Genealogy Chat

Found this one and noticed Sneinton is the name of the parish in the marriage certificate so could be Jame's parents.

1841 Address: North St, Sneinton
TAYLOR, James M 44 1797 VIEW
TAYLOR, Amelia F 43 1798 VIEW
TAYLOR, James M 18 1823 VIEW
TAYLOR, Roland M 15 1826 Nottinghamshire VIEW
TAYLOR, Herbert M 12 1829 Nottinghamshire VIEW
TAYLOR, Thirza F 12 1829 Nottinghamshire VIEW
TAYLOR, Clara F 10 1831 Nottinghamshire VIEW
TAYLOR, Charles M 6 1835 Nottinghamshire VIEW
TAYLOR, Agness F 3 1838 Nottinghamshire

well - i thought that they were the same person too!!!!

i think that the nearest synagog is 10 miles away in nottingham!

i will post back on this site/thread when i have been to the library - surely they must have something there - he is supposed to be a prominent person in the community!!!! [though i dont know for what!!?]

will update you with whatever i do/do not find out on thursday!!

thanks for your interest and help Christine!

Elaine

i am not sure if I mentioned before but I am fascinated with the optician as that is our line of work.

Have fun

Try putting up a thread for the apprenticeship records.
Might be Merchant Tailors and the Grocers company? Someone may have a cd

Hi Christine,

I never thought about apprenticeship records. Good idea.

I did wonder whether the Wood's in Kettering were related to the Wood's in Geddington - maybe brothers?

When I get this all straight in my head I will investigate further the 'optician' family - the Taylor's. I work in Nottingham where they and their shop was based - so I can easily go to the records office in the city center and research this. I will let you know.

When you say 'our line of work' does your family own an optician shop? [please ignore this question if you feel I am being nosey!!]

Elaine

OH is Optometrist
I am Clinical and Dispensing Optical Assistant. Daughter is Dispensing Optician and other daughter is Optical Assistant in our own Practice.

WOW!!!!

Hi Christine,

I have found out a little more about the Taylor family.

It would appear that James Taylor [Jane's father] started his career [1885 census] as a lace maker here in Nottingham!! He then went on to become [in 1866] a 'photograph material dealer and picture frame maker' The first record I can find for him in the trade directories at the Nottingham Achives is in 1866. His occupation changes to 'optician and manufacturer of photo frames' in 1881 - and then he is sometimes listed as optician and sometimes both up until 1922 - after this his listing is just optician.

He stayed in the same premises for all the time he was trading. I can only access up until 1956 as this was the latest trade directory the achives had.

The building is still in existence - so I have of course, been to have a look. It is now a clothing shop!! [but I got a lovely picture or two!]

James' son, Charles, was also an optician - so I am assuming that he took over from his father when he retired.

I dont know what happened with the opticians - whether they went broke or ran out of opticians in the family or sold out to another optician? I dont know how to find out this information - but it would be interesting as a closure point, for me anyway.

As far as the other branch of the family [where you suggested apprenticeship records] I did look in the Nottingham Archives - but they dont keep records for Ilkeston - despite the fact that at this time Ilkeston was classed as Nottinghamshire. So it looks like a trip to the Derbyshire Achives for that.

It was the first time I had been to an archives - and I learned a very important lesson - find out as much detail as you can BEFORE you go there. The archives are not the answer to every question - we have to have all the clues together for us to be able to find the answers! SO - before I visit the Derbyshire archives I shall have to do a little more research and make myself a list of what I want to find and which records are the best way to find the answers!!!

Elaine

Fantastic.

I wonder if the Worshipful Company of Spectacle makers may be able to help.

Hi Christine,

Do you have access?

Hope you are well - not spoken lately!?

Elaine

oh - and I forgot to report back on what I discovered at the local Ilkeston library about Alfred Burton Wood.

He was an Alderman and Overseer of the Poor. He was a business man and a member of the Rutland Lodge of Freemasons and stood as a candidate for the Town Council - but was unsucessful. Unfortunately, he went bust in 1898!!!

The most amazing finding for me though, was that he was a churchwarden of the local CofE church!!!! I was led to believe, by the only living relative that I know of, that he was Jewish. My OH informs me that in order to become a freemason you have to be CofE - that they wouldnt entertain a Jewish member. I dont know whethe this is correct or not. If anyone out there knows different - please let me know!

Elaine

My understanding is that they have to believe in a God. Being Jewish would not preclude him. Strange one that though. Certainly Jewish names.
Have you been able to obtain the picture at all?

Christine

http://81.130.213.163:8002/cgi-bin/lcl.exe?a=d&k=FKTDSMFZS
Some contact details as requested.

Yes I am well. I have just been to my dughters playing with my grandchild. She is so sweet at 15 months.

Yes, I did manage to get a picture. Thanks for the link - I assume that if I email them they will help me?

Elaine

You can but try.

Hi Christine,

I have emailed them today - I will let you know if I receive a reply and what it says!!!

Thanks for your help!

Elaine

ps/ Is your grand-daughter to become an optical something or other? lol [it seems to be something you keep within the family- certainly within my family, anyway!]

It certainly is one of those occupations where you find generations involved. Who knows? She looks cute in sunglasses though.

Hi Christine,

I have finally received a reply from the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers - and I am afraid that the news is not good!!!

"Firstly the bad news - we have no record of either James Taylor or Charles Taylor. There is quite a stretch of time you are considering. Optical examinations and courses did not start until 1895 with the British Optical Association and 1998 with the Spectacle Makers Company in this country. Experience was obtained on the job, usually by means of an apprenticeship. But anyone could set-up as an optician until long after the introduction of examinations. After the First World War a health insurance scheme had been introduced by the insurance companies and opticians who had obtained the qualifications from the existing examining bodies were "recognised". Thus any optician worth his salt would have got a qualification.

The Spectacle Makers Company members mainly, but not entirely, came from London and the south. The British Optical Association, having been founded in Manchester, their members came mainly from the north and the midlands.

In view of this it might be worth while enquiring for the Taylors at the B.O.A. Museum, where the B.O.A. records are kept, the organisation itself becoming absorbed by the College of Optometrists. The curator there is Neil Handley at [email protected] who might be able to help."

I have emailed Neil Handley today - and will let you know if I get any response.

At least it is another avenue for me to try!!!

Elaine

Oooopss!! email to Neil has just been returned undelivered.

Will check out their website.

Elaine