Burst of research on the Squelch family, 2024

I have this list of birth and death certificates that I have been meaning to order for so long. I had started last year with part of the list, and just this week ordered some more. There will be at least another order to go.

I ordered the death certificates for Charles and Mary Ann Squelch and for Thomas Squelch. I have gone through them now and want to share what they tell me, and what they don’t. First to the negative. I was really hoping for more information on their birthday (for Charles) and parentage (Charles and Mary Ann), which sadly did not happen.

First in the list to talk about is Charles Squelch, who died 11 February 1904. He was an engine driver at the works, according to the list. Is this the Denbro Works in Soho? No idea. But that was certainly located near where Charles lived. His address is listed as 64 Wellhead Lane.

I google mapped the address, and there are no buildings on the site. The housing in the area, which looks like it was up around at the time when Charles and his wife Mary Ann lived there, is all row housing. The houses actually look like they might have been fairly new at the time, maybe less that 20 years old.

64 Wellhead Lane would be the plot on the corner of the street – Wellhead and Oscott Road.

Charles’ daughter Ada Davis was present at the death, and reported it for the death certificate. Her address is listed as 25 Aston Lane in Handsworth. This was the house she lived in with her husband Charles Samuel Davis.

Charles’ cause of death was chronic nephritis – which is a kidney infection.

A year later, Mary Ann Squelch (nee Smith), Charles’ wife died. She died in her home. Her cause of death as “senile decay.” Her rank or profession was widow of Charles Squelch. Long live the patriarchy. Her daughter Emily Fountaine was present at the death, and it is indicated that she lived with her mother.

Emily married William Fountaine, who was a Welshman. Family narrative said that for a time Emily and William lived with Ada Davis and family. This could have been after the death of Mary Ann Squelch. The Fountaine’s had three children, who were born in Handsworth (another bunch of certificates to get!). The emigrated to Australia. [See here for more about their daughter Gladys – https://gilliandr.wordpress.com/2023/05/22/wedding-of-gladys-jones-and-harry-higgins-toowoomba-1929/]

And finally, the death certificate for Charles Squelch’s father. I already knew a bit about him from the newspaper account of his death [see: https://gilliandr.wordpress.com/2021/04/01/manslaughter-of-thomas-squelch-1863/]. I was hoping there might be more. Sadly no.

It should be noted that from the newspaper accounts Thomas was attacked on Christmas 1862, but he seems to have lingered 47 days according to the death certificate. He died in hospital, which is unusual for the period. Most people died at home.

The hospital he was at was the General Hospital in Birmingham. According to Wikipedia, it was located at this time on Hospital Street (I know, obvious). The hospital moved in 1897 to Steelhouse Lane, and the site became a bus depot, and is now the home of Centro House (Transport for Headquarters for West Midlands). According to the newspaper accounts Thomas Squelch lived on upper Hospital Street, so he was living near where he was taken for medical aid.

Because his death was manslaughter the person reporting it was a part of the court system, the coroner. Personal information is even less here than other death certificates because of the cause of his death. All that is said about the decedent is that he was 59, and a toolmaker.

King’s Birthday, 1908

Montreal Gazette 10 November 1908

King’s Birthday Party

The King spent his 67^th birthday with the family circle at Sandringham, where he is entertaining a large house party, including the Queen of Norway, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Russian and Austrian ambassadors.

The King occupied the morning in receiving a great number of telegrams of congratulation, among which were most cordial greetings from Emporer William and President Roosevelt. He received many handsome gifts.

Later the King and Queen and their guests attended the meet of the Royal Norfolk Hunt, which made a picturesque scene in glorious weather at Gayton Hall, the Earl of Romney’s seat. In the evening there was the customary birthday dinner and party, with a cinematograph entertainment for the royal children.

Throughout the week dinners and entertainments will be given to the tenantry and servants on the Sandringham estate. On Friday Mr Cyril Maud has been commanded to give a performance of “the Flag Lieutenant” at Sandringham.

The King’s Birthday was celebrated in London and at all the naval ports with the customary salutes and illuminations. Telegrams received from abroad report enthusiastic celebrations and dinners at the various British embassies.

Burns’ granddaughter, Guelph, ON, 1908

Montreal Standard, 25 January 1908

Burns’ birthday to-day

A picture of Mrs Jean Burns Brown, grand-daughter of the poet, taken while she resided at Guelph, Ont.

Well Head Tavern, Perry Barr, 1886, 1915

Birmingham Daily Post, 22 Sep 1886

General Servant Wanted, about 18.  Good character – Well Head Tavern, Franchise Street, Perry Barr

Birmingham Daily Post, 5 May 1915

Deaths

Dorsett – On the 28^th ult, Stephen Henry, youngest son of the late Richard Smith Dorsett, formerly of “Well Head House,” Perry Barr, aged 59 years.  Interred at Witton Cemetery on Monday 3^rd inst.

Famous Kin? Family Search fact-checked, 2024

Family Search sent me an email recently, inviting me to get to know some of my famous relatives.  I mean the idea itself is cool, despite is American-centric celebrities, But it is really frustrating because it is based on the site’s family trees, which are entered into the system by their subscribers/members. A lot of the “connections” I have encountered already on the site for both my family and other families are not actually supported by any sources. Also, it is nigh on impossible to correct information where there are sources which provide it.  The original mistake stands.

For example, I was working on this one tree where the person who had emigrated to the US stated he was from London.  His family name was not that common, but there appear to be a few families at the same period (1600s) in London with the same name.  Some person assigned his parents to a couple who were married 10 years after his supposed birth.  There were no documents which say these are his parents, but some which have their marriage and other children born after the marriage.  What made the connection so ridiculous was the mother would have been nine (9) years old at the time of his birth. But it is on the Family Search tree, and made somehow to link much further back, and some of the other connections are just as suspicious.  

To say that I am sceptical is mild.  I just cannot just accept their assertions that these are all my famous relatives. I decided to go through the list of celebrities to see if the trees actually prove the relationship.  I am looking at sources, interpretations, etc. 

To start, I have to be clear.  I don’t accept Ancestry family trees as proof of relationship.  Their family trees are just as susceptible to the mistakes of subscribers/members as Family Search.  I need to see contemporary sources as evidence: diaries, parish records, burials, legitimate historical sources to prove a connection.

Queen Elizabeth II

Here she is listed as a 10^th cousin once removed.  Now I know that through my maternal grandfather I am related to her, with a common ancestor of Edward I of England. This is a distance of 23 generations, so close. 😊

Family Search says that we are connected to a common ancestors James Ashe (1564-1642) and Grace Pitt (1565-1647).  The Ashes are also on my maternal grandfather’s line, and they appear on the line of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.  So does the genealogy work?

Yes.  Both of our lines connect, and are supported by the sources.

PROVEN

Princess Diana

Family search says that we are 11^th cousins, once removed. Our common ancestor is Henry Portman (d1591) and Joan Mitchell (1540-1589).  I am related to them through my maternal grandfather’s line, and Diana through her father, Earl Spencer. So does the genealogy work?

Yes. Both of our lines connect, and are supported by the sources.

PROVEN

Wilbur Wright

Family Search says that we are connected to Joan Tregarthen (1499-1583). I am related to her from her second husband Sir John Wadham, through my maternal grandfather.  Wright is related to her through her first husband John Kelleway.

My connection to Joan is supported by sources.  Wilbur’s connections are not.  The tree gets problematic a few generations from the common ancestor.  Even Family Search flags it.  Sir James Morton of Clifton has the unusual honour of being his own father.

So this is NOT PROVEN.

Franklin D Roosevelt

Family Search says that we are 12^th cousins twice removed. We are connected to John Gilbert (b1475).  I am related to his wife Christian Baskett, and Roosevelt, through his mother Sarah Anne Delano to another wife, Lady Joan Hackett.

My connection does match up, although there is only one source which says Christian was married to John Gilbert.  Roosevelt’s does line up.

PROVEN

Ginger Rogers

Family Search says that we are 12^th cousins twice removed. We are connected to Sir Thomas Wyndham (1468-1521).  I am related through my maternal grandfather, and Rogers is related through her father William Eddins McMath.

Yes. Both of our lines connect, and are supported by the sources.

PROVEN

Walt Disney

Family Search says that we are 12^th cousins twice removed.  We are connected to Sir John Corbett (1514-1558) and Jane Berney (1515-1558), me through my maternal grandfather, and Disney through his mother Flora Call. 

The genealogy is supported, so we are apparently related.

PROVEN

Bob Ross

Family Search says that we are 14^th cousins.  We are apparently connected to Isobel-nic-John-Grant of Freuchie, relic of Invercharroch, latterly Cawdor and Sir Archibald Campbell of Cawdor Calder.  I am related through my paternal line, and him through his mother Ollie Dorothea Helms. Just looking at the woman’s name sends off warning signals.

I started with my line, and it falls down fairly quickly.  I moved up my line to the Grants who settled in Glengarry County, Ontario as loyalists. Donald Grant (1740-1806) has a John Grant (b1722) of Craskie, Inverness-shire listed as his father.  There are no sources which support this. None. I then went to Ross’ tree, and it has similar issues connecting with the last Scottish ancestor.  It lists James Hunter (1635-1734) born in Ayrshire and died in New York.  I somewhat doubt the life span, and well there are no sources which connect him.

NOT PROVEN

Elvis Presley

Family Search says that we are 14^th cousins.  Our common ancestor Joan Tregarthen (1499-1583). Me through my maternal grandfather to her husband John Wadham (1480-1578), and Presley through his paternal line to her husband John Kelleway (b.1494). So does the genealogy work?

On my side, yes the line connects to Tregarthen.  Elvis’ line, not so much.  There is no evidence linking his first US ancestor Isaac Stearns (1597-1670) to his mother, who was the link to the Plumpins then to the Kelleways.  No sources give his Stearns’ mother’s name.

NOT PROVEN.

John Wayne

Family Search says that we are 14^th cousins. The connection is the same as that for Franklin Roosevelt, through John Gilbert and his wife Christian Baskett through my maternal grandfather, and for John Wayne through Gilbert and his wife Joan Hackett through his father Robert Gilbert Morrison. As determined before, my connection to Gilbert is supported by the sources.  Wayne’s cannot be proved.  The information for Robert Gilbert and his son has no sources which confirm connection to John Gilbert and Joan Hackett.

NOT PROVEN.

Lucille Ball

Family Search says we are 14^th cousins.  Our common ancestor is Thomas Wyndham (1468-1521) and his wife Eleanor Scrope (1472-1505). I am related through my maternal grandfather, and Ball through her paternal line.  The genealogy backs this up.

PROVEN

Winston Churchill

Family Search says we are 14^th cousins. Our common ancestor is again (as with Wayne and Roosevelt) through John Gilbert.  My connection is through his wife Christian Baskett, and Churchill through his wife Joan Hackett, through Churchill’s mother Jeanette Jerome. And like John Wayne’s case, the connection falls down with Robert Gilbert, who cannot be linked to John Gilbert. I mean, maybe some sources exist which could link them, but none are offered on the family search tree, so I cannot accept their conclusions.

NOT PROVEN

The problem with sending out these pronouncements is that the family trees on family search are not fact-checked.  They depend on the honesty and skill of those who submit it, in order for the pronouncements to be true.  Always check up on facts!

Privacy – isn’t everyone entitled to it? 2024

This has been quite a week in the news! Since I am a bit of a fan of the British Royal Family it has been actually been quite a few months. I have held off commenting because a lot of the social media storm has been perplexing, but with the announcement that the Princess of Wales has cancer, well I have thoughts.

In January the Palace announced that the Princess of Wales was having abdominal surgery and would be away until Easter, I was sorry to see she was having serious surgery, but honestly, I had no expectations of seeing her until Easter.  I mean everyone has the right to recover in privacy.  Then there was the announcement that King Charles had cancer, and well, again, sad about the illness, but no expectations about seeing him.  I do not need to see people perform their illness for the masses.  That the King has periodically had pictures of him released doing the behind-the-scenes part of his job is his choice.  He has not really been seen too much outside.

But the Princess of Wales decided to stay out of the glare of the press.  And then people got funny, conspiracy theories started, weird stories emerged.  It is ridiculous. I am seriously amazed at how much mental space some people are dedicating to theorizing what is happening to her.  The Palace stayed mostly quiet, and the Princess stayed where she was most comfortable. She was in recovery from surgery after all.  The Palace decided to release a picture of her with her children, and it only got worse.

The photo had been edited! Horrors!  After all no professional photographer ever touches up their photographs (Not).  The essential image of the people in the photo was untouched, but the edges, well she tweaked them.  Apparently, not particularly well. The press and social media starts to go full-on about the dishonesty of photo-shopping images. Then the masses went back to other images she published, and well others were found. It was a free-for-all really. 

The intensity of the commentary was out of proportion to the alleged misstep. It reminded me a lot of the press that followed Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, without the racist undercurrents. The press, the public, like to have a target to criticize.  A target for their hate, scorn, etc.  Kate and William, Prince of Wales seem to be the choice du jour.

And then yesterday, the Princess of Wales announced she had cancer. She asked again for privacy for herself, her husband and her children.   The world was stunned, and suddenly, all that shit that was tossed her way these last few weeks is forgotten.  Poor Kate, get better, etc.  She asked for privacy in January, and that was not honoured, so I am sure this moment of sadness and support will disappear soon enough, when the press hasn’t seen her enough.  The swirl of conspiracy will emerge again, people will be accused of hiding the severity of the illness, etc.  People want their public figures to perform their pain. 

I think that we forget that public figures are human beings, and while we can criticize their privilege, their positions, they are entitled to a modicum of privacy, and choice in how they deal with personal issues such as family and health. I wish for the Princess of Wales and her family the time and privacy they need.  I wish for them, as I wish for everyone health and happiness. 

Flea Market find – 2024

I love to shop in flea markets and thrift stores, and I find the most amazing things!

I had to share this book I found recently at a flea market.

It is the “Coronation Gift Book for Boys and Girls” by Malcolm Saville, and published by Pitkins in 1953.

The book is actually written to a higher level than you would think, for a book for children. There are a lot of pictures in it, especially of the coronation of Elizabeth’s father, George VI. It goes into a lot of detail on what things mean, and the history behind them.

Then there is this at the end….

A small section on the Commonwealth. 

Tiaras being revived, 1927

Montreal Gazette, 8 January 1927

Tiaras being revived

London – There is a revival in tiaras among English fashionable women. Lady Birkenhead has appeared in one frequently of late and Princess Bibesco has worn a lovely diamond tiara at several recent parties.

Cure for stone and gravel, England, 1772

The Leeds Intelligencer Advertiser, 7 July 1772

A recipe to cure the stone and gravel

Fill a large bottle, or any other vessel, four parts in five with the wood strawberry, adding as much Lisbon sugar, as it will make the infusion palatable, then fill the vessel up with brandy, or (for want of that spirit) with rum, letting it stand close corked for six weeks, when it is fit for use: A glass of it will give immediate ease in the fevered fit, and by continuance entirely cure the patient. Pour off the first infusion, at the expiration of six weeks, and the same berries will make a second, if suffered to stand two months, squeezing the fruit when taken out.

[Do not try this at home]

[Stone and Gravel is what they called having kidney stones]