Another Small Success

[pennydog]

Not a stupendous success but one that really satisfies me.

Recently I posted a question why would my g.g.grandad state on his marriage cert. that his father was an 'inspector of police', when in fact he was a butcher, with a shop. I thought that being a shopkeeper with his 'name over the door', would be status enough for anyone (I do accept that many did fabricate).

Well, yesterday, I had a long and very interesting visit to the East Sussex Records Office. I discovered that Samuel Slatter, butcher of Battle did indeed join the Sussex Constabulary, on the 2/2/1844. He was not a full time policeman, but one of many who joined post 1840 as a local constable who was not paid a salary, but an allowance for any duty done (a bit like a today's 'Specials' but paid).

So although his son, another Samuel exagerated his status, his father was indeed, a policeman!

It would have been a totally sucessful day IF only Samuel Slatter senior born in Battle, as he indicated on every census, had been. Sadly for me he wasn't - back to searching!

[Thomasin]

That's nice, pennydog. All the small successes do add up, and make it very satisfying. So young Samuel bent the truth a little - makes it all the more interesting!

[strawberrymivvy]

Great news Pennydog! Fingers crossed for more success soon.

I know when I got married I made sure my Dad's occupation was put down as something that would be "meaningful" for future genealogists researching our line. It wasn't a lie by any stretch of the imagination, but if we'd put down his actual job title it wouldn't have made sense in the years to come.

[pennydog]

That's nice, pennydog. All the small successes do add up, and make it very satisfying. So young Samuel bent the truth a little - makes it all the more interesting!

Yes it does, on all the census (even the workhouse, where he ended up) Samuel Senior put Butcher as his occupation, so without you Sam's marriage cert, I would never have known of his father's other 'job'.

[Roblen]

Hi, I was excited to find you on this site as have been researching my Slatter and Brown relatives for some time now and believe we are related. My g grandfather was Henry Brown d.o.b. 1871 and my grandfather was Henry George Brown d.o.b. 1893. I haven't got back as far with the Brown and Slatter family branches as you have, would be really interested to hear from you to compare notes. Best wishes, Robert

[pennydog]

Hi Robert,

I am sure that we do have a connection - Henry George b1871 was the brother of my nan Matilda b1881. Both are the children of Henry Brown b1848 and his wife Louisa Jane Slatter b1854.
Strangely only a couple of weeks ago I made contact with another researcher, who is decended from Henry's (b1848) brother John Brown b1850. Together we are trying to get back beyond John Brown b1815 in Norwich (father of John 1850 and Henry 1848)married to Elizabeth Matthews, and his father Michael who we know little of, other than his marriage in 1813 to Sarah Alden.
Look forward to hearing from you again - drop me a pm and we can share info.

Sue

[Roblen]

Hi Sue,

Thanks for your message. I'm sure that we have a connection now as the 1891 census record I found for Henry Brown when he lived at 59 Blount St (then 19 years old), mentions a Matilda aged 9. I've been researching more on the Slatter side of my family, so I hadn't really got any further back then 1871 for the Brown branch (when I found the marriage certificate for Henry and Louisa). The info you have about Henry's father, John, is very useful and I hope to be able to help you and the other researcher to find further details abut older ancestors. It's great that there are a couple of us researching this.

I would be interested to know if your nan, Matilda, stayed in touch with her siblings and if there are any family photos, documents etc. As far as I can tell, my great nan and grandad (Matilda's brother) lived in Poplar almost all their lives until they died in the Blitz in 1940. My grandad died in 1960, six years before I was born, so I never knew him, but growing up there was only ever my dad and my uncle from the Brown family - they seem to have lost touch with all the other Browns, which was sad. I have heard various stories from my dad before he died but haven't really been able to work out why everyone lost touch and am a bit curious. It's a long shot but maybe you might be able to help.

Hope to speak to you again soon.

Regards,
Robert

Hi Robert,

I am sure that we do have a connection - Henry George b1871 was the brother of my nan Matilda b1881. Both are the children of Henry Brown b1848 and his wife Louisa Jane Slatter b1854.
Strangely only a couple of weeks ago I made contact with another researcher, who is decended from Henry's (b1848) brother John Brown b1850. Together we are trying to get back beyond John Brown b1815 in Norwich (father of John 1850 and Henry 1848)married to Elizabeth Matthews, and his father Michael who we know little of, other than his marriage in 1813 to Sarah Alden.
Look forward to hearing from you again - drop me a pm and we can share info.

Sue