tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526006646312262152024-02-07T19:15:17.930+00:00A Backward LookImages from my Family ArchivesEmmy Eustacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13418864899166513002noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1052600664631226215.post-34183484213760941642015-04-25T14:15:00.000+01:002015-04-25T14:15:02.208+01:00Captain Roger Francis Draper <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently, Ancestry has begun to upload <a href="http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=60380" target="_blank">WWI War Diaries</a> from The National Archives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was very pleased to discover that the Ancestry collection includes the war diaries of my great grandfather's battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment, which landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on the 6th August 1915. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the moment, the available diaries are not indexed by name, just by date, location, regiment and unit. So whilst reading through both versions of the diary (handwritten and typed) for </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the months of August and September, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">looking for references to my great grandfather, I kept an eye out for Captain Roger Francis Draper, of whom I wrote </span><a href="http://a-backward-look.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/roger-and-anna-draper.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">last year</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All my previous research had led me to believe that Captain Draper was killed in action on the 22nd August 1915. However, according to the 6th Battalion's war diary, he died or was mortally wounded on the 21st August.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I read over the entries, I realised that the confusion over dates might have occurred because the man responsible for compiling the diary, Captain and Adjutant VTR Ford was also wounded on the 21st August! As a result, Captain Ford had to write up his usual review of the day's events at a much later date than was usual. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The handwritten copy was originally dated for the 22nd August but amended to read the 21st. It doesn't mention Captain Draper at all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is the typed 'good' copy that references Captain Draper on the 21st August 1915. Probably because his name was added to the details given in the handwritten version, the diary is ambiguous as to whether he was killed outright or was severely wounded.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps this small discrepancy is only a minor point but it highlights the fact that official war diaries were written by men who were not just observing from the sidelines. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like many a useful genealogical resource, we need to bear in mind that these surviving original documents may be a second or even third 'good' copy, cobbled together from hastily scribbled notes, sometime after the event. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">© Emmy Eustace</span><br />
<br />Emmy Eustacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13418864899166513002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1052600664631226215.post-29763231513503478742015-04-16T16:02:00.001+01:002020-10-04T13:56:35.274+01:00CARRY ON, SERGEANT!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudoDEsxC_eGFHqp6RpWQOlvdTl-RvZbcA4Pex-EgpCpN6lTJAwISFvSjw1kx9loFWcD_RxnAfRpvabYKMqu2cUrhjhscOQvw61YaYxHbRrJRCA8XjC5ru5FRHj_jBIGuKqWovqZzzAv0/s1600/Cpostcard+18th+June+1920.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudoDEsxC_eGFHqp6RpWQOlvdTl-RvZbcA4Pex-EgpCpN6lTJAwISFvSjw1kx9loFWcD_RxnAfRpvabYKMqu2cUrhjhscOQvw61YaYxHbRrJRCA8XjC5ru5FRHj_jBIGuKqWovqZzzAv0/s1600/Cpostcard+18th+June+1920.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Postcard by Capt Bruce Bairnsfather</td></tr>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The Chevrons Club opened on the 7th February 1918. It offered Non Commissioned Officers on leave a place to stay in London. Conveniently situated near Victoria Station, the Club provided guests with a hot meal, a bath and a bed, with the chance to relax with a smoke and a game of billiards for just 1 shilling a night or 5 shillings a year.</span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I have a pile of paperwork relating to the Club's early years. This unique collection paints a picture of an organisation with big plans and good intentions (branches in major naval and inland towns and the Dominions, local unemployment bureaus, war memorials etc). </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnBZXAhXCN7MoHp0UxIvtHRK_RfO3mn5GlcG-tY7LHmlm8lcAE2t_CpxzlhZkr7xoNDvcIqXqWR3njprGv4EWFE4ZdZkDY8uhg72KbRGW-IEKj4naW0npiyi4bwaxzI6O2mF2DJz1bcA/s1600/picture.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnBZXAhXCN7MoHp0UxIvtHRK_RfO3mn5GlcG-tY7LHmlm8lcAE2t_CpxzlhZkr7xoNDvcIqXqWR3njprGv4EWFE4ZdZkDY8uhg72KbRGW-IEKj4naW0npiyi4bwaxzI6O2mF2DJz1bcA/s1600/picture.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chevrons Club 1918 from Flight Magazine via Flightglobal.com</td></tr>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Although by 1919 the Chevrons Club had a healthy 1,745 members (including 112 Canadians and 227 Australians), subscriptions</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> alone were not enough to keep an increasingly expensive operation afloat. Clearly, this was due (in part at least) to overspending by an Executive Committee comprised of (mainly) senior ranking officers from the armed services, adept at </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">persuading various wealthy friends and colleagues to make hefty donations but inadequate as managers of a residential London club.</span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In order to help raise £150,000 to continue the extension of the St George's Square headquarters and to establish local clubs, the Executive Committee organised a dance, </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">hosted by everyone's favourite fundraiser, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Robey" target="_blank">George Robey</a>. </span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The grandly titled 'George Robey's Ball' was held on the 5th June 1919 at The Queen's Hall, in Langham Place, London. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-ewegFIwQUND_2GoBVI5_6mkXAiPWgHHxIOYkdhH-1O-ZZJg0ppLYMajuRjVHZKuiS5fNSYXoVLgajZlMBtwJ8efwRcowEU25sIj5-uZg4-lk5gqbt4GhW1Co4Ec9M2oRkklMOiHcXs/s1600/Cgeorge+robeys+signature.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-ewegFIwQUND_2GoBVI5_6mkXAiPWgHHxIOYkdhH-1O-ZZJg0ppLYMajuRjVHZKuiS5fNSYXoVLgajZlMBtwJ8efwRcowEU25sIj5-uZg4-lk5gqbt4GhW1Co4Ec9M2oRkklMOiHcXs/s1600/Cgeorge+robeys+signature.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKziFkdBv1rSKyk-DoGL9cuTVLom1qaAuqqpQMNPp6mlUPzfAd_fnOZtCO5xyrjBlQsz2CChPwK06OHrJJ_71RsA4MLKubxlNzOTPw09wb9-O4k_zLWAPrGqvQ5P67f4caYzeCdezjQzg/s1600/Cgeorge+robeys+ball+mascot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKziFkdBv1rSKyk-DoGL9cuTVLom1qaAuqqpQMNPp6mlUPzfAd_fnOZtCO5xyrjBlQsz2CChPwK06OHrJJ_71RsA4MLKubxlNzOTPw09wb9-O4k_zLWAPrGqvQ5P67f4caYzeCdezjQzg/s1600/Cgeorge+robeys+ball+mascot.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'm thrilled to say that I've discovered a hitherto undated clip of film from the night in question, on the British Pathé website: </span><a href="http://www.britishpathe.com/video/george-robey-1/query/music" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.britishpathe.com/video/george-robey-1/query/music</a><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">If you follow the link, you'll see that it </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">features </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">George Robey, working the dance floor in his rather creepy 'Prime Minister of Mirth' persona</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">.</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></span><br />
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Given all the effort involved, the ball made a regrettable loss of about £55, a sum which ignored the "<i>problematical £20 due from Mr Geo. Robey</i>".</span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Not unreasonably, at their next AGM the membership passed a "<i>vote of censure</i>" of the Executive Comittee's administration, "<i>in view of the colossal losses incurred under their management</i>". The vote was dismissed as "<i>the action of a few malcontents</i>"</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">! </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="line-height: 17.9997997283936px;">Seemingly unrepentant and undaunted, </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="line-height: 17.9997997283936px;">the Committee's plans grew more ambitious: a boxing tournament between the British and French Services, held at Holborn Stadium on 22nd June 1920. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_yBlt5Ychyphenhyphenz60DK4ctbBIOnNGhQ-ReJj3r9YI0tMYAm3aAdYwOPjVURgjYiHEvcAqleIdNmnkmKl-24EM18KOLEaGLFCWd0XK2NxadxTBpQmAbyepA-jN2QeZ2dvoipo2q6EfgM89jQ/s1600/Cboxing+match.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_yBlt5Ychyphenhyphenz60DK4ctbBIOnNGhQ-ReJj3r9YI0tMYAm3aAdYwOPjVURgjYiHEvcAqleIdNmnkmKl-24EM18KOLEaGLFCWd0XK2NxadxTBpQmAbyepA-jN2QeZ2dvoipo2q6EfgM89jQ/s1600/Cboxing+match.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="line-height: 17.9997997283936px;">The Boxing Committe</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="line-height: 17.9997997283936px;">e, fully expecting a capacity crowd of 3000, spent a </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="line-height: 17.9997997283936px;">whopping £770 on the match. </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="line-height: 17.9997997283936px;">Expenditure included: £72 on the stadium, £60 on unsold programmes, £116 on a press agents' lunch and advertising, £100 on medallions and £68 on 'tube railway' posters.</span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="line-height: 17.9997997283936px;">In the end they sold a paltry 705 tickets, which amounted to receipts of only £525 - another <i>colossal</i> loss.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi984bzw6VPxLNGO-VsrOlGdlEAfBgKXhD_bM0KfzkGDC-ENyvl0Gr8UgKwiHnnoG5ftO1nCtZv5vFhhb9vriVE4i0rLCKJG0uwegEsdfcLKM2n3Nz_aodjNjaBFbRj11TnKypeEdeSwRc/s1600/Cprogramme.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi984bzw6VPxLNGO-VsrOlGdlEAfBgKXhD_bM0KfzkGDC-ENyvl0Gr8UgKwiHnnoG5ftO1nCtZv5vFhhb9vriVE4i0rLCKJG0uwegEsdfcLKM2n3Nz_aodjNjaBFbRj11TnKypeEdeSwRc/s1600/Cprogramme.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The Finance Committee Secretary, LJ Farries Esq announced the "</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">adverse balance"</i><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> in his report to the Executive Committee </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">of July 1920. </span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Staggeringly, he managed to blame the French ("</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the French were entirely responsible</i><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">") for delaying the match until it was too late in the boxing season. </span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In addition, he quoted the "<i>failure of the <a href="http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/11474794" target="_blank">Goddard-Moran fight</a></i>" which temporarily closed the stadium box office and a lack of public interest because "</span><span because="" believed="" box="" closed="" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" general="" he="" i="" lack="" of="" office.="" public="" support="" temporarily="" the="" was="" which=""><i>the boxing public have been surfeited with boomed matches on which enormous sums have been spent in advertising and nothing short of a sensation will now draw the people, as witness the farcical <a href="http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/4595383" target="_blank">Burns-Beckett fight</a></i></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">.</span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span br="">Perhaps the most disappointing factor of all was the "<i>prevailing apathy</i>" of the armed forces themselves. Farries lamented that "<i>Guards' officers came in some numbers but I doubt if we sold 10 tickets in the War Office or Admiralty; as regards the men I had printed a leaflet...offering service men in uniform half-price seats - not one was sold</i>".<br /><br /> By August 1920, membership had dropped to 930 and part of the newly acquired premises (No. 82 St George's Square) had to be surrendered for a much needed £180.</span>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Based on this downward trajectory, I was gladdened to learn that the Chevrons Club managed to survive the efforts of its first Executive Committee. In fact, it must have prospered, as the St George's Square headquarters were still open in October 1940 when they were bombed by the Luftwaffe</span></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">.</span></span><sup style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1</sup><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Eventually, t</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">he Club moved to Dorset Square, where it stayed, until its closure around </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">1972.</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2</sup><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span><br /><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span span=""><span style="line-height: 17.9997997283936px;"><br /></span></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.9997997283936px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjng-PMji85MBnW7ih-q_eCGRwfsvNQKioRqpvjkJDay5nAlenw07llC0ZMHK6SeVIDY9JjmiTxeaU_pV3dMR8nSm3aqu9q2OACPPAyuzDtObxwsuS1b6t_RVInhyphenhyphen1aBV_DLcViKVD1OH4/s1600/Cchristmas+card+1918.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjng-PMji85MBnW7ih-q_eCGRwfsvNQKioRqpvjkJDay5nAlenw07llC0ZMHK6SeVIDY9JjmiTxeaU_pV3dMR8nSm3aqu9q2OACPPAyuzDtObxwsuS1b6t_RVInhyphenhyphen1aBV_DLcViKVD1OH4/s1600/Cchristmas+card+1918.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail from The Chevrons Club Christmas Card 1919</td></tr>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Footnotes</span></span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">1/ <a href="http://eaalewis.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/231040.html" target="_blank">'23/10/40 Bombed out at the Chevrons Club'</a> Letter written </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">by </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Elydyr</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Lewis </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">from the Blog entitled "</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Letters from London WWII" Originally posted 6th September 2011. </span></span><br />
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">2/ </span><a href="http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6032086" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">'The Last Days of the Chevrons Club' </a><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">1972 </span></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The National Archives Ref: AIR 2/18841 & </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">AIR 2/18842 </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7zXz2QRG2K1SYtLYhd7uLYoTaKCS5-35SxglO6Rngd8bOxLTfXMjy0SEzRL4skbV7v02jiY2tCZMmFmrCA3W7zOYxhk84LYEE_AeLneFlob6IgbbJxs6dzhv12rzdN9oOWPW0h1CB_Q/s1600/agency+form+22+march+07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7zXz2QRG2K1SYtLYhd7uLYoTaKCS5-35SxglO6Rngd8bOxLTfXMjy0SEzRL4skbV7v02jiY2tCZMmFmrCA3W7zOYxhk84LYEE_AeLneFlob6IgbbJxs6dzhv12rzdN9oOWPW0h1CB_Q/s1600/agency+form+22+march+07.jpg" height="320" width="203" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<b>Mrs Hunt begs to forward the particulars of a servant</b>"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mrs Ellen Hunt's Servants' Agency was located at No. 86 High Street, Marylebone, London with additional premises on the Fulham Road. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1901, when Ellen's 74 year old husband, George was described on the census as a retired printer, Ellen (two years his senior!) was still the proprietor of a 'registry office for servants'.</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Even after her permanent retirement to the coast, the London agency continued to trade under Ellen's name.</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2</sup></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This Edwardian employment agency form is genealogical gold dust and a rare survivor - I have never seen another one!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was sent by Mrs Hunt's agency to Ronald Hugh Wilson Robertson (1879-1917) in March 1907 and provided the 'particulars' of Arthur J Broadfoot of 2 Craven Mews, Ealing. According to the form, Arthur was aged 36, 5 foot 7½ inches tall, 10 stone 6 lbs and married with one child. He had been in the employ of a Miss Pontifex for four years, as her groom/gardener.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If, like I did, you try looking for Arthur J Broadfoot in the census, you won't find him. For all its apparent attention to detail, the Servants' Agency failed in one vital respect: his name! Considering the notoriously high registration fees charged by registry offices to any <b>male</b> applicants, this was a careless mistake.<sup>3</sup></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eventually, I discovered that Arthur J was in fact Alfred James, born one of twins, in Liverpool in 1872, the son of Joseph and Susan Broadfoot.<sup>4</sup> Alfred moved down to London<sup>5</sup> shortly before joining the army, aged 19 in 1891. After active service in the Anglo-Boer War, he was discharged in May 1903<sup>6</sup> and started work with Miss Pontifex soon after. His steady, live-in job enabled him to marry in December and his daughter Margaret was born the following year, in 1904.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIsUl63rgEi1Wv_TGzPjBL1XDvTy1qTI-r1YLyEZEWlgOe0a0Afat_QXRfK9IZ9YG-kU1c1pFwxoMfgD5aA8C6qN-X6xg5y7cpGdEPCsHoJyBs2LqQB7Vr4ZLY0iRjBabi3zQQdF3sNw/s1600/Ronald+to+Broadfoot+27+march+07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIsUl63rgEi1Wv_TGzPjBL1XDvTy1qTI-r1YLyEZEWlgOe0a0Afat_QXRfK9IZ9YG-kU1c1pFwxoMfgD5aA8C6qN-X6xg5y7cpGdEPCsHoJyBs2LqQB7Vr4ZLY0iRjBabi3zQQdF3sNw/s1600/Ronald+to+Broadfoot+27+march+07.jpg" height="320" width="238" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On 27th March 1907 Ronald Robertson, wrote directly to the man he believed to be called Arthur Broadfoot, outlining his requirements, which included laundry work for Broadfoot's wife. Apart from the technical matter of whether Broadfoot could '<i>both ride and drive</i>', Ronald wanted to know the age and sex of his child and whether he and his wife were '<i>both strictly sober</i>'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alfred promptly answered all Ronald's questions, including the personal ones: his daughter was aged 2½ but 'very little trouble' and his wife was 31, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">'a good cook or housemaid & would not mind doing washing'.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition, Alfred asked a salary of £1 per week.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuL5UU_A13P74LopF5F64P4s9ivPki1ES4I9Af4rPE770ll3Z6GFhof5Bq-53zwSLtUknymaFa5BvXcrOWcyUs4AZgpZTTHlDoUJ3sF6vDvQIdcujoIW2RJQxeFT7BCUWkB14tW7KsMvQ/s1600/sober+habits+4+april+07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="abstainer" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuL5UU_A13P74LopF5F64P4s9ivPki1ES4I9Af4rPE770ll3Z6GFhof5Bq-53zwSLtUknymaFa5BvXcrOWcyUs4AZgpZTTHlDoUJ3sF6vDvQIdcujoIW2RJQxeFT7BCUWkB14tW7KsMvQ/s1600/sober+habits+4+april+07.jpg" height="77" title="Letter from Alfred Broadfoot" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9zz3IlMZYweqJ43BGsXxh3G2FUAWKvb-GaGDhBiznHmNUrPE3sXk_uR36Nfhn_sTnRU6p4KYELQWIkUpZpBs17I6I9NWkZeR073wDNZ193-5QdRYVe4xUccxGe0EB33ycR-HQM29sZg/s1600/sober+habits+4+april+07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ronald followed up on the reference, seeking reassurance that Broadfoot was '<i>a good man, honest & sober, willing to make himself useful</i>'. On 10th April, Helen Pontifex of 58 Uxbridge Road, Ealing confirmed that she had never seen Alfred '<i>anything but sober</i>'. Although he had always done anything she asked, she thought '<i>he would keep more to his work if he was under a man</i>'. She confirmed that the wife was a good cook but she couldn't comment on her washing!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzun3dCgjm3h5OmA5iztAVhjGt3FRjNUvqzfObeoO4tVnlTMawJADBM8oL-JnN40pq0xu7frOoxt3GuwIWxVE0D0b1fCxlqw-7J7cTyxUyTa9wz51QciNW_I3Tgni6eVRrMpO1pYIUqY/s1600/letter+requesting+expenses+broadfoot+to+ronald+17+april+07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzun3dCgjm3h5OmA5iztAVhjGt3FRjNUvqzfObeoO4tVnlTMawJADBM8oL-JnN40pq0xu7frOoxt3GuwIWxVE0D0b1fCxlqw-7J7cTyxUyTa9wz51QciNW_I3Tgni6eVRrMpO1pYIUqY/s1600/letter+requesting+expenses+broadfoot+to+ronald+17+april+07.jpg" height="320" width="257" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly, the original invitation hasn't survived but it is obvious that Alfred went to Gloucestershire for an interview soon after Miss Pontifex's reply.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It didn't go well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By 17th April, Alfred was requesting payment of his expenses:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">travel from West Ealing to Badminton 9d</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">losing 1 days work 4s</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">total: 4s/9d</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AdCsCGUl9B4d_RJdGqPLWpR51IYinxuCZfiXyNUcXR1sOnDuirMS28EssogYxUglYZv01VaP6aedNmY7ZButN7IHe_QTp2ZlQon533sh1Kl9f7R2LrfZ5mSyJqjNubJMaSdUQj74EHw/s1600/reply+to+request+for+expenses+ronald+to+broadfoot+25+april+07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AdCsCGUl9B4d_RJdGqPLWpR51IYinxuCZfiXyNUcXR1sOnDuirMS28EssogYxUglYZv01VaP6aedNmY7ZButN7IHe_QTp2ZlQon533sh1Kl9f7R2LrfZ5mSyJqjNubJMaSdUQj74EHw/s1600/reply+to+request+for+expenses+ronald+to+broadfoot+25+april+07.jpg" height="320" width="273" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The final letter in this series was from Ronald and he far from happy:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'<i>In reply to yours of 17th I enclose a Postal Order for 4/9, do you think it quite fair to charge 4/9 a day for two or three hours when you are out of a job? Please acknowledge it.</i>'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">***Postscript*** 10th December 2014 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">If you are interested in servants' employment agencies then may I recommend the new post on 'A Visitor's Guide to Victorian England' by Michelle Higgs: <a href="http://visitvictorianengland.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/servants-registries-how-victorian-maids.html" target="_blank">'Servants' Registries: How Victorian Maids Found their Places'</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/ 1901 Census TNA Ref: RG13/959/11 p12</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/ 1911 Census TNA Ref: RG14/5336/40B</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See classified advertisements in</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The Times</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> including 16 June & 22nd June 1905</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">plus an entry in the<i> London Post Office Directory</i> <i>1910</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/ Hansard: House of Commons Debate 3rd May 1906 vol.156 c.716: <a href="http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1906/may/03/servants-registry-office-fees#S4V0156P0_19060503_HOC_168" target="_blank">Servants' Registry Office Fees</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4/ GRO Births on Ancestry.co.uk & </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Baptisms, St Mary Magdalene, Liverpool on </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Liverpool/Liverpool-Central/stmarym/baptisms_1858-1876.html" target="_blank">Lancashire Online Parish Clerk Project</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5/ 1891 Census TNA Ref: RG12/8/109 p9</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6/ Service Record for Alfred James Broadfoot on findmypast.co.uk TNA Ref: WO97/4418/82</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">© Emmy Eustace</span></div>
Emmy Eustacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13418864899166513002noreply@blogger.com0England, UK52.3555177 -1.174319700000069142.4994677 -21.828616700000069 62.2115677 19.479977299999931tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1052600664631226215.post-85616149169118613482014-08-26T14:57:00.011+01:002020-10-04T13:51:22.137+01:00Every Military Requisite <span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">On 2nd April 1901, the
<a href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/" target="_blank">London Gazette</a>
published the commission of 2nd Lieutenant Ronald Hugh Wilson Robertson
(1879-1917) in the 1st (Brecknockshire) Volunteer Battalion, the South Wales
Borderers.</span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Immediately after the announcement, no less than 5 companies were pitching
for his business.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9vAVzLC8JxOGN3L6vL4dz7Nz9ikoNZ9Lzdfg88KObZ8OtJFjiBBTXQpp18yvdbp_1ZlynTFfz2i1vbxtV-oFf0TgjB-iSnCT6zerfqU8B8xrvR81Xbzgp3ggXDhLA8Hbwpzjjy0zlFY/s1600/hj+tucker+approach+(554x640)%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><img alt="military history" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9vAVzLC8JxOGN3L6vL4dz7Nz9ikoNZ9Lzdfg88KObZ8OtJFjiBBTXQpp18yvdbp_1ZlynTFfz2i1vbxtV-oFf0TgjB-iSnCT6zerfqU8B8xrvR81Xbzgp3ggXDhLA8Hbwpzjjy0zlFY/s1600/hj+tucker+approach+(554x640)%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" title="Quote from HJ Tucker 1901" width="277" /></span></a>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size: large;">HJ Tucker, Military Tailor & Outfitter</span></b> 137 Cheapside, London, EC.</span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">HJ Tucker used a pre-printed and rather impersonal standard letter,
accompanied by a generic estimate for a 2nd Lieutenant's uniform. The
quote included the cost of a sword with either a 'best proved steel hilt
and scabbard' or a more expensive plated version - 'to prevent
rust'.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8T7cAP3H0BfC2nhQb6BL9QoeC7LqWfku-_07AZd4AqwDDGryesPA3T_Q8CEoLf68PnkSvXX7aCpuXYhl9B2JUHd6GaZwHh2b29rj_VEpHHvoWEmSHiTIOeGpkEn0w4T1mh2-WXi9Iqd8/s1600/hj+tucker+estimate+(541x640)%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="military history" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8T7cAP3H0BfC2nhQb6BL9QoeC7LqWfku-_07AZd4AqwDDGryesPA3T_Q8CEoLf68PnkSvXX7aCpuXYhl9B2JUHd6GaZwHh2b29rj_VEpHHvoWEmSHiTIOeGpkEn0w4T1mh2-WXi9Iqd8/s1600/hj+tucker+estimate+(541x640)%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" title="Quote from HJ Tucker 1901" width="270" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3cNfSu6iwtBuT9xXqsht9BbMtF68Dzf_rRUxMyNdhQCLsiTh1bUe7IySfq4MTNWcsmdWICjmD0MIk_sRUX7AoE6ZVMo4PkY6hLA_1PzCM-9lNhZRwtCCWQ6wqMrNpPn6IM0keUPWY8c/s1600/herbert+and+co+approach+(543x640)%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="military history" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3cNfSu6iwtBuT9xXqsht9BbMtF68Dzf_rRUxMyNdhQCLsiTh1bUe7IySfq4MTNWcsmdWICjmD0MIk_sRUX7AoE6ZVMo4PkY6hLA_1PzCM-9lNhZRwtCCWQ6wqMrNpPn6IM0keUPWY8c/s1600/herbert+and+co+approach+(543x640)%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" title="Quote from Hebbert & Co 1901" width="271" /></a>
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<div><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Hebbert & Co Ltd, Manufacturers of Army, Navy, Railway and
Police Cloths, Clothing, Caps & Accoutrements</span>. </b>Head Office: Bethnal Green Road, London, E. Telephone No. 909 London
Wall.<b> </b></div></span></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPjjI3RMIdrQv0TSz-RrGX85qb5rL3ljGselyqnrqkp46-euyTBUxBmCzPIkEX3Hsr5UzdYRWznAeAmOGwG_7QckdCNTGHX6XXg1hVE2AWheMz9HsaYtKY97r5-XC9QKLSJNuqoLD454/s640/herbert+estimate+%2528409x640%2529+-+Copy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="409" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPjjI3RMIdrQv0TSz-RrGX85qb5rL3ljGselyqnrqkp46-euyTBUxBmCzPIkEX3Hsr5UzdYRWznAeAmOGwG_7QckdCNTGHX6XXg1hVE2AWheMz9HsaYtKY97r5-XC9QKLSJNuqoLD454/s320/herbert+estimate+%2528409x640%2529+-+Copy.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
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<div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Unlike Mr Tucker, </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hebbert & Co were on the phone. </span>Hebbert’s approach was more personal: a handwritten letter, signed by H G
Brightwell of No. 24 Cecil Court, Charing Cross Road, London. </div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">They too enclosed a price list but this time specifically aimed at a 2nd
Lieutenant in the Infantry Volunteers.</span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Note the difference in the price of gloves: doeskin versus </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">dog</span></i><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">skin.</span><br />
<br />
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">According to his surviving correspondence, </span>Hebbert<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
& Co Ltd were rewarded with an order from Ronald Robertson - two years
later, when he purchased a 'cloth cape' in October 1903.</span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>J Fisher, Army and Volunteer Contractor</b> </span>33 & 34 Artillery Place, Woolwich. </span>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Fisher specialised in second hand goods. His 'Circular' did not
advertise a phone number nor did it contain a separate price list.
Instead, J Fisher's 'Special' offer included an 'unsoiled' infantry
officer's steel sword for £3/5s</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> or one in nickel plate for a snip at £2.</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinH-7szS_Abvmy8xQhXrAduioDcT4jWmlyJVaBL4Ql5v0y1CdSK1dEvJT6pMWQtRnoPa-d2OCf26Vrd8T4jyy74C-9iRg3286KKxp_4D_c1V7QpilcfNpmelEDQxuQjoBfBOKNwKy_Vb8/s1600/samuel+brothers+approach+(539x640)%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><img alt="military history" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinH-7szS_Abvmy8xQhXrAduioDcT4jWmlyJVaBL4Ql5v0y1CdSK1dEvJT6pMWQtRnoPa-d2OCf26Vrd8T4jyy74C-9iRg3286KKxp_4D_c1V7QpilcfNpmelEDQxuQjoBfBOKNwKy_Vb8/s1600/samuel+brothers+approach+(539x640)%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" title="quote from Samuel Brothers" width="269" /></span></a>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Samuel Brothers Ltd, Military Tailors & Outfitters </b></span>Sydenham House, 65 & 67 Ludgate Hill, London EC. Telephone No. 689
Bank. </span>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Like the other four companies, Samuel Brothers Ltd despatched their
price list on 3rd April. It was accompanied by a fairly hurried looking
handwritten letter, which stressed 'quality, workmanship & finish'.
Uniquely, it drew the new lieutenant's attention to fellow officers
(from his battalion) who were already Samuel Brothers' customers: Majors
Powell & Jones, Captain Jowel and Quarter Master Dickey.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1oPsmuMcFYqRk0qsMVPGJzNVugr6eUkmU7SpA7tVuAlJqO1jEwHQk51KP0R7xl3Ksb_sSy868ht0xQF7064B-kWVIUkBMr_YNu-wyu3X74TL5bn4aJUOgvyNT_b6xMiwMmLNm37xPjk/s1600/samuel+brothers+(640x505)%252B-%252BCopy.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="military history" border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1oPsmuMcFYqRk0qsMVPGJzNVugr6eUkmU7SpA7tVuAlJqO1jEwHQk51KP0R7xl3Ksb_sSy868ht0xQF7064B-kWVIUkBMr_YNu-wyu3X74TL5bn4aJUOgvyNT_b6xMiwMmLNm37xPjk/s1600/samuel+brothers+(640x505)%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" title="measurement guide from Samuel Brothers 1901" width="400" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1oPsmuMcFYqRk0qsMVPGJzNVugr6eUkmU7SpA7tVuAlJqO1jEwHQk51KP0R7xl3Ksb_sSy868ht0xQF7064B-kWVIUkBMr_YNu-wyu3X74TL5bn4aJUOgvyNT_b6xMiwMmLNm37xPjk/s1600/samuel+brothers+(640x505)%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span></a>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Although they enclosed a handy 'Officers' Self-Measurement' guide
(right), I think it unlikely that a young officer would ever attempt
'self-measurement' for his first uniform but it's a nice
touch. </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The last and successful approach was made by: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ugi-aXqD0wfWZnZ6k7Wi2_eeDGCs1cWLeHde2tgapogfPp7IDc-Vm_TKv_2Gp5NkhYqJ4vBvWtyIAywuG2kBUMAJ-CddKeQa9HrnrltqNYY5g-5OWsBw_CVWKUt2RHkKptMuBS4yjIo/s1600/hobson+approach+(505x640)%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><img alt="military history" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ugi-aXqD0wfWZnZ6k7Wi2_eeDGCs1cWLeHde2tgapogfPp7IDc-Vm_TKv_2Gp5NkhYqJ4vBvWtyIAywuG2kBUMAJ-CddKeQa9HrnrltqNYY5g-5OWsBw_CVWKUt2RHkKptMuBS4yjIo/s1600/hobson+approach+(505x640)%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" title="quote from Hobson & Sons 1901" width="252" /></span></a>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>Hobson & Sons</b> </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">'Officers Department', 1, 3 & 5 Lexington Street, Golden Square,
London W. Telephone No. 3666 Gerrard. </span>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hobson & Sons used a standard but professional, typed letter. It
offered the Crickhowel based 2nd Lieutenant Robertson the convenience of
using their agent <b>Messrs Williams Bros Tailors</b> of 145 Commercial
Street, Newport for his measuring and fitting.</span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ronald Robertson took quite some time to consider his options and
eventually ordered his tunic and mess uniform from Hobson &
Sons on 4th June 1901. </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Two days later, under the pressure of attending his first Brigade Camp
at Porthcawl on 13th July, he submitted an order for the rest of
his uniform:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVOCEa3FavB1U9e4Qg6EosemH_HYmt6FWde-5ydhLZEeMnaTHgI6ftuE7rqT74SGWdrGOsDMg4lEOsd1vio1aBtlY8DzVzQjOC9yeqRZQXMsJwq68uAu3kvMrq-StTpxhbZsRQ_xbisQ/s1600/order+to+hobson.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="military history" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVOCEa3FavB1U9e4Qg6EosemH_HYmt6FWde-5ydhLZEeMnaTHgI6ftuE7rqT74SGWdrGOsDMg4lEOsd1vio1aBtlY8DzVzQjOC9yeqRZQXMsJwq68uAu3kvMrq-StTpxhbZsRQ_xbisQ/s1600/order+to+hobson.jpg" title="reply from Ronald HW Robertson 1901" width="282" /></a>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Staggeringly, given the time frame, Hobson's managed
to fulfil most of Ronald's order before he left for
Brigade Camp. They only missed the deadline with the Great Coat and the
Sam Browne Belts and Sword Knot, but these items were ready for delivery a
week later. </span><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">From an announcement in the Gazette to possession of your full kit, it
was quick work!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVOCEa3FavB1U9e4Qg6EosemH_HYmt6FWde-5ydhLZEeMnaTHgI6ftuE7rqT74SGWdrGOsDMg4lEOsd1vio1aBtlY8DzVzQjOC9yeqRZQXMsJwq68uAu3kvMrq-StTpxhbZsRQ_xbisQ/s1600/order+to+hobson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span></a><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">***postscript***</span><br />
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.hobsonuniforms.co.uk/aboutus.htm#ourhistory" target="_blank">Hobson & Sons</a>
are still in business</span>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">© Emmy Eustace</span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_U5nnWhIrgtzlmAIELmzBqTHKJ0Eua7Xmo_stimEOnwN44XN6UD8yHqJ5qeEfn5pH5T6gn5UUzXE0GXd330zLS7x-IhaO83Kq0gUoUQGYVAHV9iJKjkaqmRklOz686u6eXvGH0iF0-k/s1600/cig2c+%2528336x400%2529+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="postcard WW2" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_U5nnWhIrgtzlmAIELmzBqTHKJ0Eua7Xmo_stimEOnwN44XN6UD8yHqJ5qeEfn5pH5T6gn5UUzXE0GXd330zLS7x-IhaO83Kq0gUoUQGYVAHV9iJKjkaqmRklOz686u6eXvGH0iF0-k/s1600/cig2c+%2528336x400%2529+-+Copy.jpg" height="320" title="Overseas League Tobacco Fund 1943" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Overseas League Tobacco Fund Cigarette Postcard 1943</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To our modern eyes, supporting the provision of free cigarettes for young men and women would be at best, irresponsible and at worst, immoral.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the context of both the First and Second World Wars, it was regarded not just as an act of charity but a patriotic duty. A delivery of cigarettes from home brought comfort to the weary soldier on the front line and boosted morale.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Overseas Club inaugurated its famous Tobacco Fund during the First World War. Its success was legendary: in addition to tobacco for the troops, it donated 350 aircraft to the Royal Flying Corps and paid for a new hospital for wounded airmen.<sup>1</sup>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the Second World War, f</span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or the price of just a shilling, the Tobacco Fund, '<i>with the co-operation of the War Office and the Customs Authorities'</i> was able to send '<i>duty and carriage-free' </i>a parcel of 50 cigarettes to units at the Front,<sup>2</sup> hospitals or even ships at sea. Included in each package was a postcard, with the </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">donor's address on one side and a blank space for the recipient's message, on the other.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My father (for most of his life a non-smoker) was a keen donor to the Overseas League Tobacco Fund. He desperately wanted to join up, having been in the OTC (Officer Training Corps) at university but his requests were always firmly denied. Much to his intense frustration, they decided he was more useful in India. I think the Tobacco Fund was a small but poignant part of 'doing his bit' as he appears to have kept every single reply. As a result, </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am fortunate to have 43 of these very special 'reply postcards'. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvTHDV9sZGg05kqM3jcXfF3jesrMKVjjXamMDJVHsRDGDIt92UsTFEruUD7oAaD4x1JieHeqMPEFaaLt32eNRWWzP5pOKo4WLRf_WkLgz3bEzx1zHlUHRjzUI28EakzcilteFWUrDltM/s1600/cig29c+%2528356x400%2529+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="postcard WW2" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvTHDV9sZGg05kqM3jcXfF3jesrMKVjjXamMDJVHsRDGDIt92UsTFEruUD7oAaD4x1JieHeqMPEFaaLt32eNRWWzP5pOKo4WLRf_WkLgz3bEzx1zHlUHRjzUI28EakzcilteFWUrDltM/s1600/cig29c+%2528356x400%2529+-+Copy.jpg" height="320" title="Overseas League Tobacco Fund 1945" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cigarette Postcard 1945</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note the message at the bottom: 'Important: at the request of the authorities' - in capitals - 'Do not disclose any particulars of your unit'. This stricture wasn't always followed particularly closely, as can be seen in the cards below.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnLw9bmIks84l9rIIheYDNmouTxUJZNm7QcJTSRP5R1eKHhUl_Dx5q5KsUJDqnVJyqnTg1d3uOQOV8Wsr7uzAFCTYY5sOAVLLwWA-mDxcH5tFebW6rN7zx5icoaqzW-E3JIRkkwIQBgw/s1600/cig32c+%2528369x400%2529+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img alt="postcard WW2" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnLw9bmIks84l9rIIheYDNmouTxUJZNm7QcJTSRP5R1eKHhUl_Dx5q5KsUJDqnVJyqnTg1d3uOQOV8Wsr7uzAFCTYY5sOAVLLwWA-mDxcH5tFebW6rN7zx5icoaqzW-E3JIRkkwIQBgw/s1600/cig32c+%2528369x400%2529+-+Copy.jpg" height="320" title="Overseas League Tobacco Fund 1945" width="295" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cigarette Postcard 1945</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This postcard, dated 7th July 1945, was sent by Lalitha Hensman, a Welfare Officer with the Indian Red Cross at South East Asia Command. Having obviously remarked on the address of the donor, she kindly takes care to point out that the 'recipients were Indian soldiers'. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnflLHHofU-8iakEdnN-nr2tGNlExgFnzoo9HTnPALcbanUqjSCE7nLEzudfboaMSa8oZXourGWKAoea2PzpUHs7sszemVZqK48TCJxgVT2rs02Lz2xr3XO7uX5r41b2rxhHGDCCDSptY/s1600/cig13c+%2528366x400%2529+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="postcard WW2" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnflLHHofU-8iakEdnN-nr2tGNlExgFnzoo9HTnPALcbanUqjSCE7nLEzudfboaMSa8oZXourGWKAoea2PzpUHs7sszemVZqK48TCJxgVT2rs02Lz2xr3XO7uX5r41b2rxhHGDCCDSptY/s1600/cig13c+%2528366x400%2529+-+Copy.jpg" height="320" title="Overseas League Tobacco Fund 1944" width="292" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cigarette Postcard 1944</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My third and final postcard was sent in August 1944. Simple and to the point, it really sums up the whole collection: </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These cigarettes were issued to Allied Ex Prisoners of War who escaped through our lines. They were more than acceptable, and we wish to express our thanks to you.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yours</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>AG K</i><i>ennard </i>[?]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* New Zealand Expeditionary Force</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/ '<i>Founding Father</i>' By Alex May. <a href="http://www.rosl.org.uk/magazine/pdf/13.pdf" target="_blank">'Overseas: Journal of the Royal Overseas League' Issue 3 3rd September 2010</a> p.13 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/ '<i>Tobacco for the Troops</i>' The Spectator Magazine 12th November 1939 from the <a href="http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/13th-october-1939/3/tobacco-for-the-troops" target="_blank">Spectator Archive</a><br />
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© Emmy Eustace</div>
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</span><br />Emmy Eustacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13418864899166513002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1052600664631226215.post-2922135014335269112014-06-12T16:08:00.000+01:002014-10-03T12:53:25.159+01:00Not to be Used for any Other Purpose: Recycling the Royal Navy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFzm1R2c4EKj-QK7YQXi-FXr81uJSg3CtBx5veREyVnISLgycAwsFbk390GRweERlmkEKTVF96rfWZGfvSkwWaaencyV97Bmz3A9MB5k-IH-0khsWAro3Ta00zSdYV85HNUZj6_ymesc/s1600/parchment1+(400x262).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFzm1R2c4EKj-QK7YQXi-FXr81uJSg3CtBx5veREyVnISLgycAwsFbk390GRweERlmkEKTVF96rfWZGfvSkwWaaencyV97Bmz3A9MB5k-IH-0khsWAro3Ta00zSdYV85HNUZj6_ymesc/s1600/parchment1+(400x262).jpg" height="209" title="Envelope for Parchment Certificates and for History Sheets" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"OHMS: On His Majesty's Service"<br />
1905-1906</td></tr>
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If a genealogist is allowed to have one, my favourite ancestor has to be my Great Uncle John Bridges Eustace, known to the family as Jack. He kept everything (almost) and his fascinating archive will undoubtedly feature heavily in this blog.<br />
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By way of example, here are a few envelopes!<br />
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Having originally been designed to hold Royal Naval Service Certificates and associated service documents (gunnery and torpedo history sheets etc) the 'Envelopes for Parchment Certificates and History Sheets' were made of durable, thick paper. Well over a hundred years later, they are still in fairly good condition.<br />
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Waste is and was frowned upon in the Navy, whether it be ammunition or paper and Jack, regardless of the strictures on the front, happily re-used all types of envelopes for his private paperwork as seen below:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrp43P6Qdd_vj3YCPLVBgBq4NUIkSFKIpBski8dZ7gdoiMVugXLo1_ycXyRK8itf87AEls67Vx3kgj1KtgWDbp2JKOnPps0_0ik7Q1u3GktsU5GAxTif1h6xHVf6Xs59FzMO4v_Uz-T7Q/s1600/parchment2+(400x257)+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="royal navy history" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrp43P6Qdd_vj3YCPLVBgBq4NUIkSFKIpBski8dZ7gdoiMVugXLo1_ycXyRK8itf87AEls67Vx3kgj1KtgWDbp2JKOnPps0_0ik7Q1u3GktsU5GAxTif1h6xHVf6Xs59FzMO4v_Uz-T7Q/s1600/parchment2+(400x257)+-+Copy.jpg" height="205" title="Envelope for Parchment Certificates and for History Sheets" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HMS c1901</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UTri0YXiVLTKrO7mjgNGVfCj95UvrHKJuy5F2yh7g3fqUk4hXtKhXoh6_rz3Zp50Dis7Xq1Y_uR28682OhW7ks8qTlFYczrhc5MdDMw4E01V0wOZ1nt3erKmaTIP6A4ECkQPqsOGOco/s1600/parchment+(400x261)+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Royal Navy history" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UTri0YXiVLTKrO7mjgNGVfCj95UvrHKJuy5F2yh7g3fqUk4hXtKhXoh6_rz3Zp50Dis7Xq1Y_uR28682OhW7ks8qTlFYczrhc5MdDMw4E01V0wOZ1nt3erKmaTIP6A4ECkQPqsOGOco/s1600/parchment+(400x261)+-+Copy.jpg" height="208" title="Envelope for Parchment Certificates and for History Sheets" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Not to be used for any other purpose"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenB_ITuC2IjQdAl73_FtFZU9h38qwpW1h7QNRb2CndmT7mLBso942iB3h90RjP64EVSDFU4TdgMz0z4fyP5x2wcouJtH2kp-dqpIKKZT1OzBnpTyg7gwhEQ3LQIYiAkpDMGm_jPpGovo/s1600/cinc1+(400x307)+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Royal Navy history" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenB_ITuC2IjQdAl73_FtFZU9h38qwpW1h7QNRb2CndmT7mLBso942iB3h90RjP64EVSDFU4TdgMz0z4fyP5x2wcouJtH2kp-dqpIKKZT1OzBnpTyg7gwhEQ3LQIYiAkpDMGm_jPpGovo/s1600/cinc1+(400x307)+-+Copy.jpg" height="245" title="HMS Alert " width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HMS Alert c1901 </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJ4LBp79guxIIZtM7Q-aU1tpNRyxxK2SOh519E3PpymZ7mQPtSuqTdpTDGAU37HdlaYsiE-kG8rW0eqTQXngHjJD9iSu7ybHdJNQ2UAv-aftch36ypeVH8AhKugP4xt2FLm_d2oblGMM/s1600/cinc+-+Copy+%2528335x400%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Royal Navy history" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJ4LBp79guxIIZtM7Q-aU1tpNRyxxK2SOh519E3PpymZ7mQPtSuqTdpTDGAU37HdlaYsiE-kG8rW0eqTQXngHjJD9iSu7ybHdJNQ2UAv-aftch36ypeVH8AhKugP4xt2FLm_d2oblGMM/s1600/cinc+-+Copy+%2528335x400%2529.jpg" height="200" title="HMS Alert" width="167" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wax seal of the Commander-in-Chief North America and West Indies from the <br />
back of above envelope addressed to the Commander of HMS Alert, <br />
JB Eustace </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHK_fea5Wfdvwj-nGZTqTJZxXg3VJARIoBXr3qooPPKLSeWmU32dm9ZhKeIWZrEttNOJZshwMXSYgfHXCMU6NzTgfguFKW487DDsFKkBO-Xo8cwpNovWLSpy9E4EmzHRpTOSGufOGY_BQ/s1600/letter+(400x192).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Royal Navy history" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHK_fea5Wfdvwj-nGZTqTJZxXg3VJARIoBXr3qooPPKLSeWmU32dm9ZhKeIWZrEttNOJZshwMXSYgfHXCMU6NzTgfguFKW487DDsFKkBO-Xo8cwpNovWLSpy9E4EmzHRpTOSGufOGY_BQ/s1600/letter+(400x192).jpg" height="153" title="Caracas" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Letter to HBM Minister at Caracas"</td></tr>
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<br />Emmy Eustacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13418864899166513002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1052600664631226215.post-5918884534034260562014-06-07T17:29:00.000+01:002014-10-03T12:52:31.230+01:00The Wicklow Militia 1884<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugn_BEsZizu03Rp4ZZdAK5uVX97kpi-Rzbc4SIU5xlLWUxXHRoT1G6IsA0qpCR6G84kEac7s9AKC3QBqzcMwEWTCwixroQKxQAoEetXMVE3JXCjUN0E_bd7If3kYZpQcZAr2q9qtSXJ0/s1600/wicklow+(400x222).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="genealogy" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugn_BEsZizu03Rp4ZZdAK5uVX97kpi-Rzbc4SIU5xlLWUxXHRoT1G6IsA0qpCR6G84kEac7s9AKC3QBqzcMwEWTCwixroQKxQAoEetXMVE3JXCjUN0E_bd7If3kYZpQcZAr2q9qtSXJ0/s1600/wicklow+(400x222).jpg" height="177" title="Wicklow Militia 1884" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wicklow Militia c1884</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This glorious picture of the band is from the early days of my grandfather Alexander Henry Eustace's long and eventful military career. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Given the choice between officer training in the rarefied atmosphere of Sandhurst or entering the army via the militia, Alec gratefully chose the latter. Accordingly, in 1883 he was posted adjutant to the 7th Brigade Northern Irish Division Royal Artillery - aka the Wicklow Militia.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Later in life, he described how, marching through Wicklow Town on the way to the annual camp </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">held on the <a href="http://visitwicklow.ie/attractions/the-murrough/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Murragh</a> (an open area on the coast where they fired a cannon out to sea), the wives and sweethearts would run along side them crying and sobbing "as if they were really going to war...smuggling liquor into the ranks as they marched"!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkDgojrclJNG8SyESbiVxMDR48C_vHz6BsbYoH1G0MHhxmqhFJAJUm0bf3kXNWsBPp8f2jrfayVPpvyNQML5reAactKP6WJgJ3QHgllEVfM71_d9PeDrSnr8KMf8R0cDdy5V_rnRku5E/s1600/wicklow2+%2528311x400%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="genealogy" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkDgojrclJNG8SyESbiVxMDR48C_vHz6BsbYoH1G0MHhxmqhFJAJUm0bf3kXNWsBPp8f2jrfayVPpvyNQML5reAactKP6WJgJ3QHgllEVfM71_d9PeDrSnr8KMf8R0cDdy5V_rnRku5E/s1600/wicklow2+%2528311x400%2529.jpg" height="320" title="Wicklow Militia" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wicklow Militia c1884</td></tr>
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<br />Emmy Eustacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13418864899166513002noreply@blogger.com0Wicklow, Ireland52.9808207 -6.044588999999973652.9425812 -6.1252699999999738 53.019060200000006 -5.9639079999999733tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1052600664631226215.post-58056814145005426912014-06-04T15:50:00.001+01:002014-10-03T12:51:27.024+01:00Roger and Anna Draper<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In 1915, as the Colonel's wife, my Great Grandmother Monica Eustace had the sad duty of visiting the newly widowed Anna Lowell Draper. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A year later, Anna sent Monica the following two photographs:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdxNdTRjwQLCrKlRhFar1hVDC1UNLHZJFfx3ghlENvRk-cqPLmvHXu6_QCJfuV7YFF2WtsEhR3jVX7duXxaadIRc01qrEb3rAORnSwbx6Gmu3daIjS2UnUubKj09WsZAGMwK30E_rQoY/s1600/RFD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="York and Lancaster Regiment" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdxNdTRjwQLCrKlRhFar1hVDC1UNLHZJFfx3ghlENvRk-cqPLmvHXu6_QCJfuV7YFF2WtsEhR3jVX7duXxaadIRc01qrEb3rAORnSwbx6Gmu3daIjS2UnUubKj09WsZAGMwK30E_rQoY/s1600/RFD.jpg" height="320" title="Captain Roger Francis Draper 1915" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain Roger Francis Draper 1915</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The first is a picture of Anna's late husband, Captain Roger Francis Draper </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(1890-1915) of the 6th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Written on the back (in Anna's handwriting) is: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>RFD at Godalming June 1915</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anna Lowell Gardiner married Roger Francis Draper on 16th December 1914, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in the Private Chapel of London House, Westminster St James in London, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">just before he left for the front. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He was killed in action at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 22nd August 1915 and h</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">is death announced in the </span><a href="http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2249&dat=19150913&id=82knAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HAQGAAAAIBAJ&pg=1491,2073971" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Boston Evening Transcript</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> on 13th September 1915.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Captain Draper is </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">remembered on the </span><a href="http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/695411/DRAPER,%20ROGER%20FRANCIS" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Helles Memorial, Gallipoli</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, the War Memorial in Adel in Leeds and the<a href="http://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/cathedral/memorials/WW1/Roger-Draper" target="_blank"> Christchurch Cathedral Roll of Honour</a> in Oxford. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITSASerw08XvTc4JUB1Z-uXSuJOmoJkZM8S9Lb1Rx5UMibVVnhz6V3Kt_I-LtyfBFnr4N-SoJGoDxYL0eMAH10FJ8r5dPHxUcZwRRHQx1NYH8OU7U-hddwvbg3IFFnHUsGoTXoxoqQQQ/s1600/anna+lowell+draper2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="York and Lancaster Regiment" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITSASerw08XvTc4JUB1Z-uXSuJOmoJkZM8S9Lb1Rx5UMibVVnhz6V3Kt_I-LtyfBFnr4N-SoJGoDxYL0eMAH10FJ8r5dPHxUcZwRRHQx1NYH8OU7U-hddwvbg3IFFnHUsGoTXoxoqQQQ/s1600/anna+lowell+draper2.jpg" height="320" title="Anna Lowell Draper 1916" width="219" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna Lowell Draper 1916</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The second photograph was taken by Frizell of Boston, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">probably Fred A Frizell of Boston and Dorchester (as per the 1909 edition of the Boston Blue Book).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is dated January 1916 and shows Anna holding her baby, Roger Francis Draper, who was born at 322 Beacon St, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 7th November 1915. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anna Lowell Gardiner was an American, the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">daughter of Robert H Gardiner, a Lawyer and Alice (nee Bange). She</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> was born in Newton, Massachusetts, USA on 9th September 1890. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It appears that Anna married Henry Richardson Shepley in 1919 but sadly, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">if online sources are to be believed (an Ancestry tree) little Roger didn't live long, dying aged only 13 in 1928.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">****Additional Information****</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have just found two more photographs of Roger Francis Draper, which can be seen on </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://descentfromadam.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/joining-the-dots-on-the-peerage-drapers-and-wrights/" target="_blank">descentfromadam.wordpress.com </a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sources:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">FamilySearch: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Massachusetts, Births, 1841-1915," index and images, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FXC6-VYK : accessed 04 Jun 2014), Roger Francis Draper, 07 Nov 1915; citing Boston, Massachusetts, p 328, Massachusetts Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2409903 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Massachusetts, Births, 1841-1915," index and images, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FX4M-32X : accessed 04 Jun 2014), Anna Lowell Gardner, 09 Sep 1890; citing Newton, Massachusetts, P 260, Massachusetts Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1428244 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">US genealogical information courtesy of fellow genealogist Liz Loveland of Metro Boston, Massachusetts via Twitter on @lizl_genealogy </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Further contact details on </span><a href="http://adventuresingenealogy.wordpress.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">http://adventuresingenealogy.wordpress.com/</a></div>
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Emmy Eustacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13418864899166513002noreply@blogger.com0