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James was born to William and Ellen CHAPMAN in Wimbotsham, Norfolk on 31 Aug 1856. James was a Lay Preacher at the Primitive Methodist Chapel.If not preaching at the Wimbotsham Chapel he would walk to other of the surounding villages and conduct the service there. He left school at a very early age and taught himself to read and write. He worked on the Hare estate. He was profoundly deaf as were Ethel, Hilda and Mildred - an inherited condition.
He died on 8 Feb 1929 and is buriedin Wimbotsham churchyard. |
Rachel RUTLEDGE was born in 1856 in Wimbotsham to John & Phoebe RUTLEDGE (nee TAYLOR). Rachel was the "midwife", "laid out the dead" and general person that was called on in any emergency in the village. She was on call night and day and was frequently called out during the nightime.Their house on Station Rd was also a "haven" for tramps who were always given a hot meal and clothing if needed. She died on 28 Jun 1932 and is buried with James in Wimbotsham churchyard. |
| Alice Lilly | b. 1875. In London in 1891 at her aunt's house(as Lily). Died 1898, Wisbech. |
| John Thomas |
b 1877. Thomas married Elizabeth WARD in 1898. They had five children, Lilian(1898), Florence(1900), Bertrude(1902), Elsie(1904) and Ellen(1905), I am now in contact with Ellen's grandaughter Sue. In 1901, living in Wimbotsham (as Thomas) with Elizabeth, Lilian and Florence. |
| William |
b 1878. In 1901 he was working in Hanwell, MDX as a plasterer. |
| Jabez | b 1881. Possibly in Stamford in 1901. |
| Horace | b 1884. Married Emily THORPE in 1904. |
| Arthur | b 1886 Died in Wimbotsham in 1962. No more info at the moment. |
| Ethel | b 1889. Daughter Mildred born 1905 was brought up by her grandparents, James and Rachel. [Mildred's daughter Jean is my newly found cousin in USA.] Both Ethel and Mildred were profoundly deaf. After Mildred's birth Ethel went to London and was engaged as a housekeeper for a family in Golder's Green. Her employer was a medical doctor and when Ethel contacted cancer he did all he could to save her but she died in March of 1932. Late in her life she married a man by the name of "Winter". Mildred did not like him at all and when Ethel died he had her buried in a "common grave" in Willesden cemetery. Mildred always thought that Ethel's sad life and the circumstances of her death hastened Rachel's death a couple of months later in 1932. |
| Ernest | b 1895 |
| Albert | b 1896 |
| Hilda | b 1898. Married Ernest STANNARD in 1918. Hilda was deaf. Blanche married Frank Jefferies and had no children. Unfortunately Blanche inherited (from the Stannard side of the family) a severe form of Parkinson's disease and died sometime in the late 1990's. After Ernest was killed in the First World War, Hilda married Frank Whistler and they had two sons Norman and Stanley. They lived in Cambridge. |
| Ivy | b. 1904. Married Edwin (Son) WRIGHT. Click here for their wedding photo in 1925. They lived at Redgate Farm on "The Drove" Downham Market. Their son Ted met, Laura, a girl from Wales whilst serving in the Airforce and they married. Much to Son's and Aunt Ivy's dismay Laura was unable to settle down in Norfolk and she and Ted returned to Wales to live. It was always the assumption that Ted would inherit the farm when the time came. After Son died, Ivy went to live with Ted and Laura in Wales and died there. Mildred visited Ivy frequently whilst she was in Wales. |
I am indebted to my newly found cousin Jean in Michigan who has
generously shared her memories, and those of her mother Mildred.
Belated thanks also to my cousin Sue who provided the wedding photo.
