Who is the solemn little black boy standing next to the teacher, a rather severe looking Miss Emma Jane Martin, in the picture of the local Infants’ class, boys, on page 73 of  “Brislington” in The Images of England series?  He looks to be about  five or six years old. It is difficult to search without a name, and I am having to assume that he was British born as I can find no relevant child in the district whose place of birth is shown as West Indies, Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, Bermuda, USA, Africa, Gold Coast in the census of 1911.  

Who were his parents? A black family in our small village must have been unusual at the time, and known to everyone. How did he/they come to live here?

I am continually updating my book “Black Bristolians”, and I wonder if anybody can help with this mystery.

I have received the following email:

As direct descendants of the subject: Quaker mother and daughter, my family owns an original painting of one of these ladies when she was probably in her early twenties.  The husband of EBB, John Burgwin of Wilmington NC USA, had his portrait done in England by Boston native John Copley (recently gifted to the North Carolina Museum of Fine Art) who was an academy contemporary of Sir Joshua Moore.  I am wondering if you might be able to help me prove the painting's subject and artist.  Please contact me by email in this specific regard at your earliest convenience.  In addition, I am most interested in any information on related Bristol families including: Bush, Moore, Burgwin, etc.  Thank you for this and all you do to preserve family legacies.

Michael Denton
Richmond, Virginia, USA

Dear Michael

I would suggest you contact the Royal Academy or the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery with a copy of the portrait to see if they can offer any advice. As to “information on related Bristol families” – this is a very wide remit, particularly as two of the names are not rare. I have forwarded your email to a professional genealogist who specialises in Bristol families who may be able to help you.  I think you may find it advantageous to join the Bristol & Avon Family History Society where you may discover others researching your family.

I have put this correspondence on the blog it case anybody can help.

Good hunting!