Family Detective

Over the past few weeks, one of our researchers has come across various people working in a paper mill. She thought that within a paper mill there would be limited job prospects, however she quickly found that she was mistaken! The machines were run using horse power, so young boys were employed to take care of the horses. They were given the rather fitting title “Horse Boys.” Someone, male or female, who had just finished school could be employed as an “Assistant Paper Maker.” From there, they could become a “General Labourer” and work all over the mill, or continue as an assistant until they were deemed good enough to become a “Paper Maker” in their own right. If they didn’t like the sound of this, they could become an “Apprentice” and specialise in a specific area of paper making. It seems to have been quite an honour to be an “Envelope Maker” or even a “Cardboard Box Maker”!

One of our own Researchers has this unusually-named individual in her family tree. Thinking, at first, that it might be mis-transcribed, she turned to the original birth index from 1840 to see if she could make out the correct name.  It can only be Raspberry Tufts, we think!

Some questions remain: was Raspberry a boy's or girl's name? And why is there seemingly no marriage or death date recorded for him/her? Was the name really Raspberry? Or perhaps it was copied out into the index by a Clerk who was making a point about someone else's bad handwriting? Perhaps he was hungry and allowed his mind to wander towards his afternoon tea?

The Riot Act (1713) was an Act of the Parliament that authorized local authorities to declare any group of twelve or more people to be unlawfully assembled, and thus have to disperse or face punitive action. The Act came into force on 1 August 1715, and remained on the statute books until 1973.

It had to be read out to the gathering concerned, and had to follow precise wording detailed in the act; several convictions were overturned because parts of the proclamation had been omitted, in particular "God save the King".

If a group of people failed to disperse within one hour of the proclamation, the act provided that the authorities could use force to disperse them. Anyone assisting with the dispersal was specifically indemnified against any legal consequences in the event of any of the crowd being injured or killed.

We received great feedback from one of our Platinum customers this week . . .

"What a great surprise! The tree and the family history are really very good. It's certainly been an exciting and worthwhile project for us. You give a quality product and service, it's been a pleasure to work with you. THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN! CHRIS & SUE ROBINSON."

Bodgers were the 19th century workers who made the sticks, chair legs and stretchers in the woodlands of Britain. They set up a workshop often deep within the forest rather than fell the timber and take it home with them. So only finished components left the forest. Apparently they would take sacks of shavings so they could leave a trail to find their way back to their camp. They used the pole lathe (a foot operated lathe powered by a springy sapling), a shave horse plus a few simple tools and were expert craftsmen. Unfortunately the term has completely changed its meaning in the last 100 years and a "bodger" is now someone who is inept and ruins a job.

In response to numerous requests from our clients, Family Detective Researchers will be travelling to the Irish National Archive in Dublin this April to search through the pre-1880 Parish Records. If you would like to be a part of this exciting opportunity, please read our Irish Ancestors Newsletter.

To register an interest in having your Irish heritage researched, just complete the form by clicking the link below, and one of our researchers will be in touch to discuss the details.

Our most interesting find this week was on the 1881 census.

It reads:

Florian was staying with Charles James and his family who were Acrobats from the Bristol area.

Wouldn't you like to know who's hanging about in your tree?

In 1768, the church began to levy a fee for marriage ceremonies, which meant that many young couples were unable or unwilling to pay. Because of this, the ancient custom of handfesting became popular. A couple would become betrothed by making a pledge to each other before a village Elder or other recognised figure of authority. They would then remain together for a year and a day after which time they could decide to stay together for life or walk away and make another choice.

This week we have been finishing off a Platinum family history which has proved to be full of interesting ancestors. Our client's great great grandfather, Sir Graham Berry, emigrated to Australia and became a famous politician, there is also a Bootmaker, Robert Dixon Box, who has a whole museum exhibition dedicated to him and Henry Dixon Dixon-Wright who became a Chaplain and died in the Battle of Jutland.

What secrets are there hiding in your tree? Why not uncover them today!

Our researchers recently discovered a death certificate which had cited cause of death as "Visitation from God". What a way to go! (It probably referred to old age or natural causes, in fact.)