Descendants of John Hunt

 

Generation No. 1

 

 

1.  JOHN HUNT was born Abt. 1790.                                                                       

       

Child of JOHN HUNT is:

2.                i.    JOHN  HUNT, b. 1821, Clarborough, Notts.

Generation No. 2

 

2.  JOHN  HUNT  was born 1821 in Clarborough, Notts.  He married JANE LITTLEWOOD (HUNT) 8 Jun 1840 in Parish Church, Sheffield, daughter of JAMES LITTLEWOOD and SARAH (LITTLEWOOD).  She was born 8 Mar 1821 in Retford Notts..

 

Notes for JOHN HUNT:

        Father of Mary Emma Hunt who bore a son, Herbert,  out of wedlock,  Herbert  lived with his grandparents for many years.

        For some years the family lived in Gyles Row,  Spital Hill in the Parish of Clarborough.  Spital or Spittle Hill,   was actually in East Retford itself but was incorporated in the parish of Clarborough even though it was only a few yards from East Retford ‘s parish church,  such were the quaint quirks of ecclesiastical law.

        Clarborough proper was  then part of East Retford but was some distance away from the main town.

        The village  was also mentioned in the Domesday book more than once as Claverbvrg and was part of the King's great 'Soke' of Mansfield. 

        In 1828 it was described as  'long and straggling, yet of a cheerful and healthy appearance'. The village was situated about 4 miles north east of Retford on the Gainsborough Road. The land, previously belonging to the Duke of Devonshire was, at the time, divided into a number of freeholds.

        The Parish church  of St. John the Baptist was  built in 1258.It was partially restored an about 1826 but fully restored in 1874 at which time many of the ancient features were lost.

        The village expanded as part of the Notts.  county development plan in the late 1960 s and early 70 s.  This development included over 150 houses,  a shop complex and a new primary school.

        Reading from  Piercy's  "Retford" , 1828,  it seems that there was confusion even then about Spital Hill and Moorgate being in the parish of Clarborough (about 4 miles away) when they were just across the  stream (mentioned in p. 243) dividing them from East Retford Parish Church. The stream is still there but now runs through a culvert under new houses and a new road.

        A local Dyer,  Hezekiah Clark built a small house and dye house at the bottom of Spital Hill, and drew water from the stream passing his property for his dye house. The property was demolished in the 1950 s and the area re-developed for new council houses. The "Clarks of Retford"  company lasted until about 1989  when it was bought out by a large London company - A  proud record of 190 years of trading in Retford. (One of Hezekiah's direct descendants, a gr. gr. grandson , still lives a few miles outside of Retford. )

        John  was a Shoemaker by trade,  a common occupation in Retford at the time.      On page 10, Piercy also mentions in the paragraph "Trade" that in 1828 there was a   " - a trade in hats and shoes."  It is possible that he was a pieceworker and made,  say the uppers, whilst someone else made the welt and yet someone else made the lace holes etc..  This is speculation of course.

        At the time of the 1881 census, Jane and John Hunt were living in Clarborough Notts with their Grandson, Herbert - son of Mary Emma - and several other children.  Mary worked as a domestic servant.

       

Children of JOHN HUNT and JANE (HUNT) are:

                   i.    GEORGE  HUNT, b. 1842, Clarborough.

                  ii.    CHARLES HUNT, b. 1844, Clarborough,  Notts..

                 iii.    NATHAN HUNT, b. 1846, Gyles Row, Spital Hill, Clarborough..

                 iv.    WALTER HUNT, b. 1848.

                  v.    SARAH ELIZABETH HUNT, b. 1850, Clarborough Notts..

                 vi.    MARY ELIZABETH HUNT, b. 1851.

                vii.    MARY EMMA HUNT, b. 1853, Gyles Row,  Spital Hill Clarborough.

               viii.    JANE HUNT, b. 1855, Retford Notts.

                  ix.    JAMES HUNT, b. 1858.

 

Generation No. 3

 

3.  NATHAN  HUNT was born 1846 in Gyles Row, Spital Hill, Clarborough..  He married HARRIET KIRK (HUNT).  She was born 1844 in Wheatley, Notts, and died 13 Dec 1934 in Melita, Beacon Hill,  Newark, Notts..

       

Children of NATHAN HUNT and HARRIET (HUNT) are:

                   i.    ALFRED  HUNT.

                  ii.    EDWARD HUNT.

                 iii.    MILDRED HUNT.

                 iv.    LUCY J HUNT, b. 1873, Retford Notts..

                  v.    HENRY (HARRY) ALBERT HUNT, b. 1875, Retford, Notts.; d. 6 Mar 1964, 90 Hatton Gardens,  Newark Notts.; m. ADA ???? (HUNT).

                 vi.    CHARLES R HUNT, b. 1877, Retford Notts.

                vii.    CECELIA HUNT (MATHER), b. 27 Jun 1880, West Retford,  Notts.; d. 27 May 1970, Newark Notts.; m. FRANK MATHER, 8 Nov 1903; b. 11 Apr 1882; d. 17 Sep 1970.

4.  MARY EMMA  HUNT  was born 1853 in Gyles Row,  Spital Hill Clarborough.  She met (1) FATHER UNKNOWN.  He was born possibly,  Abt. 1850 in Nottinghamshire.

 

Mary was employed as a domestic servant up to the time of Herbert’s birth when she was only sixteen years old.  The father of her child remains unknown and is not carried on his birth certificate.

It is believed that Mary continued to live at home for some years. Her  date of death is not known nor is it known if she subsequently married either Herbert's father or another man.

Nothing is known of Herbert's Father.  The family has generally believed that he would have been the son of a wealthy family for whom Mary worked as a domestic servant.  This belief is strengthened by the fact that Herbert received a very superior education and was indentured as a Millwright.  Both these two items would have been costly in those times and it seems unlikely that John, a humble shoemaker, would have had the wherewithal to foot the bill.

Could it be that the wayward son's wealthy paid "Hush money" against the prospect of any future claims?   We shall never know.

       

Child of MARY EMMA HUNT is:

                   i.    HERBERT  HUNT, b. 27 Oct 1869, Retford, Notts; d. 19 Jun 1936, Surbiton Surrey..

 

Generation No. 4

 

5.  HERBERT  HUNT  was born 27 Oct 1869 in Retford, Notts, and died 19 Jun 1936 in Surbiton Surrey..  He married EMMA ELLEN FOOT 6 Aug 1894 in Ordsall Notts., daughter of WILLIAM FOOT and EMILY (FOOT).  She was born 6 Oct 1870 in 24 Sherwood Street Mansfield Notts., and died 17 Aug 1945 in Mansfield, Notts.

 

Herbert was born out of wedlock,  not such an uncommon occurrence as is generally though of the times. He received a good education and was indentured as a Millwright. 

In those days this was unusual and would have been beyond the means of  his grandfather, a humble shoemaker,  probably working on piecework from home.

It is generally believed, within the family, that his natural Father was possibly the son of a wealthy family for whom Mary worked as a domestic servant, again not an unusual occurrence for the times. He would not have been able - by custom and parental disapproval - to  marry Mary.    

This supposition is quite likely - given the mores of the day -  though there is no way of confirming it.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Children of HERBERT HUNT and EMMA FOOT are:

6.                i.    WILLIAM EDWARD  HUNT, b. 28 Oct 1894, Secombe, Cheshire; d. 14 Nov 1977, Surbiton, Surrey.

7.               ii.    NELLIE HUNT (BREALEY), b. 27 Nov 1895, Wallasey Cheshire; d. Jun 1972, Notts.

                 iii.    ERNEST ALFRED HUNT, b. 14 Oct 1897, Warrington, Lancs; d. 15 Sep 1963; m. ROSE GROSS (HUNT), 26 Aug 1921; b. 26 Jul 1901; d. 26 Aug 1954, Notts.

8.              iv.    JENNIE PAULINE HUNT (PARSONS), b. 3 Apr 1900, Cardiff, Wales.

                  v.    ALBERT VICTOR HUNT, b. 5 Mar 1902, Cardiff, Wales; m. EDITH BAKER (HUNT), 4 Oct 1939.

9.              vi.    ARTHUR STANLEY HUNT, b. 9 Feb 1904, Cardiff, Wales; d. 2 Feb 1978.

10.           vii.    CLARENCE HAROLD HUNT, b. 22 Jul 1907, Balderton, Newark, Notts; d. 1959.

11.          viii.    HERBERT HARRY HUNT, b. 18 Jul 1909, Goole, Yorks.

                  ix.    GEORGE LESLIE HUNT, b. 31 May 1911, Goole, Yorks; d. 1935.  

Leslie, everyone's favourite, died as a result of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident in which the driver, a close friend, was killed outright. Leslie is buried in Farnham Royal Churchyard, Bucks.

                                                                                          

 Generation No. 5

 

6.  WILLIAM EDWARD  HUNT was born 28 Oct 1894 in Secombe, Cheshire, and died 14 Nov 1977 in Surbiton, Surrey.  He married (1) GLADYS WILLIAMS (HUNT) 24 May 1920 in Nottingham, daughter of THOMAS WILLIAMS and ELIZA WHEATER (WILLIAMS).  She was born 30 Aug 1901 in Lambley, Notts, and died 24 Apr 1986 in Surrey. 

 

Will was apprenticed (Indentured) as a Chef in about 1910. He spent time in many famous Hotels here and in France. During the 1st World War he served in the 1st Field Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery in France, The Dardanelles & Italy. His army number was 12793 and his rank, Gunner.
He was awarded the 1914 star, the British War Medal and the Victory medal, these being issued to him in March 1920.
He was also awarded a clasp to the 1914 star, possibly for his service outside France. He always insisted that he was also awarded a medal from the Italians for his service in a Mule gun battery whilst there. What little he ever told his family included a hair raising experience when one of his mules tripped and fell off the mountain side, tied to other mules front and rear. He was quick witted enough to cut the leading reins and save the mules front & rear from following with the gun and his cooking equipment into the valley below.
He worked as a Chef in Hotels and restaurants in the Midlands, Yorkshire and London, including the famous George & Vulture, Charles Dickens’ favourite London "Pub" and the "Black Boy" in Nottingham and finally settled in the South. He became Head Chef at Bentalls in Kingston during the 2nd War and on leaving set up in partnership with two other caterers, two high quality restaurants in the vicinity.
On leaving them after they were running successfully, he worked for a short time as Carvery Chef in the VIP lounge at Heathrow Airport.
He was still working as a Chef, doing 40 to 50 lunches a day at a Kingston Pub, up to a few weeks before his death. A small and wiry man, he was never ruffled and despite the bang and clatter, temper tantrums of creative people in the catering world, he rarely "lost his cool". BUT if he did, watch out!!!
His finest hour was when the Bentalls store was hit by a bomb one Sunday morning during the '39 - '45 war. He went in to his kitchen to work soon after the building was declared safe and by the end of the day, he and two other sous chefs, had fed all the security staff including most of the Police and the Civil Defence people, and the Tudor Restaurant opened for business on the Monday as usual with a full menu!
He loved driving and enjoyed television. His home was some two miles from his work and he walked that every day. He was a kind and gentle man, loved by everyone.
 

Notes for GLADYS WILLIAMS (HUNT):

 Gladys came from a mining family but trained as a cook where she met Will; (she was in fact his boss at the time!)

They moved, many times,  following his work all  over the North,  Midlands and London  before settling in the Surrey area. She was a very kind hearted woman with a gruff exterior but a very generous nature.

She loved parties and was a superb hostess.  Even during the war with rationing and shortages,  her food was a sight to behold and her cooking second to none. 

Despite her Husband's high qualifications he never cooked at home.

Her helpful nature led her to take up the cudgels on behalf of many of her friends and acquaintances,  against what she saw as bureaucratic authority.

She gained improved benefits for many of them,  refusing to be beaten or intimidated by the establishment figures.

She was fiercely protective of her family and woe betide anyone who tried to hurt or decry them.

She loved crosswords and passed her skills on to her children ,  Dorothy and Geoff.

She was a great 'Character' and would do her utmost to oblige anyone in need.  She and Will made and decorated dozens and dozens of Wedding and

special occasion cakes over the years.  She would travel miles to get suitable decorations to put on the top tier of a 3 tier wedding cake.   Gladys would make the cakes and Will would ice them.  The icing process was  always a signal for the children to run for cover and hide, as there were always "Fireworks" when she didn't agree with Wills designs (which was most of the time).  The end result was always near perfect.

In 1943, she was offered the chance to foster a child. She took up the challenge and brought up Jill Bloom, a young child who had been badly treated by previous Foster Parents,  suffered from rickets and was badly malnourished.  For some years she worked hard to bring Jill back to health, fought illness and difficult times with her for many years.

Jill thrived under Gladys' loving care and when she eventually went back to her birth Mother Anne,  she was a credit to the upbringing she had received in the Hunt household and Gladys' love and good heartedness.   Jill has never lost touch with the family and to this day is considered a full member and Sister to the other two children.

Gladys  worked as a shop assistant and manageress after her children were off hand.  She never really got over Will's death and became somewhat reclusive in her later years and died in hospital in 1986,  sadly missed despite her - at times - curmudgeonly behaviour.

       

Children of WILLIAM HUNT and GLADYS (HUNT) are:

12.              i.    GLADYS DOROTHY HUNT  (HAMES), b. Doncaster, Yorks.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

13.             ii.    GEOFFREY JOHN WILLIAM HUNT, b. Chadwell Heath, Essex. 

                iii    JILLIAN ANNE BLOOM b.  London                                  

                

 

Notes for JILLIAN BLOOM:

Jill was fostered by Will & Gladys in 1943.  She had a very poor start in life and was undernourished and very frail. With love and dedication, she was nursed back to full health and later she was able to return to live with her birth Mother, Anne and her Aunt, Betty in London. 

When she was 12 she attended a theatrical school in Ealing and appeared in many advertisements.  She also took a small part in a film called "Over the border" starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. At this time, whilst taking ballet lessons, her Aunt took her to an ice rink for the first time.  From that time, she knew that was what she wanted to do.

She trained and worked as a hairdresser in Mayfair for three years during which time she modelled for an agency, particularly in ads  for P & O Liners.  She was a natural blonde and always very photogenic.

She continued with her skating,  winning many medals from preliminary to silver and becoming highly skilled.  Her Mother and particularly her Aunt were very supportive and gave her all the opportunities they could to succeed in the skating world.  She turned professional in 1957  and appeared in many top ice shows.

Ill health struck her in 1961 as she was becoming successful in the Ice show world and she underwent several operations until the underlying cause of her illnesses was discovered.  Ill health dogged her for several years but she remains cheerful.  This largely thanks to her perseverance and determination to be able to lead a normal life.

She worked at a prestige fabric and  interior design company,  working at their showroom in London.                                     

She retired in 2000 after 37 years service and was greatly missed.

Jill loves to travel and together with Andrew,  her close friend for many years,  has   travelled around the country in the past and now both have retired,  they hope to increase the travelling.  She still goes dancing and she skates regularly and is proud of the fact that she can still do spins & jumps on ice at well over sixty years of age. She recently joined up with a former skating partner and together they have won contests in the Mature Class!

 Though not a blood relative, she is part of the Hunt Family.

Her hobbies are Ice skating, ballroom dancing, cycling,  walking & swimming.

 

7.  NELLIE HUNT  (BREALEY) was born 27 Nov 1895 in Wallasey Cheshire, and died Jun 1972 in Notts.  She married HARRY BREALEY 22 Dec 1923 in Notts.  He was born 9 Jul 1895 in Notts, and died Jan 1974 in Notts.

       

Children of NELLIE (BREALEY) and HARRY BREALEY are:

                   i.    KENNETH HARRY  BREALEY, b. Notts.

                  ii.    MARGARET BREALEY, b. Notts.

                 iii.    DEREK ERNEST BREALEY, b. Notts.

                 iv.    PETER HERBERT BREALEY, b. 6 Aug 1933, Notts; d. 1999.

                  v.    JEAN NELLIE BREALEY, b. Notts.

 

8.  JENNIE PAULINE HUNT  (PARSONS) was born 3 Apr 1900 in Cardiff, Wales.  She married JACK PARSONS in Notts.  He died 14 Aug 1971 in Notts.

       

Children of JENNIE (PARSONS) and JACK PARSONS are:

                   i.    BARBARA JEAN  PARSONS.

                  ii.    SHEILA PARSONS.

                 iii.    GLENYS PARSONS.

                 iv.    VALERIE ELIZABETH PARSONS, b   

                  v.    JACQUELINE PARSONS, b, Notts.

                 vi.    AUDREY PARSONS (SMITH)  m. KENNETH SMITH.

 

 

9.  ARTHUR STANLEY  HUNT was born 9 Feb 1904 in Cardiff, Wales, and died 2 Feb 1978.  He married OLIVE MAY WATES (HUNT) 30 Apr 1927 in Notts.  She was born 1904, and died 2 Sep 1978.

       

Child of ARTHUR HUNT and OLIVE (HUNT) is:

14.              i.    KATHLEEN OLIVE HUNT  (PHILLIPS), b. Notts.

 

10.  CLARENCE HAROLD  HUNT was born 22 Jul 1907 in Balderton, Newark, Notts, and died 1959.  He married EDITH Smith (HUNT) 20 Jun 1935 in Notts. 

       

Child of CLARENCE HUNT and EDITH (HUNT) is:

10 a..              i.    BRIAN STEPHEN  HUNT,  

 

11.  HERBERT HARRY  HUNT was born 18 Jul 1909 in Goole, Yorks.  He married RUTH ----- (HUNT). 

       

Child of HERBERT HUNT and RUTH (HUNT) is:

                   i.    LESLEY ANNE  HUNT,

Generation No. 6

 

12.  GLADYS DOROTHY HUNT  (HAMES) was born in Doncaster, Yorks.  She married (1) JAMES URIDGE 1943 in Ham, Surrey.  He was born 1920 in Surrey.  She married (2) FREDERICK HAROLD HAYWARD 22 Feb 1947 in Hamilton, Ont. Canada.  He was born 18 Feb 1912 in Canada, and died 1 Mar 1974 in Canada.  She married (3) ROY DOUGLAS HAMES 29 Dec 1979 in Ontario Canada.  He was born in Canada.                      

G D Hunt was always known as Dorothy and within the immediate family as Liz.

Educated in Nottinghamshire, Kingston and Tolworth, Surrey,   over her school life, she attended 15 different schools starting in Bramcote,  Notts in 1926.

Whilst at Tolworth Central School,  she took part in several Gilbert & Sullivan operettas.  She did well at cookery and home craft and this has been her strong point throughout her life.

Apprenticed as a Soft Furnisher, she worked at Bentalls in Kingston for 5 years on leaving school and later on war work in Smither’s - making camouflage coverings for 'planes etc. -  and various War Office contractors factories.  She later went to Kingston Hill Motor Works,  a large motor dealer and factor,  where she became manager of the parts department until going to Canada. She was married to Jim Uridge for a short time.  The marriage didn't work well  and they divorced.                                                       

In 1945, Dorothy met and married Fred Hayward, a Canadian. She emigrated to Canada in 1947 and lived in Ontario for much of the time. 

Unable to have children of their own,  the couple adopted Valerie and she has been a joy to both Dorothy and Fred as well as later to Doug.

When Fred died, she met and married Doug Hames.

For some time she was  involved in voluntary work. She organised and was co-ordinator of,  the Brampton 'Meals on wheels service' for over ten years,  watching it grow from 13 meals a day at the start, to over 200 when she moved away. She also worked at Peel Memorial Hospital, Brampton, as a volunteer in  many departments over 20 years. She also organised classes for Senior Citizens at Sheridan College.

She and Doug enjoy homemaking and crafts of all kinds.

They lived in the country in a converted school house for several years but bad weather led to them moving back to town in Brampton.

 

James (Jim) Uridge lived in Hook,  Surrey and he and Dorothy met and married during the second world war.  Romantic notions abounded at the time and, like many similar wartime marriages  it didn't work.  Dorothy is an outgoing and fun loving person whilst Jim,  though a very nice and friendly chap,  was a dour and,  at times,  uncommunicative individual.  They divorced quite amicably in 1946.

Dorothy  met Fred Hayward (b.Feb.18 1912) in June 1945 in Kingston. He was a cook  in the Canadian Army, and after a wonderful romance of six months they became engaged. Fred returned to Canada and Dorothy joined him one year later. They were married Feb. 22, 1947 in Hamilton Ontario.

Fred, a Master Baker, spent some time in  various management positions, moving around in the Bakery business in London, Toronto, Montreal.

Fred and Dorothy  settled in Brampton where Fred was Vice President of Sarah Lee.

Valerie was born in Toronto, and the pair adopted her in the 1950 s..

Fred died Mar. 1, 1974

 

Dorothy  met Douglas Hames in Sept. 1975. Doug was born in Oxbow Saskatchewan.

They met through a mutual friend and discovered that their spouses had died the same day, same hospital a year and a half earlier. They eventually married Dec. 29, 1979.

Doug had five children from his first marriage so now they also have nine grandchildren.

They say that they  both feel fortunate at  having a second chance, and are enjoying their years together.

Doug is a practical man and his interests are varied.  He is well versed in electronics  and he is an accomplished woodworker.  His other interests are in Photography, Amateur (Ham) radio and through this,  computing. He became interested in genealogy some years ago and has completed a very extensive, accomplished  and professional family tree of his ancestors going back to the 17th century.

       

Child of GLADYS (HAMES) and FREDERICK HAYWARD is:

                   i.    VALERIE SUSAN  HAYWARD, b. Toronto, Ont., Canada; m. NORBERT MENEZES, 10 Jul 1989, Dundalk, Ont., Canada; b Kenya.

 

Valerie graduated from University of Toronto, with BA Cum Laude  in English literature. Her career is in the writing and editing field, and she has a talent for

painting and illustrating.

 

 Bret Menezes married Valerie  in Oct. 7, 1989 at Dundalk ON.  Bret works in the music field, has a Masters degree in Music from  U.C.L.A.

 

                       13.  GEOFFREY JOHN WILLIAM  HUNT was born in Chadwell Heath, Essex.  He married MOLLIE EILEEN WARNE (HUNT) 25 Nov 1950  in St Luke's Church, Kingston-on-Thames, daughter of ROBERT WARNE and DAISY (WARNE).  She was born in