Category Archives: Ancestors Corner

Read stories and articles about the ancestors of Annie and Harvey Barnes.

John Dando’s Story Is Published In Discover Your History Magazine

The third in my series of articles has been published in the November 2013 issue of the Discover Your History magazine. This month, I tell the story of John Dando, my 6 x great-great-grandfather, exploring his Non-Conformist connections including his … Continue reading

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Arlingham Church Font Doubles As A Dust-Pan

Today’s amusing anecdote is attributed to Aaron Taysum (abt. 1780-1851) who was the parish clerk at Arlingham, Gloucestershire, taking over the role from his father after he died in 1807. In 1886, John Sayer, the son of a former vicar … Continue reading

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G-G-Grandmother’s Story Is Published In Discover Your History Magazine

My second article has been published in the October 2013 issue of the Discover Your History magazine. This month’s story, appearing on pages 36 and 37, is about my great-great-grandmother, Sarah Louisa Oliver. It tells the tale of Sarah’s turbulent … Continue reading

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My Weavers Made Shoes

Hats and shoes feature significantly in my family. Whilst hats aren’t quite so in vogue as they once were, we all still need footwear, but how things have changed! My Dando line were the hatmakers, my first confirmed hatter being … Continue reading

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Two Boys Steal John Oliver’s Guns For Armed Burglary

John Oliver was my 3 x great-grandfather. He was a farmer in a hamlet called Bramwith Woodhouse, a few miles from Doncaster in Yorkshire. John held a game certificate, presumably for killing wildlife or vermin, etc. and one summer night … Continue reading

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Great-Aunt Cissie Poses For Newlyn School Artist, Dod Procter

Harvey’s great-aunt, Cissie Barnes, sounds like ‘quite a gal’. She posed for Newlyn School artist, Dod Procter, for the picture, ‘Morning‘, which caused a bit of a stir at the time. Cissie (real-name – Sarah) was just 16 years old … Continue reading

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Messing About On The Water

My Grandpa Hibbitt (Charles George Hibbitt) used to have a boat, a small cabin cruiser, and we spent many hours as a family on the Kingsbridge/Salcombe Estuary. He kept the boat at Frogmore Creek, a short drive from his and … Continue reading

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The Defence Of Rorke’s Drift By Alphonse De Neuville

After my recent stay in hospital, Harvey (my hubby) decided to cheer me up by presenting me with a large print of a famous painting by Alphonse-Marie-Adolphe de Neuville entitled ‘The Defence of Rorke’s Drift’. The print measures approximately 110 … Continue reading

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Spotlight On Uncle Tom & Auntie Nellie Smale

I remember Uncle Tom (Thomas Smale) very well – he lived to be 95 years old and died in 1991. He came to my house when our son was a baby and we had a photograph taken of 5 generations … Continue reading

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“Three Other Ranks Were Killed” – How Pte Weaver Met His Death

There’s a story which has been passed down through our family about how, on 8th September 1916, my great-grandfather, Henry James Weaver, died. During WWI, he was reportedly killed alongside two others by a bomb or hand grenade accidentally detonating … Continue reading

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