On Monday September 4, we visited the National Fishing Heritage Centre in Grimsby. We met with Lucy, one of the archivist. We had written to Lucy three weeks' ago about documents that were deposited by Albert Blake (Stuart's cousin) in the Welhome Galleries in Grimsby in the early 1980s. These documents included a wallet containing the militia papers of William Savage (Stuart's grandfather). The papers date from 1876 to his discharge in 1888, when he lost his left leg in an accident when loading the ship, the Brig "Anna" lying in Grimsby dock on 1 September 1888. Other documents included his and his wife Frances' hawker licenses.
Unfortunately Lucy had to report that as the Welhome Galleries had now closed and that currently they could not locate the documents. However, Lucy did advise us that almost simultaneously another person had requested the same documents! Stuart's mother's sister Frances "Annie" Blake née Savage youngest son, Harry Blake, who still lives in Grimsby had recently written to the museum to obtain the documents.
Stuart had attempted several times to contact the descendants of his maternal aunt Annie. Lucy kindly provided the address and telephone of Harry & Rosemary Blake née Dennis. We immediately telephoned them, and arranged to meet the following day.
You can imagine our surprise, but sheer delight to meet them. Also Stuart's cousin Rose Little née Blake also called to see us. Rose is a very sprightly 92 year old who is nimble, quick thinking, and still drives a car. Rose remembers, amongst a wealth of other information, pushing Stuart around in a pram when he was a baby.
As if that was not enough, we were then invited to Harry & Rosemary's 50th wedding anniversary on Friday September 8. Of course we changed our previous plans, and returned to Grimsby on Friday night to join with them and 80+ family and friends to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.
More information, and photographs is anticipated in the near future from the many cousins, and second cousins met at the party.
