Hello Anne, Many thanks for posting the link. > A Freeman Trustee seems to have received various pensions in compensation > for enclosure and encroachment on their "commons". Lot more complicated > than that, of course!! My understanding is that the although the Freeman Trustees were effectively committees who were responsible for the distribution of the funds arising as a result of this compensation, rather than recipiants of it. It seems that they received payment for serving on the committee so I suppose that you could say that they were recipiants, but being a recipiant did not mean that you were a Trustee. Towards the bottom of the article it refers to two of these committees, one establish to adminster a fund created in 1860 and another to adminster a fund created in 1875. The information I have about my great great grandfather comes from minutes of these Freemen Trustee committee meetings that are held by the Coventry Records Office. I did not know that there was more than one trust until I saw the article that you linked to so I do not know which of the trusts James Richardson was a trustee for. All that said, I do have some more research to do about my great great grandparents, which given the stuff in the news at the moment about care of the elderly seems topical. In the 1901 census James is at the home of his younger brother, Sidney Henry James in Harnell Lane. James' wife, Susannah nee CHITTEM, is listed at the Coventry & Warwickshire Hospital, Stoney Stanton Road. In 1891 both James and Susannah were living in Carlton House which used to be a big house on Holyhead Road (there used to be a painting of it on the wall of my grandparents' house). The family watch-manufacturing business seems to have passed to James' son Charles before the 1901 census, and by the time 1904 Kellys was published the watch-manufacturing business had gone bust and Charles Richardson had set up a guest house in Jesson Street. James' widow, Susannah, seems to have ended her days in Coventry Workhouse (where she died in October 1905) rather than in the care of one of her children's families. Regards Peter ----- Original Message ----- From: "A P L" <annepaling@hotmail.com> To: <warwick@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2007 9:01 AM Subject: Re: [WAR] FREEMEN OF COVENTRY > > > Fascinating!! > > Been reading stuff about City of Coventry from "British History" site. > > Any who served an apprenticeship successfully could apply to be A Freeman of > the City of Coventry. Very different to system that most other cities > operate? > > A Freeman Trustee seems to have received various pensions in compensation > for enclosure and encroachment on their "commons". Lot more complicated > than that, of course!! > > > http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=16028 > > That's what I love about Family History research. You have to read about > what was happening in those times to understand what was happening to your > ancestors ... > > > Anne Paling > SHEFFIELD, U.K. > > > > > >>From: "Peter J Richardson" <pjrich.ntl@googlemail.com> >>To: "Turner" <peter@noduf.com> >>CC: warwick@rootsweb.com >>Subject: Re: [WAR] freeman >>Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2007 00:19:03 +0100 >> >> >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: "Turner" <peter@noduf.com> >>To: <warwick@rootsweb.com> >>Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 5:44 PM >>Subject: [WAR] freeman >> >> >> > My elderly aunt recently died and she was telling me that her husband >> > Fracis Royal Warner was a freeman of Coventry >> > >> > Where can I find out more about when he was made a freeman of the city? >> >>Coventry Records Office have some details of people who were freemen in the >>nineteenth century and I found some >>details of some of my ancestors there. My great great grandfather, James >>Richardson, was a Freeman's Trustee >>(though I'm not sure exactly what that entails) from 1895 until his death >>in 1901. He had been a freeman since >>December 1863 when he completed a watchmaking apprenticeship. My >>understanding is that it was not automatic that >>you became a freeman after completing the apprenticeship - you had to apply >>to become a freeman and not all >>people who completed their apprenticeships chose to do so. >> >>Regards >>Peter

Fascinating!! Been reading stuff about City of Coventry from "British History" site. Any who served an apprenticeship successfully could apply to be A Freeman of the City of Coventry. Very different to system that most other cities operate? A Freeman Trustee seems to have received various pensions in compensation for enclosure and encroachment on their "commons". Lot more complicated than that, of course!! http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=16028 That's what I love about Family History research. You have to read about what was happening in those times to understand what was happening to your ancestors ... Anne Paling SHEFFIELD, U.K. >From: "Peter J Richardson" <pjrich.ntl@googlemail.com> >To: "Turner" <peter@noduf.com> >CC: warwick@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [WAR] freeman >Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2007 00:19:03 +0100 > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Turner" <peter@noduf.com> >To: <warwick@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 5:44 PM >Subject: [WAR] freeman > > > > My elderly aunt recently died and she was telling me that her husband > > Fracis Royal Warner was a freeman of Coventry > > > > Where can I find out more about when he was made a freeman of the city? > >Coventry Records Office have some details of people who were freemen in the >nineteenth century and I found some >details of some of my ancestors there. My great great grandfather, James >Richardson, was a Freeman's Trustee >(though I'm not sure exactly what that entails) from 1895 until his death >in 1901. He had been a freeman since >December 1863 when he completed a watchmaking apprenticeship. My >understanding is that it was not automatic that >you became a freeman after completing the apprenticeship - you had to apply >to become a freeman and not all >people who completed their apprenticeships chose to do so. > >Regards >Peter > > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >WARWICK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes >in the subject and the body of the message

----- Original Message ----- From: "Turner" <peter@noduf.com> To: <warwick@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 5:44 PM Subject: [WAR] freeman > My elderly aunt recently died and she was telling me that her husband > Fracis Royal Warner was a freeman of Coventry > > Where can I find out more about when he was made a freeman of the city? Coventry Records Office have some details of people who were freemen in the nineteenth century and I found some details of some of my ancestors there. My great great grandfather, James Richardson, was a Freeman's Trustee (though I'm not sure exactly what that entails) from 1895 until his death in 1901. He had been a freeman since December 1863 when he completed a watchmaking apprenticeship. My understanding is that it was not automatic that you became a freeman after completing the apprenticeship - you had to apply to become a freeman and not all people who completed their apprenticeships chose to do so. Regards Peter

Hi All, I have just posted piece RG9-2131 - Birmingham, Ladywood to PPP Link from http://www.hunimex.com/warwick/freecens/1861/index_1861.html Happy Hunting Pickard Trepess Nagykanizsa, Hungary

Hi Gwyn, Does Coventry still acknowledge completion of apprenticeship by making the person a Freeman? Charles charles.henrywood@btinternet.com NEATH South Wales (a Cov Kid but without John Russell's knowledge of his home town!!) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gwyn Griffiths" <gwyng@talktalk.net> To: "Turner" <peter@noduf.com>; <WARWICK-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2007 7:57 PM Subject: Re: [WAR] freeman > Coventry City Council should have full details - contact the Department > called Member Services or Democratic Services or similar. > > Cheers, > > Gwyn > (who has voted on a few Freemen, and qualifies to be an Honorary > Alderman - > get me!!!) > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Turner" <peter@noduf.com> > To: <warwick@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 5:44 PM > Subject: [WAR] freeman > > >> My elderly aunt recently died and she was telling me that her husband >> Fracis Royal Warner was a freeman of Coventry >> >> Where can I find out more about when he was made a freeman of the city? >> >> She also said that they buried a jar at the cathedral and he was present >> when they did it (think this was some sort of time capsule ) >> >> Regards >> >> Chrissy >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> WARWICK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > WARWICK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Is Robert still a member of this list, or does anyone have an up to date email address for him please? Barb Stacey Solihull

My elderly aunt recently died and she was telling me that her husband Fracis Royal Warner was a freeman of Coventry Where can I find out more about when he was made a freeman of the city? She also said that they buried a jar at the cathedral and he was present when they did it (think this was some sort of time capsule ) Regards Chrissy

Hi Everyone, Oops I have made a whopping big error!!!Jacqui has just pointed it out, offlist, to save my blushes and ego! However I believe in owning up to it----the mine disaster was at BADDESLEY ENSOR. Sorry about that, "ar kids", I will now scuttle back into my little 'ole. Regards, Muriel.

Dear Administrator and Listers, I, too, must ) express my gratitude for the URLs discovered and recommended to us. .. For those of us who like "the meat on the bones" approach and revel in backgrounds, r ather than the bald data, they are invaluable.They also help us navigate that vast frightenening sea of the internet and fend off that ,"Help, where do I start looking", feeling!. I haven't yet got to Google Books's cache on Warwickshire---but I will be there, you can bet on it! As a proud Warwickshire lass I frequent the highways and byways of "Windows on Warwickshire" , and the Coventry Library Picture Collection, as they have wonderful atmospheric views of the locality and past. For those who had someone in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, there is a website where you can see the words of "A Warwickshire Lad", and hear thel band playing their regimental march. Great fun, and I am frequently drawn back to it! My father and uncle joined as very young recruits, and I wish that I could show you their photographs in their uniforms. The young PARRITTS made very smart, goodlooking soldiers. ---Uncle Frank had a fine ear and was often used as an interpreter, in India. Dad's forte was reproducing the dialect of the Brummies and Staffordshire lads in their company! He was a riot! And he was an excellent shot with a rifle and also became a Lewis gun instructor, in the Home Guard, many years later. Other sites help us to get the feel of the times. One, of the mining disaster at Baddesley Clinton, which I accessed when following up some suggestion of Wendy's, really took you into that time. The ambience was palpable---and you really shared in their apprehension and loss. There are some great sites around, and many are now quite user friendly, even for little old ladies like me. So do dip a toe into these waters. You will find that they are enriching experiences. Thankyou to all. Regards, Muriel I haven't given any URLs, but if you put the words into Google it speedily finds those mentioned. If not, email me offline and I will look up the URL for you.

Thanks Wendy for the Google Books URL. I had no idea there were so many Warwickshire related topics there. While we're recommending sites, can I remind everyone of the British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920 , which are now on Ancestry. Plenty of Warwickshire names there and I've had some brilliant and unexpected results from them. Some of the records are very detailed, showing full marriage details, names of children, personal descriptions & more. Two very longstanding brickwalls down for me :-)) Barb

Sometime ago I downloaded "An historical & descriptive account of the town & castle of Warwick & of the neighbouring spa of Leamington to which are added short notices of the towns, villages, etc within the circuit of ten miles, intended principally for the information of strangers" published in 1815 (almost 500 pages). Didn’t think to mention it as I imagined everyone already knew about Google books! I was particularly interested in one of the appendices concerning the right of commons in Warwick as one of my direct ancestors was a herdsman on the common in his old age and several of my ancestors had grazing rights for a horse or a cow. No connection with Google books, but if you have any Victorian architects or builders in your family or are interested in any of the many Victorian churches that sprung up and have since been bombed, demolished or closed, I recommend this excellent archive put on line by Lambeth Palace Library. It covers the whole country, including many Warwickshire churches, particularly in the Birmingham area. "The ICBS (Incorporated Church Building Society) archive" www.churchplansonline.org "includes over 15,000 files relating to applications by parishes for grants from the Society. The earliest file is dated 1818 and the latest 1982. Individual files may include application forms, correspondence, plans, building specifications, engravings or artists' impressions, certificates of satisfactory completion, parochial subscription lists, parish magazines, and photographs (from 1867 onwards). There are also minute books for the period 1818-1987 which record the proceedings of committees and AGMs. The minute books are very useful in filling in the gaps where files haven't survived. There is also an additional volume relating to the foundation of the Society in 1818. Some 12,300 plans are included in these files which, in some instances, are the only surviving evidence for the layout of the church before restoration. Where the church has since been demolished, it may be the only extant plan." MAR in France.

It is a day to celebrate the helpfulness of those who use Rootsweb Lists. Recently Wendy reminded us about Google Books, and just what lurks in there. I found a passage describing a tide mill built by my umpteentimes granny's brother; Diane recounted a lovely passage she quoted on the list. Today we had an appeal for information from Keresley registers: the enquirer had "all that a girl could hope for" from a Lister. But the big surprise was for me - someone found my post on another list from some time ago; my email has since changed, but she (thankfully) persevered and found me...with confirmation of the name of the father of my illegitimate gt granny, taken from a Will. So the genealogical world goes around with people helping people - and long may it continue. Jacqui

Amendment to previous email. Tons more than 10 pages of results. I forgot Google only shows 10 at a time. Diane _________________________________________________________________ Capture the missing critters!   Play Search Queries and earn great prizes. http://club.live.com/search_queries.aspx?icid=sq_hotmailtextlink1_oct

So, I finally took a look at Google Books. Entered "Warwickshire" and got 10 pages of books of widely varied interest to a genealogist like me whose interest is in background, not just names. One example is "The Warwickshire Avon" by Thomas Quiller-Couch, published in 1892, which describes a tour he made with friends of the title area. My gggrandmother was born in Brandon and there is the following snippet from a description of his visit to Brandon: "Moreover, we have the landlord's company at supper - a deliberate, heavy man who tells us he brews his own beer, and has twenty-three children. He adds that the former distinction has given him many friends, the latter many relatives. A niece of his is to be married at Coventry tomorrow." Thanks Wendy for letting us know about this great resource. Diane in California _________________________________________________________________ Make every IM count. Download Messenger and join the i’m Initiative now. It’s free. http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=TAGHM

Hi Listers.. Does anyone have access to marriages at Keresley, Coventry, 15 Oct.1872??? According to the IGI and BMD, John Heathcote Boyes = Frances Ann Gibson. I’m going around in circles with several John Heathcote BOYES, and I’d love to know who fathered this one !! Yours in hope !! Carole Carole's outgoing mail has been scanned by AVG and is virus free. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.7/1062 - Release Date: 10/10/2007 17:11

I have found a reference to Comber (or Camber) House, Union Road, Milverton, where my ancestors lived and will send to Warwickshire Record Office for copies of an advert for an auction, plan of the house and land and a few other papers connected with the above. Does anyone know if it is still there. I have not found any photos after checking the Francis Frith and viewfinder sites and have had no luck googling. Any help gratefully recieved, thank you, Lynne.

Wendy wrote: Found another google book which might be of great use to researchers. "The poll of the freeholders of Warwickshire, at the election at Warwick" 1820" Thanks for that, Wendy. Google books also has "The Bankrupt Directory - A complete register of all the Bankrupts December 1820 - April 1843" Lots of stoney broke Warwickshire people listed. Regards Pam T

Found another google book which might be of great use to researchers. "The poll of the freeholders of Warwickshire, at the election at Warwick" 1820 It lists all freeholders by name and abode within the Hundreds. also "Independency in Warwickshire; a history of the Congregational churches in that County" and searching on the term "warwickshire' gives me 1832 hits- Going to be a tad busy tonight I think Cheers Wendy

G'day all You are ALL aware that Google books has FULL VIEWS of several books which might be of interest to family historians aren't you? <grin> The ones I found by searching on trade directories warwickshire were White's Directory of Warwickshire 1850 and William West 's Directory 1830 and 1834 Also Slater's 1852 (not Warwickshire but several counties that could interest you - Staffs -also Notts ) They take a while to download if you want to save the whole book to your hard drive even with Broadband but you can also view the pages and search within the book for places- surnames etc. There is also Blacks Picturesque Guide to Warwickshire (search on warwickshire maps) Historical Account of the Navigable Rivers Canals and railways- and probably many more if you use the appropriate search term Good hunting gang- I expect that will keep you all very quiet for a day or so. Newbies who get stuck should email me OFF List for help- and I will try to guide you through the process but be aware my nickname is Blind Pugh cheers Wendy

G'day All I have received a query OFF list from a person in the USA . Has anyone heard of land in Birmingham or surrounds named Birmingham Park- around the 1650s to 1750s ? A search online has not revealed any info I can use and I have read through the Victoria County History Vol 7 with no luck. (just the bit about Manors - not the whole volume) and searched the WRO catalogue. Thank you Wendy