Thanks for explaining all that to me. I can now see how they are all related. I remember Wilf Griffin, Eric, Albert and Alex Hanks, Jack and Ernie Davis but, as I said before, I had no idea they were all cousins. Unfortunately I don't remember your Nan. Prospect Close was not built until after I left the village. I just remember the high wall with an orchard or maybe garden on the other side. I think at that time it belonged to Eric and Gwen.
Thanks again, Mervyn, for putting more pieces in the "Stonesfield puzzle" in their place.
Thank you for your reply. They are all related to each other. The connection is with my great grandfather Tom Davis and his siblings.
His sister Mary Ann Davis married George Griffin and Wilf was their son. Tom's youngest sister Sarah Davis married John Henry Hanks, their sons Jack, Eric and Albert are in the picture. Tom's youngest brother Philip married Eva Goodman and Jack and Ernie Davis are their sons. Tom had one child, my grandfather Kenneth Tom Davis. So they were all related to each other. Another hanks brother who played in that team but who is not in that picture is Alec Hanks.
My nan's name was Edith Davis (nee Falder). Her garden used to border were Eric's barn used to stand. That is correct they did run the bakery from the house at hanks' corner. I remember a few times when we kicked a football accidently over my nan's wall into Eric's garden!
I went to school with Raymond, in fact we both went to Chippy school the same year. I think the last time I saw him was around 1964/65! I remember his mum and dad and also some from the photo: Wilf Griffin, Eric Hanks and Albert Hanks. Eric and his wife, Gwen had the shop (and bakery, I think) at what was known as Hanks' Corner. I don't remember your grandfather. What was his wife's name (your Nan)? Were Wilf, Eric, Albert and Ernie cousins or were they just related to your grandfather and not to one another (is that possible)? Every time I check this website I learn more about Stonesfield and the people I knew when I was growing up. It's amazing. All the best.Barb
Thank you for your reply. I know that picture of the 1936 team very well. I was told about the fabled team on many occasions as a good proportion of that team consisted of my grandfathers cousins. My grandfather was Kenneth Tom Davis and he lived at Glebe Cottage and then Sunnyside (The Ridings). His cousins in that side were Jack Davis (manager), Wilf Griffin, Jack Hanks, Eric Hanks, Albert Hanks and Ernie Davis. I remember meeting Eric Hanks on a couple of occasions when I was younger and we used to visit my Nan who lived at that time in Prospect Close. My Dad still tells the story when Eric kicked a football that hard he broke a crosssbar!
They are all the grandchildren of William Edward Davis. From what I have been told he was quite a character!
Raymond Davis, as you may already know is Ernie's son. Do you know Raymond quite well?
I don't know if you are looking for a Davis connection in Stonesfield. I don't remember many with that last name. I do however remember Raymond Davis (born around 1947/48) and in the Millenium book (which Shayne refers to quite often) the photo of the winning Stonesfield Football team in 1936 includes Jack Davis and Ernie Davis. It's possible they are descendants of William Edward Davis.
Above is a picture of Mary's older brother, William Edward Davis, this was taken approx 1900.
Hi All,
Below is the information I have put together regarding Mary Oliver (nee Davis), I would love to here if any one has additional information regarding her life in the UK and Canada.
Mary Oliver (nee Davis) 1845 - 1937
Was born 2nd December 1845 in Sarsden, Oxfordshire. Though her death certificate states Downs Hollow, Oxfordshire.
Downs Hollow is an area of land very close to Sarsden. In particular Sarsgrove Wood which was near the Sarsden House Estate. In the 1851 Census Mary is residing with her parents and siblings at Sarsgrove Lodge, Churchill Oxfordshire. This lodge house was part of the Sarsden House Estate.
Her parents were John Davis (1802 – 1866) who was born in Churchill, Oxfordshire and Hannah Townsend (1807 – 1891) who was born in Chadlington, Oxfordshire.
Her siblings were:-
Thomas Davis (1837-1838)
William Edward Davis (1839-1924), he was a Butcher by occupation, he married a Stonesfield person called Ellen Austin (1834 – 1900) and lived the majority of his life in Stonesfield.
Caroline Davis (1840- 1922), she married an Alfred Townsend (1839 – 1914) and lived in Chadlington.
Elizabeth Davis (1842-1842)
Emma Davis (1844 – 1937), she married George Hunt (1843 - 1928) and they ran the Bakery in Boot Street , Stonesfield during the latter half of the 19th Century and early part of the 20th Century.
Thomas Davis (1849 – 1925), he married Elizabeth Neville (1867- ?). He was a soldier by profession. He served in the 23rd Regiment of Foot and the Kings Own Scottish Borders as a full time soldier and also in the 4th Battalion of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry which was a militia unit. He retired to Stonesfield and finally Combe.
Sarah Davis (1850 - ?), the only records so far sourced for Sarah is her Christening in Churchill, Oxfordshire and the 1851 Census of Churchill, Oxfordshire.
The Davis family connection to Stonesfield started no later than 1861/62 when William Davis was recorded in the Kellys Trade Directory of 1863 as a Butcher and a Baker. William's father John Davis was by then a Baker by profession.
By 1861 Mary is recorded in that year’s Census as working as a general domestic servant in the household of Charles Timms in Chipping Norton. He was a watch maker.
When she married Richard Barrett Oliver in 1867 in Chadlington they are both recorded as being residents of the parish of Chadlington.
In 1871 Mary is recorded in the Census as living in the Lady Wood area of Birmingham with her husband Richard (occupation plasterer) and son Thomas who was born in 1869 in Fawler, Oxfordshire. Her next child Charles Oliver was born in Dudley in 1872 (source 1881 Census) and her third child Francis Oliver was born in Stonesfield in 1874 )source 1881 Census). Therefore they moved at least 5 times within their first seven years of marriage. Perhaps work was hard to come by and they moved where the work was available for Richard’s trade.
All their subsequent children (Sarah Ann, Frank, Ellen, Philip, Edith & Fanny were born in Stonesfield (source 1881 & 1891 Census) but that did not mean they did not move! Whilst living in Stonesfield they are recorded as living in the High Street in 1881, Windmill Road in 1885, Churchfields in 1891 and Well Lane in 1901.Though the biggest move of all was still to follow...
At the age of 61, Mary emigrated to Canada with husband Richard, 63, and their youngest child Fanny, who was 20. They left the UK on the 3rd October 1907 travelling on “The Corsican” from Liverpool to Quebec. They travelled on to Oak Bay, Victoria, Vancouver Island where many of their children had already emigrated to and were running a building firm.
At the time of Richard’s death on the 30th December 1916 the couple were residing at 985 Redfern Street, Victoria. The house address still exists.
Mary died on the 20th January 1937 at 2532 Vancouver Street, Victoria, Vancouver Island. She died of natural causes and her occupation was recorded as a housewife. The house address still exists.
