Tracing friends or employers of ancestors. Useful.

[benny1982]

Hi

I have recently been tracing neighbours or employers of my ancestors and found several new leads with my family history. I recently found that my ggggran may have met my ggggrandfather through friends who lived in her village but had connections with Brighton, which is where my ggggrandfather lived.

In the 1861 census, my ancestor Sarah Brain was aged 18, living in Oxford High Street, Oxford. She married in Feb 1866 in London, so that suggests a move from Oxfordshire to London c1862 or 1863. In 1861 in Oxford, she was a servant, living at 10 High Street, Oxford with Henry Sampson Ladd, a fancy stationer. It was only her and Henry living at No 10 so I believe that she was his servant. Her sister lived nearby but stayed in Oxon. Out of curiosity I traced Henry to see if he might have been why Sarah moved to London c1862/1863ish.

In 1863, Henry Sampson Ladd had relocated to Westminster, London because he married a Louisa Porter in Oct 1863, at St James Westminster according to the IGI. Sarah Brain married John Wallaker, a bargeman, in 1866 in Lambeth, London. She was about 4 months pregnant by then.

I believe that shortly after the 1861 census, Sarah Brain moved to Westminster from Oxford with her employer Henry Ladd and that is why she was in London in 1866. I might look up Henry in 1860s London directories,or even get his marriage cert to see if Sarah was a witness.



Ben

[apehangmom]

This is an avenue that I think before the internet age was almost hard to do. I have a lund in Settle that worked as a gardener for a family.. next to his property... this connection has helped me locate my john Lunds home. One more way to find any one, makes our day. But there are also web sites that will show you the lattituide and longituide or mile that you may have intrest. I learned my way around Settle Eng this way.. so when I do go there .. I may be able to know my way .. which is exciting. See at one point companies also took photos of there workers.. like a class photo... I have one of my John Lund when he was an adult.. and having the names of the co workers.. well explains how mabey a brother in law met his future wife.. and possible family connections... I wonder how many companies have a good archive? thanks christne