Every cloud has one they say. Following the “demo” on 18th August my granddaughter and I went to the meeting at The Pilgrim. En route I met Heidi of Milbanke Close, with her children. She is one of the organisers and I thanked her and promised support to Protect Brislington’s Green Spaces.  At the pub we signed the petitions. Not that petitions do much good from my experience of working for a Member of Parliament.

The Pilgrim has Pillinger connections – the widowed Maria Pillinger (her husband was accidentally killed on Brislington Hill) was landlady there in the middle of the 19th century.

In the pub, I struck up a conversation with a kindred spirit, Jill Jacobs. Much to my surprise, after such a brief acquaintance, Jill thrust a sheaf of old photos into my hand and said she would trust them with me, until we should meet again.  I must have an honest face.

The photos were of the Burt family who lived in Brislington at the turn of the 20th century. I scanned the photos – see below. The family groups, Bob & Agnes Burt and their children were dated 1914 and 1905, making them ideal for census investigation.

In 1911, the family is listed as follows:

Robert Burt, head, married 36, bricklayer, born Bristol

Agnes Burt, wife, 37, born Wellington, Somerset, and their children:

Elsie, 14, scholar, born Taunton, Clifford, 13, scholar, born Taunton, Hilda, 11, scholar, born Taunton, Gladys, 10, scholar, born Bristol and Ivy, 8, born Bristol.

And here’s the surprise. They were living at Nelson’s Glory, Brislington. So what, you may say. Readers of The History of the Pillinger Family, Part 2, will know that Nelson’s Glory, in the 1820s was the abode of Henry Pillinger and his family! Synchronicity, or what?

So there we have Maria, the landlady of the Pilgrim and Henry at Nelson’s Glory, not to forget Julia from Bath in a previous post, I can’t help thinking that they’re all upstairs holding a Pillinger symposium to which they are trying to invite me. Not yet, I earnestly hope.

The following are the photographs of the Burt family:

In 1905: Mother : Agnes Burt. Father: Bob Burt

children from left to right Hilda, Ivy, Elsie, Gladys, Clifford.

In September, 1914:

Mother: Agnes Burt; Father Bob Burt and in between, Lena, the latest arrival.

adult children, from left to right: Hilda, Elsie, Cliff, Gladys, Ivy

Gladys Burt in 1922, with unnamed boy friend at Poplar House, School Road,  Brislington.

Bob Burt, 1935 at Poplar House.

Agnes Burt, with “Bob” – a grandson? and John Evans also at Poplar House

Agnes & the family dog, what a shame we don’t know its name.

Robert Burt married Agnes Thorne in 1897 at Wellington and by 1901 they were living at 34 Sandgate Road, Brislington. As a bricklayer, perhaps Bob had a hand in the building of these new houses. It must have been a recent move for as we have seen their children, aged 3, 2 & 1, Elsie, Clifford and Hilda, had all been born in Taunton.

In 1891 Robert, then about 14, was living at Road, Stoke St Mary, Taunton with his elder brother Albert (18) and widowed mother Sarah, aged 44. Though the two boys had been born in Bristol, Sarah’s birthplace was Old Cleeve in Somerset. Robert and Albert were the sons of Sarah’s marriage to Robert Burt and she had a previous son, William Tarr, born 1863.  Robert senior died in 1876, the same year that his son and namesake was born.  In 1881, Sarah, then 36, was living at 14 Kenilworth Terrace, St Philips, and working as a charwoman. Two of her sons were with her, William Tarr, aged 18, (a porter in a printing office who was born at Washford in Somerset) and young Robert, a scholar of five. Brother Albert, aged seven was staying at the time of the census with his paternal grandmother, Mary Ann Burt, aged 60, a widow, who was farming at Thurlbear in Somerset, assisted by her son, Andrew Burt.

In 1871, young William Tarr, aged seven, was a boarder at a house at St Decumans, Highbridge, belonging to a Sarah Sully, aged 68. Among other boarders was a John Burt, a freestone sawyer, born Montacute, but without further research I cannot say whether John Burt and Robert Burt senior were related or if this was simply coincidence.  Meanwhile, Robert, senior, 21, was living on his father’s farm, Netherclay, Thurlbear with six brothers and sisters. His father, Worthy Burt, born about 1823 married Mary Ann Williams at Taunton in 1847. Her father, Robert Williams, an “Ag lab” born 1789 was living with the family in 1871.  I have yet to establish with any certainty the whereabouts of Sarah Burt, formerly Tarr in 1871.  

In order to find more about Agnes Thorne, I would need her marriage certificate to discover her father’s name. So far, census searches have proved inconclusive.

A few weeks ago I was out with my daughter Celia and she pulled into a garage on Park Row for petrol. I noticed this plaque, on the wall: 

Though I once went through an “arty-farty” period and was vaguely aware of the actor William Macready that was about as far as it went. I was prompted, who knows through what agency, to take a photograph of the plaque. Having parked, we then strolled across the road to the Bristol University Theatre Collection (well worth a visit, especially if you have theatrical ancestors: http: //www.bris.ac.uk/theatrecollection/) where I have every hope one day of discovering more about Lottie Moreton. (see previous blog about this unfortunate soubrette.)  

And that might have been that, except that I downloaded the photo and began idly to seek references to the “Macready Chutes”.

First up, 1841, and Sarah Macready, 50, “lessee of a theatre” was living in a lodging house in Queen Square, Bristol kept by Marianne Vickerman, aged 45.  Sarah, nee Desmond, an actress, was the second wife of William Macready, Manager of the Theatre Royal who had died on 11 April 1829, leaving her with “two orphans”.  (The famous actor William Macready was a son of the first marriage.)

The census of 1851 shows Sarah aged 58, “lessee of theatres” living at Walcot, Bath in the Assembly Rooms with her son in law James H. Chute, aged 41, who was proprietor of the establishment, born Stoke, Hampshire, his wife, (Sarah’s daughter), Mazzarina E., aged 26, born Swansea and their two sons William aged 5 and Henry, 2. A daughter aged 10 days was unnamed.

James Henry Chute and Mazzarina Emily Macready had been married at Westminster in the winter of 1844. Here then were the “Macready Chutes” of the plaque.

Sarah Macready’s obituary with details of her life and career appeared in the Bristol Mercury of 12 March 1853, her age given as 64.

I have so far been unable to locate the family in the 1861 census, but it is clear from advertisements that James Henry Chute was manager of the Theatre Royal at this time. On 2 June 1861 the “Royal Dramatic College” thanked him for donating a portrait of “W. Macready, sen., esq.”

James Henry took over the Princes Theatre in 1866. http: //www.its-behind-you.com/princesbristol.html 

In 1871, James Henry, now 60, “dramatic manager” and Mazzarina, 46, and five of their children between the ages of 20 and 6 years were residing at 2 Park Row, next to a school for the “deaf and dumb”. Henry, aged 2 in 1851, was now twenty two and an assistant house surgeon at the Bristol Infirmary.

Now here’s the surprise. Evidence of the voice from the ether that had prompted me to take the photo? Living with the Chutes was Julia Pillinger, aged 50, spinster, a music teacher. Visitors to this blog will know that I have studied, as far as possible, all the Pillingers in the World and though I can claim no specific relationship to Julia, she is as dear to me as all the rest. She will be found in my History of the Pillinger Family, Part 3, as a twig on the branch that came originally from Box, Wiltshire. Following the death of George Pillinger in Bath, his wife Julia decided to try her luck as a singer in Bristol. Her daughter, Julia junior was sent away to study music in London, one of the very few Pillingers who could boast any sort of education prior to the present era. On her return, mother and daughter set up a “School of Music” in Queen Square, at the same time giving concerts which are reported at length in the local newspapers of the day. I had been aware that Julia junior had lived with the Chutes, but had only noted them in passing, having no idea that they were so hugely important in the dramatic circles of Bristol. Thus from a lowly lodger, scratching a living as a music teacher, as I had imagined, Julia has jumped up the ladder of success in my estimation. And don’t forget Queen Square -  this must have been where Julia Pillinger, senior, apothecary’s widow and aspiring theatrical (by 1841, she was remarried to Richard Harris) struck up an acquaintance with Sarah Macready, the widow of an actor manager. And here’s another thing - Richard, was a “carver and gilder” surely this must mean that he made scenery for the Theatre Royal?  It seems the connection Pillinger-Harris-Macready-Chute continued for at least thirty years.     

You never know what you’ll find next. Family history is wonderful.

Julia Maria Pillinger died in the winter of 1876. Mr & Mrs Chute did not long survive her. Mazzarina died aged 54 in March 1878 of Bright’s disease and James Henry aged 67 of liver failure the following July. They were survived by six sons and three daughters, two of whom, George and James took over the management of the Princes Theatre.   

George Macready Chute and his wife Abigail Philomena were living at Cotham Gardens, Westbury on Trym in 1891. In 1901 they were in Sidmouth with their son Desmond, aged five. In 1911 they were in Folkestone whilst Desmond, now 15 was boarding at Downside School. Despite apparently no longer living in Bristol, George M.’s occupation throughout is “Theatrical Proprietor/Manager.” According to the plaque the family was associated with the Princes Theatre until 1931.

I recently received the following email:

My name is Brian Sheen. I am researching a Walter Brain the son of William Brain and Sarah Tripp nee Edwards, William was a Farmer a Publican and also a Mine owner.

Walter was living at home in the 1861 census for Stapleton Gloucester. There is no trace of him in the 1871 census yet in the 1881 census he and his (wife) plus 6 Children all born in Bath are there, Walter’s occupation is a furniture salesman, their youngest Thomas William being born © 1866 as I said in Bath.

Walter’s wife puts her name on the birth certificate of their daughter, (the line I’m tracing) Leonora Tamar as Annie Pettigrove Brain formerly Howes.

I have a copy of the marriage certificate for Annie Pettigrove daughter of Daniel Pettigrove and Hester (Esther) Hudd; the marriage took place in St Philip and Jacob Church July 20 1840 after Banns. Annie at the time was a minor.

I can find no trace of a marriage between Walter Brain and Annie Pettigrove nee Howes what so ever. I searched through www.freeBMD.co.uk and www.ancestory.co.uk, trying all sorts of spelling combinations for Brain and Howes, all to no avail.

As I said Annie has put her name on the birth certificate as if she were married to Walter Brain.

From your information on the Brain family; would you by any chance have anything on this Walter and Annie Brain of Bath please?

Thank you.

I replied:

Dear Brian

The Brain papers were left to me by my friend, the late Walter Anthony Brain who I knew as Tony. His name suggests that he belonged to the branch of the Brain family that you are researching. (I am descended from Hugh Brain who also came from the Bitton area.)

I have looked through Tony's lists and there is no Brain/Howes marriage shown. (I think your marriage for Annie Pettygrove Hudd is a red herring. The name Pettygrove is not unusual in the Kingswood district.) I have also checked the Bath Register Office index of marriages - no luck - and the births index which unlike 19th century FreeBMD gives the mother's maiden name. All the children were registered at Bath 1866-81, all Brain/Howes.

Walter was missing somewhere in 1871, perhaps on the road as he was a salesman, but I have found Annie in Devizes. I used the most unusual name among those she chose for her children (Flora) to do a search and found the family as follows:

Thomas Howes, head, married, innkeeper, Black Swan, 25 Market Place, wife Ann, and children Thomas, Rhoda, Tamar and Lilly. All were born Bitton except Lilly who was born Melbourne, Australia!  Visiting were Annie Brain, daughter, 25, Thomas W. Brain, grandson, 4 and Flora L Brain, granddaughter, 2, plus several servants.

I can't throw any light on Walter's whereabouts in 1871 - or why (apparently) he and Annie did not marry. It would seem to suggest that one or other had a previous marriage, but so far I have drawn a blank on this too.  Could they have been in Australia at some time with Annie's family?

If you have not already done so, I would suggest you might it helpful to join the Bristol & Avon Family History Society where you are likely to find other Brain researchers as the name is common in our area and fairly localised to Kingswood. See also Brain and Howes in the alphabetical lists in my Kingswood Index. See top of this website.

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!

I have received the following message from Averil Douglas who used the contact form at http://www.bristolfamilyhistory.co.uk/contact.

“I am descended from Lazarus Jacobs [b: abt. 1709 Frankfurt, Germany; d: 1796 Bristol) and Mary (nee Hiscock), his wife [b: 1725 Templecombe, Somerset; d: 1816 Bristol) through their daughter, Susannah (Sukey)[1759-1851] who married Joseph Moses Alman, thence through their son Mosley Moses Alman, then his daughter Leah Alman who emigrated to Australia 1853 aboard the ship "Cambodia" and married Abraham Barnett Simmons, a son of Rabbi Barnett Asher Simmons of Penzance, Cornwall and his wife Flora (nee Jacob) in Melbourne, Vic. Australia.

Isaac Jacobs was a brother of Susannah (Sukey, referred to above) and became a very famous glassmaker.  His portrait I understand is housed in the Bristol City Museum [Object Number K458), an oil painting by Isaac Pocock.  I am hoping you have access to a photograph or this portrait on file and may be willing to share it with me.  I live in Australia and do not plan to visit the UK at this point in time.

In addition, I would appreciate hearing from you with any other information you can provide or details of publications that would be of interest to me. I would also be happy to provide you with further information from my family tree should you be so interested. If you hold on file information about Joseph Moses Alman of Bristol, [1748-1835] and his family, including any siblings as well as his  descendants other than Mosley Moses Alman (1785-1852) I would appreciate hearing from you with this information.  Thanks.”

Unfortunately I have no information other than the items already posted but am endeavouring to find the portrait of Isaac Jacobs mentioned by Averil.

I was sorry to read in the “Telegraph” of 25th June, that Robin Bush has died aged 67. For many years Robin was archivist at the Somerset Record Office in Taunton. In 1992, I was struggling to transcribe bits of Brislington’s history from the Bishops’ Papers of the early 17th century and discovered there some slightly seedy goings on. A few of the more juicy pieces of gossip were the reports of certain shenanigans in a sheep fold by two married parishioners, a lady who accused the vicar’s wife of assaulting her – in church - and the interference by a brother in his sister’s love life.  The fact that these notes appear in intelligible form in my “Brislington Bulletins 1601-1699” where both the guilty and complainants are named, is largely thanks to the patient help I received from Robin.

He was a genial character, rather larger than life, and I was thrilled to see him on Channel 4’s “Time Team” and missed him when he did not appear after 2003.

Robin was a brilliant orator and I well remember a speech he gave at a meeting of the Bristol & Avon Family History Society when he told a rapt audience of his adventures when he had taken on a seemingly “ordinary” genealogy quest, if such a thing exists. It appears he was able to hitch a ride on the family tree of a landed family, which led somehow to the Almanac de Gotha and culminated (as far as I recall) with a possible link to the Holy Family!

He concluded with an exultant shout – to prolonged applause – “……..and it’ll never happen to me again!”

My old friend Willie Haswell has sent me a copy of his memoirs published under the auspices of the Living Memories Association.  Willie is now in his 90th year.

The Canongate is in Edinburgh and of course has nothing at all to do with Bristol Family History – except that over a quarter of a century ago I traced Willie’s ancestors. Although he and his parents and grandparents are and were Scots, the Haswells originally came from in Wiltshire and until recently some strands of the family remained in the Bath area.

My endeavours came to a halt with Daniel Haswell. He was born about 1775, reputedly at Bradford on Avon, a weaver by trade, who joined the army in Jersey in 1806, at the late age of 31, married a wife called Isabella and begat of long line of soldiers who served in various regiments of the British Army, becoming Scots somewhere along the way. If anybody can find Daniel’s baptism, Isabella’s maiden name or a record of their marriage, Willie and I will be your friends for life.   

If your immediate ancestors were poor and grew up in the Canongate, then Willie Haswell’s book is for you. I cannot recommend it too highly.

My mother shows me an advertisement in the Evening Post [around 1954] which reads: “Recruits Wanted for the Girls’ Nautical Training Corps. Apply Thursday evenings, 7 pm, TS “Lotus”, at the Charles Hill Dockyard.” I tingle with anticipation. This is for me; I can already feel the salt spray in my face, and the wind in my hair.

Alas for my romantic notions. TS “Lotus” was “a stone ship” firmly aground and there was no boat in which to put to sea, but the cadets seemed friendly, as were the officers, Mrs. Champion who was tall, dark and elegant, and pretty blonde Mrs. Kingsley.

We lined up in two watches, port and starboard, “tallest on the flanks, shortest amidships”, with the officers in front of the big ship’s brass bell and a flag pole, where the flag, a red ensign, would be “bent on” for colours and taken down at sunset. I was placed in the starboard watch.

I learned a few knots, and was kitted out in a smart uniform: navy blue skirt and jacket, white shirt, black tie, black stockings, a white lanyard and a round sailor hat, with the letters G.N.T.C. picked out on the black band. The officers had to be saluted “shortest up, shortest down” and never without your cap on. It was thrilling to be sometimes mistaken for a Wren, but needless to say silly boys called us “The Girls Naughty Training Corps.” I was so keen to receive my Ordinary Cadet armband that I tramped to the Dock Yard on a dark January evening - through the snow.

On Empire Youth Sunday in May 1955 we marched through Bristol with our sister unit from Avonmouth, behind the band of TS “Adventure”, the Sea Cadets’ unit. Unlike nowadays, the twain never trained together. Off duty, it was OK to fraternise, and Brian, the “Adventure” band’s Drum Major went out with Margaret Crew, one of our girls, which seemed impossibly glamourous.

It was our dream to get a boat. Eventually, Mrs. Champion found a small rowing boat, which we called “Lotus Bud”. She was tiny, taking three people at most, and badly needed repair. We held jumble sales and begged donations to raise funds and by the summer she was seaworthy. Before we could take her out we had to undergo a wet bob test to show we could swim. My swimming was never very good but I managed to pass. We had large “Mae West” type water wings, but I don’t recall any talk of insurance. Can you imagine nowadays a crowd of teenage girls with no previous experience rowing up and down the Dock, all the way to where the “Flying Fox” was once moored? Nowadays “Elf and Safety” would have a seizure. Nobody drowned or even fell in, but once we had a race with some Teddy Boys in another boat, and on another occasion we almost rammed a new vessel of Charles Hill’s. It was called “The Queen Mother” but no harm was done.

This the launch of “Lotus Bud” - I don’t remember who the man is, but I am next to him in the foreground with my head down. Mrs. Champion is standing on the left behind the two Petty Officers. I think the one nearest her is Margaret Crew. Is the officer in the “Bud” Miss Price?

Do you recognise anybody?

Later that summer, with another officer, Miss Price, we joined the Avonmouth girls for a “Crossing the Line” ceremony at Shirehampton fete. As Amphitrite, goddess of the sea, in a green shroud and seaweed in my hair, I instructed my “Doctors” to give a dose of jalap to three cowering Sea Cadets in girls’ clothes. When they were pronounced free of tropical diseases, they were ducked in a canvas tank filled with water. For obvious reasons, the boys gave false names: ‘Arry Ticker, Lofty, Jack Tar. Everybody concerned got very wet.

The next year I went to London to work and joined the Kilburn unit and made more good friends with whom I spent a never to be forgotten week aboard TS “Foudroyant” in Portsmouth Harbour (For more information see  http://www.hms-trincomalee.co.uk/) where we wore bell-bottomed trousers, and slept in hammocks, having to “lash up and stow” in the morning. After a cold water wash in “the heads”, we had seamanship classes or took up oars in the harbour in the whaler. Everyone who wished was allowed to climb so far up the mast into the rigging.

Aboard “Foudroyant” - I am in the middle – The others are Helen Rusk, left and Audrey Felton. The cap ribbon.

We even went dancing on the Royal Navy boys’ training ship.  One day, in Portsmouth town, on “shore leave” I absent mindedly put my cap on back to front. A passing sailor, a real one, yelled out, “You’re going astern!” I was mortified.

“Foudroyant” in Portsmouth Harbour with a passing Royal Navy MTB.

Signals were my thing. In London for an “Anchors Aweigh” display, a bossy officer spotted the crossed flags on my arm, and thanked me for “volunteering” to raise the colours. I had done it loads of times before, but there was a large crowd and Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten was the guest of honour. I was all fingers and thumbs. I had begun to raise the flag, when to my horror, I saw I had attached it upside down. Trying not to panic, I pulled it down, detached it, and started again. In his speech, Lord Mountbatten, looking straight at me, with the hint of a chuckle, congratulated the ship’s company on their excellent signalling. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It was a sad day when he was murdered by the IRA.

For a short time I became an officer, but wanderlust got me and I went travelling. I returned my uniform and in a thoughtless moment even gave away my silver bosun’s call, with which I would pipe dignitaries “over the side”. Looking back, for sheer fun, my time with the G.N.T.C. was one of the best times of my life. Some names I remember were Foale, Miller, Shappland, Sheppard: we seldom used first names, but there were also Elaine Evans and two girls called Harris, Margaret and Lyn, who had a brother Dick, a sea cadet; Phyllis Gibson, Petty Officer Anne Edwards of Avonmouth. Where are they now? My name was Doreen Pillinger then.

Michael Cope kindly sent me a picture of the above in response to my post regarding the Hatters Walk round Winterbourne/Frampton Cotterell of early 2009.

Mr Cope told me that the Old Oak House in Westerleigh was a centre of the local Felt Hat making industry. His 4 x times great Grandfather was

“William Cope, a Hatter in Frampton Cotterell who died quite young (1735 - 1778) leaving a family of 7 to be looked after by the eldest of his children (my 3 x great Grandfather Hart Cope) aged nearly 16 as his wife had pre-deceased him by 2 years.

“Hart was also a Hatter for a while in Westerleigh but eventually moved to Berkeley.  They fell on hard times again and the parishioners took out a Settlement Order returning him, his wife and young family to Westerleigh.   Somehow he got back to Berkeley and obviously gained a reasonable reputation because at a dinner in 1812 attended by the well-known Dr. Edward Jenner, the Mayor of Berkeley and other dignitaries, he was made Borough Ale-Taster!”

see Post 12.2.2009

It was perhaps not surprising that further information on the above was proving difficult to find. The marriage in 1867 was between Edward John George and Charlotte Drusilla Willmott and not vice versa as I had believed.

The couple appear in the 1871 census in Brighton, described “comedian” and “comedienne” respectively with their two young children.

Immediately afterwards Charlotte, stage name “Lottie Moreton” embarked upon a gruelling theatrical tour, for most of the time as a soubrette in “Mademoiselle Beatrice’s Frou Frou Troupe” which played in weekly engagements throughout the country for the next two years. It made me feel sick with exhaustion even to research. The details may be found in “The Era” now on line through the library link. There was absolutely nothing glamourous about being on The Stage. Aside from the sheer grind of travelling about by train laden with props and boxes, a different place every week, appearing sometimes “twice nightly” in draughty halls, there was the legendary horror of theatrical “digs”. Then there was the problem of keeping yourself and the costumes clean without modern washing and drying facilities. Dancers sweat and those costumes that did not rot, could probably stand up by themselves.  (This fact was graphically brought home to me in a recent Radio 4 programme on Diaghilev’s ballet. )

At last, Lottie parted from Mlle Beatrice’s troupe and jobless and ill, probably consumptive, she began advertising for work in the theatrical papers. She died on June 23rd, 1873. Her obituary reads: “George, Mrs Edward (Lottie Moreton, actress) aged 28 years, wife of Mr George, comedian, Theatre Royal, Hull.”

Her death was registered as Charlotte Drusilla George at St Saviour, Southwark, London in the June Quarter of 1873, but I would still like to know if she was buried there. (The on-line index only goes up to 1856.)

Edward John George married his second wife Emily Margaret Dinsdill at Hull in December 1874. Both “Comedians”, they were living in lodgings at Blackburn in 1881.