Hi Dennis & Ken, Sorry to have kept you so long without contact, I have unfortunately been without a computer. Ater speaking to you last I have uncovered a very sad event in the lives of Florence Bysouth, my grandmother. William Bysouth, DOB 1837,(florence's father) married Emma Manning in 1859. They had 8 children, Walter, Frederick, Coletta, Agnes, Theresa, Henry, Florence and Ruth. Gt grandfather William died in 1877 age 44, leaving Emma and the children destitute. In the 1881 Census Emma was in Edmonton Workhouse and the four youngest children were in Edmonton Union School, which is the childrens' section of the workhouse. What I cannot understand is, being a member of such an affluent family, how could they stand by and let this happen to members of their own family?
The older children went into service or logings around the Tottenham area. My heart ached for Florence, she was eight years old at that time. Florence and George Merry, my grandparents married in 1894, and after giving birth to my mother Rose, sisters Florence and Daisy, and brothers, Henry, John and George, she sadly died in 1917, two years after my aunt Daisy was born. I appeared in this world in 1926 and feel cheated that I never had the privilege of meeting my grandmother. George Merry, my grandad, died in 1928, so I never had the pleasure of knowing him either. Life was hard for the poor working class, life was snatched away at such a young age. They were called the 'Good old days' but it was only good for the wealthy, not for the poor. Please don't think I am a bitter, twisted old lady, I am far from it. I have lived on this earth for almost 81 years and I have had a wonderful life and appreciate every aspect of modern technology.
After doing eighteen months of research, I appreciate life as it is twice as much now and take nothing for granted. Kind regards to you both. You are doing a good job. Joan

Hello Theresa

Delighted to hear that you are visiting the UK.

I could take you on a tour around the villages of Barley, Reed and Barkway where the Souths originated if you are interested.

I live near St Albans in south west Hertfordshire which is about 45 mins drive from the villages.

Suggest that you contact me via the email contact on the website.
Regards

Ken

Hello Ken

I am a descendant of John b1827 & Sarah (Unwin) South who came to Australia in 1853. My husband and I will be visiting England in September. We intend visiting Barley and surrounds. Can you give us some hints as to how to make the most of our visit?
Theresa

hallo ken sorry but i can't find your web site, are the people still interested in the strong boxes if so you can contact me by email at rogeryoung50@hotmail.co.uk Or is there any other person interested in them. many thanks Roger.

Hello Roger

My interest arises because Pedley May & Fletcher were the solicitors of the South family over many years. Arthur Raisen became a partner and last year I was in touch with his (now elderly) son who could possibly be interested in the boxes. Rather than exchanging personal details on the message board I suggest that you contact me via the email contact on the website.
I assume that the uncashed cheque (rather out of time I think!) is not from a member of the South family.

Regards

Ken Barker

Hi everybody, I hope I'm not intruding but I have in my possesion two 'Strong Boxes' One that once belonged to a 'MR A J Raisen Esq' and another belonging to a 'Pedley, May and Fletcher Solicitors' in this box contains an un-cashed cheque for the sum of £15.00 dated from the 1890s Both boxes are still in working order and include the keys

Hello Ruth

Good to hear from you.

There is a piece in the Article Section of the web site (which you may have already seen) about the connection between the South and Bysouth families.
I have the Official Guide for Tottenham of the late 1930s which carries an advert for the Bysouth masonry business together with a brief description of the firm. I also have various "tit-bits" about the Bysouths collected during my own researches. If you would like copies please email me via the email contact on the site and I can send them to you as attachments.

Regards

Ken

hello Ken,
I was whiling an idle hour or so on the net and noticed a mention of my grandfathers stonemason's yard in Tottenham which then lead me to your site.I'm one of those infamous(?) Bysouths, and I'm sure that
I can pester my father for more information about our branch of the Bysouths. He has vivid memories of the yard. I also have a list of a few of the buildings that my grandfather worked on,if it is of interest to anyone. Samuel lived out in Enfield , in a house called Stonehenge!Who says that the Bysouths have no sense of humour!
best wishes, Ruth Bysouth

Raymond

Good to hear from you.

There is the possibility that George Moody appears in 2 photos on website – please see
Update 18 – Firms Outing 1928
Update 30 – Workforce circa 1895

If you think that he is in one of them I can send you better copies than on the site – suggest you make contact via the email contact on the website.

I also have 2 1927 photos of the potmakers shed and there is always the chance that he appears there.

I am most interested in any stories of your grandfather’s time at the potteries that been passed down. In my reply to Frances on the message board (message 119) I did suggest that she contact me but unfortunately she has not done so and may not have seen it. If you are in contact with her perhaps you could pass this on.

Thanks for the information that you have provided it all helps to build up the picture and history of South & Sons

Regards

Ken Barker

Like Frances Sansom, my second cousin, whose message is also here, I am a Moody by ancestry. Our great-grandfather, George Edward Moody, was a cabinet-maker, wood-turner and general dealer, who moved from Shoreditch to Edmonton and then to Elsden Road Tottenham. He had thirteen children. My grandfather George Moody, born in 1871 - the third George since William Moody, who moved from Hursley in Hampshire to Shoreditch about 1801 - spent all his working life at South's, and must have been there almost from the opening in Lordship Lane in 1886. In the 1920s and 1930s he was living in Paxton Road Tottenham, opposite Lordship Lane, by the Spurs ground. Sometime in the 1930s he moved with his wife Emily and two then unmarried daughters to Richmond Road Chingford. He retired with the temporary cessation of work at the outbreak of war, and died in 1947. His brothers Arthur, Ernest and Walter and I believe other members of the family worked there at one time and it was a family joke that it should have been called Moody's rather than South's. Ernest was Frances's grandfather and also worked there all his working life. Arthur moved to Coventry, and other brothers were Walter and Percy. Like my mother's family, the Petts, we have travelled the usual route - in from the country about 1800 to Shoreditch, then by way of St Pancras to Tottenham and then entirely away from London. It might be worth looking for information on the Working Mens' Mission also in Paxton Road Tottenham, which played a large part in the life of the family.
Raymond Moody, from Burford, Oxfordshire.

Hello Roy

Thanks for your message - I will reply to the email that you have sent via the website.

Ken

Hello Ken
I enjoyed your site, but I am a little confused. My Mother used to tell me that she lived at Devonshire Hill farm, her father was George Margrove and I have him on a census return as a journeyman potter. Mother was born at Ellenborough Villas but obviously remembers her time at the farm with some affection, she had 13 brothers and sisters, her sister Hilda was married from the farm.

Is it possible that they did actually live in the main house or were there other properties attached. You say that your ancestor took up residence in 1917 so I imagine that the Margroves must have left by then.

Please do you have any information on Margroves living in the house. I would be very gateful for any information you may have.

Very many thanks

Hello Valerie
Further research has established that the small pottery established in 1868 was in fact in Angel Road about halfway between the junctions of Fore Street and Dysons Lane (later Road). The 1884 Edmonton Rating records list the premises as “Cottage Stables and Pot Manufactory”. When the business was transferred to White Hart Lane in 1886 I would assume that pot making was discontinued on the Edmonton site. The site is probably beneath the carriageway of the North Circular Road!
As a matter of interest the 1894 OS maps show several nurseries around the junction of Angel Road and Dysons Lane.

I am afraid that I have no info about the Radley family
Regards
Ken Barker

When and where was the pottery situated in Dysons Road. I used to live there at number 50 many years ago and was not aware of its history.

Also does anyone know the Radley Family who lived in Tottenham in the 1930's Ada and David Radley in particular and their children.

Regards

Valerie

To Ed Smith

I have tried to reply to reply to your email on three occassions - each has been returned as not delivered. In the hope that you may check this message board the text of the replay was:

 do not know of a book specifically about the war in Wood Green but here are references in the following:
 
"Wood Green Past" by Albert Pinching (£15.95) published in 2000 by Historical Publications ISBN 0 948667 64 8. It is an interesting illustrated history of the district.
 
"Haringey at War" by Deborah Hedgecock & Robert Waite (£12.99) published in 2004 by Tempus Publishing ISBN 0 7524 3297 4. A pictorial history.
 
"Britain in Old Photographs - Tottenham Hornsey & Wood Green" by Chris Protz (£9.99) published in 1998 by Sutton Publishing ISBN 0 7509 1295 2. Includes a chapter "The Boroughs in Wartime"
 
There is another book "Letters from the Home Front" published by the Edmonton Hundred Historical Society cost about £3-£5. I cannot immediately lay my hands on my copy. It comprises letters sent by a family living in Cambridge Gardens (just off Great Cambridge Road) to their son in the forces. It really does convey the lives of an ordinary family in the district during the Blitz and the spirit of the time. I think some places in WG are mentioned.
 
Hope this helps.

Ken Barker

does anyone have stories or photos of the keys family of tottenham
 
ericjimirory@ hotmail .com