Hi All, I note that it has been strangely quiet on the Kent List, so to promote a few postings, I am going to suggest that you might post about a visit, holiday or excursion which an ancestor made, which in some way changed the course of the family history. To start this off : My grandmother, Elizabeth HODGES (born 9th March 1894 Sellindge, Hythe, Kent), went into domestic service in Surrey in 1911 and at sometime around 1918/19 met a young soldier Edward James PUNCHARD (born about 1889 from Norfolk), who at that time was a Corporal in the Machine Gun Corps based at Shorncliffe. They married on 13th January 1920 at Elham Registry Office and when he was posted to India, Elizabeth went with him, along with their son James born on 17th November 1920.  Initially things went well and Edward was promoted to become a Farrier Sergeant stationed in Meerut, India but unfortunately whilst there, the relationship between Elizabeth and Edward broke down, perhaps through his drinking, and she left him. Shortly afterwards in 1922, he died possibly at his own hand. Elizabeth stayed on in India for a short time, returning to England, where she met and married at the Wesleyan Methodist Church on 5th April 1926, my granddad, Henry Sisley BIRCH (born 29th April 1897) who at that time lived at Gibbons Brook, Sellindge. Many years later my grandmother wrote a moving account of her time in India, though never discussed the death of her first husband. Had she not gone to India, I would never have been born, since my mother Kathleen Ruth BIRCH was born from the second marriage on 12th January 1927 at Grange Cottage, Sellindge, Kent. So my questions that arise out of this are : Can anyone tell me anything about Shorncliffe Camp? What was it like to be in India in the 1920s? In the 1911 census my grandmother was working as a general servant in a girls school Drumgowan, Alexandra School, Surrey. This seems quite a distance from the family who were based in  2 Oak Cottage, Sellindge, Kent. Can anyone suggest why? All the best D. Stuart Hammond Kent List Administrator

For me a quick answer is: The walk my Dad (who was born and raised in Rye, Sussex) took after he had moved to work in Coventry.          HE MET MY MOTHER!!!   My Mother who was a DINGLEY and was born and raised in Birmingham; had also moved to Coventry for work,and was also out for a stroll that day!! Harry VINCETT, in Klamath Falls, OR, USA >________________________________ > From: Stuart Hammond <dharma_stu@yahoo.co.uk> > Sent: Friday, August 9, 2013 1:36 AM >Subject: [KENT-ENG] Kent List - Life changing Visits, Holidays or excursions our ancestors took > > >Hi All, > >I note that it has been strangely quiet on the Kent List, so to promote a few postings, I am going to suggest that you might post about a visit, holiday or excursion which an ancestor made, which in some way changed the course of the family history. >

Note:  My Vincett line traces back to Cranbrook, Kent. Richard VINCETT, (also, Vincet, Vyncett,  Vincent, Vincente - Vincet & Vincett in wife's Will) Lived in Cranbrook, Kent; Died 2/6/1579/80. My Line moved to Northium, Sussex in the mid 1700's.   Best Regards, Harry ----- Forwarded Message ----- >From: Harry Vincett <htvincett@yahoo.com> >To: "kent-eng-l@rootsweb.com" <kent-eng-l@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Friday, August 9, 2013 9:47 AM >Subject: Re: [KENT-ENG] Kent List - Life changing Visits, Holidays or excursions our ancestors took > > >For me a quick answer is: The walk my Dad (who was born and raised in Rye, Sussex) took after he had moved to work in Coventry. >     >    HE MET MY MOTHER!!! >  >My Mother who was a DINGLEY and was born and raised in Birmingham; had also moved to Coventry for work,and was also out for a stroll that day!! > >Harry VINCETT, in Klamath Falls, OR, USA > >>________________________________ >> From: Stuart Hammond <dharma_stu@yahoo.co.uk> >> Sent: Friday, August 9, 2013 1:36 AM >>Subject: [KENT-ENG] Kent List - Life changing Visits,    Holidays or excursions our ancestors took >>  >> >>Hi All, >> >>I note that it has been strangely quiet on the Kent List, so to promote a few postings, I am going to suggest that you might post about a visit, holiday or excursion which an ancestor made, which in some way changed the course of the family history. >>