The picture above is of my great great grandparents, John and Mary Stacey, and probably their 4 youngest children.
Their youngest son George was born in 1882 so that would date this photograph mid to late 1880s.
I will start my thoughts with John and Mary who are the maternal branch of my family.

Sunday 9 February 2014

Mum's Bible

My mother's Bible was a special edition which was published in 1937 for the Coronation of King George VI  and Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mother) on 12th May of that year.  Unfortunately it is rather the worse for wear with loose pages and old sellotape.  Also the spine is missing.


In the back mum has written the date of her confirmation which was on 25th April 1937. 


Also to commemorate her Confirmation she was given this little red book. 



Friday 7 February 2014

More Bibles.


My grandmother, Edith Butler was sadly orphaned  before her first birthday when both her parents, Charles and Everil Butler, died of bronchopneumonia in 1900 and 1901; this was before the days of antibiotics. 
Edith herself also died at the age of 25 following an accident at home when her apron caught fire as she was dusting the mantelpiece. My mother was 3 at the time so did not remember her mother.  She did have her Bible and prayer book. 

Edith had written two addresses in the Bible, the first being Rose Cottage, Ravenfield which was their home address and also Leyburn Hall, which I think is where she worked in service.  It also says given her by her loving grandmother.


The next page she has written  from John 15 verses 13 & 14


Inside the back cover she has also written quotes. 


The next book I have is a Holy Communion Book which Edith received on her Confirmation in 1915 at the age of 15. 


I also have Edith's book of Common Prayer and Hymns.



I think Edith must have been very fond of this one as she had inscribed messages inside both covers.


Difficult to read but as far as I can make out it says:
 "Steal not this book for fear of shame
for here you see the owner's name
Edith Butler
For if you do the Lord will say
Where is the book you stole that day. 

Inside the back cover this one says
Edith Butler 
Ravenfield
Not to be taken away. 


This last book is not a Bible of prayer book but it is a Christian book published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.  I think I read this book as a child but can't remember the story.  
It was given to Edith at Christmas 1908 as either a prize or Christmas gift from St James' Church, Ravenfield


 Mum has written her name inside the cover of this one. Hilda Stobart whose name is above mum's was mum's cousin.  Don't know why her name is there though. 



Family Bibles.

After my mother Kathleen Lilian died in 2011, I became custodian of the family Bibles as my brother did not want them.  There is no big family Bible with births,marriages and death recorded in it but still interesting to see the names of family members recorded in them. This gives me a bit more information about my ancestors.   I will post them on separate posts.

The first one was presented to my grandfather Herbert Tirrell at Christmas 1909 when he was attending Rivelin Tunnel Sunday School.  Herbert was born on 13th April 1894 so was 15 when he received this Bible. The name Tirrell was wrongly spelled on here but that spelling was a common alterntive. 


Herbert's father, Joseph Tirrell was a navvy working on the railways and traveled all over the country, with his family, digging railway tunnels.  I think that Joseph might have been digging the Rivelin Tunnel at this time.  It is not a railway tunnel but it was built to divert the water from the River Derwent into the Rivelin reservoir.  I think the Sunday school might have been built for the labourer's children to attend. 

More Memorabilia

Another reminder of my father, William Cox, and the second World War.  I have posted before that he was in the army and most of his service was spent in India.  He was a Quartermaster Sergeant in the Military Police.  This is his cap badge which was given to my youngest son Sam by his grandmother.