They say every branch of your family tree will tie in with another at some point.
This has proven to be case with my dads family but more shockingly they tie in many times with my husband’s family.
I was shocked and a little freaked out when I discovered the first interlink with Mark’s family. It’s a little strange to think that my mother in-law Janet is my 4th cousin, which makes Mark my 5th and my children my 6th cousin. 😮

Why I mention this, is because my great-grandmother Eva Kate Hatcher is the first link to Carters Clay, where my husband grew up and my in-laws still live.

Rumour has it, that Hatcher Farm in Carters Clay, Lockerley, Hampshire was named after my Hatcher’s ancestors. Census’s confirms they resided there and my husband’s family later went on to live and bring up their family in the same four walls as my ancestors once brought up theirs. It really is a small world.🌎

So let me tell you a little about my great-grandmother Eva Kate Hatcher.

Week 8 – Eva Kate Hatcher 1893 – 1973

Eva Kate Hatcher was born on the 14th August 1893 at Newtown, Lockerley, Hampshire to George Hatcher and Fanny Hatcher Nee Pearce.

She was baptised on the 29 October 1893 at Lockerley, Hampshire

In the 1901 census Eva is living in Carters Clay, Lockerley, near Romsey, Hampshire with her Father George, her mother Fanny, her older sister Florence, her brothers Ernest and Wilfred.
Their neighbors are William Betteridge, James Whitlock and his wife Kate.
Eva’s father George is working as an engine driver for a floor mill, believed to be the old Dunbridge Mill, Dunbridge, near Romsey, Hampshire.

Name	Age
George Hatcher	43
Fanny Hatcher	35
Florence Hatcher	14
Ernest Hatcher	10
Eva Hatcher	7
Wilfred Hatcher	2

Eva and her family see a few years of heartbreak as on 15th November 1905 at Carters Clay, Lockerley, Eva’s brother Wilfred Charles Hatcher dies of diphtheria.
At the age of 7 years old.

Only a few years later, Eva’s brother Ernest John Hatcher dies on the 10 January 1909 at New Cottages, Dunbridge, Mottisfont, Hampshire, aged 19 years old from Acute Meningitis.

I really have no idea how any mother or father comes back from loosing a child, let alone two. My heart breaks for them.💔

By 1911 Eva, her father and mother are still residing at Mottisfont, Hampshire, England.
Her father George is now employed as an engine driver for London and South Western railway.

Name	Age
George Hatcher	54
Fanny Hatcher	44
Eva Hatcher	18

George and Fanny have been married 25 years, have had 6 children, 4 which have died.
I have only managed to find 4 of their 6 children named on census records but with a little detective work I managed to find Eva’s brothers Caleb George Hatcher and James Hatcher who both die in their first year of life. 😢

Caleb Hatcher was born on the 9th April 1888 at Newtown, Lockerley, Hampshire.

He passed away on the 12 February 1889 at Newtown, Lockerley, Hampshire. Caleb died in a fit of convolutions brought on by teething. He was only 10 months old. An inquest was held on the 14th February 1889.

Her brother James Hatcher was born on the 22nd March 1892 at Butlers Wood, Lockerley, Hampshire.

He died from bronchitis at Butlers Wood, Lockerley, Hampshire on the 3rd April 1892. The poor little soul was only 14 days old. 😢

Two years later after the 1911 census was taken, Eva’s father George Hatcher dies on the 17th March 1913 at Upper Ratley, Awbridge, Hampshire, England. 

George was 57 years old and died from Acute Nephritis.
Nephritis is often caused by infections, and toxins, but is most commonly caused by autoimmune disorders that affect the major organs like kidneys. Now this is very interesting.

Could my autoimmune diseases be hereditary???

How much heartbreak can one family injure? Eva’s family have lived through so much loss and pain.

On the 26 April 1919, finally there is something to smile about as Eva Kate marries Frank Newell (born Frank Rudgely) son of Estella Rudgely.
They marry at Romsey Register Office by Arthur Elcombe Register of marriage and Augustus John Harrington, superintendent Register.
The building’s location of the where the marriage was held is possibly Number 10, Abbey Waters, Romsey, Hampshire. This location is not confirmed as yet.

On the 15th November 1919, Eva Kate and Franks welcome their son Donald George Newell, my grandfather into the world. He was born at 157 Middlebridge Street, Romsey, Hampshire, England.

If you do your maths, Eva would have been pregnant at the time of her marriage. 😮😂

Eva and Frank did not have any more children but if my memory serves me well, they took over the care of Eva’s niece Iris L Dowling, daughter of  William George Dowling and Florence Fanny Dowling Nee Hatcher, after Auntie Iris’s mother Florence dies. We believe Kate and Frank adopted Iris but as of yet I can not find any documentation to back this up.
I have very fond memories of auntie Iris and her husband Uncle Leslie A Bundy.

It’s heartbreaking to think Eva Kate is now the only living child of George and Fanny Hatcher’s 6 children. Life is very cruel at times.

In the 1939 Register Eva Kate is living at 27 Portersbridge Street, Romsey, with her husband Frank, their son Donald George Newell, Fanny Hatcher Nee Pearce and Iris Dowling.

Eva is an unpaid domestic, Frank is working as a builders labour, Donald is working in a butcher’s shop, Fanny is listed as old age pensioner on private means and Iris is a paid domestic.

I’m glad to see that Eva’s mother Fanny is being looked after and is surrounded by her grandchildren, I hope she found peace from having them around her after loosing so many of her own children.

My Mum often talks about my Dad worshipping his grandparents, whom they visited regularly.
Frank would always have a cigarette or woodbine in hand or lips, listening to the boxing on the radio and Eva always kept her home pristine. My mum only ever remembers going into their back room as their front room was only ever used for best, as many front rooms were.

Eva and Frank could not attend my Dad and Mums wedding so after their wedding ceremony, they went straight to Eva and Franks home at 27 Portersbridge Street, and Mum gave Eva her wedding bouquet.
I so wish my Dad could tell me more about them as Eva sadly dies before I was born.

Eva Kate and Frank continued to live at number 27 until their deaths.

Eva Kate Newell Nee Hatcher died on the 21st October 1973 at Romsey District Hospital, Romsey, Hampshire.
Her son Donald George Newell registered her death.

The cause of Eva’s death was 1a – Carcinomatosis,  1b – Carcinoma of breast.

Eva was laid to rest at Romsey Cemetery, Romsey, Hampshire in Grave number O107.

I vividly remember visiting her grave with my Dad on many occasions and will definitely be laying flowers for her as soon as the weather allows.

May you rest in peace great-grandma Eva Kate Newell Nee Hatcher.
Gone but never forgotten.

Eva Kate Hatcher 14.08.1893 – 21.10.1973

🦋🦋🦋