Elizabeth Sarah Curtis and the Hart family of Rugby continued.

In my last blog post I started to show the huge number of photographs and ephemera related to the families. Found in a car boot a couple of years ago now. The name Hart was on one of the pictures and having Hart in my family. I collected all that I could find related. I can only think that these were part of the collection of Florence Rosemary Hart nee Smith's home (1898 - 1972) They ended up in a car boot on a dealer's stall. It took several Sunday mornings looking as he would not sell me the whole box.

Iris Rose Hart (1923 - 1981) married James Edward Curtis (1925 - 1995) in 1960. His sister was Elizabeth Sarah Curtis born 1928 in Rugby Warwickshire. She married Lesley Townsend in 1949. Above are the wedding photograph cutting the cake.  

Elizabeth Sarah Curtis 

A younger Elizabeth Sarah Curtis.

More wedding photographs of the couple with their bridesmaids and alone.

They had one son Mark wearing the school uniform of St Oswald's. 

Another wedding photograph. of the couple with their bridesmaids and best man. Also maybe her mother Kathleen Mildred Labraham (1896 - 1978) Not sure why this one photograph has reversed from the original. Must have pressed something in the photoshop process!!

Kathleen Mildred Labraham's National Identity Card was also in the ephemera pile. Issued in 1915 during WW1. 

There is also a postcard photograph of Job and Lily Hart at their wedding. Job was Iris Rosemary Hart's uncle. 

Job Hart (1898 - 1968) married Lilian Willetts (1899 - 1985) in 1920. So this is a lovely photograph for the Hart family to see. Not many wedding photographs were taken or kept. usually one or two for the happy couple and an occasional one to family. No wedding albums for working class people usually. The couple had at least 4 children.

Now to the Smith side of the family. Iris Rosemary Hart's parents were Albert and Florence Rose Smith. Florence's sister married Samuel John Lucas. This is the memorial card of when he passed away in 1968 and subsequent burial. For someone tracking their family tree, these cards often tell a lot of information that can not be seen usually. 

Another sister of Iris Hart married George Hale (1920 - 1985) Hilda Hart was born in 1921 in Rugby also. She married George Hale in 1941. He served in the war and there are several photographs of him. 

Left back = Albert Hart R? Front George Hale. 

George Hale - looks to be in the RAF.

Taken 27/7/1947. The man at the front looks to be George Hale.No names on the back.

George Hale

Has Hilda hart and ?Colin on the back

                               
Colin and Pat Hale. Children of George and Hilda.

Two pictures of Pat hale or Patricia Hale and below she is marrying John Hodges in 1969. A wedding invite is in the ephemera rescued pile.

A happy Colin Hale. 

Think this is of Hilda Hale nee Hart at the beach, but it is quite creased. 

There are also a few photographs belonging to the extended family of the Harts, Hales and Curtis's. Here are the ones named 

Carol Stemple in her costume. Maybe crowned as the May Queen? Hilda hart also married a Gunter Stemple. This may be her daughter

Has George and Doris Hart born 1927 (another sister of Iris) and Dick on the back. The man doesn't look very well?

An older photograph. Has Albert Curtis and wife written on the reverse - but there is a question mark. Not found an Albert Curtis as yet.

Hilda Burdett 1936 to 2003. She was the daughter of Francis Burdett and Elizabeth Ann Smith. Florence Rosemary Hart's sister. 

Louise Hart married Edward Manger in 1896. Louise born in 1856 and died in 1936. Sent to Albert and Rose Hart. Louise was his aunt.

Sent to Aunt Rose with Ian, Linda, Michael, Stephen Edwards on the back. Missing one child that look like twins. Taken around the 1960s by the looks of it.

Has "From baby to granny with fondest love Rene" on the back then Irene pencilled in. Probably Irene Hart b 1910. Now onto the unknown and not sure if in this family. But I am including them as well

A nice happy wedding scene. Cutting the cake. Probably 1950s of age. Unsigned but has a Rugby photograph stamp.

Now all the photographs below were in the ephemera box at the car boot. I think they may be related to the family above or have a Rugby connection. Above is the mess full of soldiers that look very young. It is on an old card stock - so may be during the WW2 or National service just after. 

A young sailor unnamed with a look of the Curtis's about him?

This has Mr and Mrs Kingdom on in pencil. Obviously someone the Harts knew. It is a postcard photograph. I will say she looks as though she has a slight bump in front!

This three sailor photograph is quite sad. Again in pencil that has faded on the back. Has Danny, ??Dick/Jim/Bert (very difficult to read) and then Johnny killed by Japs.

Small photograph like many of the others in the Hart collection - unnamed. A soldier on a motorbike 

Another small photograph of a group of soldiers.

This one has a Redding Rugby stamp on the paper insert.

A happy couple together. But no identification given.

A wedding in the 1920s. Maybe related to the Hart/Hale or Curtis/Smith family. 

Last but not least a wedding part photograph. Maybe related to the Harts. 

This is the second blog as I couldn't get all the pictures in one blog. Hope someone finds this helpful and if you are family please contact me via this page. I have already returned one lost album. Maybe these will find family?

October 2023 UPDATE

The Hart & Curtis family photographs and ephemera have been returned to family. I am so pleased they have been returned and not lost forever. 

Iris Violet Hart's life in a car boot

 Iris Violet's Hart's life in a car boot - Rugby resident of old..

Rummaging through boxes of ephemera at the local car boot is a must. So when I found a bunch of photographs with the name "Hart" on I was in my element. Hart is a family name - because I didn't know if they were family. I went through the large box and pulled out all the named photographs and associated papers. The elderly gentleman who ran the store wouldn't let me buy the whole box though. He was a dealer of some kind. Who had lots of antique and other relicts. Back at home - I looked on the website and pieced together her past. She did not appear to be a relation of my grandfather, he had several brothers that I have never known, but may be this branch is very distantly related!!

The following week and a few weeks after. I went looking again and found a few more pictures and related ephemera. In all I probably spent about £20.

Yesterday I got round to making a family tree on Ancestry and adding just some of the photographs. The rest I will have on here. As usual - if you have any information. Please contact me by this blog or on Ancestry. 

   Above is Iris Violet Hart - it says so on the back in pencil. Small writing that is difficult to read.

She is wearing the same coat on other photographs. 

 This photograph has Iris Violet Hart in the centre with the other two people blank. I would hazard a guess at the man being James Edward Curtis (her husband) and the young child Camelita? (this guess is written on the back of a smaller photograph copy). It looks to have been taken in the 1950s or early 60s. 

Nice group of women and one man - taken in the street in front of a pub I think. Pub or works outing? Iris V Hart is sat in front wearing the same coat. The photograph is in a paper frame with "F C Clarke, Photographer, The Studio, Windsor Court, High Street, Rugby" stamped on it. I think the person writing the names on the back was doing so before 1960s. As that is when Iris Hart got married.

 Iris Violet Hart again at the English seaside. You can tell it is England - as have to wear a rain mackintosh. 

More seaside outings in the above two pictures. This one looks to be from the 1950s. On the reverse it has Iris Violet Hart with Margaret Gramell/Garrett? written on the reverse. Probably a friend who was also on the day trip. Iris appears to have had one son, Mark Curtis. But although he has started a family tree on Ancestry. He hasn't been on Ancestry for a long time 3 to 12 months according to his page. 

This photograph has Iris Hart and Jackie Saul? on the reverse.

Iris Hart and Bob Saul - probably on another day trip or coming out of the cinema in the 50s.

No names on this little photograph

 Or this unidentified one.

 

Haven't been able to work out who Bob Saul was. But here below is him in another photograph. Taken I think outside the house Iris lived in. 

Here is Bob Saul in his military uniform. Taken on the 8 Nov 1944. 

Same house with two young children and a dog. Not named on the back.

There are several photographs taken from this house with Iris Violet Hart and Albert Hart.

The top photograph has Joby Hart and Edith Squibb on the back. It also has Albert Hart and Edith Squibb on another smaller same copy? The lower door one with dog has nothing written on the back.

Albert I think was called Joby. He was born in 1930 in Daventry, married Edith Grace Vincent Squibb in 1954 and had one son Jeremy. He served during WW2 as there was a letter with a Christmas card addressed to him in the ephemera lot. He was TPR A Hart AAT Troup number 2231103.

This holiday photograph taken in Skegness! Has lots of question marks and Albert Hart (3rd left with bag), Camelita Banna Vesti (young woman in checked skirt), Enid Hart (with pearl necklace), Jeremy Hart (baby at front) on.

 This picture says Jeremy Hart on the back.

Going back a generation. There are some photographs of Albert Hart (1900 - 1974) and his wife Florence Rose Smith (1898 - 1976) I think that it was probably Florence's home that these pictures came from originally, although I think she was known as Rose Hart.

Florence Rose Hart

Albert and Florence Hart at Stratford - On -Avon Golden Wedding.

Florence Rosemary Hart nee Smith.

Albert belonged to the Order of Buffaloes 1932.

Albert and Florence Hart with George Hale at Wells near the sea Norfolk.

Not named but looks to be Florence Hart and a girl in a bridesmaid dress outside a house.

 Think this is Florence hart with Camilita?

There are a couple of letters and a book about the Order of Buffaloes as well. Florence or Rose Hart lived at Elizabeth Road, West Haddon near Rugby Warwickshire. 

 This maybe a Buffalo event or completely unrelated. It was in the same box of ephemera. It is a large postcard format. No other information on it.

There are quite a few photographs of Albert and Florence's son George William Hart known as Dick (1920 - 1983) and Barbara Elizabeth Young (1928 - 1989) with Derek Hart their son.

Barbara Hart (Barb) nee Young.

Derek Hart as a young baby above.
Sorry Derek couldn't resist the one below. Baby birth notification was sent to Mr and Mrs A Hart and it was in the ephemera pile. Now in my possession.  

This has just Mabel, Albert, Louise and Dick Hart on the one side of the sleeve. George William hart was known as Dick.

This photograph above was taken at the same wedding and has Iris and Doris Hart on the back. Doris was another sister.

George William and Barbara Hart with a baby Derek.

George William (Dick) and Barbara with Derek Hart a little older.

 On the reverse of this it says - George William Hart and Barbara Elizabeth Young 12/7/1947. Taken on their wedding day.

There are so many more photographs of this family or not to add. So I will start another blog post. Please contact me on this blog. All posts are screened before I publish them.

Looking for my ancestors and other family

 Looking for my ancestors and other family to add faces to names and information about their lives.

In the last few weeks I have been able to return an album of photographs and taken scans of them, to give to three other family members. It was an album found in a car boot. Luckily the photographs had names on the back. From this blog and also on Ancestry the family contacted me. You can read the blog from August 2020 on here. 

I can only hope that there are photographs and other information out there about my ancestors and their extended family. With Easter 2021 today, it is a time to reflect on what I am researching and looking for. I am compiling my family tree and making a scrap book type of info with pictures of addresses, family photos and lots more. To give a more comprehensive understanding on where I came from and to leave a legacy to my children and grandchildren.

I have two grandchildren at the moment and another well on the way. Here are they yesterday on an Easter egg hunt around the estate. Those are my legs in the boots striding out front!!

Would be so grateful..

I would be very grateful to find family photographs long lost and war medals that have passed out of my families hands. Along with any documents, birth, marriage and death certificates or any information

The names I am looking for - are as following..

Hart - the family were in Birmingham, England but originally came from Roscommon Ireland. Large families and Catholic - so must be some more photos and info out there. navies and labourers working in brickyards and on building construction.

Kennedy - again from Birmingham and came to England during the potato famine in Ireland. Also from Roscommon and a place that sounds like Castel Dreary!!

Varley - from Birmingham and Mayo, Ireland. Again fled Ireland to escape starvation and poverty. Blacksmiths and horse farm workers. Married into the Graham or Greaham - depending on who wrote the name down.   

Feege - just to completely baffle me. My great grandparents were from Germany. Koulm (possibly Cologne) or Polzin! Totally came to a brick wall on them. So help please. A tailor and possible cabinet maker. 

Piske - again German but haven't any clue to go on. My great grandmother emigrated to Canada after spending time in London and Birmingham. She then, I believe decided to go find her two oldest children who were sent to Canada by Barnardo's. She was a tailoress working in Dean's clothes shop on Birmingham's High Street in 1911.

Ward - now they travelled around from Shropshire, Yorkshire and Staffordshire to complicate my life. My grandfather told us about Lilleshall but also said we were originally from Ireland - this I haven't found in the ward line (as yet) A long line of coal miners and agricultural labourers - depending on where they could get work.

Johnson - My great grandmother was Scottish. Born in Edinburgh. But her family actually came from Kenilworth! Imagine traveling in the early 1800s from the Warwickshire area right up to Scotland and then back to Birmingham!! One of these days I will find a line that just stayed in one place. Comb makers originally. They had links to Kenilworth Castle when it was not in ruins and when the work ran out. They travelled up to Scotland via Northampton.

Hands - My grandmother was ill when we lost all the family photographs to the Salvation Army. Her sister left everything to them and they refused my nan access to the photographs. They may be long gone to that great skip in the sky or still floating around somewhere - I just hope. Then there are the WW1 medals. Harry Hands in particular. He suffered from PSD and ended up in Highcroft and Rubery mental hospitals for the rest of his life. Heavily involved in the Salvation Army my nan rebelled.  

Horrocks - Another family from Birmingham. Gun engravers and brass founders that worked and lived in the city. We have very little information. My nan married her cousin to make it more confusing. When he died she didn't keep anything except his WW1 medals. Way back the Horrocks came from Lancashire and a poor branch of the Horrocks cloth empire.    

Morris and Elwell - going further back.. Birmingham and possible further afield. 

Of course I have looked at my husband and grandchildren's heritage. So...

Palmer, Hicklin, Howard and Adcock. Along with Grimshaw and Yeomans - all of Birmingham and Northern England. Only just started this tree. So have very little information at the moment.

Hoggard, Howe, Wilkin and Winson - from Bridlington, Kingston Upon Hull, Paull, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Norfolk - again did they have to move around the UK!! Many were fishermen and lifeboat men. Also lighthouse and inn keepers. Must be some smugglers and pirates in there. There is also a vicar ancestor from Threlkeld in Cumberland.

Collins, Sandford, Boreham and Davies from London and Lancashire. Working on the railways and traveling from city to city. One family member killed in the blitz in London. Coalminers in St Helen's in Lancashire. 

Moving back to Birmingham and Bromsgrove..

Weaver - Bakers by trade and unfortunately went bankrupt. Birmingham and Bromsgrove. One of the family married into the Ingram bakers. 

Parton - from Birmingham, Staffordshire and Stakksdon in Shropshire. Labourers that fell on hard times. Widowed mother and destitute at one point. 

Hull - from Birmingham, Coventry and Warwickshire. Ribbon and silk weavers for several generations. Before traveling to the town of Birmingham to work in factories.

Davies from Shropshire and Wales. Illegitimate children by whom we see? Martha Davies eventually married Thomas Preece from Pontesbury in Shropshire. So were Ernest and Joseph his or was someone else the father? DNA hasn't thrown any light on this yet. They lived in Meole Brace, Bayston Hill in Shropshire for many generations after. Until Winifred met Samuel and Florence met Thomas. They all then moved to Birmingham. 

Richards - from Birmingham and Wolverhampton. Cordwainers or shoe makers in Deritend of Birmingham. Married a Squelch at one point in history - now that is an unusual name to track. A female wardrobe dealer when widowed. Foy is also another name in this family. 

Lewis from Birmingham, Shropshire and St Masters in Herefordshire. Then from apparently from Wales. Working on the railway made travel so much easier. Another Preece from Hereford - so they must have been related somewhere along the line   

Then the rogues of the family.

Lightfoot - from Birmingham and Ireland. Henry Lightfoot - the first named Peaky Blinder. Yes, I have a lot of information on this man. From the start of his life to the end. A rogue who was inclined to drink a lot and then do some stupid things! His real life may be in a book some day. So watch this space. Don't believe all the things written about him. Much of it is myth written for effect and he never had a gun. 

Welch - again from Birmingham and Ireland. Morgan and Mecking descent. Imprisoned for theft with family tales of a murder. Drinkers and fighters through history.

Kathleen Lightfoot and possibly Winifred Davies above.

The tall man is probably Joseph Ward - but have no idea who the other man is.

Tracing your family is never ending. With more records coming online and being rescued. Increasingly more is available. So I am back to searching and "putting the skin and bones on my ancestors" rather than just census and BMD details. It makes it a whole lot more interesting. Currently reading up on Waterloo and the Napoleonic wars (one of my direct ancestors played a small part). Wish I would have the current knowledge, as I probably would have taken it in more during the history lessons at school!

So have a happy Easter all.