Hello,
This is my first posting here. Looking for information on George MAY, (Albert's father, and his mother Sarah (?). In the 1871 census George May was listed as 63 and Sarah as 46. Their children: William 14, Arthur 12, Amelia (?) 10, Eliza 7, Walter 5, Albert 3. Another daughter Mildred, was six years older than Albert and not listed on Census night. Does anyone know if Mildred was fostered out?
George was born in Middlesex, London, and Sarah was born in Hambland ??? or Hambledon (where is this ?) Berks (?).
They lived in Reading, Berks.
Can anyone help with information on this couple?
Also looking for information on Isabels parents. Her fathers name was Stephen Simmonds and I don't know anything of her mother. Siblings I know of: Emily Jane Simmonds and Florence (who I understand was blind).
Thanks in advance.
Bev
NZ

Hi Bev

I realise that this may not be what you are looking for - but it may be of interest.
It appears that George May's widow Sarah remarries William Smith - and that her daughter Mildred is married and lodging with her.
Also found what I believe to be your Isabel & family.
1881 Census
Dwelling: 141 Orts Road
Census Place: Reading St Giles Berkshire
William Smith - head - age: 60 - b: Bulford Wiltshire - Occ: Journeyman Miller & Baker
Sarah Smith - wife - age: 44 - b: Hambland Oxford - Occ: Journeyman's wife
Arthur MAY - stepson - age: 22 - b: Breekham SW - Occ: Smith out of work - unmarried
Walter MAY - stepson - age: 16 - b: Caversham Oxford - Occ: Factory Labourer
Albert MAY - stepson - age: 13 - b: Caversham Oxford - scholar
Charles H BROWN - Lodger - age: 23 - b: Islington Midx - Occ: Biscuit maker - married
Mildred BROWN - Lodgers wife - age: 19 - b: Reading Berkshire - Occ: Biscuit Makers wife
Charles E BROWN - Lodgers son - age: 6m - b: Reading Berkshire

Found on FreeBMD
Mildred MAY married Charles Henry BROWN - Qrt Mar 1880 -District: Reading - Vol: 2c - Pg: 573

Dwelling Youngs Cotts Barracks
Census Place Caversham, Oxford, England

Sarah SIMMONDS - age: 50 - widow - Occ: receiving outdoor relief
Head - Birth: <1831> Wokingham, Berkshire, England
2. Stephen SIMMONDS - age: 25 - unmarried - Occ: Pig Butcher
Son Gender: Male Birth: <1856> Maidenhead, Berkshire, England
3. Martha SIMMONDS - age: 20 - Unmarried - Occ: Domestic Servt out of employ
Daur Gender: Female Birth: <1861> Caversham, Oxford, England
4. Charles SIMMONDS - age: 18 - Unmarried- Occ: Genl Labourer
Son Gender: Male Birth: <1863> Caversham, Oxford, England
5. Ernest E. SIMMONDS - age: 10 - scholar
Son Gender: Male Birth: <1871> Caversham, Oxford, England
6. Florence SIMMONDS - age: 8 - scholar
Daur Gender: Female Birth: <1873> Caversham, Oxford, England
7. Isabella SIMMONDS - age: 6 - scholar
Daur Gender: Female Birth: <1875> Caversham, Oxford, England
8. Alfred SIMMONDS - age: 3
Son Gender: Male Birth: <1878> Caversham, Oxford, England

1901 Census
Administration District: Oxford
Civil Parish: Caversham
Sarah SIMMONDS - widow - head - age: 68 - b: Berks Finchampstead
Isabel. L. SIMMONDS - daug - age: 25 - b: Oxon Caversham - Occ: Dressmaker
Frank SIMMONDS - Other - age: 16 - b: Essex Harwick - Occ: Lin Factory Labourer

Wokingham
Created 1st July 1837. Mainly in Berkshire, but included parts of Wiltshire.
Sub-districts : Wargrave; Wokingham.
GRO volumes : VI (1837-51); 2c (1852-1930).
Arborfield, Barkham, Broad Hinton, Earley, East Swallowfield, Finchampstead, Hurst, Newland, Remenham (from 1895), Ruscombe, Shinfield, Sonning, Swallowfield, Twyford, Wargrave, West Swallowfield, Whistley, Winnersh, Wokingham.

FreeBMD
Simmonds Ernest Edward - b: Qrt Sep 1871 - district: Henley - vol: 3a - Pg: 575
SIMMONDS Martha b: Qrt Mar 1861 - Henley 3a 481
Simmonds Florence Alice K - b: Qrt Jun 1873 - Henley 3a 573
Simmonds Isabella Louise - b: Qrt Jun 1876 - Henley 3a 625
SIMMONDS Alfred William - b: Qrt Sep 1878 - Henley 3a 631
SIMMONDS Stephen - died Qrt Mar 1878 - age: 50 - Henley 3a 413

Henley
Created 1st July 1837. Mainly in Oxfordshire, but included parts of Buckinghamshire.
Sub-districts : Caversham; Henley; Watlington.
GRO volumes : XVI (1837-51); 3a (1852-1930).
Badgemore, Bix, Brightwell Baldwin, Britwell Prior, Britwell Salome, Caversham, Checkendon, Cuxham, Eye and Dunsden, Greys, Harpsden, Henley-on-Thames, Ipsden, Kidmore, Kidmore End, Nettlebed, Nuffield, Pishill, Pyrton, Rotherfield Greys, Rotherfield Peppard, Shiplake, Stonor, Swyncombe, Watlington.

Regards
Tania

Hello Tania,

Many thanks for all this information. Excellent. I really appreciate you taking the time to find all this for me.
Thanks again.

Bev
NZ

Hi,
I know this is an old post.
But incase anyone returns. I believe I may be related to the May family.

My great grandfather on my mothers side was an Albert May.
I believe he is the son of William May, brother of the Albert May mentioned in this post.

Regards
Paul

Hi Paul,

Nice to hear from you. I have passed your email onto the person who is the May descendant and he is digesting this information. No doubt he will respond soon.

Regards
Bev
NZ

Thank You Bev.
Wasn't sure I'd get a reply.

Until recently, I pretty much knew nothing about my Grt Grandfather..still don't ..lol.

Made a lucky connection and carried out a search for said names and found this post.

It is frustrating as I know so little about his family.
Yet I know alot about his wifes...lol.

Anyway thanks fro th heads up. Hope to get a reply.

Cheers
Paul

hello again,

I guess you didn't expect a response so quickly then. Yeah we will get back to you with more information on the MAY family. My co-worker is the enquirer and he will check all his stuff over the next few days and we will get back to you. If we haven't replied by the end of this week please send us a reminder - it is the busy time of year here for us.

Bye for now.
Bev
in a very sunny but cold Wellington NZ

Still hoping for further reply.. :).

Hi there,

Sorry about the delay and thanks for your reminder. My workmate has provided the following information for you from the 1871 Census:

George May Head age 63; Sarah May wife, age 46; William May son age 14; Arthur May son age 12; Amelia May dau age 10; Mildred fits in here not home on census night abt 9; Eliza May dau age 7; Walter May son age 5; Albert Edward May son age 3.

My grandfather is Albert Edward MAY who emigrated to New Zealand in 1914 at the start of WW1 and initially worked on a large farm in Marlborough, NZ (South Island) and died in Nelson NZ in 1948. Prior to emigrating to NZ Albert held the licence for The Blackboy Pub at Shinfield, Reading for eleven years. He married Isabel Louise Simmonds at Parish Church, Caversham, Ox on 18 June 1903. They had four children, 3 sons and 1 daughter. My mother Gladys Evelyn May was born in Shinfield, Reading.

1881 census - confirmed.
George's widow Sarah married William Smith and Albert May was stepson, aged 13.

Hilton,
New Zealand

This is all the information he has on his family and he hopes it helps you.

Regards
Bev
NZ

Hi Bev,

Many thanks for the reply. I shall check it against what I have to confirm if what I have matches.

This is now I have it.

George May m. Sarah (Beaver)?
Children:
Mary Ann 1844 Reading, Berkshire, England.
Emily 1846 Reading, Berkshire, England.
William Thomas 1856 Reading, Berkshire, England. m. Emily Agnes Couling, born c.1867
Arthur Charles 1859 Yestradgynlan, Wales.
Amelia Gertrude 1861 Swallowfield, Berkshire, England.
Mildred 1862 Reading, Berkshire, England. m. Charles Henry Brown, born c.1858
Eliza Mildred 1863 Reading, Berkshire, England.
Walter Henry 1866 Caversham, Oxfordshire, England.
Albert Edward 1867 Caversham, Oxfordshire, England. m. Isabel Louise Simmonds

William Thomas 1856 Reading, Berkshire, England m. Emily Agnes Couling c.1867

Births Dec 1856
May William Thomas Reading 2c 339

Marriages Mar 1893
May William Reading 2c 540
Couling Emily Agnes Reading 2c 540

Living at 59 Norton Road, St Giles, Reading, Berkshire, England in 1911


They have a son, Albert May (possibliy named after his uncle?) b.1897, Reading, Berkshire, England.
He marries Minnie Matilda May Gunter b1899, Yadley, Hampshire, England. in 1932.

Births Jun 1897
May Albert Reading 2c 359

Marriage Jun 1920
MAY Albert. Reading 2c 1142
Gunter Minnie M M. Reading 2c 1142
Marriage witnessed by William Rogers & Henry Carter.

They had four children.

Hilda R V b.1921 Reading, Berkshire, England
Majorie Phyllis Edna b.1923 59 Norton Road, Reading, Berkshire, England.
Raymond R D b.1927 Reading, Berkshire, England
Beryl I E b.1929 Reading, Berkshire, England

Majorie married twice & had a possible fling in ww2
And had children with all three.

m1. Jack Wicks, 1945 4 children: Jacqueline, Sandra, Barrie & Nigel.
m2. Frederick James Lesson Fleet c.1963 2 children: Andrew & Madeleine.

There is also a story she had fling with a US GI in ww2. They had a child and it was taken
back to the US with the GI. I had no info as regargs this other than the name Colin.
I do not know if it is the GI's name or that of the baby.


Jacqueline Wicks is my mother. She passed away in Aug 1998 from a brain hemorrhage, cause unknown.
Her husband, my father, John Wilson passed away in 1986 from a heart attack caused by heavy smoking & poor diet.

They divorced around 1974-5. She remarried, but had no more children. My father did not re-marry.
I lived with my father from the time of the divorce until his death. I also have 2 sisters.
One I have not seen for over 20 years..and I have limited contact with the other.None of us are married
as far as I know. Though the sister I have not seen for 20+ years does have a daughter.Gemma.

I was born in 1968 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.
Now living in Scotland with my partner Linda. Not married, no intention as yet.

My father had a number of siblings including a sister who married an Australian and emigrated to Oz in 60's.
One of the "£10 Poms" I expect. I doubt she knows I even exist. Though I believe she has passed away.
She did have a number of children who I assume still live in Oz and have children of their own, even
possibly, grandchildren.

I do not know much about my grandparents or great grandparents on either side as I never meet any of them.
Until last year, i didn't even know thier names!! or even seen pictures of them.
I do now have a picture of my grandparents on my fathers side..and know their names,but about thats it.

BUT!...I have managed to trace Minnie's family line back as far as 1035....no lie.
She was decended from a norman Knight by the name of Sir Peter Gunter, (Sir Peter Gaunt d'Or).
His son, again Sir Peter, born c.1055. Fought in the Revolt of the nobles of 1088 against King William
Rufus II, son and heir of William the Conqueror.

He fought under Bernard de Neufmarche. The Revolt was to replace Rufus with his brother Robert, Duke of Normandie.
The Revolt failed...but the King aloud Bernard & his followers to conquer Wales. Which they did.

Sir Peter was given lands in the Brecons. The family seat is now called Tregunter.
They ruled there until the mid late 1600's. The family split. John Gunter born c.1624 went to new lands in America.
Brother William born c.1630 stayed and ended up in Berskhire. This is where Minnie's family comes from.

Sir Peter Gunter, I believe, is related to William the Conqueor via William's grandfather, Richard, Duke of Normandie.
This also means I am related to my partner Linda, as her family decend from WtC's wifes daughter, Edith de Warenne.
Daughter of William de Warenne, WtC's right hand man & best friend.

William de Warenne was slain in the one of the battles of the Revolt, and so could have possibly have been slain by Sir Peter.!
Daughter, Edith de Warenne, married Gerald de Gournai. Gournai being the family from which my partner Linda is decended.

William was a cousin of WtC, and so I believe is Sir Peter, and also my partner Linda!...lol.
Meaning we are related!..though be it from a longtime ago.

Sir Peter was known as "The Knight of the Golden Glove". He married Sir Reginald de Awbrey's daughter, Joan.
Sir Reginald was Nuefmarche's commander.

Decendents of Sir Peter married into a number of the other noble families of the time & so this means, we are related to the present Royal family.
In fact..most of, if not all the Royals families of Europe since WtC & before.

I have been told that Sir Peter can be traced back as far as Julius Ceaser & Cleopatra!..CRAZY!

Anyway..hope you find this of interest.

Oh...one last thing..the Gunter's also have a suppossed Witch in the family history..lol

http://www.readingbooks.info/The%20Bewitching%20of%20Anne%20...

I do have her in my tree.

Regards
Paul