In 1881 my great grandmother Mabel Butler was 5 years old and an orphan. Her father Ephraim Butler appears to have died in 1879 when Mabel was only 3, and what happened to her mother is uncertain. Mabel was born in South Africa, but I … Continue reading The Butlers of Summerhill House, Bristol
Category: Home and other places
Major Charles Holdorf at Fromelles
It is a cold, windy summer day in Dalarna, Sweden as I write, 19 July 2013. I have been reading a little about my great grandfather, Charles John Holdorf, born 1869 in Sydney. His parents were German migrants to Australia and he grew up in … Continue reading Major Charles Holdorf at Fromelles
Germany and England: united in a family
When people ask where my ancestors came from I usually explain that they were English, Irish, Scottish and German. To date I have only started to research the English and German connections. I only have to go back two generations to my maternal grandfather, George … Continue reading Germany and England: united in a family
Forgotten tales 