Genealogy Chat

Hi, Alice Rayner Taylor was a confectioners assistant and lived at 24 Grove Place. I have no idea if he was English there had been talk of him attending Dulwich College but checked that out and not listed. His father could be Scottish, Irish or Welsh as a few Murrays have come up on census for tailors and apprentices. That's why I thought if the pension service still had the details from his teacher confirming his age at least I would know which school he attended to try and pinpoint whatprt of the country to concentrate on. My Gran did say his father was a Court Tailor but he could have told them anything really although maybe they were well off if he was sent to Africa or would that have been sponsored by someone? I'm afraid very few proven facts to work on :-(

His RFC records might be on Ancestry. If not, they should be at the National Archives. Not online, though - you would have to go there or get someone to go for you. Hopefully they should give place of birth.

Is this Alice 1911?? Just placing her at least. Bit of a career move if so!

1911 England Census
Name: Alice Taylor
Age in 1911: 27
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1884
Relation to Head: Daughter
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Clapham, Surrey, England
Civil parish: Acton
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England
Street Address: 24 Grove Place, Acton W
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Manageress Pastry Cooks
Registration district: Brentford
Registration District Number: 128
Sub-registration district: Acton

Louisa Taylor 60
Alice Taylor 27
Victor Taylor 23
Louisa Taylor 20
Lavinia Taylor 18

It couldn't be could it! This road is 1 minute's walk from Grove Place according to google map, assuming I have the right area:

1911 England Census
Name: William Holmes
Age in 1911: 41
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1870
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Acton, Middlesex, England
Civil parish: Acton
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England
Street Address: 31 Grove Road, Acton W
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Commercial Clerk
Registration district: Brentford
Registration District Number: 128
Sub-registration district: Acton

William Holmes 41
Dorothy Holmes 28
William Holmes 13
Marion Davis 25

Just speculating wildly, apologies to relatives of Mr. Holmes!! :-D

Jan

I don't really think it's him, but William George Holmes is an interesting man. His first wife (m.1895) seems to be Mary Ann Davis (not sure if a relative of Dorothy, also a Davis, but not her sister as a different father). William is his son by Mary, obviously! He was widowed by 1901. His father was George Holmes also a clerk. He is laughing at me across the years I think, as Mary's father was a tailor!!
But I think what I need now is sleep as I know I am hallucinating.
Jan :-S

Just a note re court tailors.

My M I L was a court tailor - it has nothing to do with royalty.

Few get to be court tailors, your hand stitching is of excellent quality - it is a statement of how good you are.

My M I L hand stitched 6 dresses for my daughter as a baby, it looked as if she used a machine and all straight lines, it was incredible. :-)

Re: tailoring. My Aunt & Mum both had all their dresses made by George as young girls and he cut the cloth and made them perfectly which is why I think as a young man he would definitely had training probably by his father before they fell out.

Don't think William Holmes related but maybe he worked with George & that could be how he met Alice?

Have tried his RFC record it not on ancestry so will have to arrange for someone to check out National Archives.

You can check for yourself on the NA

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person%5Cdefault.htm

Someone has flagged up this site, no idea if it would be helfpul!

http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/

For more info:

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1323568

Jan

Thanks, might be able to find him during Boer War