Jump to content

Wards - boating family Aylesbury 1930s


Kingfisher4

Featured Posts

Hi all, just wondering if anyone has any information about / links to the Ward boating family in Aylesbury working for Harvey-Taylor's in the 1930s?  I have seen a different thread about Wards elsewhere but I don't think this lot is covered.  I know it was a common name.

The Aylesbury lot I am interested in were Charlie Ward who died in 1937/38 leaving young children Violet, Edie and Marina.  I think he had brothers Mike and Billy and a niece Phoebe who married Jim (?)Wallington.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Kingfisher4 said:

Hi all, just wondering if anyone has any information about / links to the Ward boating family in Aylesbury working for Harvey-Taylor's in the 1930s?  I have seen a different thread about Wards elsewhere but I don't think this lot is covered.  I know it was a common name.

The Aylesbury lot I am interested in were Charlie Ward who died in 1937/38 leaving young children Violet, Edie and Marina.  I think he had brothers Mike and Billy and a niece Phoebe who married Jim (?)Wallington.

 

I have some information but they are on the fringes of my family tree, connections rather than relatives. However I think people who might be better able to help you are @jeannette smith harrison who I think is related, and @Lorna York who is an official authority on canal boat families.

 

I'm not convinced the people you refer to aren't the well known Ward family who the other threads probably refer to. The names you quote correlate. It may help if you say what in particular you wish to know and why.

Edited by Captain Pegg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Wards were a large extended family of canal boatmen and women, several of whom continued until the last days of commercial carrying. Both Ted and Ken Ward who worked for Willow Wren were well known, but there were also Rose Bray and Rose Whiltock (both Wards), who worked for Barlows, and later Blue Line when they took over the remnants of the Barlows operation in the early 1960's. Rose Whitlock was very proud of her Ward Heritage and had a number of photographs of her family, I still meet her daughter every year at the Braunston Historic rally, and will ask her whether she has any knowledge of your Wards when I meet her later this year.

 

 

Edited by David Schweizer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the woman behind the till at the shop by Braunston bottom lock where I used to buy pints of milk in 1994 was a Ward. Not sure of her first name. She was quite an elderly lady so might not be around now. Handy little shop that one I've not been through there for about 15 years maybe it's still there. 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are at least 4 closer folks  connected to the Wards on here also dean Wallington

So i will wait for those with closer links than myself who would have more info & photo's ect . I have 28 connections some close some distant to Wards in my boat people family tree  but then almost every boating family had a connection to them .Charles being a name repeated many times in many generations of Wards i do have a funeral card & info on a Charles Henry Ward who died in 1938 his wife although married twice more after his death her last husband who was one of my Harrisons was buried with her First husband 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A post script to my earlier post:- Arthur and Rose Bray were working for Harvey Taylor in the 1930's. Rose Bray was the daughter of  Charles Ward, a Number One. He bequeatherd a horse drawn boat as a Dowry to Rose and Arthur when they married. When the boat started to disintegrate in the late 1930's, they went to work for Harvey Taylor, who were taken over by Barlows in 1955.

 

I knew the Brays quite well, as they often moored in front of our boat on a Saturday night on their way to Kearley & Tonge's Jam Factory. Rose died in 1972 with Arthur following her in 1998. Rose's son, Ernie, lived on a boat called Poacher with his wife and son, but they moved away from Braunston and I do not know where they are nowadays.

 

 

Edited by David Schweizer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember Ernie Kendall. Could talk the hind legs off a donkey and was the original magnet man ;) nice chatting with him at his mooring by the bridge. 

 

I thought he died there before his old man. 

 

Could have got that detail wrong. 

Edited by magnetman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, magnetman said:

I remember Ernie Kendall. Could talk the hind legs off a donkey and was the original magnet man ;) nice chatting with him at his mooring by the bridge. 

 

I thought he died there before his old man. 

 

Could have got that detail wrong. 

 

I think you are correct, but I could not find any record, so ommited any date (just in case).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ernie did die before Arthur and is buried in Braunston cemetery. They are both in the slope looking over the cut. Ernie’s wife still lives in Braunston and I think the son is working away but not sure about that. Rose Whitlock and the Brays lived on opposite sides of the bridge and sometimes I would have a chat with Arthur and then go over the bridge on my way home. Rose would ask how’s Uncle Arthur as they hadn’t spoken for years.

  • Happy 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.