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Punishment Book

I am fortunate enough to have access to the log books for Rayne School in Essex. Although I have no ancestors from these parts, they still make for fascinating reading. One is ominously labelled, ‘Punishment Book’ and contains genealogical treasures within. Unfortunately, quite a few pages are missing but the pages from May 1923 to May 1933 survive and record the names of children and their offences.

The majority of punishable behaviour seems to consist of persistent inattention, talking and unspecified ‘misbehaviour’. But sometimes a tiny bit of detail is given for our amusement. William Childs, for example, received 2 strokes on the hand with a strap for ‘Damaging Phyllis Gilder’s hat’. Lucy Yeldham ‘deliberately’ broke a ruler and promptly received 2 strokes. Thomas Coe, Leonard Carder and Harold Dawes each got 2 strokes on separate occasions for ‘Wasting Time’ (this one particularly makes me chuckle).

The same names tend to keep cropping up. Often in trouble, William Livermore at one time received 4 strokes for throwing a lighted match at a girl. This didn’t seem to deter him as he was given 2 more strokes a month later for ‘Striking matches’. The Livermores seemed to be a difficult family as Stanley Livermore (possibly William’s sibling) was once given 2 strokes for biting J. Newman and Ernest Livermore was also punished a few times.

Another repeat offender, Albert Olley got 2 strokes for ‘Squirting dirty water over girls on way home from school’ and then two more the next day for ‘Again interfering with girls on way home from school’, among many other offences.

I plan to catalogue the names in this book and will probably list them here for any one researching family in Rayne.

Snow Friend of Mine

I’ve been gone a while as I haven’t had much time to do genealogy lately. I haven’t even emailed my fabulous archivist for more information on the new lunatics I’ve uncovered from the last information received (She’s probably glad for the break).

At least this glorious snow we’ve been having will give me an opportunity to try and get in the swing of things again.

I’m going to sit back and relax now, read my brand new family tree magazine and wait for inspiration to strike. I’ll be back.

(Oh, and thankyou for the compliments and blog awards – you’re all very kind).

Lunatic in the Family – Death of a Daughter

Photo by w11buch via flickr

I had a bit of a hunch and it seems I was correct.

As Jane seemed to be the one looking after Agnes, I wondered if she was the daughter Agnes thought people believed she had killed. I searched the death records and found she died in 1886. 2 years before Agnes was admitted to the asylum.

Her brother John informed the death as well as petitioned for her admittance. I presume Agnes stayed with him until it got too much for him and his family. Her address prior to admittance was 12 Charleston (a nearby village). If I can find evidence of John living at this address, it seems to be the most likely scenario.

Tombstone Tuesday – Befays & Dehoux

LES EPOUX

BEFAYS – DEHOUX

The Married Couple

Befays – Dehoux

My mother migrated to Australia with her parents and younger sister when she was 9.

As a result, I know little about that side of the family but my mother remembers the time with her grandparents fondly.

In 2001, I was able to make a short trip to Belgium where I met my grandfather’s brother and his wife, who are wonderful people. Amongst many other activities, they took me to the grave of my great grandparents near Charleroi (which as you can see contains VERY little information).

Leon BEFAYS: 1904 – 1977

Florance DEHOUX: 1903 – 1979

Tombstone Tuesday – Broadhembury Stilings

While in Devon I paid a visit to the lovely village of Broadhembury. I had hopes of finding the graves of my STILING forebears to give me some new leads – this wasn’t to be. I did however, find the graves of some other Stilings. These Stilings are bound to be related somewhere along the line so I post these photos of their gravestones to help out distant family members who may be looking for these guys.

Affectionate Remembrance of

Thomas Stiling

Died Sep 18th 1848

Aged 38 years

[…] in death

ALSO Jane his wife

Died March 26 1875

Aged 75 years

Thy Will Be Done

ALSO John their son

Died November 27 1892

Aged 63 years

In Loving Memory

William Stiling

Who died March 20 1865

Aged 43 years

*note* – These inscriptions were extremely difficult to read. Most of the last one was deciphered through touch and educated guesswork so may not be entirely accurate.