Introduction

I started researching my family history in 1998, at first I did not have much success, as I did it on the Internet, and in those days there was very little for English research, it was mainly American sources, and they very biased towards U.S research. My first breakthrough was when the 1901 census was released and I found Alfred Cole my Great Grandfather living in Wales, this gave me enough information to find his marriage certificate, so revealing his fathers name and occupation which was Police Constable. Armed with this newfound data I searched for a John Cole on the Mormon website using the 1881 census. After searching through over 200 John Cole’s, I eventually found him living in Hampstead. This then gave me enough to find Johns marriage, and the certificate gave me his Fathers name of William Cole occupation Painter, I then sent for John’s birth certificate, which gave me the name of his Mother, Maria Goss. This name then haunted me for three years, as I could not find a reference to it anywhere, except in the 1851 census that gave me her birthplace as Exeter. My next breakthrough was in 2005 when Ancestry.com released the 1861 census, and it gave me William Cole’s birthplace as Bishops Waltham, Hampshire, up to now he had claimed to be born in neighboring Winchester. With this information I returned to the Mormon website to look him up on the International Genealogical Index (I.G.I), and found Williams birth, then going back further I found the marriage of his parents, Charles and Lucy, I then found Charles birth to parents William and Jenny (Nee Hall). Just after I found all this information I was contacted through the Genesconnected website by my Cousin Andrew Keen and his partner Lynne, they put me in touch with another cousin Marrion Thomsett and her husband Christopher, and the jewel in the crown they had found Nola Roberts in Queensland Australia, and put me in touch with her.
Well the next pages will give you the story so far, which is changing all the time with new found information, read on!

The story so far
 
It all starts when William Cole married Martha Earwaker on 23 May 1743 in the hamlet of Bishops Waltham in the county of Hampshire. The only child I know of from the marriage was William Cole born around 1755 in Bishops Waltham. William went on to marry Jenny Hall on the 8 April 1776 in Bishops Waltham. They went on to have 5 children that I know of these were, William born in 1776, Charles 1777, Martha 1780, Jenny 1783, and Mary in 1789. They were all born in Bishops Waltham, Hampshire.
Charles Cole was a carpenter he married Lucy Biden on the 29 May 1803 in Bishops Waltham. The birthplace of Lucy is not known, as it is not in any record I have found, she was born around 1780 and died on 18 February 1838 the cause of death was stated as Inflammation of the heart Charles died on 6 June 1852 in Upper Brook Street Winchester, he was 74 years old, cause of death was stated as Old Age. Their first child was William he was born in 1804 he is my Great-Great-Great Grandfather; I will come back to him in a moment. Next came James he was a carpenter, he married Ann Dunkerton on 17 August 1830 in Ringwood Hampshire, she was born in Ringwood, they had 7 children that are known to me, Ann Bolian Cole born 1831, Jane born 1832, Lucy born 1835, Frederick Rickman Cole born 1837, James Charles Cole born 1840, Elizabeth Emma born 1843 and John Henry Cole 1844, they were all born in Winchester. Charles and Lucy’s other children were, Francis Cole born 1813, Mary Anne Cole born 1816 and Jane Cole born 6 December 1818 she married George Henry Russell in 1849.

William Cole
My Great-Great-Great Grandfather William Cole was a painter he was born in 1804 and died in 22 Mar 1874 in Winchester Union Workhouse, cause of death Senile Decay. His first wife was Betsey Hewitt she was born in 13 Oct 1812 in Basingstoke Hampshire, she died on 27 Nov 1839 in Southampton, from consumption, and they were married on 31 Jul 1834 in Basingstoke. They had 3 children but the all died in infancy, they were William Charles Cole born 1835 and died 21 Mar 1835, Anne Maria Cole born 1836 and died 1839 and Rosalie Jane Cole born 1837 and died from measles on 7 January 1839 at 26, Cossack Street St Mary Southampton.
William then married Maria Goss on 3 Aug 1840 in St Mary’s parish Church, Southampton; she was the daughter of John Goss who worked as a Sawyer (Wood Cutter). Maria has been a problem to me from the start as she has always lied about her age, so I cannot find a birth record for her. In 1840 on her marriage certificate she claims to be 18 in the 1841 census she says she is 24, in the 1851 census its 40, in the 1861 census she’s 46, in the 1871 census its 45. So you can see the problem. William and Maria had 12 children the eldest was William Arthur Cole born on 14 September 1841 in Winchester. He started out working for an upholsterer, but later became a French Polisher. He married a widow Frances Martha Jordan on 9 February 1865 in Winchester, but she died at the end of 1867. He then married Kate Jane Hayles on 24 April 1869 in Brighton, she was a Dressmaker, and she was the daughter of William Hayles and Frances Miriam Brook. She had 3 siblings, Elizabeth, George and William. William and Kate had 4 children, Kate A Cole born 1870 in Brighton, Thomas Cole born 1874 also in Brighton, Dora Eliza Cole born 6 September 1875 at 5 Queens Place Islington and Beatrice in 1881 in Middlesex.
William and Maria’s second son was Charles he was born on 6 October 1843 in Winchester; in the 1861 census he is a member of the crew aboard HMS Edgar his position is stated to be a Domestic. After this, he followed his father into the painting profession. He married Mary Ann Mitchell Godard about 1865 in Brighton. They had 8 children Alice 1867, Annie 1869, Ellen 1870, George 1872, Frederick 1873, Katherine 1875, Louisa 1876 and Martha 1 May 1877. Alice was born in Paddington, Middlesex, the others were born in Herefordshire, where the family moved to shortly after Albert was born. I have not found any more references to them after the birth of Martha in 1877, they may have emigrated.
Williams’s third son was George he was born in Brixton London in 1845. I do not know much about him, he is with his parents in the 1851 census, but he is not there in the 1861, in the 1871 he is with his mother, stated as being an unemployed servant.
William and Maria’s first daughter was Maria Jane Cole she was born on 7 Jun 1846 in Old Bridge Street Exeter Devon. She married Peter Campbell on 17 Jun 1875 at St Marks Church, Surbiton, Surrey. He worked as a Coachman. Peter was born in Ayr, Scotland his Fathers name was also Peter. Shortly after their wedding they moved to Scotland, in 1881 they lived in Bank Lodge, Erskine, Renfrew, Scotland. They had 4 children, Sarah Jane born 28 Dec 1875 in Lathallon, Scotland, Peter born 23 April 1877 in Largs, Ayr, Scotland, Helen Maria was born 8 June 1878 in Newton Mearns, Renfrew, Scotland, their 4th child James was born 1883 in Marylebone London, which means they moved back to London around 1882. In the 1891 census they are living in Hove, Sussex, but they only have Sarah and James living with them, I do not know where the other two are. In the 1901 census Maria is a widow and is a live in cook at the Richmond Arms, Richmond Road, Kensington, London.
Next came John Henry Cole, my Great-Great Grandfather, but I will come back to him later as it’s a long story.
Then there was James Edward Cole born in 1852, next it was Amelia Lucy Cole born 1 February 1854, then Mary Ann on 20 July 1856, then along came Eva Mary Cole in 1957 they were all born in Winchester, Hampshire.
Next it was Henry Goss Cole born 1860 in Winchester, he took his middle name from his mothers maiden name. He married Mary Linnet on 16 Feb 1880 in Walton on the Hill Lancaster they had a son William born in 1880, possibly in Liverpool.
Then there was Rhoda Dora Cole on 21 June 1862 in Winchester.
Frank Cole was born on 1 March 1866 in Winchester; he married Agnes Turned on 31 July 1888 in Strathclyde, Scotland. He worked as an Umbrella maker. Agnes died from T.B on 4 March 1904, I do not know if Frank was living in Scotland at this time, as I found him in the 1891 census living in London with his Mother.
After the death of William Cole in 1874, his wife Maria went to live in Scotland, on 1st August 1874 she married William Kearns in Glasgow, he was living next door to Maria in 1871, at this time her husband William was in the Union Workhouse suffering from Senile Dementure. She obviously struck up a relationship with him during this time and on William’s death went to Scotland and got married on 1 Aug 1874, but William died on 8 December of the same year from Dysentery. Maria then married Thomas Clark on 22 Nov 1875 in Glasgow. in the 1891 census she is living in Cove, Hampshire with Thomas, and in 1901 she was living in Kensington, London and was a widow again.

John Henry Cole
Right back to John Henry Cole my Great-Great Grandfather, he was born on 15 December 1849 at 35, Robert Street, Brixton, Surrey, and died 2 Sep 1913 in the Chelsea Cancer Hospital. He married Rosina Whetham Simmonds, on 22 November 1868 in Winchester; she was born in 1850 in Lymington, Hampshire. She was the illegitimate daughter of Ellen Whetham, but Ellen married Henry Robert Simmonds in 1855 and Rosina took his name. Rosina died 29 Dec 1906 in St Peters Road, St Albans from a Cerebral Hemorrhage. John Henry Cole started work as a Tailor and rose to the job title of Master Tailor.  Shortly after their marriage they moved to Walton Upon Thames, where they were boarders at the house of James and Rosa Brice in Prices Place. James Brice was a Policeman, and this may have been an influence on John to join the Metropolitan Police, which he did on 13th September 1875, he never rose above the rank of Constable, and he   was pensioned off on 17 February 1900, due to ill health. He suffered from Chronic Rheumatism. There is a story that when he arrested anyone for drunkenness, he sobered them up in the pond then locked them up in the white domed building in the photo. After he retired he went back into tailoring, managing the production line in a raincoat factory in St Albans.  John and Rosina had 14 children, the eldest was my Great Grandfather Alfred Cole born 15 April 1869 in Winchester I will come back to him, next there was Rosa Maria Cole born 12 August 1870, she married Joseph Miller on 4 April 1904 in Shenley, Hertfordshire, he worked as a Blacksmith/Farrier.  They had 4 children Joseph William 1895, Rose Violet Florence 1896, William 1899 and Frederick 1905 all born in Hertfordshire. They emigrated to Australia in 1911 and lived in Brisbane. Joseph died in Brisbane on 24 Oct 1934 and Rosa on 25 Feb 1947 also in Brisbane.
John and Rosina’s next daughter was Dora Amelia Cole her story needs a book all of its own but here goes, she was born on 30 Jun 1872 in Walton upon Thames and married Ernest Alfred Nicholls on 10 February 1891 in the parish church, Shenley, Herts. They had six children, Margaret Jessie 23 Sep 1892 then they had triplets they were Ernest Alfred, Amelia Diamond Alice and Frederick Roby born on 7 Feb 1897, the triplets were born in Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee year, next was Rosina Leah Dora 10 Dec 1910, she was known as Dora, and last but not least Neita Gwendoline Mabel 28 Feb 1916. They lived at 10 Achilles Road West Hampstead.  In 1911 they emigrated from England to Australia. Rosina Leah Dora celebrated her first birthday on board ship, and the sailors made her a birthday gift (see photo). The family lived for a time at Cooparoo Brisbane Queensland.  Ernest Alfred Nicholls came back to UK for World War One. He survived this and returned to home to Australia, and shortly after he left his wife and family, which was not unusual for men in Australia at that time. Dora married a Mr Tesch, but he was heavy drinker, the marriage did not last. Dora ran an ice cream shop, and the girls all flocked around Mother.  They were it seems a close family.  Dora then retired, and decided to make a trip back to the UK.  She sold her house, and bought a caravan and put it in the garden of her daughter Rosina Leah Dora who was married to Walter Robert Henderson and they had 7 children. Dora Amelia Tesch had a marvelous six-month stay in the UK in 1949. She set sale on 9th February at 6am from Hamilton Wharf, Brisbane, on the ship SS Mooltan They first sailed to Piermont Wharf, Sydney to collect more passengers, and stayed for 5 days, then set sail to stop at Melbourne for 3 days. The next stop was Adelaide, for an overnight stop then onto Freemantle. At each of the stops Dora either visited family and friends in the area or they came aboard the ship to visit her. On the trip Dora was a prolific letter writer and kept in touch with her family by posting them at each of the stops on her way. Then on the 7 March they stopped at Colombo, Ceylon, then after 2 days it was on to Bombay, India and stayed there for the day. At 6:30 that evening they made there way to Aden, then on through the Suez Canal, and onto a stop at Marseilles overnight.  The ship berthed at Tilbury docks on Sunday 3rd April. There was a delay on leaving the ship as someone on board had died of smallpox during the voyage, a total of 4 people eventually died from this outbreak, but Dora was okay. Her sisters Jessie and Alice met her at the docks. She based herself in St Albans staying at Alice’s house. She traveled around the country visiting friends and relatives; this included a trip to Worcester where she visited my Grandfather Percival Cole and his family. My Father Neville had just been de-mobbed from his national service in Kenya, East Africa, and she came to his welcome home party. She traveled to Malvern to see her Brother Arthur, then on to Wales to visit some of her sister Alice’s friends. She left England on the SS Molaya on the 1st October back to Australia.
John and Rosina’s next child was Ellen Cole born on 8 Jan 1874 in Walton and died on 23 Dec 1945. I do not know anymore about her.
Next came Elizabeth Cole born at Lawn Bank, John Street, Hampstead on 19 Nov 1875 but died a few months later. She was the first child born after John became a Policeman.
Then came Alice Mabel Cole she was born 28 Nov 1876 in 13 new Buildings, Hampstead. She married Francis Henry Eastall on 19 June 1902 in St Albans he was born 26 Sep 1876 also in St Albans. They had two children Francis Albert Eastall born 30 September 1905 and Alice Lilian May Eastall born 7 December 1914 both in St Albans. Alice died on 26 Jun 1953 in St. Albans City Hospital. Her husband went to Australia after her death to join his son Frank and his family who emigrated there, Francis lived in Brisbane from 1955-60; he passed away on 13 Sep 1960 in Brisbane.
The next child was Florence Cole also born also born at 13 New Buildings, on 27 February 1878, then along came John Henry Cole on 4 July 1879 in Militia Barracks Hirdle in 1906 in St Albans. They had 4 children all born in St Albans they were Sybil Evangelina C Cole in 1907, Reginald John Cole 1909, Phyllis B Cole 1912 and Alan A Cole 1914. John Henry Cole jnr died in 1947 in an accident on a level crossing, it was said that he was hard of hearing, and did not hear the train coming and was killed. His wife died on 1 Nov 1959.
Charles Cole was born on 1 Feb 1881 in 5 Willow Buildings Hampstead, the Cole’s lived at this address from about 1880 to 1890. Not a lot is known about Charles, but it a possibility that he ran a Guesthouse in Brighton in the 1950’s.
Harry Cole was born on 13 May 1883 he was married to Edie and had 1 daughter that I know of called Nancy.
Next there was Arthur Cole he was born on 30 Dec 1884, he married Winifred Emily Knowles. He lived for some time in the Hemel Hempstead area, and was the Verger of his local parish church for 25 years. He retired to Malvern about 1947 and continued his links with the church by becoming Sidesman at St Matthias church.
Edward Jube Cole was the next child, he was born on 23 January 1887 also in Hampstead, then it was Jessie Anne Cole in 1889, she married James Gear on 3 Apr 1915 in St Albans, they had 4 children Mabel Edna Gear born June 1917, Joan Eileen Gear born September 1919, James Eric Gear born in 1921 and Doris Evelyn Gear born 18 May 1924. They were all born in St Albans. Jessie died on 18 May 1960.
Mabel Cole was born on 30 Jul 1891 in Shenley, Herts; she married William James Luck on 19 Jan 1918 in St Margaret's Church, Halstead, Kent. They had 1 child I know of, Ruth N Luck born in 1921 in Sevenoaks.

Alfred Cole
Right back to my Great Grandfather Alfred Cole he was born 15 April 1869 in North Walls, Winchester, Hampshire. Shortly after his birth the family moved to Walton on Thames, then later on to Hampstead. Alfred joined the Royal Navy on 23rd September 1887. He signed up for 12 years service as a stoker, he left after only 7 years. He married Sarah Ann Price on 13 Mar 1897 in Merthyr Tydvill, Glamorgan, Wales, she was the widow of a Coal miner, and he was killed in a mining accident. Sarah was born in Ystradyfodwg, MerthyrTydfil, Glamorgan, Wales on 4 Jun 1862, she was the daughter of a miner William Price and his wife Mary Lewis. When they were married Alfred and Sarah lived at 23 Back of Albert St, Merthyr Tydvil, but at the time of the birth of the first child Martha Rosina Cole on 1 Jul 1898 they were living in Cardiff at 19 May Street. Their next child was Alfred John Cole he was born in March 1901 at 15 Poplar Terrace, Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydvil. Percival Cole was born on 22 September 1904 at 22, Charles St, Llanbradach. The youngest child was Mabel Cole was born in Bedwelty, Wales on 19 May 1909. Alfred Cole worked at the coal mine as a Stationary Engine Driver which was basically the lift shaft operator; this was a very responsible job and was a very coveted job. In 1914 the family were living at 29 Pleasant Street Kidderminster. Sometime around 1918 the family moved to Worcester and lived at 18, Blackfriars till the early 1930’s when Alfred and Sarah moved to 17 Alma Street. Alfred died on 16 May 1936, in Worcester and was buried in Astwood Cemetery. Sarah Ann died on 18 Dec 1946.

Percival Cole
My Grandfather Percival Cole was born 22 Sep 1904 in Llanbradach, Wales, and died 7 Nov 1956 in Worcester, he was a Coal Hauler, then later he became a Groom working for Tustin’s stables they were situated in the Butts Worcester, then during World War two he worked in the testing bay at Wards machine tool Co, where he worked till his death.  He married Elsie Jones Dec 1928 in Worcester, daughter of William Jones and Emily Smith.  She was born 28 Jan 1907 in Worcester, and died 14 Nov 1989 in Worcester. The had 3 children, all born in Worcester they were, Neville Cole born 23 June 1929 this my father, then next was Cynthia Cole born in 1932, she married William Corbett in 1953, they had 4 children, Kevin Corbett born 29 December 1953, then came Karen Corbett in 1957, next was Keith Corbett in 1962 and last was Kim Corbett in 1965,
Percival and Elsie’s last child was Alan Cole born in 1945, he married Elaine in Worcester, the had 2 Daughters Maxine and Sarah

Neville Cole
My Father Neville Cole, was born in 1929 in Worcester, he was educated at Samuel Southall School Worcester, when he left school he took a job at Eltex where he did war work as it was during World War 2. He did his national service in the army; he was in the Royal Engineers attached to the Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry. He did most of his national service based in Kenya, East Africa, and was there about 18 months. After leaving the army, he had various jobs that included, gear grinder at Archdale’s, worked on the construction of the M50 Motorway; he eventually became a postman where he worked for over thirty years. He married Ruth on 25 August 1951 in Worcester; they have two children Neville William Cole born in 1955, he works in engineering. He married Fiona in 2001 in Malvern. The next to be born was me Gary Andrew Cole, in 1960 in Worcester, I am a toolmaker in the aerospace industry, I married Deborah Louise Pardoe in 1977 in Worcester, she is the daughter of Bryan Pardoe and Jean Neale. We have 3 children Angela Dawn Cole born 1978 in Worcester; she works as a teaching assistant at a comprehensive school, she married Kevin Garnham in 2003 in Claines Church, Worcester. They have 2 sons Joshua Lawrence Garnham and Jordan Richard Garnham. Our next child Emma Louise Cole was born in 1979 in Worcester she worked as an office administrator. She married Simon Maycroft in 2000 at Oddingley Church; they have 2 sons Billy Andrew Maycroft and Alfie Thomas Maycroft. Our last child was Samuel Lawrence Cole born in1983 in Worcester. He works as a bus driver.
 
 Well that is all for now, but it is a story that will keep changing.