William Blower was born in 1802 at Yardley Hastings, Northamptonshire, and was the son of Mary (1772-1835) and Samuel Blower (1777-1844).Samuel ran his own business as a lace dealer. From a young age William enjoyed...
We often have a stereotypical view of all things Victorian. In photos, the men are straight-laced with fashionable muttonchop whiskers, dark clothes and have an aura of high seriousness. The women are silent and anonymous,...
Richard Clarabut and his brother, Alfred Bouchier Clarabut were two of the eight children of John Stone Clarabut and Mary Blaxland (née Love). John and Mary were both born at Sandwich, Kent and were married...
John Hay Shaw 1840-1923 John was born on 22 September 1840 in Madras, India, (now called Chennai) the son of James Shaw and Anne Amelia Stuart Hay. His mother came from Midlothian, Scotland and her maiden...
William and Emma were born at Litchurch, Derbyshire. William lived at 106 High Street and Emma lived at 71 Nelson Street. They both went to St. Andrew’s School, Litchurch. It is most likely that William...
John James Chapman was born on the 10th January 1790 at Hungerford, Berkshire. He was the son of Captain Thomas Chapman and Mary (née Lowndes). Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries John James Chapman’s ancestors...
For a brief moment he was as famous as the King who had just tossed away his crown. But Robert Anderson Jardine came from a different background and was never to find a place in...
Private Matthew Clay was one of the few heroic defenders who held the strategically important walled farm of Chateau Hougoumont at Quatre-Bras on the battlefield of Waterloo against repeated attacks by French troops. He kept...
William Palmer was one of the six children of William Palmer, who was a builder’s foreman, and Charlotte (née Gumbrill). The family lived at 33 West Hill Street, Brighton, Sussex, where William was born on...
Up to four separate police forces served Bedfordshire during Queen Victoria’s reign, as boroughs became incorporated: Bedford Borough Police Force – established in 1836, policing the Borough of Bedford. Bedfordshire Police Force – established in 1840, initially...