(From the SOUPS section of my gran's 1894 publication of 'Mrs Beeton's Cookery Book and Household Guide' - see this post for more information.)

HODGE-PODGE.
INGREDIENTS.-2 lbs. shin of beef, 3 quarts water, 1 pint table-beer, 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 turnips, 1 head celery, pepper and salt, thickening of butter and flour.

Mode.-Put the meat, beer, and water in a stewpan ; simmer for a few minutes, and skim. Add the vegetables and seasoning ; stew gently till the meat is tender. Thicken with butter and flour, and serve with turnips and carrots, or spinach and celery.

Time, 3 hours, or rather more. Average cost, 6d. per quart. Sufficient for 8 persons.


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

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27th DECEMBER

1933 - my great-aunt's first husband, Edward Jenkins, was tragically killed in a mining accident in Coedely, South Wales, when the roof of the mine collapsed.

1746 - William Free & Martha Hawes, were married in St Botolph's Church, Hadstock in Essex. William was my 4 x great-grandfather and Martha was his first wife.

28th DECEMBER

1851 - Stephen Dando, the son of my 5 x great-grandparents, died in New York in his eighties. He was described as having "beautiful white locks".

29th DECEMBER

1834 - Thomas Henry Banister & Caroline Worgan were married in St Paul, Bristol, 177 years ago.

30th DECEMBER

1752 - Mary Dando, the daughter of my 6 x great-grandparents, was born in Dursley, Gloucestershire. She later moved to New York and became her nephew's (Stephen Dando above) housekeeper .

1813 - my 4 x great-grandparents, Richard Fryer & Ann Jones, were married by Licence with the consent of parents in the Parish Church of Arlingham, Gloucestershire.


Richard Fryer & Ann Jones' Marriage Allegation
dated 23 June 1813
31st DECEMBER

1839 - Jane Clark was believed to have been the third wife of my 3 x great-grandfather, Joseph Dando's, six wives. She died of pulmonary consumption at the age of 33, 172 years ago. Jane is buried in Saint Peter Churchyard, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

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22nd DECEMBER

1802 - Benjamin Pitcher, the younger & Sarah Rice were my 4 x great-grandparents and they married in St Bartholomew's Church in Coaley, Gloucestershire, this day 209 years ago.


St Bartholomew's Church, Coaley
1828 - a few years later, Richard King Fryer & Esther Newton celebrated their marriage at Gloucester St Mary de Crypt.

23rd DECEMBER

1859 - my great-great-grandparents, Stephen Free & Mary Ann Ashby, were married at Hadstock in Essex. Stephen was a widower and he was 44 years old at that time. Mary was 16 years old and 8 days.

1903 - Noel Leigh Stuart King was probably so named because he was born in Leigh on Sea, Essex, so close to Christmas.

24th DECEMBER

1793 - John Dando, the son of Stephen Dando and Elizabeth (nee Jones), was born 218 years ago in Dursley, Gloucestershire.

25th DECEMBER

1862 - John Pitcher & Jane Willmott chose Christmas Day to get married in Claines, Worcestershire. John's sister, Mary Ann, had married Charles Newbold Hibbitt in the same church just 18 days beforehand when John had been a witness.

26th DECEMBER

1810 - my 4 x great-grandmother, Elizabeth Raynor, married Thomas Avins in Chilvers Coton, Warwickshire. Thomas was the first of her two husbands.

1676 - 335 years ago, Thomas Pitchard & Alice Powell were married in All Saints Church in Newland, Gloucestershire. The groom was resident at nearby Clearwell and the bride was from Redbrook.

1878 - William A Thompson & Charlotte Dando tied the knot in Manhatten, New York. Charlotte was a widow who had previously been married to John Jones.

1872 - Edith Ellen Martin was born in Bradford, Devon, 139 years ago. She was the illegitimate daughter of my great-great-grandmother, Grace Martin (later Smale). Edith was like a mother to my gran when she and her husband, John Luxton Martin, took in my gran, Phyllis Grace Weaver, when she was 8 or 9 after Grace died. Grace and her husband had been caring for Phyllis since their daughter, Florence (Phyllis' mother), had died a few years earlier.

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Hoorah, hooray, my new Flip-Pal finally arrived yesterday! It's taken more than 3 weeks to come and I wouldn't recommend the company I bought it through but I had no other way of getting hold of a Flip-Pal in the UK. At over £140, I don't often indulge myself by paying over the odds but I decided to treat myself just this once and so I went for it. See the comments section in my previous post if you want to know where I ordered the Flip-Pal from.

This is perhaps something that might go down well with the Christmas Pudding. (The recipe comes from my great-grandmother's 1909 publication of 'Mrs Beeton's Every-Day Cookery' - see this post for more information about the book.)

CUSTARD SAUCE (For Puddings or Tarts).
INGREDIENTS.- 1pint of milk, 2 eggs, 3 ozs. of castor sugar, 1 tablespoonful of brandy, bay-leaf if liked.

METHOD.- Boil the milk and bay-leaf, add the sugar, and cool slightly. Beat the eggs well, pour the milk on to them, and strain into a jug. Have ready a saucepan of boiling water, in which to place the jug, keep stirring until the mixture thickens, but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle. Stir in the brandy, and serve.

TIME. - 25 to 30 minutes. AVERAGE COST, 6d to 7d.

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

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10th DECEMBER

1903 - my great-great-grandfather, George Geake, died at the age of 66 and probate was granted to his daughter, Maria, on 14 January 1904. He left £18 12s. 7d.

1844 - John Fryer & Sarah Watkins were married in St Mary the Virgin's Church, Arlingham, Gloucestershire, 167 years ago.

12th DECEMBER

1915 - it was a war-time wedding when my great-grandparents, Henry James Weaver & Florence Smale, married at St Andrew's Church, Curry Rivel, Somerset. The couple had very little time together as Henry was killed in the war less than a year later.


Henry J Weaver & Florence Smale.
Possibly a wedding photograph.
13th DECEMBER

1876 - Henry Weaver's sister, Annie Arnold Weaver, was born in Curry Rivel, Somerset.

1897 - 114 years ago, Percy Smale, was born in Tavistock, Devon.

15th DECEMBER

1856 - Percy's mother, my great-great-grandmother, Grace Martin, was born in the village of Bradford in North Devon.

1843 - another great-great-grandmother of mine, Mary Ann Ashby, was born in Hadstock in Essex.

1784 - 10 year old Thomas Dando died and was buried in the Cemetery at Rodborough Tabernacle near Stroud, Gloucestershire.

16th DECEMBER

1895 - my great-uncle, Alfred Joseph Hibbitt, was born in Portsea Island, Hampshire, 116 years ago.

17th DECEMBER

1759 - John Ball died at the age of 59 and was buried in St Briavels Churchyard, Gloucestershire, a few days later.

20th DECEMBER

1790 - my 4 x great-grandparents, Luke Hibbitt & Mary Leerin/Leeson (the surname is ambiguous), were married in St Peter & St Paul's Church, Exton, Rutland, 221 years ago.

1802 - my 4 x great-grandfather, Joseph Dando, was born in Bristol. He was the eldest son of Joseph Dando, the elder, and Ann, nee Murch.

1976 - Arthur Leslie James Fryer died at the age of 66 and was buried in Chepstow Municipal Cemetery.

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(From my gran's 1894 publication of 'Mrs Beeton's Cookery Book and Household Guide' - see this post for more information.)

A PLAIN CHRISTMAS PUDDING FOR CHILDREN.
INGREDIENTS.- 1 lb. flour, 1 lb. breadcrumbs, ¾ lb. stoned raisins, ¾ lb. currants, ¾ lb. suet, 3 or 4 eggs, milk, 2 oz. candied peel, 1 teaspoonful powdered allspice, ½ saltspoonful salt.

Mode.- Let the suet be finely chopped, the raisins stoned, and the currants well washed, picked, and dried. Mix these with the other dry ingredients, and stir well together ; beat and strain the eggs to the pudding, stir these in, and add just sufficient milk to make it mix properly. Tie it up in a well-floured cloth, put it into boiling water, and boil for at least 5 hours. Serve with a sprig of holly placed in the middle of the pudding, and a little pounded sugar sprinkled over it.

Time, 5 hours. Average cost, 1s. 9d. Sufficient for 9 or 10 children. Seasonable at Christmas.


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

When our son was small we used to do the dutiful thing and take him to visit Father Christmas in one of the big stores in town. On one such occasion, they produced a photograph in a keyring which we have kept to this day (see photo below).


Our son with Santa, aged about 3 or 4 (our son that is, Santa's a bit older!)
[Why Advent Calendar? This phrase has been included in the title in order to take part in Blogging Prompts at Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories at Geneabloggers]

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Today's Advent Calendar post is about outdoor Christmas decorations. Over the last 20 years or so, these seem to have taken off in a big way but when I was growing up I wasn't conscious of outdoor decorations except for the ones you saw in the city centre.

A few years ago we lived in a cul-de-sac where the custom was to decorate the front of your home and get together for the big swtich-on. Of the 30 or so houses, only one or two didn't take part. I have to confess, our offering was a simple string of lights over the garage to give the illusion that we weren't completely bah, humbug! Having moved again since, thankfully there's no pressure to keep the tradition up! Perhaps we really are bah, humbug, after all. lol

[Why Advent Calendar? This phrase has been included in the title in order to take part in Blogging Prompts at Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories at Geneabloggers]

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My grandpa, William Hellyer Geake, was called up to take part in WWII on 1st January 1941. He sent this Christmas Card to his family whilst he was away, I believe in 1941 as his youngest daughter would have been a baby then, which he mentions in the card. Away at war, he didn't see his youngest daughter until she was 4 years old.


The front of Grandpa's Christmas Card.

Click the image to see a larger version.
[Why Advent Calendar? This phrase has been included in the title in order to take part in Blogging Prompts at Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories at Geneabloggers]

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Although I took 'A' Level art, I'm not much into crafts but I do remember making paper lanterns in primary school. I just decided to have a quick go to see if I could still make one and this is my feeble attempt for old times' sake.


Paper Lantern
[Why Advent Calendar? This phrase has been included in the title in order to take part in Blogging Prompts at Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories at Geneabloggers]

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1st DECEMBER

1898 - it's the anniversary of my grandpa's birthday. Born at Soldier's Point, Dundalk, Ireland, Charles George Hibbitt would have been 113 years old on 1st December.

1738 - Richard King, the youngest son of my 8 x great-grandparents, Thomas & Margaret King, died in Fretherne, Gloucestershire, and was buried there a few days later.

2nd DECEMBER

1813 - Sarah didn't need to change her surname when John Rowlandson & Sarah Rowlandson were married at Hadstock, Essex, 198 years ago.

3rd DECEMBER

1857 - Henry Lane & Hannah Young were married at Aston Ingham, Herefordshire.

1872 - Emily Jane Weaver, eldest daughter of my great-great-grandparents, was born in Curry Rivel, Somerset.

4th DECEMBER

1797 - my 5 x great-grandmother, Ann Dando (nee Brothers), died at the age of 54 and was buried at Rodborough Tabernacle near Stroud, Gloucestershire.

5th DECEMBER

1848 - 163 years ago, my 5 x great-grandfather, William Henry Weaver (known as Henry or Harry), was born illegitimately in Curry Rivel, Somerset.

1857 - my 3 x great-grandparents, William Smale & Mary Jane Moore, celebrated their marriage at St Mary's Church, Black Torrington, Devon.

1861 - Nathaniel Dando, the younger, & Rosa Ann Dingle tied the knot at Christ Church, Turnham Green, Middlesex. Nathaniel, a warehouseman, had previously been widowed.

1899 - just before the turn of the century, Thomas Sargent, died, aged 75, and his headstone can be seen at Chepstow Municipal Cemetery, Chepstow, Monmouthshire.

7th DECEMBER

1862 - my great-great-grandparents, Charles Newbold Hibbitt & Mary Ann Pitcher, were married at St John Baptist Church, Claines, Worcestershire. Their original marriage certificate has been handed down and is the oldest original document I have in my possession.


1862 Marriage Certificate for Charles N Hibbitt & Mary A Pitcher
Click the image to see a larger version.
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For many years my grandparents had an artificial Christmas tree which I don't remember in great detail. However, there was always one thing that fascinated me about it and that was the sheet of cotton wool which was placed around the base in an attempt to mimic snow. I think my gran used to decorate the tree and there was a foot-or-so high statue of Father Christmas which used to adorn their front room too.

It's always been my job to decorate the tree in our house but I have to admit that after more than 20 years, I finally got fed up and so we bought a miniature tree, complete with decorations, which I just have to whip out of the box and plonk on the hearth. Simples!


This is our orginal Christmas Tree
[Why Advent Calendar? This phrase has been included in the title in order to take part in Blogging Prompts at Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories at Geneabloggers]

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