Since then I have run over 40 Marathons in Moscow, Berlin, Athens, New York, Miami, Snowdon, Glasgow, and 10 Londons as well many more. I have also done over 200 Half Marathons .

I remarried 5 years ago in Fiji after getting engaged in Capetown. We now live in Cornwall where we spend our summers and visiting warmer climates in the winter such as Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Thailand, South Africa and many more.

If anybody remembers me please get in touch via email - thenest@talktalk.net or phone 01726 61533 .

The census is a fascinating tool for historians. I only access the 1881 census, because it is online, and the 1901 although one has to pay to access detail on that. However, many genealogists more dedicated that I have splurged for the CDs of the others (1851, 1861, 1871 and 1891) and they make fascinating exploration.

Whatever she learned as assistant to Joseph Derham seems to have been well used, since she progressively reports her occupation as Postmaster's Clerk (1881) and then Postmistress (1891 and 1901). Of course, because she was visiting folks in Lincolnshire on each of the census days (which in itself is a bit weird) it is not possible to know where she is living the rest of the time. I believe she had definitely left Wrington by 1882 because she marries in Glandford Brigg, Lincs.

Nonetheless, the lady is a mystery both as to where she lived, how she got to know my grand grandparents, how she happened to be a visitor there during each census day, and where she was a Postmistress.

I realize that it is unlikely that anyone knows anything about Emma Griffiths, but if you should have anything to add, please contact me at Diana@ChoiceCoach.com.

Incidentally, for the benefit of local historians, the remainder of Derham's family consisted of:

Harriet, aged 32, his wife, b. Somerset ??Stowey??
Daughter Kate, aged 4
Gertrude, aged 1
Charlotte Hamlin, aged 16, domestic servant, b. Wrington

Next door neighbors were the family of Frederick Lawrence, Butcher, and beyond him was John Edwards, Shirtmaker Master.

Unfortunately the enumerator was lazy and did not enter the street name on the page of the census of which I have a copy.

Reply from Ed 11th November
I was in church this morning and had a look at the Derham grave, a large, family grave with a low railing around it, and now in some disrepair. I have some of the Wrington parish rates books for the 1860s, and in 1860, for example, Joseph Derham is shown occupying and owning the post office, which is in Broad Street - the central, main street (which is the subject of the image in the top left-hand corner of all website pages). Frederick Lawrence and John Edwards are also listed as occupying, not owning, the latter shown as living at Redhill (the top end of the parish, 2 miles from Wrington village). Joseph Edwards is listed as in Wrington.

Sorry for the delay in replying, we have been away on holidays -on Norfolk Island- and I only returned at work yesterday. (Below is a picture of myself and spouse in Australian National Dress at a "Convict Party'"there).
                                       

I caught up with Jo's correspondence in the SCHMOOZE file but I still find it hard to believe that a Travel Guide Book would be recommending rail travel eight years after the line had closed for passenger trafffic.

Perhaps they envisaged the potential visitor hitching a ride in the Guard's Van !

[Reply 21st October from Ed: [Your research] clearly establishes the earliest possible date for publication, and as he sold shortly after the war, and I can't see it being published during the war, it's probably 1938/early '39. I'm copying this to the other contributors to this discussion so far to see if they agree]

I lived in 31 Lawrence Road, 1977-79. Went to Churchill School, caught Bakers coach. Was friends with Glen and Debbie at 1 Lawrence Road and Mark Fisher from Ladywell.

During 50's I spent school holidays in Wrington with my relations, Howard & Grace Cook (Cook's grocers in Broad Street) and Phyllis & Roger Waters of Blaise House, Station Road. I was baptized in All Saints' on 16/08/1953.

I was transported back 50 years and was also interested to see how Wrington has grown. My cousin(from Bristol) and I used to love our holidays with Aunty Grace and Aunty Phyll and the carefree times we had in those peaceful days roaming around the countryside, walking to Burrington, exploring the abandoned railway path towards Blagdon, begging rides on the footplate or in the guard's van when the goods train arrived most mornings.

The photographs on the site brought back such memories. I have not been to Wrington since the 1980's - I must return one day.

Jeanne & Alan Perry - Hampshire, 3rd September

That's quite impressive, the way you have published our letter in Schmoose
[see below - Ed] and have incorporated the World War 1 photos. I wonder if any local Perrys will respond.

I omitted to tell you before that another cousin, Edward Perry from Cornwall, met us later on in Wrington last week, together with Marcel from Australia. I have had an email from Edward today and he says he is in correspondence with you too! Did you wonder what this flurry of Perrys was all about?!!

I don't want to confuse things so will leave it that you continue your enquiries with the church warden for Edward and he will inform me of any outcome. This will avoid duplication. I will just explain that Thomas Perry, born 1827 and his wife Amelia, had about 11 children and moved around Somerset with his Gamekeeping work, but seemed to settle in Redhill for some years, and were both buried at Christ Church Cemetery.

Their oldest son George born 1856, was Alan's (my husband's) ancestor, a gamekeeper who moved to Dorset when he married. His younger brother Arthur, born 1870 in Wrington, also a gamekeeper, married Florence Andrews of The Rising Sun, Redhill, and was the ancestor of Alan's cousins Edward Perry and Marcel Safier.

Other brothers who married local girls were John, born 1857, who married Sarah (Sainsbury?) from Congresbury (maybe Brinsea) and William Philip, born Redhill 1861,who married Harriet Harse from Redhill. These last two are the ones I think most likely have descendants still in the area.

Jeanne & Alan Perry - Hampshire, 30th August

[Following an inquiry about tracing ancestors of the family Perry in Wrington - Ed]

My husband and I met Vera Perry yesterday (together with our cousin from Australia) and had a very interesting chat. She explained that her father William John joined the Army to fight in the 1st World War a bit later than the major rush of volunteers from Wrington, shown on your website (due to the fact he was a family man and had responsibilities at home). She mentioned that William's younger brother Alfred H Perry was the first to put his hand up at the local rally for volunteers.

His picture is shown on your website in the newpaper article of 1915. Unfortunately the two brothers died for their country during the War.

I notice that Arthur Perry and Harry Perry also appear in the article. I am pretty sure they were the sons of John (railway porter and then self employed carrier) & Sarah Perry who were our ancestors and wonder if you are able to enhance the pictures of them to send me ? I cannot quite read the details under their names - Harry born 1891 in Wrington (??HMS Liverpool) and Arthur born 1886 in Wrington (cannot read rank or regiment).

[Duly enhanced and sent - Ed]
                                

We were very pleased to discover how obliging everyone was when we visited Wrington and the atmosphere in the village was so friendly and welcoming that my husband mentioned the idea of retiring there!! Of course the warm idyllic weather helped set the scene and so the idea may wear off when winter comes!!

Your website is a mine of information and demonstrates the same community spirit which we felt at our visit. I'm not mad about completing questionnaires but I can say I have spent an hour or more surfing the site and probably have not seen everything yet!

Our cousin Marcel from Australia mentioned yesterday the idea of submitting an article to your Village Journal when he saw your September issue. He is the driving force behind our Family Tree research and thought he might get some response from Wrington and Redhill locals with information about gamekeeper Thomas Perry from the 1860s, died & buried in Redhill 1898) and descendants of his son John Perry mentioned above, still local in 1915 it seems. (I will not bore you now with any more of the detail - John & Sarah had at least 9 children born in Wrington up to 1900+!). Would it be worth posting something on your website too?

It was my son's recent visit to Clevedon via Yatton that got me thinking back about my dad, so on Sunday I just typed 'Wake and Dean' into search and found Percy Hancock and Wake and Dean highlighted on the search result [on your website].

Thanks once again, best regards to you and all your locals in the Yatton/Wrington area. Going by what I've read on your site it seems like you have got a wonderful community spirit there - keep it going!

I have just found [Trevor Wedlake's item on] your web site on Percy Hancock, who worked for the Wake and Dean firm in Yatton, and I thought after reading about Percy how the internet has made the world a smaller place to be, but also how it can connect people through generations. Let me explain:

You see, in the late 1930's when work in this part of the country (due to prewar recession) was very tight, my father decided that the only way for him to finish his joiner's apprenticeship was to leave home.

He had some relations living in Yatton and they had heard that he could find work in a local cabinet makers by the name of Wake and Dean. This would have been about late 1937or early 38. He did enjoy working there from what I remember him telling me of his time there.

I remember that he was having a struggle to make ends meet on an "improver's" wage
but all approaches to the workshop foreman to "up"his money came to nothing

So one day, armed with his "best holed" workshoes he made a direct approach to the boss himself explaining his dire financial position, and proved this by showing off his worn out footware. On the presentation of this information he recieved a handsome increase in his wage but only after the quality of his work had been scrutinised. At this time he was barely 20 years old. Percy Hancock and my father would have known each other I'm sure.

My father's name was Dennis Parry. He was born and brought up in a tiny village called
Llanasa, near Prestatyn on the north Wales coast. During the time he was there he also played football for Yatton and he was presented with a small cup as their side got into the league final (we've still got the cup).

He too went to war, in the infantry in Normandy [photo]. He also recalled some of the horrors of war, just as Percy had. He was wounded and after about a year of treatment he was demobbed. Sadly he died after becoming ill straight after his retirement - he was 68years old.

I hope you find this little story of some interest to your readers in the community.

I note that Percy Pope, (Post Office) and L.F. Parks (Boot maker) also only first appear in the 1939 Kelly's. It is possible that they were trading before then and only put an entry into Kelly's in '39. Certainly the references to the railway seem to point to a pre-1931 date. Intriguing!

I have looked up the publisher - "The Homeland Association Ltd" on the Internet and find they issued many guidebooks during the first few decades of the 20th century, up until WWII.

It has been quite a topic of conversation here recently [see also below - Ed] and we have come up with some other dates from the ones already mentioned.

There is an advert for the Post Office and Stationery being run by Percy Pope. Well, according to the information we received a few years ago regards Postmasters of Wrington from Julius Herrstein, it seems that a Cora Augusta Milford was sub-postmistress from 1906 until possibly 1935 and Percy Pope is mentioned as being sub-postmaster in the 1939 Kelly’s Directories.

This is part of what it says “In the 1923 edition of Kelly’s Mrs Cora Augusta Milford is still the sub-postmistress, …………The same information is repeated in 1927. In 1935 is it reported Mrs Cora Augusta Milford is still the sub-postmistress but this detail is contradicted by the Wrington Churchyard: Cora Augusta, wife of James Pomery Milford, died on 5 August 1935. Cora served the Wrington Post Office for the best part of three decades.

But I wonder if Cora was still postmistress until she died and then Percy Pope took over as no other name is mentioned between these names.

Nurse Brunker (advert in magazine) is not mentioned in the 1939 Directories but if you are able to get hold of the earlier Kelly’s Directories you might be able to find out when she was last in business.

All the other business adverts in the magazine are listed in the 1939 Directories.

Another comment Dad made was that he remembers the village as having two digit phone numbers but the magazine adverts state the shops have three digit phone numbers, maybe there is a way of checking when this changed.

All very interesting and great memory joggers for us!!

Of course I wasn’t around in 1939 (or 49!!) but most of the names in the adverts I can remember so they must have been in business for a good number of years.

Not sure you can use the pictures too much to gauge the age because the picture of the clock and the car is very much like the old postcards that were still for sale in Farley’s shop before I left in 1972!!

Regards to you all
Yvonne Spratt and Les Chard

Her Father's name was George Hardwick and her Mothers named was Sarah Hardwick (Green was her maiden name). She had many brothers and sisters (some of them step). She has given me these names: Thomas, George, Lilly, Daisy, Ivy, Edith and Florence.

Some of the names match that are on your website. Is there any more information you could give me? or maybe ask someone who may know anything? She moved to Australia in 1962 and has lost contact with everyone back in the UK and she is desperate to make contact.

Anything you can help me with would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

[This correspondent was put in touch with the other Hardwicks he mentions - see Personal Quest pages - Ed]

My Wife was Elsie Bond born in Rose Cottage Silver Street. I came from Congresbury in 1942 and worked at Baker Hyde's. We were Married in what was then the Congregational Church (now URC) on 23rd June 1945 and started married life in Yeomans Cottage, Ropers Lane. We have now lived at No 7 School Road for the last 53 years.
[Photo]

My 3g-grandfather Francis Porter came from Wrington as did his wife Prudence Isgar. Interested in any connections! I saw on the board a Canadian lady descended from Francis' brother John - please get in touch! [
will forward your e-mail - Ed]

Tracing my family tree I find that James G TUTT B.1816 in Wrington,George Manning TUTT B.18.10.1840 Wrington,William Henry TUTT B.1865 Wrington and many of their family were born in Wrington. I would appreciate any information available about these people or their family.

I lived in Wrington from 1963-1982 when I left to do nurse training. Mum and brothers still live there. I still visit often and call it home

[I lived in Wrington] for several years from 1964 and in three different houses with late husband, Michael and sons Guy, Ian, Jeremy and Simon, the best years of my life.

I think [the website] is brilliant - brought back so many happy memories.

My great-great grandfather John Porter and all his family were born here in 1814 and some Porters still live there. Interested in finding graves for the Porters

My Grandfather is buried in Wrington Herbert Leslie Tomson Organ (unmarked) His address listed on his death certificate is Heath House in Tendring. ?? His father was Walter George Organ (married twice) and his sister ? (I have a copy of "Wrington parish mag" - August 1935 - About a presentation to honour her 80th year? with Walter and his wife in attendance.

My mum who is in her 70 knows very little about her father's side of the family as he died when she was six and they moved away. The family had a factory (Ironworks?) which only closed a few years ago I believe.

We visited the churchyard last year on behalf of my mother it is a beautiful place unfortunately I only have a grave number so I am unsure where my grandfather is buried (we visited on a Sunday).

I would love to help my Mum fill in the gaps and get some information for her.

Edward McGown - New York, NY, USA - 2nd February

I am writing in response to your request for information regarding the drama archive. The unnamed actress playing Little Red Riding Hood in the 1988 production of 'Once Upon a Time' is my sister, Lucy McGown, who now lives in London. For the record, I played her little brother in the same play...

I myself am currently a film director living in New York, and really enjoyed looking over the archive. Well done on creating an excellent web site.

I'm a native of Langford, now living in Northern Ireland. I started school in Wrington. Mr. Waite was the headmaster and one of the teachers was a Miss Phillips. This must have been about 1940/1. The names Bathard, Kingcott and Tincknell were above the shops of the time.

A bun from the bakery on the corner cost a farthing. One goods train a day passed through the village, bringing in coal and taking out timber. Often the guard would be Bert Mazzlin, and sometimes small boys would get a ride up to Blagdon Waterworks. Sam Pollinger kept the Bell Inn, now a garage I think.Happy days inspite of the war.