52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 6: Favourite Name
The 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge in week 6 is favourite name. I have some interesting names in my tree – both first and last names. Interesting first names that you certainly don’t hear today are Dorcas, Fanny, and Hilton. The surnames that fascinate me the most and I want to find out their origins are Washbrook, Crittal which became Criddle, and Osbaldstone.
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Week 6 – Favourite Name
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However, for today I have chosen my great-grandmother, Alice Elizabeth Washbrook. I chose this one as for some reason whenever I think about or talk about her I always say Alice Elizabeth Washbrook. Never just Alice or Alice Washbrook – it is always Alice Elizabeth Washbrook. It’s not like my tree is teeming with Alice Washbrook’s or Alice’s for that matter. However, to me, she is always Alice Elizabeth Washbrook.
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Alice Elizabeth Washbrook was born on 17 October 1868 in Lane Head, Willenhall, Staffordshire to Frederick Washbrook and Sarah Taylor.1 She was the fourth of six children, and the youngest of two girls.2,3 She married Aaron Walker on 2 June 1888 in the Register Office, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire.4 They had eight children – Phoebe, Sarah, Howard (my grandfather), Aaron, Abraham, Alice, Lilian, and Florence.5,6
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At the outbreak of WWII she was a widow, living with her son Abraham and his wife Winnie, at 5 Forge Road, Willenhall, Staffordshire.7 She died about 1957 at 89 years of age, having lived her entire life in the Willenhall area.8
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What name in your family tree fascinates you? Search for your surname at House of Names by putting your surname in the box below.
- Birth Certificate of Alice Elizabeth Washbrook, Born 17 October 1868, General Register Office, 320/1868.
- Findmypast, Census Record for Frederick, Sarah, Isaac, Sarah, Abraham, Alice Elizabeth Washbrook, ‘1871 Census England, Wales & Scotland, Lane Head, Willenhall, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire’, Accessed 7 March 2015.
- Findmypast, Census Record for Frederick, Sarah, Isaac, Sarah, Abraham, Alice Elizabeth, Arthur, Howard Washbrook, ‘1881 Census England, Wales & Scotland, Lodge Tavern, 90 Lane Head, Willenhall, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire’, Accessed 7 March 2015.
- Marriage Certificate of Aaron Walker and Alice Elizabeth Washbrook, Married 2 June 1888, General Register Office, 65/1888.
- Findmypast, Census Record for Aron, Alice, Phoebe, Sarah, Howard, Aron, and Abraham, ‘1901 Census England, Wales & Scotland, Lane Head, Bentley Lane, Short Heath, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire’, Accessed 7 March 2015.
- Findmypast, Census Record for Aaron, Alice, Sarah, Howard, Aaron, Abraham, Alice, Lilian, Florence Walker, ‘1911 Census England, Wales & Scotland, 13 New Street, Short Heath, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire’, Accessed 7 March 2015.
- Findmypast, 1939 Register for Abraham, Alice E, Winnie Walker, ‘1939 Register, The National Archives’, Accessed 29 June 2017.
- FreeBMD, Death Index for Alice E Walker, Volume 9b, Page 33, Bilston, Staffordshire, Accessed 22 February 2014.
Hi, this is very interesting.
Some old stories can be found here and read about. I actually don’t have a clue of what country you are talking about, but this might not be that important.
They seem to have huge families back then, a lot of children. It was more like that in Switzerland too these days.
And they really had some strange name back then I have never heard of.
Hi Stefan
Thank you for reading and commenting. It is strange coming across some of the names these days. This particular family was in England and I have just always thought of her as Alice Elizabeth Washbrook. Dad said he knew her as Grandma Walker. Different names for different roles in your life!
Regards
Megan
Being of the Osbaldstone clan, I have some further information if you are interested.
Hello Shaun
Lovely to hear from you. I would definitely be interested in information on the Osbaldstone clan as I am at a brick wall with this name. I will send you an email.
Regards
Megan