The Book of Me, Written by You - Week 57 - Life Chapters

The Book Of Me, Written By You is a 15 month project set up by Julie Goucher at Anglers Rest.

Each week there are prompts which require answering.

Week 57 - Life Chapters

Brazil

My life is definitely divided into chapters. The chapters are divided by significant events and different phases of life. There is some overlap between some of the chapters. In my mind the chapters are:

• Primary school - 4 to 11 years old
• Secondary school and adolescence - 11 to 16 years old
• 6th Form - 16 to 18 years old
• Gap Year & Brazil - 18 to 19 years old (See Brazil @ RuthHogan blog)
• University - 19 to 22 years old
• Trip to Malawi - aged 21 years old (See Malawi @ RuthHogan blog)
• Post university as a single person - 22 to 24 years old
• Pre-marriage dating - 24 to 25 years old
• Early marriage years - 25 to 28 years old
• New Zealand Adventures - 26 years old (See New Zealand @ RuthHogan blog)
• Parenthood - 28 years onwards
• Life in Bradford - 19 years old onwards (See Bradford @ RuthHogan blog)
• Life in Bacup - Birth to 18 years old
• Work at Opticians - 22 to 26 years old
• Work in the hospital - 26 years old onwards 

Malawi

Bradford

The Book of Me, Written by You - Week 56 - Clubs & Societies

The Book Of Me, Written By You is a 15 month project set up by Julie Goucher at Anglers Rest.

Each week there are prompts which require answering.

Week 56 - Clubs & Societies

When I was a student at the University of Bradford was a real season of belonging to clubs & societies.

As a student I was a member of:

• The Christian Union
• Trampolining
• University Orchestra

Now, I struggle to find the time to be a part of clubs & societies, but I have recently joined Raise Your Voice Community Choir as I was really missing being actively involved in community music.

My family and I are also a part of an emerging community called The Well Community which is a group of people with the same faith values who are delving into deeper relationships together and processing what being a community means in today's society.

Growing up as a child I was always involved in something or other so here is a list of clubs and societies I was a part of for some of my childhood years:

• Trampolining at school
• School Orchestra
• School Chamber Orchestra
• Church Choir - not a tradition church choir but we would sing together Christian musicals at various seasonal events, such as Christmas, Easter or anniversaries
• Youth Club - based in a church we would hang out together on a Friday evening and eat sweets, play pool, listen to music, chat and just generally socialise
• Christian Endeavour - a children's club at the church we were a part of as a family
• Vision - a monthly Christian youth event, which has grown into something much bigger now

I love the idea of joining a good genealogical society or local history society but it's having the time to do this, as I would rather spend time with investing in my family, researching my family tree alongside work and housework and those never ending tasks!

I also occasionally go to events organised by clubs and societies related to my profession, especially when they are Continuous Educational Training days which interest me and my career path.

I have some photos of my great grandfather, Walter Davidson as part of a bowling club from Hull. We suspect it was East Park Bowling Club. My grandfather once told me that it upset him that Walter, his father, spent so much time with the bowling club and not enough time with his family.

Bowling Club in Hull, East Yorkshire - my great grandfather is middle row, 3rd person from the left

Bowling Club in Hull, East Yorkshire - my great grandfather is on the back row, second from the left

Bowling Club in Hull, East Yorkshire - my great grandfather is on the back row, second from the right

The Book of Me, Written by You - Week 55 - Movies

The Book Of Me, Written By You is a 15 month project set up by Julie Goucher at Anglers Rest.

Each week there are prompts which require answering.

Week 55 - Movies

Watching movies is not my favourite activity, I much prefer being on the go and doing things instead. I mostly enjoy watching a movie when I have some sewing or something to do.

My husband and I at "Edoras" AKA Mt Sunday (see blog post about Mt Sunday)

I remember one of the first movies I went to see at the cinema was with a school friend for her 12th birthday. We went to see the new film Titanic. I was just 12 years old and it was a 12 rated movie, so it was quite exciting for many of my school friends to be able to go and see this movie when it first came out. I still love this film and also own the soundtrack as well as the DVD.

A great Christmas film to watch is Love Actually, a real good feel factor movie ready for the festive season.

My husband and I have enjoyed watching the Lord of the Rings (LotR) trilogy and have been really interested in the Hobbit movies as well. My husband has always been a LotR fan, but when we decided to go campervan-ing around New Zealand a few years ago, my husband decided it was wise to educate me in the ways of LotR and since then the Hobbit films have been released. We visited many of the film locations whilst in New Zealand. (You can see our blog from our New Zealand travels at Ruth's Blog)

Moeraki Boulders feature on The Voyage of the
Dawntreader movie (see blog post Moeraki Boulders)

I love the Shrek movies, growing up with them through my teens I was always drawn to watch them when the next one came out. I also own them all (except the 4th) on DVD.

I also have fond memories of watching over and over again the BBC Narnia films as a child. I loved them and have since enjoyed watching the new version of the Narnia movies - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, Voyage of the Dawntreader. We even visited some of the film locations on our NZ trip too.

If I am going to watch a movie, it has to really grasp me. My favourite movies are either books which have been well told into a movie, eg Narnia, LotR etc or historical dramas either real life or fictional, eg Titanic, Kings Speech, etc. I also like a bit of comedy in films such as Bruce Almighty, Shrek etc. My husband loves his Sci-fi and Action movies so we rarely find something that we both enjoy watching together.

I will leave you with some photos of the film locations we visited in NZ to peruse . . .

Hobbiton

Bag End in Hobbiton (see blog post about Hobbiton)

Cathedral Cove, NZ - Used in the opening scene of Narnia in the film Prince Caspian
 (see blog post about Cathedral Cove)

Photographs Through The Generations

Ok so this blog post is an idea from Genea-Musing blog . . .

I have 7 generations of photos in my Davidson family line, so here goes . . .

1) My great, great, great grandparents

John Davidson (1832-1897) & Jane Davidson nee Redwood (1827-1894)

2) My great, great grandparents

Edward Davidson (1866-1928) & Martha Davidson nee Hair (1862-1929)

2 & 3) My great, great grandmother & her sons, the youngest being my great grandfather

Martha Davidson nee Hair (1862-1929) with her sons, Edward (1886-?) & Walter (1888-1969)

2 & 3) My great, great grandparents & their sons, the youngest being my great grandfather

Edward (1866-1928), Martha nee Hair (1862-1929), Edward (1886-?) & Walter Davidson (1888-1969)

3 & 4) My great grandfather with his sons (my great uncles)

Walter Davidson (1888-1969) with his sons, Edward (1916-1995) & Walter Leslie (1923-2003)

4) My grandparents

Ronald Davidson & Mary nee Poole

5) My dad with his younger brother

My father & uncle

6) Myself and brother

7) Mine and my brother's offspring...

We have plenty a photo of the next generation but not to share at the moment

Love Languages? Historical roots of language . . .

I was reading something really interesting today on another website with an amazing diagram which really shows the history of languages in a nutshell (I realise it's not 100% accurate but think it depicts the development of the many languages over the centuries . . .

Feast Your Beautiful Eyes on this Beautiful Linguistic Family Tree

Image link - accessed 26th October 2014

Grave Hunting at Nab Wood Cemetery

Today as we drove past Nab Wood Cemetery to get to a Lego Fair my husband wanted to see, I persuaded him on the return journey to stop off at the cemetery to visit the grave of my great, great, great grandmother, Sarah Hannah Poole & her son, my great, great grandfather, Fred Poole. I had found a reference to the grave on FindAGrave.com which aided locating the grave by already seeing a picture and knowing it's size, shape & colour.

Photo of my ancestor grave at Nab Wood Cemetery

In Loving Memory

of SARAH HANNAH

beloved wife of JAMES POOLE

who died May 17th 1922

in her 82nd year

"at rest"

Also of JAMES POOLE

husband of the above,

died at Melbourne, Australia

Also of FRED POOLE,

Son of the above,

died 8th April 1948

aged 87 years

When I eventually found the grave of Sarah Hannah & Fred Poole, I was more surprised to discover that the neighbouring grave was that of another set of my great, great, great grandparents, John & Jessie Binns. John & Jessie Binns were Fred Poole's parents-in-law.

My ancestors grave at Nab Wood Cemetery

A close up of the inscription

In 

Loving Memory of 

JOHN BINNS 

died Sep 27th 1904 

aged 65 years

also JESSIE wife of the above

died Dec 10th 1921

in her 78th year

Further close up of the inscription on John Binn's gravestone

Also ROSE HANNAH

daughter of the above

died Aug 5th 1896

in her 16th year

Last close up of John Binn's gravestone inscription

Also CLARISSA

Wife of JIM BINNS

Died May 7th 1919 aged 52 years

I am presuming that perhaps Fred & his wife, Grace Ellen Poole nee Binns bought the adjacent burial plots for their parents. Otherwise it would be a strange co-incidence that they're buried in neighbouring plots.

We had a further general wander around the rest of the cemetery and found a grave for Ada Poole nee Druce, the wife of Charles H Poole. Charles H Poole was Fred Poole's brother & son to Hannah.

Grave stone for Ada Poole

In Loving Memory of

ADA

wife of CHARLES H. POOLE

died July 7th 1926

aged 47 years.

All in all I feel it was a worthwhile trip especially finding 2 more ancestral graves which were unexpected finds!! 

The Book of Me, Written by You - Week 54 - School Trips

The Book Of Me, Written By You is a 15 month project set up by Julie Goucher at Anglers Rest.

Each week there are prompts which require answering.

Week 54 - School Trips

Fishes at a recent trip to Chester Zoo

If my memory serves me correctly we had quite a number of school trips, at least one every year in primary school and one most years in secondary school.

I do not think I can remember them all (my mum could probably tell me more) but here goes:

• Helmshore Textile Museum after we had been studying making wool (a local industry), I remember being the best in the class for spinning the wool or something and being picked out to have a go at the museum
• Some kind of bird and wetlands place possibly Martin Mere Wetlands probably learning about birds and wildlife
• Blackpool Zoo in nursery school, if I remember correctly
• Chester Zoo in the 6th form to learn about animal behaviour with the biology class - we went to Chester Zoo again recently for a fun day trip
• Alton Towers theme park as part of a treat activity day at secondary school
• Trafford Centre - a shopping centre/cinema/bowling alley etc, again a treat activity day at secondary school
• Blackpool Pleasure Beach - one year at secondary school they moved the activity day to the day when we had some of our music exams, so instead we got another day out of school going to Blackpool - this was great fun!!
• Germany with Secondary school to practice our German and learn about the German culture
• Outdoor pursuit centre in our last year of primary school for a week
• Betws-y-Coed for a week in the 6th form on a biology field trip, the biggest memory from this trip was counting areas of sphagnum moss? I'm sure it served some purpose, but cannot quite remember what
• In Primary School I have a vague memory of the whole class walking to the teachers house to have a look at something as part of a trip but for the life of me I cannot remember what that was!
• Probably other museums locally at various points...

Penguin on a recent trip to Chester Zoo

I remember regularly coming home from school trips with some kind of souvenir, whether it was a pencil, pen, ruler, rubber, keyring, usually something cheap and cheerful.

One year I cannot remember where we were going but it was in primary school and the class walked down to the road to wait for the coach to take us on our trip. We waited and waited for ages but it did not turn up so someone was sent back up to school phone the coach company. They had got the dates all muddled so we had to wait ages for the coach but eventually they sent one, but we were quite late arriving at our destination, but still had a fun day.

The Book of Me, Written by You - Week 53 - My Home Town

The Book Of Me, Written By You is a 15 month project set up by Julie Goucher at Anglers Rest.

Each week there are prompts which require answering.

Week 53 - My Home Town

My home town is Bacup in East Lancashire, it is where I grew up. I lived here from being a few days old to 18 years old, which was when I left home. I still return to Bacup to see my mum and may be a few other people.

A Moorland photo above Bacup

Bacup is the head town of the Rossendale Valley, once a thriving town with the cotton and woollen industries of the Victorian era. Since the start of the 20th Century there has been mass decline in industry and there was a move to the slipper and shoe manufacturing. The Rossendale Valley was nicknamed The Golden Valley at it's peak at the end of the 19th Century. 

It is in the heart of the Pennines, with Burnley to the north and Rochdale to the south, or Yorkshire to the east and Blackburn to the west, it sits in a rural spot, being at the head of the valley you have to climb hills and over moors to get out to surrounding towns of Burnley, Todmorden, Whitworth or down the valley to Rawtenstall. The river Irwell's source is in a small village to the north of Bacup and the river runs through the Rossendale Valley out towards Manchester before it joins the River Mersey.

Map from Google Maps, accessed 15th Oct 2014

 

It is and will always be a special place, as this was where I grew up and got my first job after qualifying as an Optician, but I do feel that Bradford is becoming more and more my home town as I have now lived here nearly half as long as I did in Bacup.

The Book of Me, Written by You - Week 52 - Inherited Items

The Book Of Me, Written By You is a 15 month project set up by Julie Goucher at Anglers Rest.

Each week there are prompts which require answering.

Week 52 - Inherited Items

I have a number of inherited items, partly due to the fact that family members know I am interested in the family tree so pass on items for me to take care of and ensure they will be passed on. 

A jug with my great, great grandmothers name on it:

I found this jug at my mum's house when I was helping her to move. She said I could have it. It is quite a precious inherited item as I own very little and know very little of this side of my family. The jug says "Mrs Wilcock 1899 Leeds" presumably it was made for my great, great grandmother - Sarah Ann Wilcock nee Holmes as a wedding present as she was wed to Charles Wilcock in 1899. 

My Inherited Jug

My great grandmother's engagement ring:

In my grandmother's will she left her jewellery to her grandchildren. An item I was privileged to receive was my great grandmothers, Alice Thompson's engagement ring, which without adjustment fits me well, although I don't often wear it. It is a gorgeous ring. In the jewellery selection I received there was also a beautiful amethyst broach which is in a little old case. It was probably passed down from someone else as well, but unsure whom.

Birth, marriage, death certificates and other documents:

I have quite a good collection of my ancestors documents now, from apprenticeship records, burial records, school certificates to original birth, marriage and death certificates. Everyone passes them onto me as they know I'll be interested due to the family tree research I do. 

A school attendance certificate for my great grandfather, Walter Davidson

My great, great grandfather's notebooks:

After the death of my great grandfather, my dad acquired a box of records and documents which had belonged to my great grandfather and his father. In this collection was my great, great grandfather's notebooks and address books, my dad later passed all these intriguing items to me to aid my research.

Excerpt from Edward Davidson's notebooks

Excerpt from Edward Davidson's notebooks

A collection of photos:

Again from the box of miscellaneous items my father acquired was a large collection of old photos. We are unsure who some of the people on the photos are but I will not throw them out, who knows one day someone may know who's face it is in those photos.

My great, great grandparents, Edward and Martha, great grandfather, Walter and his brother, known as Uncle Ted

The Book of Me, Written by You - Week 51 - My First Home

The Book Of Me, Written By You is a 15 month project set up by Julie Goucher at Anglers Rest.

Each week there are prompts which require answering.

Week 51 - My First Home

My first home is currently being sold by my parents. It was a 1930s 3-bedroomed semi detached house with a bay window on a hill with a large garden. From the front of the house, it overlooked the valley bottom and the hills the other side of the valley which were scarred by old quarries. The back looked out onto the back drive and the woodland. The house was built in the grounds of an old mansion house so the access was through large gateposts, past a lodge house and up a drive to the back of the house. The driveway led to the mansion house, an old farm and cottages further up the hill.

My first house (after the extension)

We accessed the house from the back where there was a garage base to park the car and a double garage, where my dad kept his cars. There was a steep back path down the side of the garage to the back door, with a small lawn and large vegetable plot to the other side of the path. There was a tarmacked area to the side of the house where we could play as children. To the front of the house there were steps down through a rockery to a hedge. At the hedge ran a path along the front of the 8 houses on the street. Beyond the path there were more vegetable patches to a wall which dropped 7ft down onto the busy main road.

Walking inside the house from the back door, there was a small, narrow kitchen which lead to the hallway. Off the hallway there was a dining room and living room, both a reasonable size and the stairs. The stairs lead to the bathroom, 2 double bedrooms and a box-room. Later the house was extended over the tarmac to the side of the house creating a larger kitchen, study, extending the box-room and adding another bedroom.

We were lucky growing up in this house as it was spacious and there was lots of outdoor space for us to explore and play in.

My cosy living room, in my first bought house

My next first home would be the house I first bought, which was a 2 bedroomed mid-terrace house. It was built in a cul-de-sac, so was a nice quiet road. It was such a cosy house. There was a very small garden to the front, walled off from the road. You walked in through the front door to the lounge which was decorated red and cream it had a lovely warm feeling. From the lounge you wandered through into the kitchen, from the kitchen window you overlooked the back street and the small garden which was accessed through the basement. The staircases were off the kitchen, one down to the basement and the other up which lead to the bathroom. The bathroom was massive, there was a big corner bath and shower, toilet and basin. The other room on the first floor was the master bedroom. A big double bedroom which was more than spacious. From the small hall there was another staircase to the attic bedroom. The stairs came up in the middle of this room, again which was another big bedroom with a dormer window looking out towards the front of the house.

I loved this little house with it's spacious rooms but unfortunately we soon outgrew this house and required the extra space, so later moved into a more spacious house, semi-detached house.