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Can You Help?

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Janet's Research

Sources & More

If you are a new user take a look at the site guide.

New additions, also see Coming Soon: recently received contributions; perhaps you can help someone with a Brentford enquiry - it could be about a person, place or business, see Can You Help.

I hope you find something of interest and if you have any memories or stories about Brentford please get in touch, I’ll be delighted to include them.

*** Tip To make text larger press (at the same time) your Control ('Ctrl') and '+' keys. To shrink text use Ctrl and '-'. This will work on many other websites. Thanks to George Thorne for prompting this tip. ***

The History of Brentford Website

Two more websites with Brentford interest:

Brentford Local History Day: 15th June 2013

Contact email address sought

LostCousins - a Great Resource

You do not need to log-in to the LostCousins website to read the newsletter, use this link.

If you join LostCousins (it is free) you will find it extremely useful in locating relatives: Peter's website introduction explains:
Are you serious about researching your family tree? If so, you've come to the right place, because LostCousins is the ONLY family history website able to match you with others researching the same ancestors
AUTOMATICALLY, ACCURATELY & CONFIDENTIALLY
Simply enter the relatives on your family tree who were recorded in selected US, Canadian, British, or Irish Censuses - then click the Search button.

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Recent Additions

• Barry Pearce spotted himself in Barry Draper's St George's School photo, early 1950s and suggested two Bethell sisters may appear; Ann added some girls' names: Pamela Mudge, Pat Cane, Madeline Green, Anne Winkworth and Cheryl ?, can anyone confirm or add further names? (20 May 2013)
• Can you help identify a young man who worked at Bohee's, the printers at 58/59 High Street, 1920s, see photos on the Brentford TW8 site; the sender, Margaret, hopes to pass on his journal and photos to a relative; notes for the Bohees at no. 58 updated (17 May 2013)
• Another councillor biog, thanks to Janet McNamara: Thomas William Stockley, an early Labour councillor elected in 1923 (17 May 2013)
• Thomas Grant, a fishmonger of 5, Albany Road, was elected to the council in 1923: thanks to Janet McNamara for another biog (28 Apr 2013)
• Barry Draper has sent a photo of Distillery Road VE Day celebrations (May 1945) showing children's fancy dress; can you help with any names? (28 April 2013)
• John Stephen Commins was elected to the council in 1923, having been nominated by the Brentford Ratepayers Association and the Chamber of Commerce; another revealing biography from Janet McNamara (28 Apr 2013)
• Ernest John Edward Spokes was a commercial traveller who stood for election in 1922: thanks to Janet McNamara for another councillor biography (28 Apr 2013)
• More details of the Brentford Local History Day on June 15th are now available, see above (28 Apr 2013)
• Can you help Andrea with her request concerning Charlie Ward and Charlie White who lived at Albany Road into the 1940s? Please get in touch if so (28 Apr 2013)
• Another councillor biography from Janet McNamara: William James Bolton, an upholsterer, elected 1921 (5 April 2013)
• Albert Edward Moore was one of the early members of the Brentford Chamber of Commerce, elected to Brentford District Council in 1921: read his biography prepared by Janet McNamara (5 April 2013)
• Alice Maud Geraldine Parsons was Brentford's first woman councillor, elected in 1922; thanks to Janet McNamara for her biography (5 April 2013)
• Pauline has written to say she is on the 1950-ish St Paul's School photo (1 April 2013)
• EC (Teddy) Jones, designer of the "pusher tug", was elected as a councillor in 1919, Janet McNamara has prepared his biography; come along to the Local History Day to see more about this and other Brentford businesses (1 April 2013)
• Gordon Welch asks 'I was wondering if there is any information about a midwife that my mother used to talk about Granny Paddle, as she delivered me': please get in touch if you can help Gordon (30 Mar 2013)
• Stephen Privett has added a name update to a photo of a 1950s outing from The Ham (30 Mar 2013)
• Dave Padbury has added some updates to the 1948 photo of Brentford Secondary Modern Boys'; the site has several other school photos (23 Mar 2013)
• Were you (or your parents) at St Paul's Junior School around 1950? Thanks to Arthur Peters for this photo (20 March 2013)
• Thanks to Don Harris for adding names to a 1948 photo of Brentford Secondary Modern Boys' (15 Mar 2013)
• Steve Fayers has suggested an alternative identity for the W P Patterson commemorated on the war memorial originally outside St Lawrence's, now outside the library (12 Mar 2013)
• A newspaper article about the closure of the Black Boy and Still in 1922, after operating for 300 years, with details of the licensee and a brief history of the pub: thanks to Peter King and Janet McNamara (10 Mar 2013)
• Two Brentford news items from March 1810: the death of 'Harris' following a dispute respecting a young woman; and the drowning of a boy entrusted with the care of a boat (6 March 2013)
• The "Russell Baby" steam engine had an accident outside Field, Boddy and Sons, 279 High Street, in the 1920s or later, thanks to David Collidge for two photos showing the incident (1 March 2013)
• See links to two new websites including Brentford material: Edith's Streets blog describes streets and properties in London and Greater London; and Brentford Lock West for modern housing developments (March 1 2013)
• 1897 cheque payable to W. J. Bradbury, for sale! (Feb 20 2013)
• James Henry Paine, lath render, was elected in 1920 - another councillor biography prepared by Janet NcNamara (Feb 17 2012)
• Rosemary Davies has sent some happy memories of working for Rantons, 1966-1968 (Feb 16 2013)
• Another unusual and rare postcard from Howard Webb, showing the north eastern end of High Street, no. 320 onwards, 1908 - 1911; a super card, with a charming message, tram and a possible suffragette link ( (15 Feb 2013)
• Two more councillor biographies, thanks to Janet McNamara: William Flewitt, for nearly 40 years wholesale potato market dealer and proprietor of WDH Vaux at Brentford Market; and Robert Knopp Green, gas lighting contractor; both men were elected in 1919 (12 Feb 2013)
• Is anyone in touch with Pauline Chidwick? See above request (7 Feb 2013)
• Rob Bolton, Archivist, The Church Lads’ & Church Girls’ Brigade, has provided information about the London Diocesan Church Lads Brigade which had a company at Old Brentford from 1895 (6 Feb 2013)
• Thanks to Lynn Hayter and Janet McNamara for emailing details of the recent BBC radio programme 'Open Country' which features Johnson's Island and its artists' community; worth a listen on i-Player with a cup of tea and traditional biscuit or two; the programme mentions Barry Jones' local canal scenes, Google images includes several (2 Feb 2013)
• February news articles include many references to fires, this one from 1847 had a happier outcome following a heroic rescue; names Grover (or Govey), Best and O'Hara (2 Feb 2013)
• Were you at St George's primary school in the early 1950s? Barry Draper has sent photos of the football team, 1953, including several names; also class photos including teachers Mr Church and Mr Allen; can you add to Barry's names? (1 Feb 2013)
• Janet McNamara's biography for Thomas Edward Doran, elected to the council in 1919 and described in his obituary as a ‘Stormy Petrel’ of local politics (30 Jan 2013)
• Thanks to Terry Muldoon for providing information about two of Mike Perry's mystery photos, can you help with any of the others? (29 Jan 2013)

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Coming Soon

• A photo from Julia Quilliam, care of staff at Barclays Bank, showing a High Street shop in 1905 (April 2013)
• Gordon Welch has sent his Brentford memories from the 1940s-60s; his wife used to live at 353 High St and family surnames include Beeson and Sweeney (March 2013)
• Janet McNamara has completed a biography of Harry Frank Davis JP (1889-1964), councillor and volunteer fireman for 25 years (March 2013)
• Photo of Brentford Gas Works in the 1950s, from Don Harris (March 2013)
• Stephen Privett's memories of Cressage Road and area, 1960s (March 2013)
• Several trade directory lists, the earliest 1793, from Janet McNamara (March 2013)
• Lynn Hayter has sent a slideshow showing Brentford in November 2012, over 100 photos, hope to be able to make this available to any who can access a .wmv file and some stills (March 2013)
• Lynn Christison from Western Australia has sent some photos showing the Newman family and 245 High Street, also one from a 1960s Brentford Carnival (March 2013)
• Dave Stoneleigh has sent scans of Brentford Football Club programmes from 1947-1952, including adverts and team names, a trip down memory lane! (Feb 2013)
• Lewis Harry Hewett was a stone mason and from 1923 a councillor; Joseph Benjamin Hart, waterman and lighterman, was elected a year later and his biography includes extracts from a 'report of the life of the watermen during Blitz during the War' published in 1942; thanks to Janet McNamara for her continuing research (Jan 2013)
• Rob Bolton has provided a photo of the Hanwell Company of the London Diocesan Church Lads Brigade (Jan 2013)
• More councillor information: newscuttings from 1913 for councillors Dodge and Haley: thanks again to Janet McNamara (Jan 2013)
• Janet McNamara has sent newspaper cuttings about Brentford councillors, also a charming advert for the dolls' hospital at 234 High Street (September 2012)
• The Local and Family History Day 2012 will result in a number of additions: memories of Donald Peters; occupation descriptions from 1811; notes to add about St George Church Hall and businesses near 272; also any findings from research prompted by conversations (July 2012)
• Current day photo of Bantam IV ('pusher tug' built by E.C.Jones of Brentford) at the Canal Museum near Kings Cross (thanks to Janet McNamara) (May 2012)
• Table showing councillor attendances at committee meetings, 1910/11 from Janet McNamara (June 2012)

The above is not a complete list of all material outstanding (one of the challenges is to keep tabs on all contacts and I occasionally have a 'hot moment' when I find a mis-filed email dating back two or more years... If you write and have no reply, or I have said I'll do something and then don't a reminder will be appreciated!