Death Of A Son, Birth Of A Granddaughter

Posted on 8 September 2025 by

ON THIS DAY… 8TH SEPTEMBER

I’ve relayed the story of my great-grandfather, Henry James Weaver, many times whenever the anniversary of his death comes around. But recently, a newspaper clipping reminded me of something I hadn’t considered before – when Henry was killed, he didn’t just leave behind a widow and an unborn child. His parents, too, were mourning the loss of their second son.

The following notice appeared in the Langport & Somerton Herald on Saturday, 23 September 1916:

KILLED IN ACTION.– On Monday Mr. Henry Weaver received the sad news that his second son Pte. Henry J. Weaver of the Bucks L.I. had been killed in action. The deceased joined the army in March last and had been serving about six months. He proved an excellent and efficient soldier and a good shot gaining his “cross-guns” for marksmanship. Before going to France five weeks ago he was made a bomb thrower. He leaves a wife and one child, a girl born on the day the news of the father’s death was received. Much sympathy is expressed with the sorrowing parents and young wife in their great grief. The deceased was well known in the district and much respected. The following kind letter of sympathy conveying the news of Private Henry Weaver’s death was received from the chaplain of the regiment:- “Dear Mrs. Weaver, – I regret to have to inform you that your husband was killed last week. I buried him in a peaceful spot, where others of his fallen comrades lie. A cross will be erected to his memory and his grave will be well cared for. May God bless and comfort you. Yours sincerely, J. R. Foster.”

Langport & Somerton Herald - Saturday 23rd September 1916

Langport & Somerton Herald – Saturday 23rd September 1916

Florence and the Timing of the News

Henry’s widow, Florence, was living with her parents in Tavistock, Devon, when he was killed on 8th September 1916. The newspaper reported that Henry’s parents (William Henry Weaver & Jane, née Arnold) in Curry Rivel, Somerset, received the news on the Monday prior to publication, which was the 18th September 1916 – the very day my gran was born. According to family legend, Florence wasn’t told the news for another ten days, likely because she was recovering from childbirth.

It may be that Henry’s parents received an official telegram or perhaps Florence’s parents, William Henry and Grace Smale, sent a telegram to Somerset, and later followed up with a letter that included a copy of the chaplain’s words. This would explain how the Langport Herald was able to publish the story so quickly, just five days later.

A family member still holds the original letter written by J. R. Foster. Until I saw this notice, I hadn’t realised he was the regiment’s chaplain. Interestingly, the wording in the original differs slightly from the version printed in the newspaper.

Letter from The Chaplain of the Regiment

Letter from The Chaplain of the Regiment

Details Confirmed and New Insights

The article confirmed some facts I’d already known and helped to substantiate and expand on others:

Marksmanship: I knew Henry was a skilled shot, as the family still holds a silver teaspoon which he was awarded in 1914 by the North Cadbury Miniature Rifle Club. The inscription reads:
“N. Cadbury.
Miniature Rifle Club.
–1914–
February – H. Weaver.
Monthly Spoon.”
(view the spoon here.)

Army Service: I’d previously assumed Henry was conscripted, but the article says he joined the army in March 1916. While single men were “deemed to have enlisted” on 2nd March 1916, conscription for married men didn’t begin until later that year. Henry married in 1915 so he must have been a volunteer.

France: The article notes he went to France “five weeks ago,” which places his deployment around 19th August 1916. This aligns with Henry’s surviving letters. One, written from France on 25th August 1916 shortly after his arrival, fits the timeline perfectly.

The Date Of The News: My gran had always understood that the news of her father’s death arrived on the day she was born. The newspaper confirms this heartbreaking detail.

Bomb Thrower: I knew Henry had been killed by accident when a bomb (hand grenade) prematurely detonated during training at the base, but I hadn’t appreciated until now that he’d actually been assigned as a bomb thrower shortly before deployment. In the early years of the First World War, British soldiers improvised with jam-tin grenades but, by 1916, they were issued with Mills bombs. These grenades were powerful but unpredictable and bomb throwers faced enormous risks even before reaching the front line. The fact that Henry’s life ended this way underscores the harsh reality that danger for WWI soldiers was not confined to the trenches. He died alongside two others.

Closing Reflections

The cruel timing of events in September 1916 bound my gran’s birth and her father’s death together. Henry was killed on 8th September, yet the news didn’t reach his parents or his wife’s family until the 18th – the very day Florence gave birth. For Florence, the shattering reality of widowhood came a little later when she was finally told that Henry would never return.

Henry’s story is one of quiet bravery and deep loss. He was respected in his community, loved by his family and remembered with honour. Each new detail, whether from a newspaper clipping or a family keepsake, adds depth to the legacy he left behind.

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Balancing The Books – Joseph Dando: Philadelphia’s Bookkeeping Pioneer

Posted on 7 September 2025 by

Joseph Dando, the Younger (my 3 x great-grandfather), was a figure who navigated the competitive world of 19th century commerce and left a visible mark on history. Born in Bristol, Gloucestershire, and later active in Philadelphia, USA, during the 1830s and 1840s, Joseph built a career as a bookkeeper, teacher, and author. Contemporary newspapers praised his innovative bookkeeping methods and his efforts to train young men for careers in commerce. At the same time, like many entrepreneurs of his era, he was not without his faults, as I’ve found in other chapters of his life. He wasn’t simply a success story, but a complicated man whose ambitions, choices, and flaws are as much a part of his legacy as his innovations. This aspect of his journey is less about a flawless hero and more about a man navigating the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly growing American city.

From Bristol to New York and Philadelphia: The Rise of an Entrepreneur

Joseph began life in Bristol but his ambitions led him across the Atlantic and by 1835, he’d already developed his own method of bookkeeping in New York. The Journal of the Franklin Institute of Pennsylvania stated that his system, described in a series of four books, was a marked improvement over the traditional “Italian system” of double-entry bookkeeping, long criticised for being tedious and cumbersome. At the heart of his innovation was a “Journal of Settlements”, which streamlined accounting procedures and made it far more efficient. This early recognition paved the way for his eventual move to Philadelphia, where he would cement his reputation.

8th August 1839 - Public Ledger (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

One of Joseph Dando’s Advertisements –
Public Ledger (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) dated 8th August 1839

By 1839, Joseph had been in Philadelphia for about three years and he’d opened the “Institute for Book-keepers” and “Dando’s Institute for Accountants” at the southeast corner of Fifth and Walnut Streets. Advertisements from this period show him as a respected figure, with multiple “Recommendations” from prominent local businesses. These included Sampson Tams who was a merchant and importer specializing in selling various wares, primarily china, glass, and other goods and who ammassed a significant fortune, and also Frederick Fraley who was an American businessman, politician, and civic leader from Philadelphia, a co-founder of the Franklin Institute and who served as president of the American Philosophical Society. These endorsements not only reinforced Joseph’s credibility but also positioned him as a trusted source for aspiring accountants.

Educator, Author and Mentor

Joseph’s contributions went beyond his own bookkeeping. He trained young men in the practical and theoretical skills they would need in Philadelphia’s commercial sector. His advertisements served a dual purpose – inviting young men to study bookkeeping under his guidance, while also informing local businesses that competent and trustworthy bookkeepers were available through his institute. Students praised his method for combining hands-on experience with solid theory, preparing them for real-world work in the counting houses of the city.

In 1842, he published “A Complete and Infallible System of Book-Keeping by Double Entry”, allowing his innovative methods to reach an even wider audience and setting a standard for accounting practice at the time. An article in the New-York Spectator from 2nd November 1842, highlighted his reputation as a “scientific and practical accountant and teacher of book-keeping, of the very first class” in both New York and Philadelphia. It stated the book was “beautifully printed on fine paper” and was for sale by the author in Philadelphia and was also available through Stephen Dando (Joseph’s uncle) at 401 Pearl Street, New York.

A Shrewd Businessman

Joseph was not only a teacher and author but also a keen businessman. By 1844, he’d relocated to No. 31 Merchants’ Exchange on South Third Street. In 19th century Philadelphia, the Merchants’ Exchange was a prominent hub for commerce – a central building where merchants, brokers, and financial professionals conducted business. Being located there would have been a strategic choice – it placed Joseph at the centre of the city’s commercial activity, making his bookkeeping instruction highly visible and convenient for the businesses and students he served. Advertisements show he adjusted his fees to be more accessible – “five dollars below the former charges” – showing his adaptability and understanding of the city’s changing economic landscape.

The Merchants' Exchange - 1840

The Merchants’ Exchange, Philadelphia
Lithograph published by J.T. Bowen in 1840

The Merchants' Exchange - 2017 (Google Maps)

The Merchants’ Exchange – 2017 (Google Street View)

The Merchants' Exchange on S 3rd Street - 2024 (Google Maps)

The Opposite Side of The Merchants’ Exchange on S 3rd Street – 2024 (Google Street View)

Through his teaching, publications, and ability to adapt, Joseph Dando was more than just a bookkeeper. He was a pioneer in commercial education, a respected author, and a vital link between aspiring young men and the businesses that needed their skills.

Later Career

After his years in Philadelphia, Joseph returned to England, probably around 1845, and spent a period of time working in the family’s hat-making business in Bristol. He established an accountancy firm in Manchester in around 1857 and later entered into a brief partnership with his son, William Elbert Dando, running an auditors and accountancy business there. During the mid 1860’s, he relocated to Belfast, Ireland, where he resumed practising on his own until he died in 1870. These later years show a man still engaged with his profession, adapting to new circumstances, and passing on his skills to the next generation.

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A Tavistock Widow’s Tragic End – Florence Smale (1888-1921)

Posted on 18 August 2025 by

ON THIS DAY… 18TH AUGUST

On the 18th August 1921, my great-grandmother, Florence Weaver (née Smale), passed away at her parents’ home, 22 Ford Street, Tavistock, at just 33 years of age. Her death, sudden and tragic, left behind a grieving family and a daughter who was not quite five years old.

AI Generated Memorial Image

AI Generated Memorial Image

A Life Touched by War and Loss

Florence was the daughter of William Henry Smale and Grace Smale (née Martin) and her life had already been marked by tragedy before her untimely death. Her husband, Henry James Weaver, had died during the First World War nine months after he and Florence had married. Serving in France, he was accidentally killed by a bomb at the base, just after leaving the trenches for a brief respite. Her baby was born ten days later – my grandmother, Phyllis Grace Weaver.

A Community Mourns

A newspaper report, published just after Florence died, described the sorrow felt in Tavistock at the loss of a woman who was “amiable…. well liked and greatly respected by all who knew her”. It also noted with particular sympathy the plight of “the little orphan child” and expressed condolences for Florence’s grieving parents and the rest of the family.

Illness and Sudden Decline

The same article recounts that Florence was out and about on the evening of Thursday 11th August 1921. The very next day, Friday 12th August, she fell ill, and within a week, on Thursday 18th August, she had passed away. That means her decline was frighteningly fast. Despite the care of Dr. C.C. Brodrick, who visited her and did all he could, she succumbed to meningitis in just six days. Her father, William Henry Smale, was present at her death and registered it the same day. Her burial took place two days later, on the 20th August.

Following her passing, the family extended their gratitude in the local paper for the sympathy and floral tributes they received during their time of “great bereavement”.

Newspaper Notice of Thanks

Newspaper Notice of Thanks from the Smale Family

Final Resting Place

Florence was buried in an unmarked grave in Tavistock New Cemetery, Plymouth Road, Tavistock, Devon. She rests in plot F114, alongside her mother who was buried in 1925, aged 68, and her father who was buried in 1944, aged 78. To locate their resting place, you can take the left path at the cemetery. Near the top, just before the right turn, you’ll see a large tree. The unmarked plot lies five or six graves in from the path between the names Ash and Kenworthy.

The Smale Plot at Tavistock New Cemetery

The Smale Plot with No Markers at Tavistock New Cemetery (click to enlarge)

Location of the Smale Plot at Tavistock New Cemetery

Location of the Smale Plot between the Ash and Kenworthy Graves at Tavistock New Cemetery
(click to enlarge)

A Daughter’s Reflections

Many years later, my gran told me that when her mother was lying gravely ill in bed, she heard her daughter playing in the garden and asked her family to quieten the child. I know this saddened my gran, realising they were the last words she spoke of her, but I can only imagine how poorly Florence must have been at that moment.

Memorial Announcement

Another notice was placed in the local newspaper, perhaps on the anniversary of Florence’s passing. It reads:

IN MEMORIAM

WEAVER.-In loving memory of Florence, the beloved daughter of W. and G. Smale, and darling Mother of little Phyllis, who died August 18th, 1921.

Day by day we sadly miss her,
Words would fail our loss to tell.
But in Heaven we hope to meet her,
Happy there with Christ to dwell.

22, Ford-street, Tavistock.

A Life Remembered

Though her life was tragically short, Florence’s story reflects both the personal cost of war and the devastation of sudden illness in an age before modern medicine. A beloved daughter, wife, and mother, she left behind a grieving family and a young child who grew up without her parents.

Today, more than a century later, her story is not forgotten.

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Born Together, Gone Too Soon: The Story of Lily and May Hellyer

Posted on 13 August 2025 by

ON THIS DAY…13TH AUGUST

In the late summer of 1880, twin girls were born into a Royal Naval family in Plymouth. Their father’s work kept the household afloat but also took him away from home, while their mother managed daily life and cared for the children. For a brief moment, Lily Elizabeth and May Amelia Hellyer shared the same early milestones but, within two years, both would be gone – two tiny lives lost in quick succession, leaving their parents with grief they would carry forever.

Lily and May Hellyer were born on 13th August 1880 to John Hellyer, a stoker in the Royal Navy, and his wife Mary Ann, née Congdon. The girls began life in the family’s home in Mount Street, Devonport, Plymouth and were baptized just two weeks after their birth, on 27th August at St Mary’s Church in Devonport. Their arrival must have brought joy and hope to the Hellyer household but their time together would be heartbreakingly brief.

AI Generated image depicting the Hellyer Family

AI Generated image depicting the Hellyer Family in 1880

By June 1881, the family were living in Tavistock, Devon, a quieter market town on the edge of Dartmoor. While Plymouth’s dockside streets bustled with noise, sea smells, and the grit of coal smoke, Tavistock offered cleaner air and a slower pace. Yet in both places, illness and infection were constant threats.

Lily Elizabeth was the first to pass away on 8th June 1881. At 10 months old, she succumbed to pneumonia and exhaustion at 24 Bannawell Street, Tavistock, Devon, the home of Charles and Elizabeth Gill. She was ill for 5 days and Elizabeth, described as an aunt, was present at the death. She was actually the second wife of Lily’s great-aunt’s husband. Lily was laid to rest on 12th June.

Her sister, May Amelia, followed a few months later. She died on 26th February 1882 at the same address. At just 18 months old, her cause of death was recorded as Tabes Mesenterica, a form of tuberculosis affecting the lymph nodes of the abdomen.  May’s death certificate noted her father was a stoker on board H.M. Ship Briton and therefore, it’s possible John was not at home when she died. She was buried on 5th March.

In the 1880s, England’s infant mortality rate was high. Even in families with stable housing and an income, diseases such as diarrhoea, scarlet fever, measles, and whooping cough claimed countless young lives. Without antibiotics, safe infant feeding practices, or modern sanitation, a simple illness could turn deadly in days. For John and Mary Ann, the twins were not the only children they lost. Alice Maud was born in February 1887 and died in the December of that year.

There are no photographs, no surviving letters, no toys tucked away in attics to tell us more about Lily and May but their names endure in the family tree, quietly nestled among siblings who lived longer lives. Their brief existence reminds us of the fragility of childhood in the 19th century, when even the most cherished children could be lost in the blink of an eye.

In remembering Lily and May, we honour not just their lives, but the resilience of families who carried on through grief, holding fast to memory and love.

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Six Months, Two Domains, One Fresh Start – Why My Blog Moved House

Posted on 11 August 2025 by

Updating my Website and Blog (AI Generated Logo)

Over the past six months, I’ve been immersed in a major technical overhaul of my family history website and blog – work that’s mostly happened behind the scenes but was essential to keeping everything running smoothly and securely. What began as a routine server upgrade turned into quite a technical adventure.

The first big step was moving my main site from a non-secure http address to a secure https one. While this was vital to improve online security it wasn’t without hiccups. The change meant some of my website’s scripts stopped playing nicely, so they had to be updated before everything worked as it should again.

While all this was going on, I hit a bigger snag – my old blogging software was so outdated it simply wouldn’t run anymore. I decided it was time for a fresh start and chose WordPress as the new platform. But there was another hurdle. My blog needed a newer version of the ‘engine’ that powers the site. Unfortunately, updating this engine in my existing web space would have broken some of the other scripts on my main site.

The solution was to give the blog its own dedicated space. I purchased a separate domain, and the blog now has a new home under the www.hibbittbarnes.uk address. This allows me to run the latest software for the blog without affecting the main website. The main site, www.hibbitt.org.uk, will continue to serve as the hub for all my other work, with updated links directing you to the new blog, a task I’m still working on to make navigation as smooth as possible.

With the new WordPress site set up, the next monumental task was moving all the old blog posts over. Unfortunately, there was no simple way to transfer them in bulk, so I had to do it all manually, one post at a time. While time-consuming, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It gave me the chance to fix broken links and update some of the posts with new information based on more recent discoveries

If you’d like to follow my blog and stay updated with my latest findings, you can subscribe for free – either by email, via RSS feed, or through my Facebook page. I’d love to have you along for the journey.

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