Fearless Females 2012 - Day 5

March 5 — How did they meet? You’ve documented marriages, now, go back a bit. Do you know the story of how your parents met? Your grandparents?


Still focusing on the marriage featured yesterday. How did my 3 x Great Grandparents meet? I have actually no idea. There have been no dairies left to indicate, so I am using a little poetic license to cast a speculative thought out into the ether.

William Elstone was born in Headley across the Hampshire border in 1800. He was married  in Bramshott, a nearby village in 1828. There is consistent movement between lots of the parishioners with these two parishes and the nearby parish of Frensham Surrey and across to Petworth and other parishes, which are just into the County of Sussex. 

His Bride, Eliza Bridger was born in Puttenham Surrey in 1809. Her mother was a native of Puttenham and her father came from Headley in Hampshire. 

The Villages would have been independent of one another, yet in some ways consistent with the image portrayed in the BBC drama, Lark Rise to Candleford, there would have been movement and connections with the surrounding villages. Bramshott, although having a paper mill, was also, like the other parishes rural. Farming and working on the land would have been a major source of income. From this point, enters the concept of market days. 

Puttenham is 4 miles or so from Guildford, which was an essential market town, and a direct route from Winchester to London. Puttenham is also about 4 miles from Farnham in the opposite direction from Guildford and also on route from Winchester to London. Headley and Bramshott are within easy walking distance of Farnham. Farnham to Puttenham is only 6 miles, and probably less walking across the fields. 

The probability was that William and Eliza met at the local market town, I have a gut feeling Farnham, but no specific reason why that would be the case. The other possibility is that they shared a relationship with a third party - a friend or cousin and met through them.

This modern postcard, which I think I have featured before is a good quick reference to establish the locations of the various parishes; I often use it for inspiration!

We often judge distances by modern values, with roads and motorways. We need to think  about walking. What we consider a pleasure; to walk 10 miles our ancestors did possibly daily, not for pleasure, but out of necessity. Our ancestors would have walked across the fields, enjoying the fresh spring and summer airs, but also enduring the wet and cold of Autumn and Winter.

Fearless Females 2012 - Day 4

March 4 — Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.


I do have the marriage record of my Grandparents, but though that I would share this one.

This is the marriage that links together the families of my Grandparents who married each other in 1939 and were completely unaware that they were related!

My Grandfather, George Butcher, descends through his maternal line, back through the surnames of Harris, Ellis and Budd. All the families deeply rooted in the parish of Puttenham. 

The common ancestor was the marriage of Richard Budd to Sarah Collins in Puttenham in 1742. Richard and Sarah raised a family of 5 children, comprising of 4 daughters and one son. Their third daughter, Mary Budd was born in Puttenham in 1779 and married in Puttenham to Richard Bridger in 1797. Richard and Mary Bridger then proceeded to have a large family of 14 children, all born in Bramshott Hampshire.

My Grandmother, Lilian Edith Matthews descends through her maternal line, back through the surname of Elstone. In this particular case, Eliza Bridger, named in the marriage certificate above was the 8th child from the family of 14 born to Richard Bridger and Mary (nee Budd).

Eliza Bridger married William Elstone in the parish of Bramshott in 1828. The Elstone's had been in the parish since the 1730s, and were eventual owners of Bramshott paper mill, through the marriage of William's parents, John Elstone and Ann Pim in 1786.

Fearless Females 2012 - Day 3

March 3 — Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.

Last year I talked about an ancestor, my Great x 3 Grandmother, Prudence Budd and that her name had been carried down through the family. Which I think is a lovely honour. Certainly if we had, had children we would have used family names, although, I am not sure Prudence would have been the one; my husband might have taken considerable persuading!

I also shared an unusual name of Bethsheba, which occurs on my Grandmother's paternal line. On my Grandmother's maternal line I have come across the lovely name of Emaline. Emaline was my Grandmother's Great Grandmother. Born in 1797 in the Sussex parish of Lurgershall. Emaline married in 1815 at Lurgershall to Edward Denyer.

Fearless Females 2012 - Day 2

March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?

This photograph is not in terribly good shape. I inherited this from my Grandmother. This is a photograph of my Great Grandmother, Mary Elizabeth ELSTONE, aged circa 18 years.  Mary was born in Bramshott Hampshire in 1880. She married John Matthews in Merrow, Guildford Surrey in 1900 and they raised a family of 11 children. Mary died in 1937 and is buried at the Mount Cemetery Guildford.

Fearless Females 2012 - Day 1

March 1 — Do you have a favourite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

Last year I wrote about my ancestor Esther Bellasis nee King. Esther, over the past few years has featured several times. I find her and her husband fascinating.

When I sat recently to write this post I reflected the question,  do I have a favourite ancestor? and if I did, should I have? Each of my female ancestors made their contribution to my ancestry and in each one of them is important.

In recent weeks, I have revisited the research I hold of specific ancestors. In that revisit I have drawn out a time line of events of their lives and found in some cases I knew very little beyond the paper trail of existence  for them. I guess that this is because we females tend to change names upon marriage; and perhaps that causes us to loose our identity as women and individuals in our own right. In revisiting the information of my female ancestors it enables me to progress their existence beyond that of mother and wife.

Fearless Females - 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women's History Month - Introduction

In March 2010, The Accidental Genealogist launched a series of blogging prompts to celebrate Women's history Month. I didn't take part then, but did in 2011 and plan to do so again. 

The prompts are provided by, and copyrighted to The Accidental Genealogist and are listed one for each day in March. They are listed here purely as an introductory post to assist me as I follow the challenge.

Blogging Prompts.

March 1 — Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?

March 3 — Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.

March 4 — Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.

March 5 — How did they meet? You’ve documented marriages, now, go back a bit. Do you know the story of how your parents met? Your grandparents?

March 6 — Describe an heirloom you may have inherited from a female ancestor (wedding ring or other jewelry, china, clothing, etc.) If you don’t have any, then write about a specific object you remember from your mother or grandmother, or aunt (a scarf, a hat, cooking utensil, furniture, etc.)

March 7 — Share a favorite recipe from your mother or grandmother’s kitchen. Why is this dish your favorite? If you don’t have one that’s been passed down, describe a favorite holiday or other meal you shared with your family.

March 8 — Did one of your female ancestors leave a diary, journal, or collection of letters? Share an entry or excerpt.

March 9 — Take a family document (baptismal certificate, passenger list, naturalization petition, etc.) and write a brief narrative using the information.

March 10 — What role did religion play in your family? How did your female ancestors practice their faith? If they did not, why didn’t they? Did you have any female ancestors who served their churches in some capacity?

March 11 — Did you have any female ancestors who died young or from tragic or unexpected circumstances? Describe and how did this affect the family?

March 12 — Working girl: Did your mother or grandmother work outside the home? What did she do? Describe her occupation.

March 13 — Moment of Strength: share a story where a female ancestor showed courage or strength in a difficult situation.

March 14 — Newsmakers? Did you have a female ancestor who made the news? Why? Was she famous or notorious? Did she appear in the social column?

March 15 — Write a six-word memoir tribute to one of your female ancestors.

March 16 — If you could have lunch with any female family member (living or dead) or any famous female who would it be and why? Where would you go? What would you eat?

March 17 — Social Butterfly? What social organizations or groups did your mother or grandmother belong to? Sewing circle, church group, fraternal benefit society or lodge? Describe her role in the group.

March 18 — Shining star: Did you have a female ancestor who had a special talent? Artist, singer, actress, athlete, seamstress, or other? Describe.

March 19 — Have you discovered a surprising fact about one of your female ancestors? What was it and how did you learn it? How did you feel when you found out?

March 20 — Is there a female ancestor who is your brick wall? Why? List possible sources for finding more information.

March 21 — Describe a tender moment one of your female ancestors shared with you or another family member.

March 22 — If a famous director wanted to make a movie about one of your female ancestors who would it be? What actress would you cast in the role and why?

March 23 — Create a timeline for a female ancestor using your favorite software program or an online timeline generator such as OurTimelines.Post an image of it or link.

March 24 — Do you share any physical resemblance or personality trait with one of your female ancestors? Who? What is it?

March 25 — Tell how a female ancestor interacted with her children. Was she loving or supportive? A disciplinarian? A bit of both?

March 26 — What education did your mother receive? Your grandmothers? Great-grandmothers? Note any advanced degrees or special achievements.

March 27 — Do you know the immigration story of one or more female ancestors? Do you have any passenger lists, passports, or other documentation? Interesting family stories?

March 28 — Do you remember your mother’s best friend? Your grandmother’s? How and where did they meet? How long were they friends? What activities did they share?

March 29 — Create a free Fold3 Memorial Page or a Genealogy Trading Card at Big Huge Labs for a female ancestor. Some of you may have created your own card back in September 2009 following Sheri Fenley’s post over at The Educated Genealogist. This time, the card is for your female ancestor. Tell us about who you've selected and why and then post a link to what you've created.

March 30 — Did you receive any advice or words of wisdom from your mother or another female ancestor?

March 31 — Pick one female ancestor and write a mini-profile (500 words or less).

BONUS: Take all of your postings and turn them into a memory or tribute booklet for future generations.

Thanks to The Accidental Genealogist for the prompts