) of my late father John Walker in school in 1924. There is also mention of my grandfather John Deighton killed in WW1 in the parish magazine, and a great Uncle Geoffrey Walker also killed in WW1.
Many thanks for such a good and enjoyable website,
Susan Dron (nee Walker) ... also born in Badsey in May 1949
We have been looking through your fantastic web site a credit to all your contributors. Recently while researching our family tree on the 1911 census, much to our amazement, we found my father aged six years old was living with his parents and siblings at Tower View, Badsey. This was really exciting to find out as we only ever knew that his family lived in Bewdley Street, Evesham. His father Henry Samuel Clements was a master butcher and at one time worked for F Stratfords in Bridge Street, Evesham. We would like to know if the area of Tower View is still there or where it was once situated so that we could visit for a trip of nostalgia.
There are two houses called Tower View in Badsey and another one in Aldington. But only one these is old enough to appear on the 1911 census. Today it is numbers 33 & 35 Brewers Lane, Badsey. The house carries a date of 1903, built at a time when the market gardening boom led to lots of new housing in the village. The name is probably a reference to Broadway Tower which should be visible from the house. You will find more on the history of the plot on the website. It is likely that your family were the first occupants of the house. Can anyone add more information?
A bit more to add to the information. The School Admissions Register reveals that the Clements family lived in Badsey for a year, 1910-1911, Lily and William enrolling at Badsey Council School on 25th July 2010, having previously been at Evesham National School. They were there for exactly a year, leaving the previous summer. I don't know who the first occupants of Tower View were. I assume the owner was James Brewer (the baker, after whom the road is named) who had bought the land. Nos 27, 29, 31, 33 & 35 Brewers Lane (although of course they weren't numbered then, and I'm not sure when it actually started being called Brewers Lane) were all built within a few years of each other. The Brailsford family lived at No 33 from at least 1913. A member of the Brailsford family continued to live at No 33 until about 2001 when he moved into a Home and the house was sold to the owner of No 35 who has converted it into one residence. The houses on the opposite side of the road were not built until 1906 so, at the time of building in 1903, there would have been a clear view of Broadway Tower.
Martin. Perhaps you are already aware that your grandfather Henry Samuel Clements and his wife Elizabeth Ann are interred in Waterside cemetery, Evesham in Section A, Plot 2252. There is a monument [kerbs] on the plot.
What a wonderful website! Thank you so much to all those who have made all this valuable information available - such a lot of work has gone into this website. Marvellous! Here is what led me to Badsey in my own research.
My paternal grandfather's family name was Kinchin, and he was born on the Isle of Dogs; his father was from Bengeworth. My great-great grandfather was George Kinchin/Kinchen from Bengeworth, who married Mary Houghton from Offenham. Mary was born in 1826 to William Houghton from Badsey (b. 1790) and Ann nee Bennett.
The Badsey site has given me lots more information about William Houghton's family. I would love to know where in Badsey William's family actually lived, and I am still working on tracking down where his parents Richard and Ann were born. I hope I manage to go even further back in this line of my family. I would love to hear from anyone else who shares these ancestors.
Thanks again - this is a site I will keep returning to... and I think a trip to Badsey will now be on my 'to do' list for 2009!
Whilst I don't know where William's family lived in Badsey, I DO know where his younger sister, Sarah, lived after her marriage. As you probably know already, Sarah Houghton married Valentine Knight at Badsey in 1823. They had ten children and remained living in Badsey until Valentine's death in 1849 and Sarah's in 1866. Sarah and Valentine lived in the house which is now Nos 46 & 48 High Street, which is at the junction with Mill Lane. At the time of the Badsey Enclosure Act of 1812, the house was owned by Valentine's father, Thomas Knight. It remained in the Knight family until the 1850s or 1860s when it was sold to Joseph Woodward. If you go to "Roads and Streets" on the Badsey website, and click on High Street, you will find a brief description of the house, and there is a photo on the left-hand side (six photos down after the sign saying "High Street" - a white cottage with Victorian extension, present-day No 50 High Street.
Comments
Re: What is a dumb well?
A 'dumb well' could simply be an access point to an underground pipe.
Scanes family
I have stumbled across your amazing website whilst trying to solve the mystery of my paternal great grandfather Charles Scanes. The information I have gained from my grandmother is that he was abandoned as a baby and brought up by two elderly ladies with the surname Wilkins in Pebworth and then, after their deaths, by the Sheward family also in Pebworth. As such, for his childhood he was known as Charles Wilkins. When he came to marry in 1934 the vicar produced a copy of Charles' birth certificate.
The copy of the birth certificate lists the mother as Emma Scanes with her occupation as a laundress at Badsey, the father is left blank. The address given of his birth is 1 Hampton Road, Hampton near Evesham. His date of birth was 3rd October 1908 and the birth registered 18th November 1908 so it is possible his mother cared for him for a short while. I have searched on ancestry.co.uk for Emma Scanes and cannot find any information on her and have looked at the census in 1901 in the areas mentioned above and cannot find anyone that Emma could be.
I suspect maybe she used the father's surname instead of her own or simply made up a new name completely. Charles Scanes went on to marry Linda Griffiths in 1934 and to have my grandmother Barbara Scanes in 1935 I would love to be able to solve the mystery of my great-grandfather for my grandmother as she has always been curious about the history of her father. If anyone has any information regarding this, any family rumours or the like I would be extremely grateful.
Thank you,
Juliette Priddy
The Harris family: from Badsey to Bergen
Hello from the frozen North, well it feels like that at the moment. I have just discovered, to my pure delight, the Badsey site. My family came from Badsey at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and I have already found some of them in the parish records on your site. I would like to order a copy of "A Brief history of Badsey and Aldington" please.
Is it also possible to post an enquiry on your site? I am trying to trace the birth/family of Jonathan Harris would married Sarah Holland 14 June 1810. I am not sure how I can find his parents or if it is possible. My Harris's moved eventually to Hednesford, Staffs, and then Walsall. My grandfather, Frank Herbert Harris, died in 1911 when my father was only a few weeks old and we have had a lot of difficulty finding his roots.
Best wishes,
Christopher Harris
Bergen, Norway
Re: The Harris family: from Badsey to Bergen
Hello Christopher. Your Jonathan Harris was buried aged 59 at Badsey 9 Jul 1838 which puts his birth about 1779. Looking at the IGI there is a baptism at Church Honeybourne of Jonathan Harris son of James and Mary on 16 April 1775 which looks at reasonable fit. Church Honeybourne is a couple of miles to the east of Badsey. Hopefully this is a start.
Jones family
May I first of all thank you for the wonderful village site that you and your team have produced. If only all villages could do the same. I first found your site a couple of years ago and it gave me a really good start to my search for the family tree. You have obviously worked very hard since then and I was delighted to be able to now go back (I think), a lot further.
My interest is in the Jones family who lived, in my grandfather's time, in Bretforton. Like most researchers I started with the census in 1901 and found:
In 1901, Walter Jones 31, born Bretforton and his wife Frances and 4 boys, one of whom would become my grandfather.
In 1891, aged 22 with his parents, Thomas 70 b. Badsey, and Elizabeth (neé) Sorrel 65, b. Harvington.
In 1881 he was 12, with Thomas 60, Elizabeth 56. Here you have Thomas as a Badsey Stray.
...
Could you please point me in the direction of any further information?
Best wishes to you all,
Peter Blackaby
Re: Jones family
Your Thomas Jones is descended from William Jones (c1709-1784). Daniel Jones was Assistant Curate at Badsey from 1788-1808 and is not related to your Jones family. As regards the IGI reference to a marriage between John Jones and Mrs Elizabeth Jones at Badsey in 1820, don't believe everything you see on the IGI! The Mormons have done wonderful work in transcribing many parish registers but that record was not placed there as a result of a methodical IGI transcription; it was simply placed there by a member of the Latter-Day Saints who obviously had John and Elizabeth Jones in their ancestry and thought they must have been married at Badsey in about 1820 (the basis being that they first started baptising children at Badsey in 1821). But they already had several children by the time they moved to Badsey. We have methodically transcribed all the registers and the IGI record is most definitely wrong. In order to see what land your ancestor owned in Badsey at the time of Enclosure in 1815, go to www.badsey.net/enclosure, then click on "Digitised Badsey Enclosure Map from the WCC GIS site". In the search box, enter John Jones of Abberley and then click on Find. This will show you where, on the Badsey Enclosure map, was the cottage and orchard which your ancestor owned. Having located its position, you can then go back to the photographic image of the map (section B1 - ie second row down, first one) and print out the map. On the digitised map, if you type in just John Jones or Joseph Jones, you will see that your John's cousins were major landowners in Badsey. You may find A Brief History of Badsey and Aldington useful as background reading (it includes a photo of Harrington House which was owned for a time by your family in the 18th century). And a novel Christmas present might be our Enclosure Map tea towel which features some of your ancestral homes! Details on the website if you wish to purchase any of these. Good luck with your researches.
Re: Jones family
Had a quick check through my records to see if I can immediately add to what it already known. Your are probably already aware that Walter Jones married Frances Sarah Edkins in 1895 in Solihull. Both are buried in Bretforton churchyard. Frances Sarah died in 1910, aged 41 and buried July 26, 1910. Walter died in 1940 in Evesham Infirmary, aged 72, and buried December 18, 1940. According to the 1901 census they had four boys but was to have another child, Eustace Eugene, in 1903. Walter’s parents Thomas & Elizabeth, are also buried at Bretforton. Thomas died in 1899, aged 79, and buried April 25, 1899. Elizabeth died in 1909 at Warwick, aged 84, and buried March 11, 1909.
From Badsey to Florida, by way of South Africa and Germany
I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your website.
I am descended from a market gardener, William Knight (1846-1934), who, according to the 1901 Census for Badsey, lived at Belmont Terrace. Elsie May Jefferies, the daughter of Sarah Ann Knight, was my grandmother. She married my grandfather, Sidney Halford of Broadway in 1922, and in 1924 they emigrated to South Africa with my mother, Joyce, who was one year old at the time. My grandfather managed an export fruit farm near Cape Town, South Africa. My grandparents never returned to England, but my sisters and I grew up hearing them talk with nostalgia about the Vale of Evesham and the Cotswolds in general. I moved to Germany in 1971, where I met my American husband, and moved to the United States in 1976. I now live in Sarasota, Florida. My middle sister, Melanie, still lives in Cape Town, and our youngest sister lives in Essex, England. My cousin, Helen, is also a granddaughter of Elsie May and Sidney, and lives in Cape Town.
In 1973 my mother and I visited England. It was my first visit, and my mother’s first since 1924. We managed to track down my great uncle, Cecil Jeffries, and enjoyed visiting with him and his family, but I have not stayed in touch.
My mother died in Cape Town in June of this year. Since her death, my interest in researching my roots has been renewed. Last August my sisters and I, accompanied by my husband, Jim, and Mel’s son, Simon, visited the Cotswolds. While having dinner at the Round of Gras in Badsey one evening, we couldn’t help looking around at other diners and wondering whether we were related to any of them! We spent some time in area graveyards looking for family names among the tombstones. Thanks to the work of your organization, I was able to identify the graves of my great-grandparents, John and Sarah Ann Jeffries.
In Sarasota, market gardening is enjoying a renaissance. There is a market downtown each Saturday, where local market gardeners sell their produce. The local extension service (which is a collaboration between the state university and the local government) even offers courses in market gardening, with a focus on holistic methods. The organically grown vegetables and herbs are particularly popular with both residents and restaurants. Environmentalists like the fact that the produce is grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, probably the only method our forbears knew; people also like the fact that the produce is not trucked thousands of miles to reach market, thereby reducing carbon emissions and gas consumption. The market has a festive atmosphere. In addition to the farm stands offering fresh vegetables, herbs, fruit, and ornamental plants, there are local bakers and various cottage industries selling their wares, and there are food aromas and live music in the air. Also, it is an opportunity for people to take their dogs on a downtown outing, and show them off. After the market closes, customers gravitate to outdoor cafes, where they can enjoy a meal accompanied by their pets, and watch the world go by.
From your historical website I discovered that in 1901 my grandmother’s youngest uncle, Thomas Henry Knight, was still living at home. His obituary gave me an idea of the life that my forbears lived. I remember my grandmother telling me with great pride about her uncle who had played the organ in his church for 70 years. During our graveyard adventure in August, we parked our car beside picturesque Wickhamford Manor, so it was nice to know that the manor had been a part of my family’s history (Thomas married the cook, Nellie, and my his father, my great grandfather, worked in the garden twice a week).
I am also descended from William Crane (1818-1902), who is mentioned in your recent Badsey Society newsletter. What a pity that I missed your Flower Show in July. Perhaps I’ll be luckier in the future.
I am interested in your project, The Last Market Gardener, and look forward to the release of the book.
Sincerely,
Jane Aguilard (born Gilmour)
Sarasota, FL 34238, USA
Maggie May Porter
I have discovered your website today, I was looking for my Grandmother Maggie May Porter, I was thrilled to find her family almost straight away in the 1901 census, I would love to hear from anyone who has more information about them. Maggie was born in Badsey in 1896 to Joe and Martha Porter I understand Joe was a market gardener who came originally from Haybrook in Herefordshire born in about 1855.
Thank you
Kathy Phillips
Re: Maggie May Porter
My own notes and details from local cemeteries shows that Joseph Porter married Martha Ann Coneybear in Evesham in 1876. They are both buried in Bengeworth Cemetery, Evesham in Section E, Plot 75. The substantive headstone also commemorates the death of daughter Annie who died May 20, 1909 aged 23 years and Albert Charles Joseph Porter who died March 9, 1955, aged 77. Both of these children are actually in Section E, Plot 111. Annie, the daughter, is buried under the name of Payne. She married William Payne in 1908 in Evesham. Albert Charles Joseph Porter was a retired publican. He married Lucy Cullen in Evesham in 1904. She died in 1918, aged 37 and also buried in Bengeworth in Section F, Plot 42. Also in the same plot is a Kathleen May Porter who died in 1928, aged 48. There is no monument on this grave. Also in Bengeworth is another son of Joseph & Martha, Edward John Porter who married Ada Mary Thornton in Evesham in 1908. He died in 1938, aged 56 and Ada Mary died in 1972, aged 85. They are buried in Section K, Plot 17. Also in the plot are the ashes of their son Hubert Henry Porter who died in 2003, aged 79 and the ashes of their daughter Dorothy and son-in-law Albert Merrett. A large headstone and kerb monument is on the plot with all the details. There are 21 Porters buried in Bengeworth cemetery from 1879 to 2003.
Brookes and Malin
I am descended from Brookes’s who lived in Warwickshire and Worcestershire in the 1700 and 1800s – they moved along the A46 between Aston Cantlow and nearby villages along towards Evesham and were in and around the Littletons.
I note from your website, which I think is a fantastic site and great resource for genealogists, that the Brookes name is quite prominent in the Badsey area although I’m yet to make a link with the Brookes names you list. I have linked with some other names through marriages.
My great grandfather (George Brookes) was born in Offenham in 1829 before the family moved back to Warwickshire (Great Alne) and then into Birmingham. I have found a record of a Samuel Brookes being married to a Sarah Malin around the late 1700s and wondered if there was any useful info on the Malins that you had or if you could point me in the right direction.
Many thanks,
Chris Brookes
Re: Brookes and Malin
I have researched the Malin families of both Badsey & Offenham, who are related, and another unconnected Malin line in Evesham. Those who settled in Badsey (1860s) & Offenham (1830s) are all descended from Giles Malin who was born at Stanway, Gloucestershire in about 1680. The Evesham line are descended from John Malin (b.1760) who married Martha Weston in 1789 at Weston-on-Avon, Gloucestershire. The Sarah Malin who married Samuel Brookes in the 1700s does not appear to be connected to any of the lines I have researched locally.
However, there is a connection with the Brookes of Badsey and Offenham. Obadiah Brookes was born in Offenham in 1826 and baptised there 17.12.1826. He was the son of Thomas & Elizabeth Brookes (nee Moore) who were married in All Saints Church, Evesham 27.2.1824. Obadiah married Mary Ledbetter in 1847 and settled in Badsey where they had a large family (see under Brooks in our Surname Index). Obadiah died in 1898 and was buried in Badsey churchyard.
Re: Brookes and Malin
I have heard of Obadiah and Noahdiah too, who were from Offenham around the same time as my Great Grandfather, but I’ve not yet been able to link them with my tree but I’m sure there must be a connection somewhere. I’ll try and see if I can trace Thomas back into my line. My Great Grandfather’s Grandfather (also George Brookes 1799- 1852) had a farm in the Littletons called Norval which I’ve visited and there is a family grave in the churchyard in Nth Littleton (St Nicholas, I believe). I live in the east of England so don’t manage to get to Worcester very often.
Do you know this Knight family?
My name is Dave Knight. I've been trying to trace my family history, I have been estranged from my family for a long time. Prior to this I could not get much information from parents and grandparents. What I do know is they came from Worcestershire. My grandfather named Frank Knight (born around 1909) had at least one brother named Tom, and three sisters, Hilda, Millie, the third one I do not know. There is some connection with the Vale of Evesham as they used to transport fruit and veg to Cradley Heath.
Frank I believe had no or little contact with his father, but his mom was either married or lived with a man he called Pop, who may have been a miner. What had happened is not known by me, because they would never talk about it. My father and mother divorced, and he did not really like kids, so we don't see each other, and haven't spoke for nearly 20 years.
Because I have so few details the usual searches don't really help. Does anyone in your village have any knowledge of parts of the Knight family moving to Cradley Heath or Old Hill in the early 1900s. We also had relatives near Malvern, but again no details I know this is a long shot, but it just might help.
Dave Knight
Mystery of the Shekell Stone at Pebworth
Having stumbled on the entry in your Visitors Book (see April 2009), I thought you might be interested in the family’s anecdote as to how Bonner Shekell came to be buried in the copse.
To be honest, I have never followed this up, but with your local knowledge and access to various local records, I would be interested to know if it is true. Or would I? Sometime the truth can be a disappointment.
The story I was told by my father was that Bonner Shekell didn’t see why he should contribute towards the cost of a vicar in Pebworth when he could do the job just as well. He took holy orders and returned as vicar for a number of years. Again, this is legend, but it is said he was a bit turbulent. Relations with the Bishop and the Church were strained, to the extent that Bonner declared that on his death he would not be buried in consecrated ground. Hence the large stone in a small copse.
The family members have now moved away from Pebworth although we still have links with the village both above and below ground.
Thank you for jogging a family memory,
Andrew Shekell, Cumbria
Re: Mystery of the Shekell Stone at Pebworth
Thanks for the note on Bonner Shekell from Andrew Shekell. It is a fascination to me too as my mother had always pointed out the grave as we visited my grandmother in Pebworth as a girl. I spoke to my mother hoping she could throw some light on the matter.
Bonner died when she was about 8 or 9 so her memories are limited. She remembers the funeral as everyone in the village was told to close the curtains and stay indoors while the cortege passed. Bonner Shekell had been involved in a shooting accident and was handicapped in some way. That may have explained why he was single and singular! He lived in the Manor House with his housekeeper, Miss Haines living in the bungalow at the bottom of the drive. On his death she inherited the bungalow which was a generous gesture and speaks of his high regard.
I searched the 1911 census and found the Vicar was William Tate-Stoate. My mother remembers the vicar was Rev. W. Boyd in her day. I also found the truth that Bonner was a clerk in Holy Orders but not the vicar all the time. He was a very good landlord to my grandfather who rented Manor Farm from him and was on the various village committees with him. A very approachable man. I believe he was well respected and like.
Re: Mystery of the Shekell Stone at Pebworth
Isn’t it strange how a small pebble in a pond can lead to large ripples? Not only has your village website adopted a large rock some miles away, but also it has shown how the villages are linked by personal experience. All from a passing question and a spontaneous web surf. It is amazing how much information is now available. My Uncle began to investigate the family in the 1960s and he took years and many miles of travelling to find information we can now access at the click of a button.
Thank you Jane for your reply, just for information, Bonner was shot accidentally by his brother when they were both young men. It appears they were climbing over a stile and Bonner’s brother had forgotten to break his shotgun. His brother was sent, or volunteered to go to the Far East, in some disgrace and worked in Burma and Thailand before returning to the UK many years later and married. As two old Pebworth families the Shekells and Haines were distantly related.
Re: Mystery of the Shekell Stone at Pebworth
Attached is a photo I took of the gravestone in 2001 after much crashing through the underbrush that conceals it. Mr. Rainbow, the tenant farmer of the Shekell property at Pebworth, had kindly directed me where to look. Bonner lived between 1864 - 1932.
Richard Shekelle, Friday Harbor, WA, USA
Ethel May Malin
I am currently researching for my family tree and it appears that my Great Grandmother, ETHEL MAY MALIN, lived in Cow Honeybourne when the 1901 Census was completed, as a Boarder. She gave birth to my Grandfather, GEORGE SYDNEY NORIS MALIN, on the 7th April 1911. I believe her mother was MARY MALIN. ETHEL MAY MALIN later married THOMAS HOLTOM and their marriage was registered in Evesham.
Can anyone help me with trying to get some background for them? I hope someone can shed some light on the history.
Kind Regards
Teresa Malin, Broadway, Worcestershire
Re: Ethel May Malin
We guess your great grandmother is the same lady who was baptised at Badsey on 15 Jan 1893. So Ethel May Malin was a Badsey girl, as in fact was her mother before her. You will find records of her and her family on the Badsey website (start with the name index). Maureen Spinks has also written some notes on this family which we will forward these to you. Good luck with your search.
Disappearing Graves or the Mystery of the Badsey Triangle
I hope you do not mind me contacting you but my partner and I have been searching Badsey high and low for something which he spotted about seventeen years ago but now can no longer find! It is really perplexing. We are looking for a grave which was right by the roadside in a little triangular plot with a small headstone and had some sort of fencing around it? My partner first spotted it all those years ago and seems to recall it was situated somewhere near a hauliers yard? If anyone could throw any light on this I would be extremely grateful, even if it is no longer there, as it has sat in my partners head all these years and now he lives back in the area it would be nice to put this to rest!
Many Thanks,
Sarah Hunt
Re: Disappearing Graves or the Mystery of the Badsey Triangle
Mystery solved! It turns out it is not Badsey at all. Sarah wrote: Just to let you know that we have now finally detected the mystery grave and it is located at Pebworth .It is just off the Long Marsdon Road and you need to look out for a Windmill Farm on the left hand side. About five yards past this there is a ditch with two wooden planks running over it into a very dense overgrown area. If you walk over these planks into this area you will just see from the road a very large piece of stone in a misformed triangle shape. This is on top of what we believe to be a grave. The brass plaque which has been molded into the stone reads 'Bonner Shekell' and the dates 1864 - 1932. It is all very, very strange!! If you could throw some light on this I would be very grateful again. We are aware the the Bonner Shekells were very wealthy landowners around this area but which one the dates relate to remain a mystery and why they are buried in such a dense piece of woodland is also something of a mystery.
See also Andrew Shekell's letter received January 2010.
More Tandy family memories
My name is Susan Wardle (née Lunn). I have been sharing some of the comments and photographs on your website with my mother. Her name is Iris Lunn (née Poynton) and she is the niece of Fred Tandy. We were delighted to read some comments made by my aunt Pam Cotton who now lives in Australia. We all have some lovely memories of family visits to Badsey and of the Tandy family visits to our home in Midway, Derbyshire.
Kind regards
Susan Wardle, Griffydam, Leicestershire
Re: More Tandy family memories
Since writing this Susan, tells us she has made contact with Ian and Maureen Tandy.
Harris and Mustoe families
I am the great great granddaughter of William and Lavinia Harris, who are mentioned in the website. My grandfather is Albert Harris who went to school in Badsey 1903 - 1910. In the 1901 census the family are living in Bretforton.
My particular interest is with William. Family legend has it that he fell on a hay knife and died from his injuries in 1910, but I can find no record of this. Does anyone have any information or records about William and Lavinia? I do not think they lived in Badsey for very long, but Lavinia was born in Bourton, and in 1911 was living with her mother Harriet in Moreton. Harriet was married to William Mustoe, born in Chedworth, and sentenced to transportation for "carnally knowing" Fanny Shill in 1866! I notice both Mustoe and Shill families listed on your site, I wonder if there are connections?
Thank you for this most informative site, I have furthered my knowledge about grandfather Albert's early years, and look forward to learning more!
Karen Lynas
Re: Harris and Mustoe families
William Harris died in 1909, not 1910, which was why you were unable to find the correct death certificate. He was buried at Badsey on 7th October 1909. Smith’s Household Almanack for 1909 lists a William Harris as a Hay Trusser. Hopefully, the death certificate will give sufficient information to back up the family legend!
I have taken a look at the school registers to try and find out when the Harris family left Badsey. The youngest son, Ernest George, last attended Badsey School on 9th October 1909, two days after the funeral. Interestingly, though, Albert Vernon, did not leave school until 21st February 2010. He was nearly 13 at the time of his father's death and so presumably it was not felt worth moving him to another school as he was so close to school-leaving age. Frederick William, the eldest brother, had already left school on 9th August 1909. The normal school-leaving age was 14, but children who passed an examination showing proficiency at Standard V were allowed to leave early. What happened to Florence, the little sister, born in 1901? She was never a pupil at Badsey.
As far as the Mustoe family is concerned, there does not appear to be a connection between Lavinia Sarah and the Mustoes of Badsey. Mustoe seems to have been a fairly common name in Gloucestershire. The William Mustoe of Badsey was born at Cirencester in 1841 and lived to the grand old age of 102! His parents were William and Hannah Mustoe of Siddington. But presumably your Lavinia, even though she bore the surname of Mustoe, was not actually a Mustoe by birth if William Mustoe had already been transported to Australia in 1866.
Re: Harris and Mustoe families
I have researched the local papers regarding William Harris and can find no reference to his death in 1909, not even a notice of his death. The fact that other accidental deaths are mentioned in the same year in the papers, would suggest that William did not die as a result of injuries received.
Chocolate Factory at Blackminster?
The Vale of Evesham Historical Society have just been given some old maps/plans of Evesham and the surrounding area one of which dated 1923 shows a Chocolate Factory in what we all know as LBG. Does anyone have any knowledge of this factory and if so could you please let me know?
Thanks,
Gerald Heath, Chairman of VEHS
Re: Chocolate Factory at Blackminster?
There is a possible clue on the Blackminster Business Park website which gives some history of the site. They say the site was built in the early twentieth century by George Cadbury of the Cadbury's Chocolate family. His plan was to create a fruit canning factory. But there is no reference to chocolate being produced there. LBG took over the site from Cadburys. Is it possible the map just got it wrong, or is there more to discover?
Re: Chocolate Factory at Blackminster?
I suspect that the chocolate factory was just an assumption on the part of Ordnance Survey. As far as we know, it was just a fruit canning factory. Graham Corbett (see below) tends to confirm it was probably just fruit canning. His mother, Molly, was born in 1911; she married Frank Corbett in 1934. I think she worked there in the 1920s and 1930s after leaving school and before getting married.
Re: Chocolate Factory at Blackminster?
My mother did work at Cadburys at Blackminster and it was a fruit canning factory. I have a few photos of her their with her work colleagues. I don't know if they ever made chocolate there but I have a vague recollection of mother saying that she had chocolates there to eat. Perhaps they had an internal shop there for employees. I would not be confident enough to say that was so for sure ... I am sure that the Cadbury World history department would be able to give an answer.
Girls' Friendly Society
I have just come across a newspaper cutting of my grandparents' wedding, and it states my Nan was a member of the Girls' Friendly Society. Does anyone know anything about this? The marriage was in 1933.
Appreciate all the work being done on the web site, could spend hours reading through it all.
Thanks
Sue Daniels
Re: Girls' Friendly Society
There is some information about the Girls' Friendly Society on our website. See if this helps. Also, on page 111 of 'A Brief History of Badsey and Aldington' there is a photo with the caption 'The motor caravan of the Girls' Friendly Society parked outside Seward House whilst on a visit to Badsey in the 1920s.'
Walker and Deighton family
I have just spent a very enjoyable two hours, whilst husband watching football, looking at pictures and news of Old Badsey. I found a photograph (not seen before) of my late father John Walker in school in 1924. There is also mention of my grandfather John Deighton killed in WW1 in the parish magazine, and a great Uncle Geoffrey Walker also killed in WW1.
Many thanks for such a good and enjoyable website,
Susan Dron (nee Walker) ... also born in Badsey in May 1949
Tower View and the Clements family
We have been looking through your fantastic web site a credit to all your contributors. Recently while researching our family tree on the 1911 census, much to our amazement, we found my father aged six years old was living with his parents and siblings at Tower View, Badsey. This was really exciting to find out as we only ever knew that his family lived in Bewdley Street, Evesham. His father Henry Samuel Clements was a master butcher and at one time worked for F Stratfords in Bridge Street, Evesham. We would like to know if the area of Tower View is still there or where it was once situated so that we could visit for a trip of nostalgia.
Regards
Martin Clements and family
Re: Tower View and the Clements family
There are two houses called Tower View in Badsey and another one in Aldington. But only one these is old enough to appear on the 1911 census. Today it is numbers 33 & 35 Brewers Lane, Badsey. The house carries a date of 1903, built at a time when the market gardening boom led to lots of new housing in the village. The name is probably a reference to Broadway Tower which should be visible from the house. You will find more on the history of the plot on the website. It is likely that your family were the first occupants of the house. Can anyone add more information?
Re: Tower View and the Clements family
A bit more to add to the information. The School Admissions Register reveals that the Clements family lived in Badsey for a year, 1910-1911, Lily and William enrolling at Badsey Council School on 25th July 2010, having previously been at Evesham National School. They were there for exactly a year, leaving the previous summer. I don't know who the first occupants of Tower View were. I assume the owner was James Brewer (the baker, after whom the road is named) who had bought the land. Nos 27, 29, 31, 33 & 35 Brewers Lane (although of course they weren't numbered then, and I'm not sure when it actually started being called Brewers Lane) were all built within a few years of each other. The Brailsford family lived at No 33 from at least 1913. A member of the Brailsford family continued to live at No 33 until about 2001 when he moved into a Home and the house was sold to the owner of No 35 who has converted it into one residence. The houses on the opposite side of the road were not built until 1906 so, at the time of building in 1903, there would have been a clear view of Broadway Tower.
Re: Tower View and the Clements family
Martin. Perhaps you are already aware that your grandfather Henry Samuel Clements and his wife Elizabeth Ann are interred in Waterside cemetery, Evesham in Section A, Plot 2252. There is a monument [kerbs] on the plot.
Kinchins and Houghtons from Badsey and Offenham
What a wonderful website! Thank you so much to all those who have made all this valuable information available - such a lot of work has gone into this website. Marvellous! Here is what led me to Badsey in my own research.
My paternal grandfather's family name was Kinchin, and he was born on the Isle of Dogs; his father was from Bengeworth. My great-great grandfather was George Kinchin/Kinchen from Bengeworth, who married Mary Houghton from Offenham. Mary was born in 1826 to William Houghton from Badsey (b. 1790) and Ann nee Bennett.
The Badsey site has given me lots more information about William Houghton's family. I would love to know where in Badsey William's family actually lived, and I am still working on tracking down where his parents Richard and Ann were born. I hope I manage to go even further back in this line of my family. I would love to hear from anyone else who shares these ancestors.
Thanks again - this is a site I will keep returning to... and I think a trip to Badsey will now be on my 'to do' list for 2009!
Best wishes
Siobhan Nelson
Re: Kinchins and Houghtons from Badsey and Offenham
Whilst I don't know where William's family lived in Badsey, I DO know where his younger sister, Sarah, lived after her marriage. As you probably know already, Sarah Houghton married Valentine Knight at Badsey in 1823. They had ten children and remained living in Badsey until Valentine's death in 1849 and Sarah's in 1866. Sarah and Valentine lived in the house which is now Nos 46 & 48 High Street, which is at the junction with Mill Lane. At the time of the Badsey Enclosure Act of 1812, the house was owned by Valentine's father, Thomas Knight. It remained in the Knight family until the 1850s or 1860s when it was sold to Joseph Woodward. If you go to "Roads and Streets" on the Badsey website, and click on High Street, you will find a brief description of the house, and there is a photo on the left-hand side (six photos down after the sign saying "High Street" - a white cottage with Victorian extension, present-day No 50 High Street.