How I complete my tree

Spelling of names 

I have a interest in etymology, in particular regarding family or surnames and how these are passed down through generations. I work on the theory that all those with the same surname (including spelling variants) share a common ancestor. I know this is not always the case, but this is why you may find what you see as misspellings, for example Stewart and Stuart, Milne, Mylne

Locations

I try to use the name of the location as it was at the time a particular ancestor was associated with it, and to spell it in the language of that location, if they use a Western alphabet. I have also tried to identify the names of individual kingdoms which existed before the UK

Directed here from Ancestry

This blog was originally a place where I explored themes, stories and individuals which are in my family tree.

However, like many on the site, I get messages providing more information, an opportunity to keep in touch or that some of my tree is just incorrect and they want me to update it.

We are all passionate about our genealogy and our family trees and I can understand that individuals may be upset if they find something which is different to their own.

In may case I sometimes just accept the facts, from sources on Ancestry, without checking - possibly because I am using the site as light relief from my daily life. This will lead to errors and mistakes which I may later go back and correct, but my tree is huge, so I cannot be checking every individual connection.

Sometimes the information is based on sources, usually family histories,which were written at the time. Again these may have been incorrect, and certainly one family history may differ from another, evern when there is a common connection. I have listed though I have used elsewhere on this blog.

I want to add that I am also fascinated in names and may "mispell" a name as I am tracing a link from the origin of the surname to present day, e.g. Stewart and Stuart. Smith and Smythe.

I will, at some point, include the methology which I employ on my tree, on this blog - though again this may change over time. I have to just work out the best way of doing this.

So, if you can come here from Ancestry, please bear this in mind when getting in touch.

My tree is my tree and your tree is yours. I do not generally make the first contact with people, I am too busy, and would not insist (as have been in the content of some messages to me) that people change their tree because it is wrong. Now, if someone is clearly still living who I have marked as dead -  I will change this. Sometimes you have to make assumptions based on age, and later find out the person is still living a good life.

My tree is open therefore any stories, photos etc can be freely used by anyone - I know people are including attributes more. Where I have found something online, I will try to remember to include a link to the site on the facts page.

Sources of information

Documented family histories 

A lot of histories have been written in the past, not all accurate or complete, but a good start in populating family trees and also learning about the people.

From the Internet Archive

Multiple surnames

The extinct and dormant peerages of the northern counties of England

A

Anderson

An Inverness lawyer and his sons, 1796-1878

B

Bissell

General Daniel Bissell : his ancestors and descendants and the Hoyt, Strong and other families with which they intermarried / compiled for French Rayburn Bissell by Edith Newbold Jessop.

Blauvelt

The Blauvelt family genealogy : a comprehensive compilation of the descendants of Gerrit Hendricksen (Blauvelt) 1620-1687, who came to America in 1638 / compiled by Louis L. Blauvelt.

Brereton

Breretons of Cheshire, 1100 to 1904 A. D

Brereton; a family history

C

Campbell

Records of clan Campbell in the military service of the Honourable East India company, 1600-1858; compiled by Major Sir Duncan Campbell of Barcaldine ... with a foreword and index by Lt.-Col. Sir Richard C. Temple ...

D

De Marest

The Demarest family : David des Marest of the French patent on the Hackensack and his descendants / compiled by Mary A. Demarest and William H. S. Demarest.

De Peyster

The De Peyster genealogy

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

Livingston 

The Livingstons of Livingston manor; being the history of that branch of the Scottish house of Callendar which settled in the English province of New York during the reign of Charles the Second; and also including an account of Robert Livingston of Albany, "The nephew," a settler in the same province and his principal descendants

Lyons

The Lyons of Cossins and Wester Ogil : cadets of Glamis

M

MacRae

History of the Clan Macrae. With genealogies. [With plates, including facsimiles and a map.]

Middleton

The Middleton family (including Myddelton and Myddleton) : records from Wales, England, Barbados, and the southern United States

Chirk castle accounts, A.D. 1605-1666 [microform]

A memoir of Chirk castle, from original MSS.

Moncrieff

The house of Moncrieff

Moutray

Moutray of Seafield and Roscobie, now of Favour Royal, Co. Tyrone : an historical and genealogical memoir of the family in Scotland, England, Ireland and America

Murray

The heraldry of the Murrays : with notes on all the males of the family, descriptions of the arms, plates and pedigrees

N

O

Oliphant

The Oliphants of Gask : records of a Jacobite family

P

Q

R

S

Skene

Memorials of the family of Skene of Skene, from the family papers, with other illustrative documents

Stewart

Historic memorials of the Stewarts of Forthergill, Perthshire and their male descendants: with an appendix containing title-deeds and various documents of interest in the history of the family

T

U

V

Van Rensselaer

Van Rensselaer family

The Van Rensselaers in Holland and in America

W

Wauchope

History and genealogy of the family of Wauchope of Niddrie-Merschall

X

Y

Z

Tea Planters in the Family

I am in the process of finishing my first book on Dad's family history, therefore I do not wish to duplicate too much here. I have another blog (sadly in need of updating) which I started to collect family history and news on Charles' Tea Garden, Jutlibari, and the area. Jutlibari Tea Garden, Assam: news and history



Tea Planters in the Family

• William Benson - great grandfather
• John Speid - 3rd great uncle
• James Speid - 3rd great uncle
• Harry Daniel Rossiter - great grandfather
• Charles Ramage Blake - great grandfather
• James Ramage Blake - great uncle
• Robert Haig Blake - great uncle

Another Professional Footballer

This is my the 3rd great-nephew of wife of 2nd cousin 2x removed of wife of uncle of wife of 1st cousin 7x removed. His name is John "Jackie" Knight Mudie. As well as the familal connection, I was also interested to learn Jackie's connection with Stoke on Trent.

Jackie was born on 10 April 1930 in Dundee in Scotland, to Thomas Keir Guthrie Mudie and Joan McInally. He had 6 brothers and 1 sister.

Jackie is known as a Scottish International footballer who played as a forward. He won 17 caps for his country and helped the Scottish team qualify for the 1958 FIFA World Cup.

I have taken my information from the website https://peoplepill.com/people/jackie-mudie/

Jackie began like any young aspiring footballer, playing for junior sides in Scotland: Lochee Harp and Stobswell Juniors. 

Jackie joined Blackpool in 1946 and turned professional the following year. He helped the club have its most professional decade. Blackpool reached the FA Cup Final twice, once in 1951 and again 1953 which resulted in the club's victory.

In 1954 Jackie married Brenda Rushforth, and the couple went on to have 2 sons.

In 1961 Jackie moved to Stoke City; he spent the summer playing in Canada with (Sir) Stanley Matthews. In 1963 Jackie made what could have been seen a controversial move to Port Vale, the rivals of Stoke City. By 1965 Jackie was acting as player-manager with Stanley Matthews. In 1967 he resigned, citing personal reasons, but this may have had to do with club losses.

Jackie retired in Stoke on Trent and went on to become a painter and decorator. He still kept his hand in the football world, by brief spells as a coach, including one in the USA and some time scouting in South Africa. 

Jackie died on 02 March 1992, with his son becoming a director of Port Vale.

Boxing Ancestors

Introduction

This post was originally going to cover two direct ancestors only, about whom I remember hearing about briefly when I was younger. Recently I have uncovered another individual who, although a distant ancestor through the Peake side, I am including here.

Joseph Henry and Ernest Anthony Plant

These gentlemen are my 2nd great uncles, also on my maternal side. They were born in born in Wolstanton, Staffordshire to John Thomas Plant and Isabella Hardy. 

Joseph was the elder of the two, born on 14 April 1900; Ernest was born on 28 April 1904. Looking at the census records it is obvious that the brothers came from a hard working family. In 1911 their father was working as a quarryman in a brickyard and looking down his daughters are tile makers in the same location.

The brothers' nicknames were Nipper (Joseph) and Young Nipper (Ernest). They were bare knuckle boxers. I have not found much free information about the brothers' careers.

I have found Young Nipper on this website http://www.boxinghistory.org.uk/Boxer_Young_Nipper_Plant_Chesterton.htm

It says he was a professional boxer who was active between 1920 and 1930. He competed in 18 professional contests and boxed at flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight and lightweight. 

I have not correctly identified Nipper, as there are several entries which could be him.


Roots and Branches, The Official Journal of the Plant Family History Group, Issue No 1, December 1990 has a short reference to them.

Plant's Boxing Booth 
G R Tweedie
"Shortly after the Second World War on my demob from the Royal Navy I became a licensed boxer and soon after became famlllar with the Plants Boxing Booth. 

The Plant Family were Joe (Nipper) Plant, Ernie Plant and young Joe Plant, now all deceased. 

I travelled with them on the booth and most of the boxers were Ex-Service. Apart from other towns we vislted with the booth, Macclesfield was about the best for the boxers, taking on all comers and making a few bob on a Frlday and Saturday.

I am In my late slxties now but well remember the Plants who I think originated from Chesterton, Stoke-on-Trent, so perhaps some of your members may have some record of their Boxing Booth and of course the family".

Francis "Frank" Frederick Borrington 

16 Feb 1909 - 17 Aug 1989

Frank was born Derbyshire to Alfred Ernest Borrington and Gertrude Colebourne. I have posted more about his family and brothers at https://myfamilyhistoryfacts.blogspot.com/search/label/Borrington

Frank's professional boxing career debut was on 28 October 1931, at Highfield BC Derby, against George Frost. This debut match was drawn on points. On 19 December 1932 he had another debut against Tommy Stone at the King's Hall in Derby; Frank won by knockout.

Nicknamed "The Borrington Bomber", Frank competed in the heavyweight division and competed in a total of 64 bouts. He was the Heavyweight Champion of the Midlands. In 1936 Frank married Harriet White and the following year he retired from the sport. 

The full history of Frank's boxing career can be found at: https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Frank_Borrington

The 1939 England and Wales Register, shows Frank working as Telecommunications Linesman G P O Engineering Heavy Worker, in Derbyshire; he also appeared to be an ARP warden. By the 1980s the couple were living in Lincolnshire; the probate records for Frank appear to suggest that the couple had no children. 

Served in the Military: Benson

Introduction

These two gentlemen are my 2nd great uncles on my father's side. They were both born in Aberdeen, Scotland to William Henry Benson and Isabella Speid. Their 3rd brother was William Benson, my great grandfather, who went to India as a tea planter, where he died.

James Speid Benson

26 May 1873 -27 Mar 1963

James was the eldest. He was a trained solicitor so did not see overseas action in World War I. He was a Private in the 1st Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders (previously City of Aberdeen Volunteer Regiment). The rest of the entry reads November 1914; commissioned, October 1916. Home service, Aberdeen, 1914-19.

In 1917 he married Blanche Jane Montgomery Falconer and the couple had 2 daughters. I will be saying more about James in other posts.

John Speid Benson

10 Jun 1877 - 23 Jun 1916

John was the youngest of the 3 brothers. The 1819 Scotland Census lists him as a scholar and by 1896 we find him listed on UK Incoming Passenger Lists, returning from New York to Southampton. He is travelling in steerage and is listed as a printer. In 1900 he makes a similar journey from New York to Southampton, also in steerage, but this time he appears to be a miner. Unfortunately the UK Outgoing Passenger Lists do not start until 1890. 

On 24 August 1915 John enlisted in the UK Royal Air Force. He was posted to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in Central Africa where he held the rank of Sergeant, in the 26th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Unfortunately he contracted malaria and died on 23 June 1916 at the Blackwater Ridge.

More information about John can be found at: http://www.southafricawargraves.org/search/details.php?id=1613