Mr and Mrs, Reginald George Wilfred Willats – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 52 – Part 3 – Memories

I can’t believe I’m at the end of my “52 Ancestors" challenge. At times I thought I would never get here. It’s been extremely hard work, time-consuming, blooming expensive, but most of all it’s been an absolute pleasure. I’ve also learnt a lot about myself along the way. I’ve learnt that my spelling is still … Continue reading Mr and Mrs, Reginald George Wilfred Willats – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 52 – Part 3 – Memories

Mr and Mrs, Reginald George Wilfred Willats – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 52 – Part 2

Welcome back to the life of Reginald George Wilfred Willats (Reg) and Eileen May Willats Nee O'Connor, my Great-Grandparents. Its the year 1928, in the City of Southampton in Hampshire, England. The city is well paved, sewered and lighted, and has an excellent water supply, a fine sanatorium, a municipal dispensary and a school clinic. … Continue reading Mr and Mrs, Reginald George Wilfred Willats – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 52 – Part 2

Mr Reginald and Mrs Eileen Willats – Part 1 – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 52

Have you ever felt really close to someone, So close that you can't understand why you and the other person have two separate bodies, two separate skins? My maternal Great-Grandparents love for each other wasn’t just a love of the heart but a love of the soul, an eternal love, a love unbreakable even through … Continue reading Mr Reginald and Mrs Eileen Willats – Part 1 – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 52

Harry Richard Thomas Willats, Aka DICK MONTAGUE – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 51, Part 3

Welcome back to the life of We left Harry back in 1944, working as management for The Peacock Hotel, a Grade II Listed Building in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, while he was taking a break from the music halls. Dick aka Harry, first appeared back in the tabloids on, October 24 1947. Sadly, this is where Dicks … Continue reading Harry Richard Thomas Willats, Aka DICK MONTAGUE – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 51, Part 3

Harry Richard Thomas Willats, Aka DICK MONTAGUE – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 51, Part 2

Welcome back to the life of Harry Richard Thomas Willats, also known as our One Any Only 🎭Dick Montague🎭 Last week I told you all about his life as Harry, this week we travel back in time and see a snippet of his life as Dick Montague, through the tabloids. It may be a little … Continue reading Harry Richard Thomas Willats, Aka DICK MONTAGUE – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 51, Part 2

Harry Richard Thomas Willats – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 51

I’m sure you may recognise the name, "Harry Richard Thomas Willats," by now, his name has popped up a good few times over my "52 week challenge" and this week I finally get to tell you a little about him. I’m not going to go into the history of the name "Willats" as you can … Continue reading Harry Richard Thomas Willats – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 51

Eliza Cameron – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 47

The Mysteries are gateways, thresholds between this world and the Otherworld, the meeting place of gods and people. Family history is just a gigantic mystery waiting to be solved and this weeks ancestor has a good few, well hidden, missing pieces to her puzzle. 🧩 Although I know a great deal about her family, her … Continue reading Eliza Cameron – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 47

Harry Herbert Money/Willats – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 45 – Part 1

A while ago, I told you all the story of, one of my favourite ancestors, Eleanor Mary Kirby aka Nellie Montague. Since childhood I’ve had a magical picture of how wonderful Eleanor and her husband's life would have been, how much in love they were, you know one of those unbreakable loves, that no matter … Continue reading Harry Herbert Money/Willats – 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks – Week 45 – Part 1

Lest We Forget

🎖Frank Milward Newell 1899-1918 Pas-de-Calais 🎖Harry Pearce 1874-1916 Beaumont Hamel, France 🎖Walter Pearce 1883-1916 France and Flanders 🎖Horace Lennan Willats 1894-1916 Rugeley, Staffordshire. 🎖Alton Henry Willats 1889-1917 Pas-de-Calais, France. 🎖Harry Ashley Willats 1889-1917 Battle, Sussex. 🎖David James E Willats 1898-1917 France and Flanders. 🎖James O’Connor 25 Oct 1915 The Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley Marsh, Hampshire, … Continue reading Lest We Forget

Nellie Montague / Eleanor Mary Kirby – 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 30 – Part 2

The Music Hall, which is in no thing, but makes use of everything gestures, sounds, words, screams, light, darkness, rediscovers itself at precisely the point where the mind requires a language to express its manifestations. To break through language in order to touch life is to create or recreate the Music Hall. How I would … Continue reading Nellie Montague / Eleanor Mary Kirby – 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 30 – Part 2

Eleanor Mary Kirby / Nellie Montague – 52 Ancestors in 52 Week – Week 29 – Part 1

I’m so excited to finally be able to tell you all about my Great, Great Granny, Eleanor Mary Kirby. She is probably my favourite ancestor. She’s intrigues me, even fascinates me. She’s also one of my hardest ancestors to research, even though as you’ll find out, she should be one of the easiest. Eleanor, is … Continue reading Eleanor Mary Kirby / Nellie Montague – 52 Ancestors in 52 Week – Week 29 – Part 1

Doris Eleanor Poppy Willats – 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 28

I always thought that my Great-Grandad, Reginald Willats, only had one sibling, Harry. How wrong was I. I’ve since discovered that he had a Sister called, Doris, and eight half siblings, who have given me endless questions, the need to know more and an overwhelming sadness for my Great, Great-Granny Eleanor. I will shed light … Continue reading Doris Eleanor Poppy Willats – 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 28