My interest in my family history began in early childhood
with my grandfather's insistence that we were descended from Hereward
the Wake. He also told of a family curse caused by Wakes dabbling in the
black arts. Unfortunately he died before I started researching my ancestors,
my father died when I was a baby, and the only uncle I had contact with until recently
is the baby of the family and could not remember his grandparents names. So
for many years I concentrated on the other lines, including my maternal
grandfather's family, which my mother's cousin had been studying also.
Then I married and started on my husband's lines for my firstborn son. It
took me twenty years, and the internet, to finally sort out the Boxalls.
Of course, now I am in Ontario, Canada I'm over 3000 miles from my English
roots, and so I do rely heavily on on-line resources and e-mails from the
kindness of strangers - although many turn out to be distant cousins! I'm
gradually putting all my information on-line, in the interest of reciprocity,
it may help someone the way other sites have helped me. If you are reading
this and think you may be related to me, don't be afraid to contact me,
not just for genealogical stuff, but to say "Hi" too, it makes the world
a smaller place!
My breakthrough came from my "long-lost" Aunt Margaret and I'd like to show my appreciation here for her graciousness in accepting a phone
call after 40 years of neglect, and her kindness in putting documents in
the mail.
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When I was young we lived at 10
Penhill Road, Sidcup, Kent with my maternal grandparents. I never knew
my Dad, I was just 4 1/2 months old when he died.
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< A cherished photo of me and him together
on August 10th 1962, just two days before he died. His name was Ralph
Terence Wake. He was born in Welling, Kent, on June 22nd 1928.
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He worked for London Transport as a bus
conductor. My maternal grandfather drove the bus. These are his badges
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Grandparents
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My mother's parents George Lees Norton and
Jessie Dora Druitt.
The Norton Tree
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My father's parents Francis George Wake
and Florence Mabel Hooker.
The Wake Tree
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