Family Tree Frog

The survey vessel HMS Waterwitch, during steam trial, Stokes Bay [Portsmouth], June 1894 Source   Hume Family Collection, UQ Fryer Library 10, Album 11, Page 23 Copyright expired My father is currently cruising around the South and East China Sea and it reminded me that 115 years ago, his grandfather was also sailing in that general area on a very different kind of boat.   Edwin Conner was on board the HMS Waterwitch .   Wikipedia records several incarnations of the HMS Waterwitch .   This one is the one that fits my ancestor's timeline.  Edwin Conner's service record shows him being on board from 12 March 1910 to 4 April 1911.  I have spent much of today trying to determine what HMS Waterwitch was up to at that time. But first, a bit of background. According to this meaty little article  found on Trove, HMS Waterwitch was purchased by the Royal Navy from the Messrs James in 1893 for £10,000 and re-fitted and altered to suit her n...

Eleanor Eliza Cook in England c 1890s I swear I did not plan this post for today.   It is sheer good luck that it happens to be Valentine's Day. It is of my paternal great-grandmother Eleanor Eliza Cook. She was born 21 September 1874 at 58 Orange Street and the birth was registered in Portsea Town, Portsmouth in the county of Southampton (No. 252).  At the time, her mother Caroline was living at 25 Orange Street Portsea and her father James was a Gunner on HMS "Monarch". Of course now I want to know who was at 58 Orange Street.  Was she born at a relative's house?  Pop that on my To Do list.  Are there Post Office Directories for that time in Portsmouth?  Does anyone know? At the age of 17 Eleanor married Edwin Conner on 24 May 1892 at the Parish Church in the Parish of Portsea.  (Number 319 on the register)  She was then living at 3 Queen's Road.  Edwin was an Engine Room Artificer at 31 Regent Street.   ...