Treasures in a Box

A friend, Diana, sent me this small collection of old photos that she found recently in Swanage. She thought that if I were to research them and share them with you all we might be able to return them to their family.

I’ve compiled a small family tree on Ancestry and managed to identify quite a few of the names mentioned on the backs of some of the photos. Because of this, you will notice that some of the faces are in more than one photo even if they are unnamed.

The main names on the backs of some of the photos are members of this family below. There were eight children and several grandchildren and among them, I have managed to identify quite a few faces from the Box, who can you spot.

I haven’t found a birth record to match the eldest William Harvell born before the couple’s marriage and I haven’t found a previous marriage for father George, so was this a child that Ann had before her marriage to George?

Ann Bishop was born on 16 November 1856 in Charminster, Dorset, her parents were William and Sarah. She married George Frampton Harvell on 15 December 1878 in Weymouth, Dorset. They had eight children, see the family group sheet above. Ann died in October 1940 in Poole, Dorset, at the age of 83.

This couple above initially puzzled me as the only Don, Donald I had on the tree was this chap who fitted the picture but when I added his wife her name was Elsie, not Lavender. I just had Elsie E L J Barber from the marriage record. So I went searching for another wife for him, no luck, so I had a cuppa and a rethink and thought, I wonder what the L in her middle name stands for, yes you’ve guessed it, Lavender! Here’s her entry from the GRO: BARBER, ELSIE ELIZABETH LAVENDER JANE BLAKE GRO Reference: 1921 D Quarter in THANET Volume 02A Page 1763.

Donald Maule Harvell Gill was born on 4 September 1908 in Radipole, Dorset, his father was Frederick and his mother, Alice. He married Elsie Elizabeth Lavender Jane Barber in January 1957 in Norfolk. Donald died in September 2004 in Southampton, Hampshire, at the age of 96. Elsie Elizabeth Lavender Jane Barber was born in October 1921 in Thanet, Kent, her father was Arthur and her mother, Edith. She died on 25 December 2012 in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, at the age of 91.

Donald‘s parents were Frederick George Gill who was born on 16 November 1882 in Broadwey, Dorset. He married Alice Maud Ethel Harvell on 28 June 1906 in Weymouth, Dorset. They had two children, Donald and Ian. Frederick died on 14 December 1960 in Dorset at the age of 78. Alice died in 1969 in Poole, Dorset.

Donald‘s brother Ian St Claire Harvell Gill was born on 18 May 1917 in Braintree, Essex, his father was Frederick and his mother, Alice. Ian married Elizabeth M Harland in October 1947 in Yorkshire. He died in March 1996 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, at the age of 78.

Hilda Elizabeth Harvell was born on 6 July 1888 in Weymouth, Dorset. Hilda married Wadham Dallwood White on 11 December 1918. They had one child during their marriage, Basil Wadham Harvell White. Hilda died in April 1967 in Poole, Dorset, at the age of 78.

Hilda‘s parents were George and Ann. Hilda was one of the eight Harvell children.

Hilda and Wadham‘s son Basil Wadham Harvell White was born on 5 January 1920 in South Stoneham, Hampshire. Basil married Doreen Ellen Annette Brown in January 1948 in Poole, Dorset. They had one child during their marriage, Graham Basil White.

Basil died on 7 March 1983 in Poole, Dorset, at the age of 63, and his wife Doreen died in 2011 in Swanage, Dorset.

Graham was born on 21 October 1951 in Poole, Dorset, and he is in at least two of the photos. He was living in Wareham, Dorset, in 2003 and moved to Swanage, Dorset, sometime between 2003 and 2021. I can’t be certain he married without certificates as there are a couple of possibilities. He died on 4 May 2021 in Swanage, Dorset, at the age of 69.

Ruth Ashworth was born on 23 March 1896 in Salford, Lancashire. She married Ernest Phillip John Harvell on 20 September 1936 in Studland, Dorset. Ruth died on 8 September 1979 in Swanage, Dorset, at the age of 83.

Ruth‘s husband Ernest Phillip John Harvell was born on 9 September 1886 in Weymouth, Dorset, another child of George Frampton Harvell and Ann Bishop and a brother of Hilda’s. Ernest had first been married to Laura Isabel Lynham (1887-1933) and they had one son together, Gilbert Claude Harvell. After Laura’s death in 1933, Ernest married Ruth Ashworth on 20 September 1936 in Studland, Dorset. He died on 9 May 1948 in Studland, Dorset, at the age of 61.

Ernest and Laura‘s son Gilbert Claude Harvell was born on 31 August 1915 in Weymouth, Dorset. Gilbert married Audrey M Port in July 1945 in Winchester, Hampshire. Gilbert died on 7 September 1969 in Louth, Lincolnshire, at the age of 54.

So above we have the man second on the left Basil Wadham Harvell White next to his wife Doreen Ellen Annette (Brown) holding Graham Basil White born on 21 October 1951. This couple can now be recognised as the couple who were guests at ‘Greta’s Wedding’ with Graham their only child looking about 5 or 6 years old (See below)

So ‘Mother’ above is Gladys with her sister Alice and the person that wrote on the back of some of these photos (same writing)is one of her children, Kenneth, Norman or Gerald.

So all Gilbert’s troubles are his wife, son and the dog and cat! I believe this is Gilbert Claude Harvell’s wife Audrey Mary Port with their eldest child Martin John Harvell 1946-2000, they went on to have a daughter in 1959, her name was Nicola! The gorgeous little girl below!

Percy Victor Harwell was born on 2 January 1890 in Weymouth, Dorset, a son to George and Ann. He married Mary W Campbell in October 1917 in Reading, Berkshire. They had two children Mary and James. Percy died on 21 March 1954 in Hampshire at the age of 64.

This is the direct link to the public family tree I have compiled for the Harvell Family on Ancestry: Harvell Family Lynns Waffles

A few days ago I asked for help on Twitter and my Facebook page to see if someone could help to identify this Thatched Cottage. Very grateful that @chuffnell on Twitter solved the Puzzle for me! Thank you!

A beautiful house isn’t it and you can definitely see where changes have been made, this is the full address if anyone wants to look on Google Street view: Lilac Cottage, Fryern Court Road, Burgate FORDINGBRIDGE, SP6 1LZ

An interesting family with several members owning/running Hotels, Guest Houses and the like. Also during my research, I came across one of the Harvell family, Jessie, living and working at Debenham’s in Marylebone, London. It reminded me instantly of watching the series Selfridges on the TV about ten years ago. We saw in that program the many staff ‘living in’ at Selfridges.

Jessie Cecilia Harvell was born on 8 August 1912 in Farnham, Surrey, her father was William, the eldest of the 8 Harvell children. Jessie’s mother was Margaret. I haven’t found a marriage for her. She had one brother and two sisters. She died on 22 February 2003 in Bournemouth, Hampshire, at the age of 90, registered in her maiden name.

Do you know anyone who is a descendant of the family, Diana and I would love for this small collection to be returned to its family. Are these your Ancestors?

Till next time then……….