In May 1917, my great grandmother, Ruth Pursglove, wrote some poignant words in a letter she sent to my grandmother: “Poor Mrs Norfolk, what must her grief be - I picture myself in her place if I lost both my boys” Sadly, within just a few months she was to experience exactly how it felt… Continue reading Military
Tag: Suffolk
Institutions
In the only photograph that I have of my paternal grandmother, Flora Clark, she is dressed in a nurse’s “walking out” uniform – I have already included the image in an earlier post [see Challenge] but am re-posting it here for ease of reference. A Service Register held by the Hampshire Records Office reveals that… Continue reading Institutions
Oldest Story
I only got to hear first-hand stories from one of my grandparents: my maternal grandmother, Mildred Howe, who was born in 1896. My father’s parents were both long dead by the time I was born and my paternal grandfather, Jack Cullingford, died when I was a small child. I always loved listening to my grandmother… Continue reading Oldest Story
Family Secret
I do feel a little guilty when I uncover the long-held secrets that some of my ancestors must have thought they had taken to the grave, but there is no denying that resolving these intriguing puzzles is an immensely satisfying aspect of researching family history. Inevitably, now that DNA testing is so readily available, such… Continue reading Family Secret
Letters & Diaries
Amongst the most precious items in my family archive are the letters that my great grandmother, Ruth Pursglove, wrote to my grandmother after she left home to work in service towards the end of 1913. Ruth was born on 8 November 1867 in Wyddial, Hertfordshire and this photograph shows her around 1890 when she would… Continue reading Letters & Diaries
Sleuthing Notes 