Uncovering the Stories of My Ancestors’ Lives

1. The Background

For some time now I have been interested in genealogical research by tracking the history of my own family. Here I will link to the stories I have uncovered. Because of some of the sensitive information contained in those stories, some documents may have restricted access.

I have provided below four large pdf documents which present my parents’ genealogy back to around 1750.

Much of this work has required research involving The London Archives, The National Archives, and Enfield Local Studies Centre. I have used Ancestry and Find My Past as well as the General Register Office for birth death and marriage certificates.

The history of the time is made up of the history of the people, and the stories I uncovered make clearer the lives of working-class Londoners, Essex agricultural workers and Kent brickfdield labourers in the 19th – 20th century. I began my genealogy with my attempt to tell the story of my four grandparents – Leonard Victor Robinson, Harriet Philpott, Charles Gates and Ellen Evans – only two of whom (Harriet and Ellen) I ever met. It has been a roller-coaster of discoveries and surprises since, as with many families, little was said of previous histories when they were alive. We tended to just get on with our lives. This is a story of struggles; of loves found and lost; of children loved and children lost. There are many who owe their lives to these four people, many of whom will know little about them. I hope this goes some way to fill the gap.

Looking at my grandparents’ childhoods inevitably led me back in time. Who were their parents, and how did their lives unfold? Just how far back is it conceivable to go with any certainty?

Using mainly on-line sources through Ancestry I have managed to go back to the end of the 18th century. However, the further we try to go back, the more the information available becomes sparse.

Below is a 5-generation family tree going back go the early 19th century.

5 Generation Tree

2. The People

Below are the 116 people who from 1750 ultimately led to my birth – as 10 have yet to be traced.

My Parents

Roughly covering the period 1920-2000

  • Charles Edward Gates (1921-2002) and Maud Robinson (1920-1998)

My Grandparents

Rougly covering the period 1870-1970

  • Charles Gates (1869-1946) and Ellen Catherine Evans (1883-1966)
  • Leonard Victor Robinson (1875-1948) and Harriet Frances Philpott (1877-1975)

My Great Grandparents

Roughly covering the period 1850-1920

  • Thomas Humphreys Gates (1843-1894) and Emma Page (1844-1902)
  • Charles Evans (1851-1905) and Elizabeth Finnis (1849-??)
  • Alfred Robinson (1849-1936) and Martha Beale (1851-1929)
  • Edwin Philpott (1856-1900) and Julia Jane Mount (1857-1926)

My 2 x Great Grandparents

Rougly covering the pefriod 1800-1900

  • Thomas Gates (1821 – 1897) and Martha Humphreys (1823 – 1849)
  • James Lewis Page (1807-1861) and Mary Ann Sanders (1805-1877)
  • Charles Evans (1825-1892) and Susan Gyde (1818-1901)
  • James Finnis (1829-1909) and Elizabeth Forster (1831-1901)
  • John Robinson (1817-1847) and Caroline Burgess (1813-1875)
  • William Beale ( 1804-1876) and Martha Surridge (18089-1876)
  • George Philpott (1826-1892) and Charlotte Snoad (1830-1915)
  • Henry Mount (1812-1879) and Frances Fagg (1820-1894)

My 3 x Great Grandparents

Roughly covering the perfiod 1780-1850

  • Charles Gates (1779-1852) and Mary Packer (1795-1861)
  • Thomas Humphreys (c1788-1866) and Ann (c1793-1866)
  • Henry Page (1776-1844) and Frances Fitzsimmonds (1775-1844)
  • William Sanders (1780-1849) and Mary Huddlestone (1780-1853)
  • Isaac Evans (1790-1827) and Sarah Tisdale (1792-1840)
  • Abel Gyde (1785-1840) and Mary Kezia (1795-1825)
  • Henry Finnis (1803-1864) and Susanna Nolder (1803-1873)
  • Eli Forster (1806-1887) and Catherine Sparke (1806-1863)
  • John Robinson (1792-1858) and Elizabeth Hurst (1789-1858)
  • James Burgess (1797-?) and Lucy Everett (1794-?)
  • Robert Beale (1780-1838) and Hannah Amey (1784-1826)
  • John Surridge (1777-1846) and Sarah Cole (1777-1831)
  • Nicholas Philpott (1796-1850) and Catherine Trowbridge (1875-1859)
  • William Snoad (1797-1872) and Jane Wilson (1798-1871)
  • Stephen Mount (1775-1827) and Sarah Wells (1778-1854)
  • John Fagg (1798-1876) and Mary Ann Hoyle (1791-1877)

My 4 x Great Grandparents

Roughly covering the period 1750-1850

  • Thomas Gates (1765-1823) and Elizabeth Summer (1770-1835)
  • John Packer (1772-1843) and Martha Mettman (1763-)
  • Thomas Humphris (1755-1790) and Marth Ashfield (1755-1842)
  • Parents of Ann – Unknown
  • Parents of Henry Page -Unknown
  • Parents of Frances Fitzsimmonds – Unknown
  • Robert Saunders (1727-) and Ann Bodger (1735-)
  • William Huddlestone and Elizabeth
  • Robert Evans (1766-1809) and Mary Tisdale (1764-184)
  • Alexander Tisdale (1764-1813) and Sarah Hardman (1755-1829)
  • Samuel Gyde (1750-1825) and Susannah Cooke
  • Anthony Spiers and Esther
  • Henry Finnis (1766-1851) and Ann Knott (1774-1853)
  • John Golder and Elizabeth
  • Eli Forster (1770-1828) and Mary Sleep (1767-1830)
  • John Sparkes (1775-1860) and Martha Drought (1776-1854)
  • Benjamin Robinson (1772-1853) and unknown
  • William Hurst (1769-) and unknown
  • Edward Burgess (1754-1802) and Elizabeth Worship (1750-1816)
  • James Everett (1758-1837) and Mary King (1766-1821)
  • William Beal (1752-) and Elizabeth Price (1752-)
  • John Amey (1738-1781) and Elizabeth (1742-1788)
  • John Surridge (?) and Martha Harvey (1746-1821)
  • William Cole (1734-1821) and Mary Carley (1736-)
  • Nicholas Philpott (1767-1822) and Sarah Smith (1771-1847)
  • Parents of Catharine Trowbridge unknown
  • William Snoad (1769-1837) and Elizabeth Fulagar (1771-1838)
  • Thomas Wilson (1771-1847) and Frances Bowles (1771-1849)
  • Stephen Mount (1754-1844) and Mary Crowhurst (1754-)
  • William Wells (1755-1802) and Mary Mott (?)
  • Mathew Fagg (1755-1839) and Eleanor Johncock (1753-)
  • William Hoyle (1753-1804) and Elizabeth Castle (1753-1818)

3. The Stories

Below are links to the complete stories of my family. These are large pdf documents and clicking on the link will download them to your PC. Unfortunately they are too large to embed within this browser. Sorry!

Part 1 The Path To My Father

Part 1a covers the genealogy of my father’s paternal line from roughly 1750 to the marriage of my grandparents, Charles Gates and Ellen Evans in 1917.

Part 1a – The Gates Line (PDF Download 273 pages, 46Mb)

Part 1b covers the genealogy of my father’s maternal line from roughly 1780 up to the marriage of my parents, Charles Edward Gates and Maud Robinson in 1951.

Part 1b – The Evans Line (PDF Download 245 pages, 48Mb)

Part 2 The Path To My Mother

Part 2a covers the genealogy of my mother’s paternal line from roughly 1780 up to the marriage of my maternal grandparents, Leonard Victor Robinson and Harriet Philpott in 1896.

Part 2a – The Robinson Line (PDF Download 140 pages, 30Mb)

Part 2b covers the genealogy of my mother’s maternal line from roughly 1780 up to the marriage of my parents, Charles Edward Gates and Maud Robinson in 1951.

Part 2b – The Philpott Line (PDF Download 308 pages, 70Mb)

Part 3 The Path To Me and Beyond (Being written)

This part will cover the period from my birth in 1952 up to the present. Because of the sensitivity of some of the information, it will not be available to downoad, but will only be provided to certain close individuals.