The Family History Weblog 2006, The search has begun

February 27th

Had an email from a lady named Mary Hines (nee Rigby), who recalled we went to school with each other at St. Michael's Juniors, we have exchanged messages and photographs introducing each other to our families and it was really good to hear from her. She mentioned some names of people I had long forgotten and is still in touch with quite a few of them, so who knows maybe we might yet all meet up in some way. I would love them to see both Mary and the others contribute their own stories to this web site, kind of like our very own School Friends re-united. Mary also sent me a email attachment of a scan of the school enrolment register for the first day we all started at  St "Mikes". It's a remarkable document, Thanks Mary.

March 13th

Had an email from a gentleman named Bill Mackie who's father had been killed on HMS Repulse during the same action as Uncle Jim was killed aboard HMS Prince of Wales. He had read out on the Force Z website of my photograph of the "three-must-get-beers" sailors, he wondered if by any chance one of them might have been his Father, as it turned out it wasn't, but we kept in touch with a few Emails. Bill is going out to Singapore for three weeks soon to visit his father's memorial for the first time, he is looking forward to it, but obviously it will be very emotional too.  Bill has promised to let me know all about it. Good luck and God speed  Bill.

March 18th

Today I had a wonderful surprise, sat at my computer working on some new web pages, my email alert announced I had a message from someone trying to contact me through Genes Reunited.co.uk. I was surprised due to the fact that I had only once gone onto their site, and that was quite some months ago. I went and checked this message, which gave some brief details of the ancestry of the young lady writing to me. She wondered if we were in anyway connected as my name was a familiar name in her family. Indeed we were connected, she is my great cousin, the details she gave me showed she was the daughter of a cousin I had unfortunately lost contact with quite some years ago.

March 21st

Started out on the road of discovering my family history in earnest, until now I had not made this my focus for the Website, concentrating on getting it up and running with some content.

March 22nd

Joanne,  has been great, she's has sent me pictures of her family, and of her Dad (my cousin) and me when we were young. Great news followed,  Joanne was able to identify my namesake and Uncle who was killed aboard HMS Prince of Wales 1941,  by comparing a photograph she had that was known to be from him (it was signed), with the only photograph I had of him. (it was actually of three sailors together and  even though he signed this photograph, I didn't know which was him). So after 58 years I now know what the Uncle I never knew at least looks like. My eternal thanks to Joanne. I sat for 15 minutes just looking at his photograph and I don't mind admitting my eyes where...shall we say... a little misted. I hope he and my Dad are pleased with his memorial page on Andy Wade's Force Z website.

March 29th

Well, finally found some time to go down to the local Library and join up, its been 40 years since I was last in there. It really has changed, they have a whole room section devoted to Widnes history, parish records, electoral rolls etc. etc. and they have computers available for you to search some history websites for free. I was a little bewildered by all the racks of book and files  but a young lady Librarian rescued me and gave me a guided tour around and explained where things where, she was a treasure!

March 29th

More great news: My Great Cousin Kelly was up visiting her Grandfather, my Uncle Jim (on my mum's side), he told her about my Uncle Jim (the sailor). She lives about 10 minutes walk away from the War Memorial at Plymouth that marks his official resting place. Kelly has taken a photograph of the actual panel containing his name and sent it to her mum for me. I'm very grateful Kelly, it will be sited on his memorial page..

March 31st

Discovered today my Dad's middle name was Steven, not Stephen as I had always believed, Uncle Jim told me to-day how my dad always made him write his name stressing the "v".  Similarly I found the Electoral roll for 1948, the year I was born, and it has my dad as John STEVEN. Also I thought I was told my middle name was Steven and my cousins name was Stephen because of a mix up when we were baptised. now it seems I was given the name Steven after my dad and James after his brother. Its amazing how wrong one can be.

April 2nd

My Sister Jacqui rang me this morning to correct an some error I had made on the memorial site to our Uncle Jim (the Sailor). I thought my Mum and Dad had bought  our house in Ditchfield Road from my Gran and Granddad, but actually they only rented it. My Mum and Dad bought it from the Landlord after my Granddad died, as my Gran would not have been able to afford the rent on her own. Until then I had lived with my Mum and Dad in Pear Street and Jacqui lived most of the time with Gran at Ditchfield Road. Big sisters always know. I will correct this as soon as possible.

April 4th

Had a conversation with my Uncle Leo (my mum's youngest brother) He told me he was almost certain that grandfather James Nolan was born in Co. Wexford, Ireland in a place called Enniscorthy, so I have some more information to try establish my grandfathers origins. Also,  I found a very old Insurance Policy taken out by my paternal grandmother Alice O'Grady. It was one of those inexpensive endowment type policies popular in those days, However it did establish that my grandparents lived at 64 Pear Street, West  Bank. This  possibly was the house subsequently owned by my parents at the time of my birth ( after my grandparents move to Ditchfield Road.)

April 5th

Ok, after  a quick visit to the electoral roll again......... 1n 1948 my parents did indeed reside at 15 Ditchfield Road. However From 1949 to 1951 they lived at 11 Pear Street, West Bank NOT 64 Pear Street. They moved back to Ditchfield Road in 1952. My grandmother had moved from 64 pear Street to Ditchfield Road sometime after 1934 when the insurance document mentioned above was dated. Which leads me to believe that my father (and possibly his brother) moved with his parents in Ditchfield Road sometime after he was 12 (1934) until  year or so) after his marriage. There they stayed until he and my mum moved to to their own home 11 Pear Street before subsequently buying 15 Ditchfield Road c.1952. The significance of this is.......erm....erm ...I have no idea?.

April 6th

would you "Adam-and-Eve" it, the "thot plickens".... Joanne read the above comment, the address rang a bell with her,  Joanne's Nana (my Aunt Mary)  actually lived at 11 Pear Street before my mum and dad!. It was where Mary's parents lived. She was actually living there with her parents at the time of her marriage to Uncle Mick in 1947. So, does this mean perhaps Mary's parents died (or moved),  Mary & Mick moved into Ditchfield Road with my Gran (Alice) and my Mum and Dad  moved into 11 Pear Street (It could have been an arrangement between them, bearing in mind my Mum and Dad now had 2 children and as yet my cousin Stephen had either not been born, or only just (Sept '48) to Mary & Mick). Then a few years later (1951/52) when Mary & Mick got their own house in Crown Avenue, Mum and Dad bought Ditchfield Road and moved in with my Gran (Alice)?. Don't suppose I'll ever know exactly, but I like it, it fits in with families looking out for each other.

April 6th

My Uncle Jim (he's 76) is really into computers now, picks it up great too! but if he has a problem he "Skypes" me for any help I might be able to give him, he had a problem with his printer this morning and while we were resolving this we talked about "the Family". I discovered from him the names of my Granddad's (Nolan) mother and father and brothers (there were  6 of them all told). One of them Edward owned  a shrimp boat and another Leonard, married a lady named Nellie, Uncle Jim is sure she is still surviving, he's trying to find out for me, it would be great to be able to talk to her, the recollections she must have...watch this space.

April 13th

Had a few days off, suffering from something my wife Linda calls Man-Flu. Personally I've never heard of it, but it must be serious!!!! I was lucky to survive. I've actually also been creating a special page for the site, revolving around our days at St. Michael's school. Mary Hines was the inspiration for this, she has kept in touch with some of the "old gang" from all those long years ago. Thanks to Mary I have been able to renew contact with a few of them. It's really wonderful to be able to catch up on the "in between" years. I'm hoping eventually to be able to persuade them to contribute their memories and photo's to "the St. Mikes" page. Mary has kindly already done so, (Mary is the "St. Mike's page"  Design Consultant...shhhhhhhhhh.....she doesn't know this yet!) and as soon as she is happy with the page design & layout I will put it on the site. For  now HAPPY EASTER everyone. I'm off on an Easter egg hunt at my Sister's and if all our little ones beat me to 'em, I will shed a bucket load of  tear....errrrr.....It won't upset me in the slightest!

April 29th

It has been a very busy period of late, between trying to get ready for our vacation, carrying on teaching my Uncles and Aunts the joys of using a computer and trying to do a little more family history research, my feet , as they say, haven't touched. The really pleasurable and exciting thing for me though has been creating the " kids from St. Mike's" section on the site., So far Mary and Frank and myself have pages on there and hopefully soon other of our friends will get in touch and join in with us. One of the happiest moments during all this was when Mary got in touch with our "Sir" from all those years ago, Mr. Fallows,  he has sent some photo's and scans for the site, Thanks Sir!. I'm hoping he will be able to find the time and the inspiration to give us his perspective of life as a teacher at St. Mikes all those years ago. I had a big crush on Miss Hughes who became Mrs. Fallows, but shhhhh promise you won't tell Sir!

June 9th

July 4th

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