Obituary: Bertha Hemmings (1888-1955)

It is Friday again, when I share something that I have found whilst looking for records, that is interesting or adds information to our family tree.

 Taken from Crewe Chronicle 19 March 1955, page 5

The transcription reads:
Miss B. Hemmings
The funeral of Miss Bertha Hemmings of 125, Wistaston-road, took place in Crewe Cemetery on Friday. She was 66 and died at her home on the previous Tuesday. Miss Hemmings was well known, having been manageress for over thirty years of Messrs. Phillips's boot and shoe shop in Chetwode-street, Crewe, where she was held in high esteem. The Rev. W. G. O'Connor conducted a service in St. Paul's Church.
The mourners were Mrs. Meakin (sister), Mr. R. Hemmings (brother), Mr. R. Meakin, Mr. H. Beard, Mrs E. Hooley, Mrs E. Gregory, Mrs. N. Meakin, and Mrs G. Burgess (nephews and nieces), Mr. J. Phillips (friend). Major Hemmings (brother) and Mrs. Beard (sister) were unable to attend owing to illness.
Wreaths were sent by: Mary, Clara and Frances: Reg and Jessie: Rex, Lily, and family: Brenda, Eric, and family: Norman, Ethel, and Neville: Grace, Eric, and family: Ruth: Harold, Tilly, Marjorie, and Frank: Florrie and George: Lucy, Doris, Ted and Stan: Gladys, Jack and family: Doris and Harold Conway: Mr. and Mrs. Harris and Margaret: Mrs. E.C. Walker: Mr. and Mrs. Wolf and Jack: Donald and Kit: The Staff of Bridle-road Dairy: John Phillips and Staff, Stoke: Friends and children, Chetwode-street and Victoria-street.
The Co-operative Society were the undertakers.

Looking at the mourners listed:
Mrs. Meakin (sister) - Clara Ann (Hemmings) Meakin
Mr. R. Hemmings (brother) - Reginald Hemmings
Mr. R. Meakin - Rex Meakin (Bertha's nephew)
Mr. H. Beard - Harold Beard (Bertha's nephew)
Mrs E. Hooley - Brenda (Meakin) Hooley (Bertha's niece)
Mrs E. Gregory - Grace (Meakin) Gregory (Bertha's niece)
Mrs. N. Meakin - Ethel (Simcock) Meakin (wife of Norman Meakin (Bertha's nephew)
Mrs G. Burgess - (no idea who this is)
Unable to attend due to illness
Major Hemmings (listed as brother) - Mary Elizabeth Hemmings (Major in Salvation Army)
Mrs. Beard (sister) - Frances Alice (Hemmings) Beard

Wreaths sent by:
Mary, Clara and Frances - sisters Mary Elizabeth Hemmings, Clara Ann (Hemmings) Meakin and France Alice (Hemmings) Beard
Reg and Jessie - brother Reginald and wife Jessie (Batho) Hemmings
Rex, Lily, and family - nephew Rex and wife Lilian (Houlden) Meakin
Brenda, Eric, and family - niece Brenda (Meakin) and husband Eric Hooley
Norman, Ethel, and Neville - nephew Norman, wife Ethel (Simcock) and their son Neville Meakin
Grace, Eric, and family - niece Grace (Meakin) and husband Eric Gregory
Harold, Tilly, Marjorie, and Frank - nephew Harold and wife Tilley(Lucas) Beard, niece Marjorie (Beard) and husband Frank Davis

Wordless Wednesday

Mary Elizabeth Hemmings (1876-1958)

Mary Elizabeth Hemmings (1876-1958)

Mary Elizabeth Hemmings is my 2nd great aunt, she was born on 2 October 1876 in Crewe, Cheshire to Abraham and Fanny (Mason) Hemmings and was baptised on 7 January 1877 in St Paul's Church, Crewe.

Mary Elizabeth was a Major in the Salvation Army and this is verified with the census records of 1911 and 1939. She never married as it was forbiddden to marry an officer below rank. Family stories say she was married in secret in London to Mr. Parkings. This has not been verified, although she was in London in 1911. The following inscription is in a bible given to Bertha by Mary Elizabeth, this mentions M.E. Parkin, although the only M.E. Parkin I found in the census records in the Crewe area for 1901 were for a Mary E Parkin. It may be where the story originally originated and was further enhanced along the way.
Bertha was Mary Elizabeth's younger sister and the bible was given to her on her 12th birthday.

April 1881
Living at 21 Thomas Street, Monks Coppenhall, Cheshire
At home with parents (Abraham and Fanny) and 2 sisters (Sarah Hannah and Clara Ann)

April 1891
23 Walthall Street, Monks Coppenhall, Cheshire
At home with parents (Abraham and Fanny) and 4 sisters (Sarah Hannah, Clara Ann, Frances Alice and Bertha) and 2 lodgers (Richard and Albert Richards)

March 1901
Cheerbrook Road, Willaston, Cheshire
Working for the Wainwright family (Francis Joseph, Lucy Bradbury and Eric Francis) as a domestic servant

April 1911
128 The Avenue, Highams Park, Chingford, Essex
Matron and Salvation Army Officer of a residential home for ladies

1913
Death of father Abraham Hemmings - age 63

1932
Death of mother Fanny (Mason) Hemmings - age 81

September 1939
125 Wistaston Road, Crewe, Cheshire
Living with sister Bertha, her occupation is given as Salvation Army Officer

1945
Death of sister Sarah Hannah (Hemmings) Thompson - age 69

1955
Death of sister Bertha Hemmings - age 66

1958
Mary Elizabeth died on 4 January 1958, age 81 in The Barony Hospital, Nantwich, Cheshire. She was buried on 8 January in Crewe Cemetery.

Baptism: Elizabeth Fell (1823-1891)

On this day 8 May 1823, which was a Thursday, my 4th great aunt Elizabeth Fell was born. The date is taken from her baptism record of 1 June 1823. She was born in Burslem, Staffordshire to Valentine Fell (1786-1839) and Lucy Colclough (1788-1835) and was baptised in the Wesleyan Methodist church, Burslem Staffordshire. The baptism record gives her father's occupation as potter.

Valentine Fell (1786-1839) married Lucy Colclough (1788-1835) - my 4th great grandparents
Mary Fell (1817-1900)
Elizabeth Fell (1823-1891)
Emilia Fell (1830-1831)
Valentine Fell (1833-1839)

Their daughter Mary Fell (1817-1900) married Peter Baddaley (1817-1874) - my 3rd great grandparents

Their daughter Elizabeth Baddaley (1845-1914) married John Hudson (1846-1925) - my 2nd great grandparents

Their daughter Drucilla Hudson (1877-1936) married Rupert John Hassall (1878-1942) - my great grandparents

Their daughter Freda Hassall (1909-1974) married William Wain (1909-1957) - my grandparents

Wordless Wednesday

11 April 2002

Ben, Judith, Dermot

May Birthdays

These are the birthdays which fall in this month of May.
The 17th was the most popular date, with 3 people sharing that date, although 2 of them were twins.

Dermot's side
9 May - Michael Byrne (1872-????), 2nd great uncle
12 May - Joseph Lloyd (1876-1878), 2nd great uncle
17 May - Bridget Mary Boushell (1873-1943), 2nd great aunt
17 May - James Boushell (1873-1876), 2nd great uncle
17 May - Thomas Boushell (1879-1958), 2nd great uncle
21 May - Helen Rose Boushell (1930-????), aunt

Judith's side
2 May - Frank Hooley (1913-1998), great uncle
8 May - Elizabeth Fell (1823-1891), 4th great aunt
9 May - Mary Broadhurst (1865-1940), step 2nd great grandmother
21 May - Emilia Fell (1830-1831), 4th great aunt
22 May - Norman Hooley (1911-1981), great uncle
25 May - Mary Ann Hudson (1873-1949), 2nd great aunt
26 May - Julia Taylor (1848-1920), 3rd great aunt

Marriage: Doris Mary Wain & Herbert Kenneth England

It is Friday again, when I share something that I have found whilst looking for records, that is interesting or adds information to our family tree.

Taken from Derby Daily Telegraph, 14 April 1941, page 2
The transcription reads:
ENGLAND - WAIN
A lucky key, a wooden spoon, and a lucky horseshoe were presented to Miss Doris Mary Wain, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M. Wain, of Stanton-by-Bridge, following her marriage at St. Michael's Church, Stanton-by-Bridge, on Saturday, to Mr. Herbert Kenneth England, son of Mr. and Mrs. T. England, of 98, Holbrook-street, Heanor.
Senior bridesmaids were Misses Rose and Daisy Wain, the bride's sisters. The junior attendant was Miss Audrey Rosemary Wain, the bride's niece, and pageboy duties were carried out by Master Maurice Wain, the bride's nephew.

Daisy Mary Wain is my 2nd cousin, twice removed. Her father Matthew Wain (1880-1973), is my 2nd great uncle, his parents, Isaac Wain (1850-1932) and Mary Sigley (1949-1890) are my 2nd great grandparents.