Hi I had previously been told from my father that he had heard his grandfather had died in a Vat of Beer and up until now had been searching for my paternal great great grandfather Solomon Smith and to date had found no evidence of this.
However today I had the most fantastic potential breakthrough when I received a report from the Childrens Sociery about my great grandmother Isabel (Isabella) Ward. I knew from the 1911 census that she was in a home for waifs and strays and received a comprehensive report from them.
This is when is became exciting for me as it said in the letter that Isabel was sent to a home when her father died and her mother could not support all her children. The report said "The father Charles Ward died in May 1905 when he was 37. He had been a workman (foreman) in the employment of Watney Combe Reid and Co Brewers, Pimlico (the Stag Brewery) for 13 years with a excellent character".
Can anyone help who has access to local papers to see if anything is listed and can anyone help me with locating her death certificate. I know his birth was 25th July 1868 in West Ham (I have this certificate) and his wife was Clara Pettitt.
Also I know from tracing my Scottish Ancestors that when some of my ancestors died in a Pit accident it went to the Procurator Fiscal and a full investigation was carried out. Would this happen in England? And is there anything you could suggest to try to confirm if he did die in a Vat of Beer and any more information.
I also feel quite sorry for Charles Ward as I had heard that Isabel, his daughter, had ran away from home but I now think she ran away from the childrens home and I may have had the wrong opinion of Charles.
I do think something bad must have happened at the Brewery as a Mr C H Babbington tried to get Isabel and her children Elizabeth in homes and also tried to get funds from the Stag Brewery to help. It also says in the report that in November 1908 "compensation moneys paid by the brewery into Court under the Workmens Compensation Act".
I have Isabel (Isabella) in St Judes Home for Waifs and Strays in 1911 but cannot find her sister Elizabeth Ward who I know from the report in went back her mother Clara on 17th December 1910 then I think she went into service as a maid. I cannot find Elizabeth her mother Clara and her siblings Mabel Ward, Charles (aka Charley), Rose Mary Ward, Grace Mary Ward, Hilda Marjory Ward.
Sorry to add so much but would be delighted as always if anyone can help
Steven
However today I had the most fantastic potential breakthrough when I received a report from the Childrens Sociery about my great grandmother Isabel (Isabella) Ward. I knew from the 1911 census that she was in a home for waifs and strays and received a comprehensive report from them.
This is when is became exciting for me as it said in the letter that Isabel was sent to a home when her father died and her mother could not support all her children. The report said "The father Charles Ward died in May 1905 when he was 37. He had been a workman (foreman) in the employment of Watney Combe Reid and Co Brewers, Pimlico (the Stag Brewery) for 13 years with a excellent character".
Can anyone help who has access to local papers to see if anything is listed and can anyone help me with locating her death certificate. I know his birth was 25th July 1868 in West Ham (I have this certificate) and his wife was Clara Pettitt.
Also I know from tracing my Scottish Ancestors that when some of my ancestors died in a Pit accident it went to the Procurator Fiscal and a full investigation was carried out. Would this happen in England? And is there anything you could suggest to try to confirm if he did die in a Vat of Beer and any more information.
I also feel quite sorry for Charles Ward as I had heard that Isabel, his daughter, had ran away from home but I now think she ran away from the childrens home and I may have had the wrong opinion of Charles.
I do think something bad must have happened at the Brewery as a Mr C H Babbington tried to get Isabel and her children Elizabeth in homes and also tried to get funds from the Stag Brewery to help. It also says in the report that in November 1908 "compensation moneys paid by the brewery into Court under the Workmens Compensation Act".
I have Isabel (Isabella) in St Judes Home for Waifs and Strays in 1911 but cannot find her sister Elizabeth Ward who I know from the report in went back her mother Clara on 17th December 1910 then I think she went into service as a maid. I cannot find Elizabeth her mother Clara and her siblings Mabel Ward, Charles (aka Charley), Rose Mary Ward, Grace Mary Ward, Hilda Marjory Ward.
Sorry to add so much but would be delighted as always if anyone can help
Steven
Comment