1900s queries

[Waitabit]

Oh bliss!

If you go to Google Maps Street View, and put in Catherine Street St Albans, they are on the same side of the road as the pub

Thanks forthat, I do love to see where -what-when.
Always thought Herts was in 'the country' from LONDON etc. well it probably was once.
I'm having such fun acclimatising again. Thought I had itall under control, then Essex happened, now Hertfordshire doing the same.

Here am I ,dishes washed,still in the kitchen.Should be up there on the computer maybe chatting to cousin on newly reinstalled skype.
I shall apologise to him later.

nah, haven't got google earth here. must change.

[Jan1954]

Plan a) I will have a look in my village library tomorrow when they open after the holiday to see what they have. Usually, not a lot because it is just a village!

Plan b) is to pop into St Albans. I will leave this until Thursday as Wednesday is Market Day and trying to find a parking space is like trying to knit fog!

Plan a) was no good. Everything that I could wish to know about my village, but that was it. On to plan b).

[Waitabit]

There's sturdy Brit Spirit for you!

So, perhaps you can hire out as a tourist guide now?

[Jan1954]

Well, I invoked plan b) and pootled over to the main library in St Albans today. I checked all the available directories from 1910 through to 1914/15 and neither of the names that you mentioned were at the address given. I will send you a PM of what I did find.

Meanwhile, I met a very sweet person who wanted to help but we were obviously not on the same wavelength:
Me: Do you hold details here of licences for hawkers in the early 1900s?
Them: I am not sure. I will ask the librarian.
Me: Thank you.
Them: Before I ask them, where was the hawker catching the pigeons?

Once we had resolved the bird issue, they very kindly telephoned HALS and handed the receiver to me. The Archivist was not available, but I left all of the information with a person who spoke genealogy rather than ornithology, and left my email address for them to check and let me know. It may be that I do not have to invoke Plan c). Fingers crossed.

Wendy - your inbox is full!

[Waitabit]

Aren't you having the best fun? Out & about meeting all the fun people & learning so much along the way. Aren't you glad we met?
Soon other members will be posting in wanting to acompany you on your trips.

Jan you are so good, doing this for me. I wish I could reciprocate- too early in the morning for words like that! Oh & yes i withdrew several deposits from my inbox. Didn't look to be that many but- like rabbits they multiply.

thank you Jan.
ps, let's hope that along with forgeting her name she didn't forget to buy a liscence.

[Jan1954]

Thanks Wendy - PM has now been sent.

[Waitabit]

Meanwhile back in St.Albans, a marriage may have been found for formerly elusive Lady.A widower Jacob Hill, blacksmith.
Later 1927-a death for a Jacob Hill 65 reg'd in Watford- 9 miles from St.Albans.

1939 the death of an Alice M. Hill 63 is reg'd in Barnet.
These ages match the people as in former censuses & with Alice, match my Lady.

I've been touring cemeteries in Herts trying to disvoer wherethe burials may be.No luck there. Any suggestions please ? other than setting up a cemetery busy bee for all of those surrounding areas.

I have emailed St.Albans council on matter of hawkers licenses, but didn't have the above info. then to ask questions on cemteries & burials.

[Jan1954]

The Herts Advertiser was (and still is) the newspaper of the day. Most births, marriages and deaths were printed on the inside page (page 2) until about 15 years ago, since when you have to rummage through the paper to find them. They may have details of where the funerals were to be held. Then there is also the Watford Observer and the Barnet and Potters Bar Times...

Give me a week or so and I should be able to pop over to Hertford RO to have a look - unless there are any other Hertfordshire members who will be going sooner...

[Waitabit]

Oooo-er Jan you continually come up trumps. Are any of these papers online? I feel I should be getting into it myself, but distance & availablity narks.

Shall still try for perhaps the children of said Groom- maybe they did marry etc.

[Waitabit]

Quick reply from St.Albans Council: "suggest you try St Albans/Herts Police as they might have kept records on street sellers."

figures, seeing Police Gazettes here in Australia, the police were responsible for handing our such licenses.
May just concentrate on known (possible) family after 1913.