Mystery relative at 1961 Lydney funeral (General)
by peteressex , Saturday, November 19, 2011, 09:21 (4749 days ago)
In February 1961 the Lydney Observer carried a long list of those who had just attended the funeral of my grandfather, Councillor William Frank Essex, at Springfield Methodist Church.
I have recently identified everybody listed there as family with one exception: "Mr Roland Parker, of Cardiff."
Apart from my cousin distantly remembering once being taken as a child to my grandparents' house in Forest Road to meet some people by the name of Parker, we have been unable to find where Roland Parker fitted in.
Does the name ring a bell in or around the Forest?
Mystery relative at 1961 Lydney funeral - Roland PARKER
by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Saturday, November 19, 2011, 10:03 (4749 days ago) @ peteressex
Some possible "footprints"
In 1977
Name: Roland Parker
Address: 1 Ban-V-Bryn Clo Radvr
Exchange: Radvr 842784
Directory Title: Cardiff
Publication Year: 1977
Directory County: Glamorgan, Wales, Monmouth
Name: Roland Parker
Address: Dan-Y-Bryn Clo
Exchange: Radyr
City/Town: Radyr
Directory Title: Cardiff / Wales (South East) Apr
Publication Year: 1969
Directory County: Glamorgan, Wales
Page Number: 296
Name: Roland Parker
Birth Date: 10 Dec 1918
Date of Registration: Sep 2001
Age at Death: 82
Registration district: Glamorgan
Inferred County: Glamorgan
Register number: D17A
District and Subdistrict: 8911D
Entry number: 11
with a possible birth :-
Name: Roland Parker
Mother's Maiden Surname: Broadhurst
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1918
Registration district: Ashby de la Zouch
Inferred County: Leicestershire
Volume Number: 7a
Page Number: 125
possible Parker Broadhurst siblings...
Florence Parker Apr-May-Jun 1912 Ashby de la Zouch Derbyshire, Leicestershire
Harry R Parker Jul-Aug-Sep 1912 Aston Warwickshire
Mildred Parker Apr-May-Jun 1912 Ashby de la Zouch Derbyshire, Leicestershire
Name: Roland Parker
Name: Sarah Ann Broadhurst
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1908
Registration district: Ashby de la Zouch
Inferred County: Leicestershire
Volume Number: 7a
Page Number: 152
1911
PARKER ROLAND M 1875 36 Ashby de la Zouch Leicestershire
PARKER SARAH F 1877 34 Ashby de la Zouch Leicestershire
PARKER WILLIAM HENRY M 1909 2 Ashby de la Zouch
--
Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>
Mystery relative at 1961 Lydney funeral - Roland PARKER
by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Saturday, November 19, 2011, 15:09 (4749 days ago) @ slowhands
You say
I have recently identified everybody listed there as family with one exception: "Mr Roland Parker, of Cardiff."
As well as family members, I would have thought the funeral of an ex-councillor would be attended by representatives of the relevant council and other professional bodies, perhaps this is the case here ?
Mystery relative at 1961 Lydney funeral - Roland PARKER
by peteressex , Saturday, November 19, 2011, 16:05 (4749 days ago) @ Jefff
Thanks, Slowhands and Jefff.
Regarding Jefff's point, the Lydney Observer and Gilbert Harris the undertaker seem always to have been pretty careful about getting its lists of mourners right. In the case of my grandfather, the paper listed family mourners, working down from sons and grandchildren. Roland Parker appears among the deceased's nephews and nieces, sandwiched between Mrs. B. Sterrey (who must have been Kitty nee Baxter, wife of Bert Sterrey who worked at Lydney Docks, lived at Ridler Road, Tutnalls and was my predeceased grandmother's nephew), and Mr J Ludlow (by then of Tewkesbury, but one-time village copper at Woolaston, who was married to my grandfather's sister's daughter.)
After other relatives there were distinct lists: firstly a list of members of the Springfield chapel and its Sisterhood, then a paragraph showing representatives of other denominations, such as Rev. D.H. Hallett (Vicar of Lydney) and George Edwards (conductor of Lydney Congregational Choral Society.) Next came a paragraph of freemasons, followed by paragraphs naming representatives of Lydney Rural District and Parish Councils, and then quite a few miscellaneous others.
It's always possible that the newspaper accidentally insinuated Roland Parker into the relatives, but such an error would have been a rarity. I have just been looking at numerous names of Lydney Council members known to me from my grandfather's era, and he isn't there. Slowhands has offered the possibility of a Leicestershire origin and south Wales death for a man who would fit in timescale, but it would be fascinating to know where he fitted in other respects, so let's watch this space.
Mystery relative at 1961 Lydney funeral - Roland PARKER
by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Saturday, November 19, 2011, 16:25 (4749 days ago) @ peteressex
Hi Peter,
sorry for misinterpreting your post, I should have realised that a poster such as your goodself would have already done a thorough research job, especially with such an important relative as your grandfather. It's good to read that he was clearly a much respected man in the community as well as a loved family member.
Also good to see the Lydney paper did such a professional job with the report, my own experience of other newspapers haven't always been so good.
Good luck with your research.
Mystery relative at 1961 Lydney funeral - Roland PARKER
by peteressex , Saturday, November 19, 2011, 16:36 (4749 days ago) @ Jefff
Thanks, Jefff and no problem. I drop countless and bigger clangers!
Rowland ? PARKER
by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Saturday, November 19, 2011, 19:08 (4749 days ago) @ peteressex
Hi Peter,
I've just repeated what I suspect you and Slowhands may have done, namely search the FoD PRs for all the R.Parkers, including Marriages for witnesses etc. I see that just as with FreeBMD theres a distinct lack of Roland Parkers in our area, or even in Suuth Wales according to FreeBMD going back into the C19th. In this respect Slowhand's Leicestershire looks a good bet perhaps.
However I did find this solitary record in both the above searches, reminding me and perhaps you all that Roland could actually be Rowland ?.
Record_ID: 177984
Entry_Number: 3215
Year: 1932
Month: Dec
Day: 4
Surname: PARKER
Forenames: Rowland Charles Frederick
Residence: Railway Foreman Engineer
Age_at_death: 53
Officiating_Minister: Rev[eren]d C H M Fasson
Event: Interment
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda: (1) Albert Road Coleford (2) Section A Child Sp[ace]s (3) m 7 & 8 (4) Consecrated (5)
Notes: Any abbreviated forenames have been expanded to the full name
Register_Reference: DA25 / 204 / 30
Page_No: 60
Parish_Chapel: Coleford Cemetery
Soundex: P626
I cannot find any other Records for this gent, but being a Coleford Railwayman it wouldn't surprise me if he had originated from elsewhere on the rail system such as the more populous Cardiff area. Perhaps the Railway records might show more ?.
I then repeated my Google of earlier but using Rowland Parker and I did find a possible link within the 192 Directory website, under Company Director Info from the 2002 and 2011 Electoral Roles. However I'm not a member/subscriber so I couldn't extract full address details without breaking expenditure rules set by my tight Forest upbringing and especially my accountant wife !.
www.192.com/atoz/people/parker/mel/
and scroll down to line 22, along with Melanie L Parker (age 55-59) at an address in Cardiff South Glam is also a Peter Rowland Parker.
Could he be a descendant of your Roland perhaps ?.
Rowland PARKER 1879 -1932 Swansea -> FoD
by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Saturday, November 19, 2011, 19:46 (4749 days ago) @ Jefff
He is/was in my reserve list :-
Name: Rowland Charles F Parker
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1879
Registration district: Swansea
Inferred County: Glamorgan, West Glamorgan
Volume: 11a
Page: 678
Name: Rowland C F Parker
Birth Date: abt 1879
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1932
Age at Death: 53
Registration district: Monmouth
Inferred County: Monmouthshire
Volume: 11a
Page: 26
1881
Edwin Parker abt 1844 London, Middlesex, England Head Swansea Town, Glamorgan
Martha Parker abt 1847 Burton, Pembrokeshire, Wales Wife Swansea Town, Glamorgan
Albert John Parker abt 1869 Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales Son Swansea Town, Glamorgan
Rolend Parker abt 1879 Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales Son Swansea Town, Glamorgan
John Parker St Agnes, Pembrokeshire, Wales Son Swansea Town, Glamorgan
Edward Parker abt 1847 St Agnes, Pembrokeshire, Wales Lodger Swansea Town, Glamorgan
1901
Rowland Parker abt 1879 Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales Boarder Griffithstown, Monmouthshire
Name: Jessie Elizabeth Cole
Name: Rowland Charles F Parker
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1902
Registration district: Pembroke
Inferred County: Pembrokeshire
Volume Number: 11a
Page Number: 1823
1911
PARKER ROULAND C M 1879 32 Narberth Pembrokeshire
PARKER JESSIE E F 1874 37 Narberth Pembrokeshire
Isuspect this is his wife ( Llanelly Glam)
Year: 1945
Month: Aug
Day: 29
Surname: PARKER
Forenames: Jessie Elizabeth
Residence: Widow
Age_at_death: 72
Officiating_Minister: Rev[eren]d L V Wraith
Event: Interment
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda: (1) Llanelly Hospital (2) Section A Child Gr[ave] (3) m 7 & 8 (4) Consecrated (5) Llanelly
Notes:
Register_Reference: DA25 / 204 / 30
Page_No: 97
Parish_Chapel: Coleford Cemetery
--
Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>
Rowland PARKER 1879 -1932 Swansea -> FoD
by peteressex , Sunday, November 20, 2011, 09:40 (4748 days ago) @ slowhands
Thank you both. There are thus several viable possibilities for the relevant Roland or Rowland Parker although none yet points to a family connection.
Again with regard to the accuracy of the Lydney Observer report, I've noticed that for relatives with my grandmother's maiden name, Sterrey, the name was thus correctly spelt by the paper, which is more than a lot of people ever achieved. The long-standing surname spelt as Sterry was and is more frequent in Forest parts, and therefore tends to be written that way unless "Sterrey" is spelt out. This is some indication, although by no means conclusive, that the paper got "Roland" right too.
But nothing would surprise me. I see that the Parker buried at Coleford was a railwayman. My grandfather ended up as a senior Metropolitan Police officer but not before he'd worked as a storeman on the Severn & Wye Railway from 1904 to 1912. Two of his Sterrey brothers-in-law were also railwaymen who served at Lydney Junction, Newnham and Lydney Docks, whilst a third brother-in-law married the daughters (one at a time) of Fred Lott who was a guard on the Severn & Wye way back when regular passenger trains ran into the Forest. My great-grandfather Henry Sterrey carried out carpentry for the Severn & Wye, whilst his wife's family of Pritchard ran the Lydney Coal Company who had their own wagons on the line. So I'm ready to suspect that any Parker with a railway pedigree could be related!
Rowland PARKER 1879 -1932 Swansea -> FoD
by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Sunday, November 20, 2011, 10:32 (4748 days ago) @ peteressex
1911
William Frank Essex abt 1888 Cheltenham, Glocestershire, England Boarder Lydney, Monmouthshire
1891
Emily Mary Essex abt 1863 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England Wife Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
George Edmund Essex abt 1885 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England Son Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
William Frank Essex abt 1888 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England Son Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Louisa May Essex abt 1890 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
not wishing to follow the line back ( at this stage !) I guess the Parker link could be in the Essex side rather than Sterrey ???
--
Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>
Rowland PARKER 1879 -1932 Swansea -> FoD
by peteressex , Sunday, November 20, 2011, 12:17 (4748 days ago) @ slowhands
I'll spill some beans.
You have corrected identified my grandfather at Cheltenham in 1891 and as a lodger at 29 Albert Street, Lydney (the Sterrey household) in 1911.
If you were asking yourself where he was at the 1901 census, thereby hangs a tale. He can be discovered at Cheltenham listed as "Frank Pryer." His mother was Emily as mentioned in 1891 along with his brother George and sister Louisa. His father William Henry Essex (born Cheltenham 1865) is not shown in 1891 because of some dire scandal that I'm still getting to the bottom of, but apparently it rocked the gentlefolk of Cheltenham and William Henry scarpered to America c. 1890 - a fact revealed only c. 1979 when some Essexes from Pennsylvania rolled up in Cheltenham looking for their roots and found out more than they'd bargained for. Emily's response to her abandonment was to take up with, and eventually marry, one Henry Pryer. W F Essex was called Frank rather than William within the family, and was called Pryer for convenience in 1901. Shortly afterwards, he too fled Cheltenham because he didn't get on with Henry Pryer and it was mutual. Quite why he picked on Lydney we don't know, but a "G. Essex" in a 1910 Lydney street directory was probably his brother George whose son Leonard was baptised at Lydney in 1908 which I think is the earliest mention of an Essex in Lydney.
Their sister Louisa married one Herbert Smith. They also acquired a half-sister, Dorothy Pryer (present at the 1961 funeral along with Louisa), who had married an Empleton whose brother's son-in-law happens to have been called Stan Parker. Have no fear, my tentacles are outstretched towards a contact who is a descendant of the Empletons lest it be possible that this Stan usually preferred not to be called "Roland" and was roped in as a chauffeur to a Lydney funeral for Mesdames Louisa and Dorothy, in which case he might just have passed himself off as a nephew of the deceased.