Month: August 2016

As I write this it is exactly 137 years ago to the day that my family would have got the full measure of John George Herrod’s duplicity: From The Sheffield Independent, 30th August 1879: “THE ALLEGED ROBBERY BY A SHEFFIELD MAN AT SOUTHPORT    Yesterday, at the Southport Petty Sessions, John George Herrod, alias Arthur… Continue reading Jane’s brother-in-law to be tried for theft

It was during reading the following exchange that I realised that my great great grandparent’s love story was getting under my skin. Jane writes to Fred while he is still on his works holiday in Bridlington: “Handsworth Sunday Afternoon August 17/79 My Dearest Fred,    I wish I was at Bridlington the time goes so… Continue reading Such a perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you…

“Bridlington Quay August 14/79 My Darling Janie,    I think I left off in my last with our arrival at Bridlington. After tea we went where everybody else goes that is, to the Sea–wall Parade. I can’t describe the agony that I suffered in walking on that parade. Everybody walks so slow, without bending their… Continue reading Still on holiday, Fred turns fashion commentator just for Jane.

To understand the following newpaper report you need to remember that John George Herrod is the missing husband of Jane’s sister Emma – who I introduced in a previous post: https://mydarlingjanie.wordpress.com/2016/07/08/the-sad-story-of-emma-warburton-part-one/ From the Sheffield Daily Telegraph 14th August 1879: “ALLEGED  JEWELLERY ROBBERY BY A SHEFFIELD MAN.    Yesterday, at the Southport Petty Sessions, a well-dressed… Continue reading Scandal threatens the Warburtons

“Handsworth Aug 13/79 My dearest Fred    I am happy to hear of your safe arrival at Bridlington and sorry you were so unfortunate as to go by the wrong route, it would be a slight disappointment for you not to seeing York. I went up to my brother’s after I left you love to… Continue reading The earliest surviving letter of Jane’s

For this next couple of weeks I am ‘handing over’ this blog to Fred and Jane and the events of the last two weeks of August 1879. I’ve also included Fred’s not-a-playlist at the bottom of the post: “Bridlington August 12th/79 C/o Mr Severs. 7 King Street My Darling Janie,    We arrived, or arove… Continue reading Fred goes to Bridlington (and seems to channel Jerome K Jerome)