My mothers father was Thomas Wheal and he was born in a small Wiltshire village called Hilmarton on 16th December 1867, but unfortunately he died before I was born in 1937, he was only 69 and I gather he had been in ill health for some time. He was a carpenter on the Dauntsey Estate.
My mother's mother name was Charlotte Louisa Sargent. She originally came from Helstead in Essex and when they converted the old mill at Malmesbury into a lace-making factory, she was brought in to help train the local girls in the art of lace-making. Charlotte Louisa was born on 11th December 1871 and died on 13th January 1960. I understand from Brenda, my sister-in-law who has done a great deal in tracing the family history, that Charlotte Louisa was an illegitimate child.
Thomas and Charlotte were married in Malmesbury Abbey, that being the parish church, on 22nd June 1894. I have just inherited a beautiful twelve-piece bone china tea service that was given to them as a wedding present.
Grandfather Thomas and Grandmother Charlotte had 4 children.
A son called Edward Frederick who was born in 1897 but died aged 6 in 1903.
My Aunty Mary came next, she was named Mary Louisa and she was born 22nd April 1898 and died at Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea in 1984. Aunty Mary had moved to Prittlewell to be near my mother when she had moved with my father to Prittlewell in 1961.
Grandfather Thomas and Grandmother Charlotte then had another daughter called Edith who was born in 1900 but died in 1913; we can find no more information about Edith.
A second son Alfred Edward was born 20th June 1904 and died in 1972. Uncle Alf as we knew him was married to Christian Elizabeth Painter who was born on 25th December 1910. They were married on 21st May 1934 at Portskewett, Monmouthshire.
Uncle Alf and Aunty Cis had 10 Children;
- Keith Edward – born 28th May 1935
- Dorothy
- Jennifer
- Mary Elizabeth - Betty
- Beryl
- Robin & Raymond (Twins)
- Josephine Grace
- Barbara
- Gwendoline Joy
My mother was the last child to be born to Grandfather Thomas & Grandmother Charlotte and she was Grace Esther. She was born on the 17th April 1908 at Ingram Street, Malmesbury, and died on the 19th May 1984 at Crawley in Sussex, which was where my parents had settled in their later years again due to my father's work.
My mother married my father in Malmesbury Abbey on the 4th February 1933.
As this wedding was during the cold February weather, my mother's bridesmaids and maid of honour wore red velvet dresses. My mother also carried a muff in red velvet that helped to keep her hands warm, instead of the usual flowers.
