The Holford name may be a simple variation of the original German name, Holtorp, but Mum's maiden name, Simmonds, is a complete departure from the past, as far as I can work out. Mum told me before she died that her grandfather, George Simmonds, whom … Continue reading Changing names: the mystery of George Lilley
Holford: evolution of a name
Our family name has evolved over the last 300 years from Holtorp to Holford. With the help of a family tree drawn up by Victoria Reevey, publicly available on Ancestry.com, I have managed to trace the Holford family name back to the end of the … Continue reading Holford: evolution of a name
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
Searching for Grandpa George
I've been trying to imagine the world in which my grandfather, George Simmonds, grew up. I never knew George, because he died when he was only 50, 6 years before I was born. He was born in England, in Redhill, Surrey, in 1905, but his … Continue reading Searching for Grandpa George
Forgotten tales 