Click the images above to see a larger version.
These photos were probably taken some time during the 1950's or 1960's. The Sandringham Hotel (top left) is still there today.

(From my grandpa's collection of old slides - see this post for more information.)

[Why Wordless Wednesday? This phrase has been included in the title in order to take part in Daily Blogging Prompts at Geneabloggers]

Family Tree section

• Added baptism details for Samuel Cotterill (b 1758).
• Added the memorial inscription for Leonard Pockett and wife, Mary Fryer (b abt 1853).
• Added Thomas Sargent to the tree together with his and his wife, Sarah Ely Fryer's, memorial inscription.

Gallery section

• Added further photos of the grave of Leonard Pockett and wife, Mary (nee Fryer), in the St Mary the Virgin's Churchyard, Fretherne, Gloucestershire section.
• Added photos of the grave of Thomas Sargent and Sarah Ely (nee Fryer) in the Chepstow Municipal Cemetery section.

Ancestry's latest collection of parish records are for West Yorkshire. These include:

• West Yorkshire, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
• West Yorkshire, England, Marriages and Banns, 1813-1921
• West Yorkshire, England, Deaths and Burials, 1813-1985
• West Yorkshire, England, Confirmations, 1859-1915
• West Yorkshire, England, Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1512-1812

Also, if you sign up to Ancestry before 29th July, they're offering a Premium membership package for the price of an Essentials membership package, a saving of £24.

Family Tree section

• Added detailed facts and footnotes for Hannah Maria Cotterill.
• Also added a few more basic facts for Hannah's husband, George Oakes, and added George's father, Thomas Oakes.
• Added Hannah's daughter, Mary Ann's, husband, Samuel Henry Turner, and their children.
• Added Edmund Cotterill's first wife, Sarah Evans, and their children, together with footnotes.
• Also Edmund & Sarah's daughter, Elizabeth's, husband, Frederic Moses.
• Added Samuel Cotterell & Elizabeth Lewis and their children, together with some footnotes.

Relevant place names: Kidderminster in Worcestershire, Kingswinford in Staffordshire, Birmingham and London.

23rd JUNE

1860 - Joseph Dando, the elder, (my 4 x great-grandfather), died at Brunswick Square in Bristol. He left just under £25,000 in his will 151 years ago. One of his executors was William Day Wills of the tobacco importer and manufacturer's, WD & HO Wills, which later became part of the Imperial Tobacco Company. WD Wills and Joseph Dando both lived in Portland Square in Bristol.

1817 - William Pitcher & Sarah Bishop were married at Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, this day 194 years ago. William was the son of Benjamin Pitcher and his wife, Margaret (nee Worgan).

25th JUNE

1810 - 201 years ago my 4 x great-grandparents, Robert Weaver and Sarah Munckton, married in St Andrew's Church in Curry Rivel, Somerset (right). Robert was a shoemaker and both had previously been widowed.

(Image: copyright © Gillian Evans.)

27th JUNE

1779 - my 6 x great-grandparents, James Smale & Thomasine French, were married in Black Torrington, Devon.

Click the image to see a larger version.
This photograph was amongst a few old pictures previouly in the possession of my maternal grandmother, Phyllis Grace Geake (nee Weaver). I don't know who this gentleman was and I'm wondering if anyone has seen a copy of this photo before and knows who he might have been. Was he a Geake or Hellier/Hellyer (there were other Hellyer photos with this one) or might he have been a Smale? Any help on this would be gratefully received. Please either respond by posting in the comments section or by sending me an email.

17th JUNE

1837 - Charles Tidmarsh Dando & Clarissa Spiers were married in Chippenham, Wiltshire, this day 174 years ago. The Bristol Mercury published this notice the following week...
"MARRIED - June 17, at Chippenham, Charles Tidmarsh, youngest son of Joseph Dando, Esq. of Portland-square, Bristol, to Clarissa, only daughter of Jos. Spiers, Esq. of Rowden-hill House, Wilts."

1722 - Going further back in time, my 7 x great-grandparents, John Fryer & Mary King, married in St Mary the Virgin's Church in Fretherne, Gloucestershire, 289 years ago. The Bishop's Transcripts for Fretherne recorded the event...
"John Fryer of ye parish of Arlingham & Mary King of ye parish of Frethorn were married June ye 17th 1722."

1824 - My 3 x great-grandfather, Robert Ashby, married his first wife, Sarah Swan, in St Botolph's Church, Hadstock, Essex, 187 years ago today. Sarah died 2½ years later.

18th JUNE

1994 - It's 17 years since my grandpa, William Hellyer Geake, died at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, Devon.

1870 - Richard Fryer, son of John Fryer & Prudence (nee Gower), died and was buried 5 days later in Chepstow Municipal Cemetery.

20th JUNE

1779 - 18 month old, Susanah Dando , died and was buried in the cemetery at Rodborough Tabernacle in Gloucestershire. Susanah was the daughter of my 5 x great-grandparents, John Dando & Ann (nee Brothers).

21st JUNE

1941 - Annie Pitcher (nee Nolan), died in New Zealand at the age of 83 and was buried 2 days later in Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne, NZ.


Gravestone of James George Pitcher and Annie (nee Nolan) in Taruheru Cemetery

Biographies section

• Added a biography page for John Burdon of Gorford, Black Torrington, Devon. John was my 8 x great-grandfather on my maternal side.
• Adjusted the map on William Horn's biography page. I believe I previously had the wrong location for the farm at Hole in Black Torrington. William was my 5 x great-grandfather on my maternal side.

Family Tree section

• Added Hannah Fryer (abt 1820 - 1902) and her husband, Joseph Hart, their children and a few basic facts:
  http://www.hibbitt.org.uk/familytree/fam79334.html
• Also added Jospeh's father, Joseph Hart, snr.:
  http://www.hibbitt.org.uk/familytree/fam79380.html

Relevant place names: Arlingham, Glos., Bristol, Chepstow and Cardiff.

The number of individuals listed in my public family tree now exceeds 1000!

8th JUNE

1854 - The tragic death of 6 year old, George Washington Dando, happened on 8th June, 157 years ago. The Bristol Mercury published the following notice on Saturday, June 10, 1854...
"DIED. June 8, after a long and painful illness, aged 6 years and 4 months, George Washington, son of Mr. Joseph Dando, jun., of this city."

10th JUNE

2005 - Six years ago on 10th June, my dear gran, Phyllis Grace Geake (nee Weaver), died at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, Devon. She was 88 years old and had been taken into hospital just the day before.

12th JUNE

1848 - The marriage of Robert Jones snr, and Hannah Fryer took place at the Parish Church of Llanover, Monmouth in Wales. Robert was a haulier from Coed Cae and Hannah was living in Blaenafon at the time. Hannah was the daughter of my 4 x great-grandfather, Richard Fryer (1792 - 1862).

13th JUNE

1899 - Stanley George Smale was born in Tavistock in Devon, 112 years ago. Stanley was the son of William Henry Smale and Grace (nee Martin), my great-great-grandparents.

14th JUNE

1865 - William Henry Smale, my great-great-grandfather, was born in Sheepwash in North Devon, 146 years ago. William was the son of William Smale and Mary Jane (nee Moore).


Sheepwash, Devon

Dorset Records

Ancestry have added two major record collections - Dorset Parish Records, 1813-2001 and Dorset Wills and Probate Records, 1565-1858.

I haven't personally found any ancestors from Dorset so far and I'm feeling pretty envious of anyone who does have connections with the county as I'm sure these records will prove extremely helpful.

1911 Census

Ancestry have also completed the first stage of their 1911 Census release. Members can log in to the site and browse the scanned record images from all over England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

At present, it's not possible to search the records as you would with previous censuses. They've already started work on the transcriptions and are on track to have them all finished by the end of the year. In the meantime, you can browse the records by county and civil parish. This page shows you how.

2nd JUNE

1904 - My grandpa's younger brother, Frederick Edward Hibbitt, was born in Soldier's Point, Dundalk, Ireland, where his father was stationed as a Coastguard. Frederick died at 10 months and my grandpa never mentioned him to my dad. His existence only came to light in recent years since I began researching the family. We aren't even sure whether my grandpa remembered his brother although he would have been 6 years old when Frederick died.


The coastguard station and houses at The Soldier's Point with Cooley in the background
1923 - Harry James Carter & Margaret Fryer were married in Blakeney, Gloucestershire. Margaret's younger sister, Lucy, was one of the witnesses.

1816 - Frances Eleanor Dando was born in Bristol. She was the youngest daughter of Joseph Dando and Ann (nee Murch) who were my 4 x great-grandparents.

4th JUNE

1876 - My great-grandfather, Charles Llewellyn Ernest Elbert Dando, was born at 86 Regent Street, Westminster, London, 135 years ago. His parents split up the following year and it seems that Charles remained in the custody of his father. The bitter relationship between his parents was well documented and nothing is known as to whether Charles ever saw his mother again.

7th JUNE

1946 - On the 7th June, 65 years ago, my great-grandmother, Alice Hibbitt (nee Ridley), died at 25 Lyndrick Road, Plymouth, Devon. The cause of death was myocarditis. Alice was 74 years old and her daughter, Nellie, was present at the death.