Friday 12 August 2011

Stondon Massey: Garnham family


Relatives of the late George Garnham made a trip across the pond this summer to visit family and find out more about this elusive man – see http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/2009/10/stondon-massey-family-secrets-smith.html .

Received 3 July 2011

Dear Andrew,

I was so excited to meet you. Thank you so much for putting us on the track of Rev Reeve's archives [at the Essex Record Office: ERO 188/1 -3 etc]. It was amazing to read the actual letters that family members wrote so long ago. His works were so informative for us.

We still do not know who George Garnham really is, but have found out a little more about him.

 Harriet Garnham, George's wife had two daughters by her second husband James Garnham:  Alice Harriet Garnham and Rosa Emily Garnham.  Rosa had a child out of wedlock who she named Kate Garnham. Kate lived with her grandparents George and Harriet at least until 1911, going by the census, she was 14 years of age then.  I am going to look for her to see what other information, if any, that will give me about her and George and Harriet, maybe something was going on with them at that time. Was it for health reasons? I want to know why Kate was put into an asylum if this truely happened.

Kate's mum, Rosa Emily, married a George Shuttleworth of Blackmore. They had several children and all lived their lives around the area.  Rosa and George are buried in Blackmore churchyard. We found their grave there this last trip. I often wonder, did Rosa Emily know about George Garnham and did she look after her mum when she was sick with cancer. On Rosa's baptism, her father was listed as James Garnham, but on her marriage it was George Garnham.  She married in Stondon Massey. There are so many questions but no answers, but we cannot give up, just a few more stones to turn over.

I am also trying to find out more of (Bugler) Arthur Bolt to see where that might lead us. Arthur Bolt lived with Harriet and George Garnham, was listed as a boarder in the 1909 census at the Soaphouse Farm.

I tell my children that before I die, I want to find out who this George is.

What a delight your church stewards were.  We were shown around the church, given all its history.  After that we were off to see the Horsnell's: there are family ties to Horsnell's in our tree. We meet them and spoke to them for about an hour.  We made a call to the Soaphouse Farm.

What a Blessing.

Your Friend Maureen


Replied 16 July 2011

Dear Maureen

Thanks for your E mail, which I will post on the website.

Keep searching!

Andrew

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