Herts Mind Network AGM - Watford 4th June

Herts Mind Network

This web site raises money for the Herts Mind Network, which provides community based support for people with mental health problems in Hertfordshire. Last year their annual report (to September 2011) said:

Although funding was cut, HMN maintained its services by looking at alternative ways of providing those services and as a result were able meet those funding cuts.

The HMN Board closely monitors the finances of HMN and is a standing item on the monthly Board meetings. 2011/12 will be a difficult year although we believe there will be plenty of opportunities for HMN to tender either on its own or in partnership with other organisations to maintain and enhance its current level of service delivery.

The AGM will consider the report for 2012/13 - which has been a difficult time for everyone, and there will undoubtedly be questions about the impact of benefit claim changes on people who are too ill to work out what is happening for themselves. In addition many more people are having difficulties because of the economic situation - and some are becoming mentally ill because of the extra stress coping with life on an uncertain income.Clearly the charity is planning to meet the extra demand and their web site is currently recruiting staff to support the mentally ill who are having difficulties managing their budgets. 

Donate Here

If you have found this site useful, and have not yet made a donation, please do so now, as at the AGM I don't want to have to report that so far this year we are over £300 behind target. 

I will report on what happens at the AGM.

A few thousand miles off topic ....

Help Desk

Pagoda on the Irrawaddy
 near Mandalay,  by Edith Pinhay

Because I have a lot of post cards on my web site - together with pages on the publishers - I occasionally get questions about post cards which have nothing to do with Hertfordshire. I recently got a request to identify Edith Pinhay, who painted views of Tigyaing, Myanmar (Burma) in 1908, which appear on Tuck's "Wide Wide World" series of post cards. Normally I ignore such way out requests but this one caught my imagination.

I discovered that Edith Ogilvie Lovell was born in Calcutta (Kolkata, West Bengal) in about 1874 and was staying with her sisters  Mrs Dora Turner and Miss Effie Lovell in Colchester, England, at the time of the 1891 census. She married Arthur Francis Pinhay, 2nd son of Sir Robert Hill Pinhay in India, and, in addition to painting pictures of Burma returned to England where she died in 1957. In addition I was able to pass on the email address of someone researching the family.

William Wilson, Chief Constable, St Albans, 1797-99

Help Desk

St Albans

An anonymous comment on Was William Willson your Ancestor's Goaler referred to an Elizabeth Willson who had been born at St Machael's, St Albans, in 1791. A different William Wilson had been chief constable for the Liberty of St Albans between 1797 and 1799 I decided to look further. Elizabeth was one of six unmarried sisters who were living together in the 1841, 1851 and 1861 censuses and I was able to trace their baptisms in St Albans, and that of a brother David, who was a coach builder. Their father moved to Newington, Surrey, some time between 1794 and 1804 and, if he is the same William, this could explain why the chief constable post became vacant in 1799.  For more information see WILSON or WILLSON, St  Albans, circa 1790

The Hertfordshire Regiment - and other Volunteer Forces

The Herts Regiment display their Colours presented in 1909

I have added two new picture of the 1st Battalion of the Hertfordshire Regiment - and also added an important index page - which contains over 30 links to other pages on this web site relating to the Regiment and other Hertfordshire volunteer forces.

Some Hertfordshire Regiment soldiers at a tented camp

Only clue to date is phone number written on the Back

36 Royston

Can you help identify the soldiers or the phone number.

Was William Willson your ancestor's Goaler

Help Desk

Hertford

Last year Mike asked about WILLSON, Gamels Hall, Rush Green, Little Amwell, circa 1850, where in 1841 the farmer was William Willson. William went on to be the governor of Bishops Stortford workhouse. 

Prisons

Now Ian has asked about John Byde Willson, whose father was the same William Willson. It turns out that the Willson family were governors of Hertford Goal and Bridewell for about 80 years, starting with a Cornelius Willson who was appointed in 1756. For more information on the Willson family and the Hertfotd prison see WILLSON, Governors of Hertford Goal, 1756-1838

Rural Relaxation at Kew

The Lake in Kew Gardens

Last week I planned to go on a coach trip to the National Archives at Kew to dig around in some old dusty records - and I promised you a report on my visit. Well this is not quite what I was planning.

The Temperate Green House

But it was a lovely day and I decided to go to Kew Gardens instead, in part to see the huge Victorian Temperate Green House which is closing this summer for a five year restoration programme.

The Queen's Beasts and the Palm House

Needless to say I enjoyed every minute of it  - spending four hours wandering round the grounds and into the greenhouses - and taking lots of photographs. An there was still a lot I hadn't seen.

One of the many different brilliant Water Lilies

Just walking round the gardens was great, with cherry trees is blossom, and enormous giant redwoods towering overhead. There was also a high level tree walk (with a lift for the less mobile) which allows you to view the woodland canopy in comfort. In addition the contents of the green houses with plants from dry deserts through to tropical rain forests was amazing. 

King and Queen - A David Nash Sculpture

All I can say is that if you are planning a visit to the National Archives to dig out more about your ancestors take an extra day and visit Kew Gardens - they are too good to miss.

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.

Did Jerome Ltd (photographers) produce any Hertfordshire photographs?

Cottered

The Japanese Garden at Cottered

A recent query drew my attention to the Cottered page and this photograph of the Japanese Garden which was started in 1906 with further developments in 1923.

Post Cards, Etc

I wanted to check the date and the back of the card had the name Jerome Ltd. The company had a wide number of shops throughout Great Britain between the wars, and up to the 1950s - but most of their output seems to have been portrait photographs. A check of trade directories between the wars failed to show any shops in Hertfordshire and it may be that this picture, and another, currently on sale on ebay, showing a hut at High Leigh, Hoddesden, may have been taken by someone else and Jerome Ltd simply produced the prints. So have you ever come across any post cards, or other pictures linked to Hertfordshire by Jerome Ltd?

Kimpton Hoo

Books

I have just discovered this useful book online. 
(If you spot an online book on Hertfordshire I have note noted help everyone by telling me about it.)

NOBLE & SPLENDID
Scandal, Honour and Duty:
the Families of Kimpton Hoo
By Peter Hale
For The Kimpton History Group

2008

Online Copy (pdf)

Help Desk

I have also had a query from Jana about  an Elizabeth Winslow, who was the dairy maid at The Hoo (Kimpton/St Pauls Walden)  in the 1881 census. I will post details if we can find any further Hertfordshire connection.

Monthly Report, April 2013

Thanks to everyone who has commented on my post Future Plans for this web site, which I have found helpful. My plan to cut back to one day a week on Genealogy matters during the summer seems to be working - as I managed still  17 posts in April - and page views of the Newletter are holding up well with over 5500 in April compared with an average of approximately 6000 a month between November and March. Visitor numbers to the main site are down a little compared with April 2012, but well up on April 2010 and 2011.

The first part of May could be a bit quiet as some time ago I booked a seat on a coach trip to the National Archives at Kew and I may well write a report on the visit for the site. However the trip - plus preparation and follow up - could well take up 2 days of the allocated "genealogy time" for May - but I would hope to get at least 10 posts in sometime during the month.

Limiting the "genealogy time" has given me more time to relax doing other thing - such as attending local U3A meetings and other social activities - and planning a short holiday in Devon during the summer. This will be for a special 50th anniversary - but will mean some work as I need to do some preparation first. I need to spend more time swimming and on more energetic rural relaxations as over the winter I put on far too much weight (blame the duck) and need to get back on course,

I should warn you that my other blog Trapped by the Box is looking healthier with page views exceeding 1200 page views in April. A few days ago I added a paper From the Neuron to Human Intelligence: Part 1: The "Ideal Brain" Model, which show the relationship between the research I was doing at University 25 years ago and modern brain research. If this creates a  lot of interest it could mean I have less time available for genealogy!