Archive for May 2017

On This Day - Remembering the Quetta Earthquake of 1935

Category: On This Day...

Today, 31st May, sees the 82nd anniversary of the earthquake at Quetta, Balochistan, British India, which is now part of Pakistan. Harvey's grandparents and mother, who was a child at the time, were caught up in the disaster which killed between 30,000 and 60,000 people.

Quetta Earthquake 1935 - Buildings were reduced to rubble
Quetta Earthquake 1935 - Buildings were reduced to rubble

Harvey's grandad, Cyril Ellen, was the squadron leader of No 5 (AC) Squadron which was based at Quetta and his grandmother, Gladys Ellen (nee Gardner), was awarded the Kaisar-i-Hind Silver Medal for the part she played in the rescue effort.

The earthquake struck in the early hours and the RAF suffered heavy losses in the airmen's barracks. Conditions were horrendous during the days and weeks which followed.

It appears that Cyril remained in Quetta until he took a flight to Karachi on 20th June. The family sailed from India on 20th July, arriving back in England on 9th August.

We have no precise details of Gladys' contribution in the aftermath of the quake but the Muswell Hill Record & Friern Barnet Journal paid tribute to the bravery she displayed in the rescue work.

The Kaisar-i-Hind Silver medal awarded to Gladys Ellen
The Kaisar-i-Hind Silver medal awarded to Gladys Ellen

Handy links:

A web page detailing Cyril and Gladys' story including photographs and copies of documents. I've also transcribed an excerpt from the RAF Operations Record Book giving an account of the earthquake.

Photographs taken by Cyril after the earthquake.

[Note: All content on the Hibbitt & Barnes Family History website and blog is copyrighted. Click here for conditions of use.]

York families of Kidderminster

Category: Ancestors Corner

St Mary & All Saints Church, Kidderminster
St Mary & All Saints Church, Kidderminster

On my father's side, my 3 x great-grandmother, Hannah, who married Edmund Cotterill had been a long-standing brick wall until recently when I managed to make some progress.

I hadn't been certain of Hannah's maiden name although I had previously found a marriage between an Edmund Cotterill and a Hannah Smith. The censuses told me that my Hannah was born in Kidderminster in about 1799 but I could not find a baptism for a Hannah Smith with these details.

The breakthrough came when it became clear that Hannah's original name was not Smith. She had been married before and William Smith was her first husband. Hannah's father's name was recorded as George York in the register when she married Edmund and I then quickly discovered a baptism for Hannah York on 25th March 1799 in Kidderminster.

Hannah was the youngest and only daughter of five known children of George York and Elizabeth (nee Price). When George died it was his daughter, Hannah, who acted as his executor.

Elizabeth's heritage is still unknown but George York was the son of another George York and his wife, Hannah (nee Dixon). This couple were married in Kidderminster in 1751 and three children were born there between about 1754 and 1760.

I recently ordered a couple of wills from the Worcestershire Archives belonging to two different George Yorks of Kidderminster. One was not available but I'm still trying to obtain a copy and, unfortunately, the other didn't appear to belong to either of my Georges. I have a suspicion that my Yorks may have originated from Oldswinford near Stourbridge but, as yet, this is unproven.

Image: From Google Street View

[Note: All content on the Hibbitt & Barnes Family History website and blog is copyrighted. Click here for conditions of use.]

Website changes and how to subscribe to my blog

Category: What's New at Hibbitt.org.uk

The Hibbitt and Barnes Family History website home page
The Hibbitt and Barnes Family History website home page

Having neglected my website for a little while I've finally got around to decluttering my home page. Gone are the reams of text which used to occupy the lower part of the page. Now I simply direct people to my Sitemap if they want to find their way around my website.

At the bottom of my homepage is a Facebook icon which links to my Blog on Facebook. Anyone is welcome to follow my family hstory posts. If email is your preference, there's a box where you can subscribe for free updates or if RSS is your bag there's a button for that too.

I've also added a new page under the DNA section called 'Our List of DNA Verified Ancestors'. So far I've managed to confirm nine ancestral couples on my side of the family and five on Harvey's through the use of DNA matching to other descendants. The list is available by clicking here.

[Note: All content on the Hibbitt & Barnes Family History website and blog is copyrighted. Click here for conditions of use.]