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Janet's Research

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Seeking

Seeking people

Sue O’Donnell writes 'My dad lived at 29 Distillery Road, Brentford as a child, he’s 79 now. Do you have any photos or information please? His name is James Passey, his sister is Lilian and their parents were Thomas and Amy but were known as Tama and Cath.' (March 2009)

Pat Green writes 'I was born at 34 Clayponds Avenue Brentford on 2nd October 1947. My mother and father lived before that in Carville Crescent. My name was Pat Mackey, in those days, so if anyone remembers me that would be wonderful. I have lived away for over 30 years but still come back from time to time and still love Brentford and always will!!' (May 2009)

Beverley Scott seeks her cousins: children of Kathleen Howson (born 1923), Pauline Howson (1927) and Tom W Howson (1929). The Howson family (headed by Tom Howson and Catharine Mackintosh who married in 1922) lived in the Brentford area in the late 1920s through to the 1940s (May 2009)

Barbara Harrison of Canada seeks descendants of the Geary family of Twickenham (June 2009)

Eric Westley writes asking if anyone has any photos taken at the opening of the Great West Road in 1925 which show the 2nd / 8th Middlesex Regiment guard of honour; his dad was standing behind an officer holding a sword; we have checked those provided by Roger Davis without success (October 2009)

Mike Field writes 'I am a great g g grandson of Reuben and Louisa Fleetwood and their daughter Elizabeth'; I am looking for more information about Louisa and in particular her parents details (October 2009)

Does anyone remember Kennington & Bourlet Ltd, a photographic equipment manufacturer? They were a subsidiary of Ilford Ltd and their address was 231, High Street, Brentford in 1954. They moved around 1961 to Thanet House, High Street, Brentford. Paul Godfrey is building a web site about the activities of K&B and Ilford Ltd. See Paul’s web site at www.greatyarmouthphotographic.co.uk/ilfordltd If you have any information about K&B and their occupation of premises in the Brentford area Paul would be very pleased to hear from you. Paul’s email address is at the top of the home page of his web site.(October 2009)

Clements Knowling Ltd was a Brentford canal carrier business; Mrs. Sophie Ashford writes 'Do any descendants of James Clements know anything about his partner/fellow director George Knowling. I have the will of George Knowling dated 1922 in which James Clements is mentioned as "my old and valued friend and partner in business". George Knowling was my great grandmother's brother. I would be most interested to hear from anyone who may have information about him.' (November 2009)

John Kite is searching for information on the Hilliard families of New Brentford, in particular Thomas/William/Benjamin names (November 2009)

June Bagley writes from Perth, Western Australia 'Richard Malam Moore married my cousin (once removed), Dora Margaret Clyne Christian in Bray, Wicklow in 1931.' Dr Richard Malam Moore died in 1973, aged 70; ' I noticed Dr Richard Moore in the telephone books in Brentford from around 1968--1981 at the Brentford Health Clinic, I was wondering if this could be the son. I am looking for the descendants of Richard Malam Moore and Doris Margaret Clyne Christian' (December 2009)

Andrea Tidy writes 'I am trying to trace information on my grandmothers family. Her name was Vera Tidy, nee Smith'; family addresses include Pottery Road, North Road and Carville Crescent (December 2009)

Pat (nee) Gardener and her sister Maureen seek friends who went to St George's school, Brentford in the 1950s and Brentford Secondary Modern Girls school in the 1950s/60s, please email, I will forward to Pat (Jan 2010)

Margaret Masters writes 'if anybody knows any more about the owners of Spanton's timberyard, I would love to hear from them. My husband's Spantonancestors established a timberyard on the Basingstoke Canal in Woking, Surrey - C. Spanton & Co. - in about 1890, but ... I had no knowledge of this business in Brentford' (Feb 2010)

Simon Lawrence writes 'I'm interested in Philip Norbury and the wood-engraved images he used in his printed output - either single sheets ephemera such as ballads or announcements, handbills, broadsides, etc, and in the images used in his chapbooks (especially), and other books. I wonder if there is anything published about him, and would be very keen to see copies of any image that he printed. Are there any collections, or academic resources?'; please write to Simon Lawrence, 95 Denby Lane, Upper Denby, Huddersfield HD8 8TZ or email (Feb 2010)

Vicki Powys writes 'Photo wanted - my great-uncle Harold Saunders was a solicitor at 115 High Street, Brentford, and sadly died at the very young age of 22 in a boating accident at Teddington Lock, in August 1900. He was a keen sportsman and a newspaper article in 1900 said he was captain of the reserve team of Brentford Football Club, and secretary of Boston Park Cricket and Tennis Clubs. Perhaps someone has an early photo of members from these clubs? Harold was living in Brentford sometime after 1891, until 1900. I don't know of any photos of Harold in our family archives, and would love to have one.' please email if you can help (March 2010)

Barry Pearce is hoping to make contact with Patricia Whelan: Barry's maternal grandfather Alfred Brooks was a brother to Patricia's grandfather, Thomas W Brooks, both living at 70 High Street late 19th and early 20th century; has anyone a current email address for Patricia? (April 2010)

'Sanders/Saunders of Brentford, Middlesex– a link to Thomas Cromwell?' writes Vicki Powys; an intriguing story, spanning over 300 years; 'perhaps there are some Cromwell scholars out there who could help unravel this mystery? Or if anyone has some good ideas on this puzzle, I’d love to hear from you!' (April 2010)

Simon Holloway is interested in contacting researchers into the Chapples family of the Brentford/ Chiswick area (April 2010)

Seeking places

Rob Sutherland has sent a full transcript of an 1806 Indenture relating to a property in the Butts (found at a fleamarket; Rob lives in Canada); the indenture includes names of people (some from Brentford, others from further afield) and relationships between several named people; it also refers to other documents dating back to 1726: a goldmine of information for descendants (March 2010)

Jim O'Reardon writes 'Have you any photos of my old school St John's RC on the corner of Brook Road and Clifden Road?' 'Brentford Past' (Gillian Clegg) includes information about the school, including that it was at this location between 1901 and 1968; please get in touch if you can help (Jan 2010)

Chris writes about his grandfather, who was the depot manager of Charrington's (formerly Rickett and Cockerell), Coal Merchants, possibly based in Lionel Road (East?). He seeks any records or photos of the depot. (December 2009)

Mark Abbott seeks any photos of no. 396 High Street where the Cloves family lived (May 2009)

Sue O’Donnell writes 'My dad lived at 29 Distillery Road, Brentford as a child, he’s 79 now. Do you have any photos or information please? His name is James Passey, his sister is Lilian and their parents were Thomas and Amy but were known as Tama and Cath.' (March 2009)

Graham Knight seeks photos of Brentford market in the 1900 - 1930 period, where his great grandfather Thomas Knight and his son Tom worked as potato salesmen

Seeking events

George Forgan wrotes 'A V1 Rocket hit 63 Clayponds Ave Brentford at 15.20 on the 12th July 1944 causing much damage including the house my family lived in at Ealing Road. The blast resulted in myself and sister being trapped in the rubble, luckily we here pulled out quickly unharmed, is there any information of this event? (April 2010)

Page published November 2009; updated July 2010