Saturday, May 4, 2013

Reuben Randall Links between Watford and British Collombia, Canada

Watford
In 2005 Marina wrote from British Colombia to ask about the Potten family of Watford. She has now discover that a postcard of Abbots Langley was sent to Canada and relates to her Randall ancestors. We have exchanged emails and she records that when Reuben joined the army in 1916, and went to France, his wife and young son came to Watford and stayed with relatives. Full details and family portraits online.

Marina's collection of family memorabilia included four view snapshots. One is Lock No 78 on the Grand Junction Canal, in Cassiobury Park, Watford. Another is a well-known view of the Thames with Windsor Castle in the distance. But can you identify the other two, shown here? One is clearly the canal, but where? The other is an interesting looking old public house.

Can You Help?

In addition the post card refers to someone with the unlikely name of Offa. So far we haven't found the link between the Potten or Ransall families and Offa Hawes - Perhaps they were just good friends.

2 comments:

  1. This looks like The Queen's Head Pinner Middlesex. I can't find an old enough picture to compare but the "gibbet" sign and general structure is very similar.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Web site Pinner Local History (http://www.pjbartlett.co.uk/Pinner%20History.htm) reports "The Queens Head was once a plastered building dated 1705, though the origins were much earlier. It used to have railings and a porch with seats, altered in the early 30's. The London coach left here in the 19th century, where it used to leave The Queens Head at 7:30 am for The Bull, Holborn, returning at 3:30, arriving back in Pinner around 6pm. Early in the 20th century the licensee Dawson Billows kept a bear in the stables, sometimes he was seen taking it out for a walk."

    As the picture shows the date 1705, and the porch with seats, there can be little doubt that it is the right identification.

    ReplyDelete

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