I have come across some lovely sellers on Ebay over recent months and the chap I bought this old photo from is one and he follows me on Twitter too! He has some lovely images for sale.

As Irene Saunders Goodridge looked like such an interesting lady I thought I would just do some quick research on her, so she has jumped my queue!

Transcription of the above postcard ‘My Dear Mother & Father. I am so glad you are enjoying yourselves, and also that you are better in health. All is well at home and Winnie is doctoring Jack & he is much better. Mary thanks for the little cups but one was in pieces. So I have given Mary the other one, you might take me another and back with you. When are you coming we are very busy. What do you think of your daughter (referring to the photo)Yr loving Irene’

FAMILY HISTORY.

Irene’s Father Geoffrey Saunders Goodridge, Captain, was born in 1849 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales as the fifth child of John Goodridge and Elizabeth. He had eight siblings: Elizabeth, John, Thomas, Ann, Sarah, Susan, George, and William that I have so far found.

Geoffrey Saunders Goodridge, Captain was christened on 13 May 1849 in Tenby,Pembroke,Wales. He lived in Tenby, St Mary Tenby In Liberty, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1861 and in 1881 and 1891. He died in 1923 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Irene’s Mother Alice Adams was born in Apr 1849 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales as the fifth child of John Adams and Charlotte. She had seven siblings: Jane, Elizabeth, John, William, Lewis, Susan, and Margrett A. Alice Adams was baptized on 17 Jun 1849 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. She was christened on 17 Jun 1849 in Tenby, Pembroke, Wales. She lived in Tenby, St Mary Tenby In Liberty, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1861. When she was 21, she married Geoffrey S Goodridge in Oct 1870 in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom. She lived in Tenby, St Mary Tenby In Liberty, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911 too. She died in Jul 1932 in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Geoffrey Saunders Goodridge Captain and Alice Adams had the following 11 children:

Thomas Geoffrey Goodridge was born in 1873 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. He died in 1945.
Alice Louise Goodridge was born in 1876 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. She died in 1963.
Beatrice Elizabeth Goodridge was born in 1877 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. She died in 1968.
Alfreda Ellen Goodridge was born in 1879 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. She died in 1970.
Arthur Goodridge was born in 1880 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. He died in 1972.
Miriam I Goodridge was born in 1884 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. She died in Oct 1969 Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Irene Saunders Goodridge was born on 30 Aug 1885 in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales (GOODRIDGE, IRENE SAUNDERS ADAMS GRO Reference: 1885 D Quarter in PEMBROKE Volume 11A Page 931 ). She died in 1961. ……More later…….
John Frederick S Goodridge was born in 1887 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Is this ‘Jack?‘ He died in 1914 aged just 27 and I’ve not found any Military records for him as yet. On his burial record on the 24 October 1914, it states that he died in the West Wales Sanatorium that was in Llanybydder, Carmarthenshire. Did he suffer from Tuberculosis?

Winifred Maude Goodridge was born in 1889 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. She died in 1921. This is likely ‘Winnie’
Florence Naomi Goodridge was born about 1892 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. She died in 1971.
Charlotte Loveband Goodridge was born about 1893 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. She died in 1974.

The name Saunders had been handed down from Sarah Sa(u)nders who had married Thomas Goodridge on 22 April 1812 in Brixham, Devon. She was Irene Saunders Goodridge‘s Great Great Grandmother on her fathers side.

The Goodridge family were Fishermen through the generations, Irene’s Great Great Grandfather Thomas Goodridge who was born in Paignton, Devon 1792-1864 was still a Fisherman at aged 69 in the 1861 census living in Plymouth, Devon with his wife, Irene’s Gt Gt Grandmother Sarah (Sa(u)nders)(1793-1867). His son, Irene’s Great Grandfather, John Goodridge who was born in Brixham, Devon was also still at age 64 a Fisherman in the 1881 census, now living at Bridge St, Tenby with his wife, Irene’s Gt Grandmother Elizabeth (Davies) (1814-1891)

• 

• 

Irene Saunders Goodridge married Frederick John Potter in Apr 1909 in Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom. Their first son Frederick Arthur Saunders Potter was born on 23 August 1910 in Swindon, Wiltshire. He died in 1984. Irene was in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, on 2 April 1911, with her young son, she was visiting her Mum Alice and three of her siblings who lived at No1 Norton Cottage, Tenby.

Meanwhile in 1911 Husband Frederick John Potter was at their home at 30 Graham St, Swindon, Frederick was an insurance agent. Their second son Cecil George Potter was born on 5 January 1913 in Swindon, Wiltshire. He died in 1987.

Then they had a daughter Winifred Irene Potter who was born in January 1917 in South Stoneham, Hampshire. She died as a child in April 1918 in Southampton, Hampshire. (I cannot confirm this child as it is away from their home area and not in Wales either, so I would have to send for a borth certificate to confirm this although it looks very likely as Irene is the childs middle name and Winifred known as Winnie was her sisters name)

The couple had a third son David Eric Potter who was born on 5 December 1923 in Swindon, Wiltshire. He died in 1976. Irene and husband Frederick lived at Broad St, Swindon in the 1939 Register with their youngest son David who was 16. Frederick was a Commercial Traveller.

Irene Saunders Goodridge died in the first quarter of 1961 in Swindon, Wiltshire.

This is the Public Family Tree I have compiled for the Goodridge Family on Ancestry: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/tree/176134837/family?cfpid=232292164160&fpid=232292164160

Please get in touch if you are a descendant of Irene’s, I would love to hear from you.

More about the history of Fishing in Brixham I found on this excellent article from March 2004 on the website shipsnostalgia.com : https://www.shipsnostalgia.com/threads/sail-fishing-vessels.302541/

Some fantastic information here from a BBC Blog by Phil Carradice in 2014: https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/entries/3f294896-1780-3781-8160-0965f575ef45

I shall be back for more family histories from old photos soon I hope…

Till next time then……….