The Family History Group

The Group met on the 8th April to discuss how the various projects were developing.

The High Street project
This is progressing very slowly due to several reasons. Members of the group are both contacting, and being contacted by, various researchers who are interested in learning more about their own family who were once in Wadhurst and surrounding areas. It can take some time and effort on the part of the members to find this information and pass it on and this can be at the expense of other projects -though of course the FHG is extremely interested in gathering more information that may not be available from other sources as this of course is the point of the group.


The MI Transcription Project
Last summer, as the MI project was coming to an end, several very interesting inscriptions were found and we have been busy discovering more about these individuals. One stone refers to a local man, Edward Rayner, who lost his life on HMS Vanguard in July 1917. He was the ships surgeon who had, perhaps unfortunately for him, been given his post only a short time before the ship was lost. His brother (also on the headstone) was lost in France the year before. We have been trying to find out more about this family. This is just one of many non-Commonwealth Grave Commision stones that refers to family lost during various wars.


Other Research
Ebay
Ebay has been an unending source of entertainment. Two certificates have been purchased, again regarding a local man (we believe), one from 'The people of Wadhurst and Tidebrook' thankful for the part he played in WW2. This again has provided many hours of 'enjoyment' as we try to establish who the chap was and whether he has any surviving relatives. His name was Sergeant John Henry Athey (1906-1996 we think) and if anyone can shed light on him we would appreciate it! with the VE Day Celebrations imminent perhaps we could present the certificates to a surviving family member?. Also on Ebay a lovely 1920's photograph of a toddler referred to as Jennie. Parish registers checked- but as of yet Jennie is still a mystery.

Also Purchased on Ebay are several copies of Kent and Sussex Couriers going back to around the turn on the 20th century. These are been searched for interesting Wadhurst articles and are slowly being transcribed when identified.

We have also passed on the knowledge to two Ebay sellers that their "Little Wadhurst Farm" pigs are 1920's not Edwardian/Victorian, one is still for sale at $225(£120).

WW2
We were contacted by an Australian lady whose father was an Evacuee during WW2, he was taken in by a family in Wadhurst and joined his school (Brockley of Lewisham) for classes over at Oakover in Ticehurst. Lisa Hill is putting together a 'This is your life' type book to give to her dad who celebrates his birthday later this month. We were able to send her several photographs of the youngsters and their staff as well as several interesting village articles and letters written during their time here describing how life changed for everyone.

FH Overseas
We have been in touch with several people in Canada in the last few weeks who are all helping with our various enquiries and in turn receiving photos and inscriptions as well as help plotting their family trees.

Online Resources
We have been keeping our eyes open for various free and trial databases on the internet, and when discovered using them to help with research. There are many articles that have been harvested this way and 100's of census entries still to be looked at in depth. In one entry we discovered two Wadhurst Sisters, Elizabeth (11) and Rhoda (10) Moon, living at New Orphan House in Ashley Down Glocestershire in 1871. There are 8 pages of young girls from all over the Country living there.

Local Resources
There have been 2 visits to ESRO at Lewes in April as well as visits to Tunbridge Wells Reference Library over the last few weeks. We intend to carry on with the High Street as time permits.

Costs
One recurring point is that it can be difficult to find out more details as we are prohibited by the costs. Several interesting and informative items have sadly been to expensive for us to purchase on Ebay (which is a fantasic resource). Certificates cost £7.50 and photocopying at ESRO is 80 pence a copy. This along with petrol costs and train fares up to the Family Record Centre can make ours a slow and frustrating hobby. In the last couple of months between the three of us we have spent around £60 on the above.