Remember the books on my top shelf? I shared them on the eve of Squares. Well here’s a page inside one of those books. Can you guess which book this is out of?

Bible in sunshine

The book was the Holy Bible, and it belonged to my Great Great grandparents, William Preece and Jane Jones. It would seem they were given it as a wedding present, as they recorded the date and place of their marriage in it. Two years later they began to record the births of their children. This page is page two and at the top of the page is my Great Great Aunt Harriette. She was their fifth child, born on this day – Tuesday 28 April -in 1868. I know how amazing is that! 152 years ago the 28th April was also a Tuesday. Bible square

William and Jane, were Herefordshire farmers and hauliers, and, with the exception of one period, seemed to be at the top of their profession. Their family life cannot be described as top rate though. Their eldest son John spent all of his adult life in an asylum, and died at the young age of 24 years. Their eldest daughter, Helen, became a nurse, studying and working at St Thomas’s in London. Unfortunately though she also died young, and of the same condition as her brother, tuberculosis. The next two sons – Charles and William – have proved to be rather elusive. I believe, they emigrated to north America. William was still alive in 1943 as he is mentioned in Howard’s, their younger brother, will and probate records. However I have nothing more on him or Charles.
20200324_144350

Harriette, married William Carless, a domestic gardener. She was in her 40s when they married, and had no children. Two of the other daughters – Julia and the youngest, Kate – never married. Both of them spent most of their adult lives living and working at home, first with their parents and then later their brother, Howard. It was Howard, the fourth son, with the help of his youngest brother George, who took over the family business. Neither of them married either, however Howard was obviously also at the top of his game as when he died in 1943 his estate was worth over £4,000.

Edith Clara, my great grandmother and William and Jane’s eighth child and fifth daughter, married local builder and carpenter, Harry Walker in 1901. If you look again at the first two squares you can see the record of her birth. Interestingly, well to me anyway, her entry and her younger siblings are in a different penmanship to their older siblings. Did William write some and Jane the rest?

My great grandparents, Edith and Harry lived and worked in Herefordshire too. As far as I know she was the only one to have any children. Edith is pictured below, with Harry. The occasion is a happy one – the wedding of their middle daughter, Gladys (my grandmother). They are surrounded by their five adult children. The sixth adult is their new son in law William and the child is their eldest granddaughter. Margaret was the daughter of their youngest daughter, Elsie, who had married 4 years earlier.

Gladys and William on their wedding day

Now my puzzle for you today is can you work out which two are the bride and groom?! 

Update: Thank you to you all for your fabulous guesses. A few of you got it right! It is not the most obvious couple in the picture. Click here to see Gladys and William sitting down in between her parents, Edith and Harry and a few extra wedding guests. 

142 thoughts

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      2. Hee hee, I know. Poor man, none of his family joined him on his special day as far as we’re aware. So he traveled from London to the other side of the country on his own to get married. Think I’d be nervous too, although he does also look very happy in the other pic 😃

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    1. hee hee! Don’t blame you Cee . . . . in a moment no need to guess as I will add another photo, so pop back in half hour and you can see for yourself 😀

      PS the link with the answer is now there. have a look if you have time!

      Like

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    1. It isn’t easy is it . . . in a moment I will add a link so you can see for yourself 🙂

      PS the link with the answer is now there. have a look if you have time!

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. I like your thinking! I will let you know if they are the bride and groom later 🙂

      PS the link with the answer is now there. have a look if you have time!

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. It is isn’t it :-), and ooh you’ll have to wait until later this afternoon when I will post a link with the answer

      PS the link with the answer is now there. have a look if you have time!

      Like

  17. I have just finished reading a book called the suspicions of Mr Witcher which talks about a family in Road Kent now Rode.. Fascination account of policeman, crime and family affairs in 1860 England.. One day I will link it all to Ancestory censor lists.. which the author has done already.. loved it..

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Mr Witcher knew Darwin, Florence Nightingale and the family where the murder took place ended up with fascinating children, one who wrote many books on oceanography with detailed drawings in Australia and another who lived to over 100.. 😉

        Liked by 2 people

      1. And now what? My sister and I have been going through my parents things and have a lot of family ‘stuff. We just aren’t sure who after us will be interested in keeping the information.
        I do love the older hand writing. What happened over the years to change.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I have the same concerns as you about whom will show an interest afterwards, but guess I am doing it for my pleasure so whatever will be will be after!

        Liked by 1 person

  19. I guessed family bible. That’s a beautifully preserved example. Mum has the front page of an old family bible listing births, but the book has long gone. I transcribed it years ago and discovered that one of my ancestors has the same birthday as me, 121 years before. Susanna Stroud was an older sister of one of my great-grandfathers, though she died before he was born so he would never have known her. I love reading these family history stories. I was going to guess the right hand couple too, but the woman on the left has a lacy dress and the man has a hand on her shoulder which is more husbandly than brotherly. So I’m going out on a limb to guess it’s them, despite the tieless groom.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I am so fortunate to have acquired it, MrB had it rebound for me about 10 years ago and so it is in great condition. Heavy though!

      and how fabulous you share a birthday with a Great Great Aunt.

      I will reveal whether you are right or not later this afternoon 🙂

      PS the link with the answer is now there. have a look if you have time!

      Liked by 1 person

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  22. Oh, you do like your puzzles don’t you? I’m having a stab at the younger couple on the right of the photo. Interesting that the chap on the left is tieless. Seems very casual dress for a wedding. I have no idea how you keep up with the lives of so many of your ancestors! And surprising how many remained single.
    You have already seen my top square today, but here’s the link anyway: https://wp.me/pL5Ms-5eH
    Only two more to go! Meanwhile I am hunting down shadows…

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