On this day

Pierre Marie Jean Baptiste Gosselin – born 1885

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Pierre standing in the grounds of Eden House.

On this day 26th June 1885 (126 years ago), my great grandfather Pierre Marie Jean Baptiste Gosselin was born in Plaine Haute, Cotes du Nord, France. He was the son of Jean Louis Gosselin and Marie Louise Boutier. Jean’s profession is recorded as ‘profession de marichal’ (I am still unsure what this means). I found the records online at Archive Departments of the Cotes D’Amor. I have discussed this website before in the post French Digitized Records & Online Databases explaining  how I discovered the record of my great grandfather, which took a lot of work but was very worth it and so exciting.

Here is Pierre’s Timeline from what I have found out so far:

26th June 1885 – Pierre is born to parents Jean Louis Gosselin & Marie Louise Boutier. the ‘premier temoin’ (which I think means first witness) was Pierre Oger. The second temoin or witness was Michel Boutier.

1900 – At some time around the turn of the century Pierre must have been one of the many French Breton farm workers who emigrated to Jersey.

1911 – In the census Pierre (age 25) is living at Hope Cottage, Samares, St. Clements, Jersey. He is working as a ‘day labourer’. His wife Blanche(age 20) is living with him at this time and is working as a ‘charing’ lady eg: char lady.

1912 – Birth of son Peter Gosselin.

25 April 1914 – Birth of Rene Jean Gosselin (my grandfather).

1914  – Beginning of World War 1.

1916 – Birth of son Henri Pierre Gosselin.

1918 – End of World War 1

1921 – Birth of daughter Blanche Olive Mary Gosselin.

1922 – Birth of daughter Antoinette Marie Gosselin.

1924 – Birth of daughter Genevieve Augustine Henriette Gosselin.

1939 – Beginning of World War 2, Jersey is occupied by the Germans.

1941 – Pierre is living at Eden House, St. Clements, Jersey.

1945 – End of World War 2.

1956 – Pierre dies at the age of 71 and is buried in St. Clements Parish Curchyard with his wife Blanche. This is a grand age considering he lived through two World Wars.

 

Tip: It is always useful to take note of witnesses at births, marriages and deaths as they may be related somehow. As you can see in this case one of the winesses for Pierre was a Michel Boutier, a relation to his mother, but I don’t know how yet?

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On this day – Violet Florence Mabey Lozuet was in born 1898.

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Violet on her birthday.

 

On this day 4th November 1898 began the life of Violet Florence Mabey Lozuet.

Here is Violet’s timeline from what I have found out so far:

1898 – On the 4th November Violet is born to parents John Lozuet and Clara Anna Mabey. Notice that one of Violets middle names is the maiden name of her mother. This was often done in the past and is still done now, especially when particular surnames are dying out.

1898 – On the 30th November Violet was baptised (details from St Helier Church Baptism Register, 28th July 1889 – 21st February 1909). Her godparents were her father John (a ‘Mariner’) and mother Clara.

1901 – Violet (age 3) is living in Don Road, Jersey with her mum, dad, and sisters Clara and Ada.

1911 – Violet (age 13) is living in Jersey with her mum, dad and sisters Clara, Ada. Mabel and Elsie.

1941 – Violet (age 43) is living at the St. Saviours Hospital. Also known as the ‘Mental Hospital’.

1992 – Violet dies at St. Saviours Hospital.

It is not quite clear why Violets life turned out as it did.  Nor is it known at what age she was admitted or under what circumstances she ended up in St. Saviours Mental Hospital. An old family rumour was that she was jilted at the alter and this sent her mad. Maybe she just had a nervous breakdown which today would not warrant being admitted into St. Saviours or maybe there was more to it, that we will never know.

The sad thing about this story is the only reason my mother and I knew about Violet is because we saw her obituary in the local paper, the Jersey Evening Post. Of course it was too late by then to visit her and get to know her and her life story. My mother went to the hospital to try and find out a bit more about Violet…

She had spent her whole life in the hospital and had probably become quite institutionalised. Family never came to visit her as far as the present staff knew. So we then asked my grandfather (Violet’s nephew) why noone knew about her, especially as she had still been alive all these years ?

My grandfather didn’t know when she was admitted, but only that he must have been very young as he barely knew anything about her himself. Sadly it seems that family had forgotten about her.

They were different times back then. People felt differently. This is why I am keen to find out more about Violet…I think she deserves that much!

So, with Violet’s death at the grand age of 94, living longer than any of her siblings, the surname Lozuet died out too.

 

Here is a link to the archive records for Violet at the:  Jersey Heritage Trust

On this day – Mary Frances Davey was born in 1856

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On  this day  the 21st September 1856 (154 years ago) my great great grand father’s younger sister was born. Mary Frances Davey was one of nine children to Isaac William Davey (b.1821) and Ann ‘Nancy’ Le Breton (b.1827). Her siblings in order of age were: Isaac, William, Ann E., Esther, Cecelia, James,  Mathilda and Selina.

Here is Mary’s Timeline and what I have found out do far:

1856 – Mary is born in St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands.

1861 – Mary (age 5) is living with her family at 14 Lempriere Street. Her father Isaac W. Davey is a ‘ships carpenter’ (age 40), mother Ann (age 35), siblings Isaac W. Davey -‘ scholar’ (age 9), William – ‘scholar’ (age 8), Ann E. – ‘scholar’ (age 7), Ester (age 3).

1871 – Mary \9age 15) is  a ‘scholar’  living with her family at 14 Lempriere St. Her father Isaac is a  ‘Shipwright’, her mother Ann is ‘Tavern Keeper’, her siblings are as follows: Isaac – ‘Shipwright’, William – ‘Masons Labourer’, Ann – ‘Apprentice Tailoress’ and the others, Esther, Cecelia, Mathilda, Selina are at school or at home.

1881 – Mary (age 25) is living in St. Helier, Jersey with her husband Albert Moon – a ‘Master Baker’ and her children: Mary E. (age 4), Albert W. (age 3) and Cecile.

1891 – Mary (age 35) is living at 70 New Street, Jersey with her husband Albert – a ‘Baker’, and her children: Mary, Albert, Cecelia, Lilian, Levinia, Hilda and Reginald.

1901 – Mary (age 45) is living at 70 New Street, Jersey with her husband Albert – a Baker, and children: Albert – Baker, Cecelia & Lilian – Dressmakers, Hilda, Reginald, Elsie and Henery.

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I have yet to find Mary in the 1911 Census, but when I do I will update this post.

On this day – Mabel Maud Lozuet was born in 1902.

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Mabel and her daughter Mabel Benest

This beautiful photo above is of Mabel (my great grandmother’s sister) and her daughter Mabel Benest. The clothes are very typical of the fashions of the 1920’s, as is the ‘Cloche’ styled hat that they are both wearing which came into fashion about 1923.  The younger Mabel was born in 1925, and in this photo she must be about six or seven years old, which means that this photo may have been taken about 1930.

Here is Mabel’s timeline and what I have found out so far:

1902 – Mabel was born on the 14 September1902 in Jersey, Channel Islands. Her parents were John Lozuet and Clara Anna Mabey.

1902 – On the 19th October she was baptised. Her godparent was her Aunty Jane Mabey (her mother’s sister).

1911 – In the census of April 1911 Mabel  is living at 1 Providence Lane, St. Helier, Jersey with her mother Clara, father John (a foreman) and her four sisters: Clara, Ada, Violet and Elsie.

1924 – Mabel (age 21) marries Francs Benest on the 30th August 1924.

1925 – Mabel (age 22) gives birth to a daughter: Mabel Maud Benest on the 31 January 1925.

1936 – Mabel (age 34)  moves in with her sister Clara at 29 Dorset Street, Jersey.

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What happened to Mabel and her daughter after this is unknown. Below is another photo of Mabel and her daughter and a third person who I have not been able to identify. Maybe you can help?

Mabel is on the left with her daughter in the middle. The woman on the right is Mabel’s older sister, Ada. The child Mabel is younger in this photo (about four years old) which means that it was taken about 1929. If you can help with any more information about Mabel, her daughter and the mystery third person in any way I would love to hear from you.

Thank you for reading this post!

On this day – Jeanne Marie Rabet was born in 1864

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Finding Jeanne Rabet ( my great great grandmother) after quite a bit of research was a very exciting time. Two relatives in the family have Jeanne as their middle name and I have always wanted to know where it had come from. Finally one day a relative hands me over a marriage certificate with her name on. I am delighted, I can now tell my cousin why she has Jeanne as a middle name, we knew that she had been named after our grandmother Grace Jeanne Rabet, but I wanted to know why Grace had this as her middle name too. Middle names are often good sources of information as they are often from another member of the family (parents or uncles and aunties). The marriage certificate also confirmed for me the husbands name, Yves Marie Rabet and their father’s names. Here is Jeanne’s timeline and what I have found out so far:

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I took this photo of the town sign on a visit to Ploeuc in January 2011. It was freezing cold and I went there by car, which was a lot more comfortable than how Jeanne would have made the journey to St. Malo. It would have taken maybe a day by horse and cart.

1864 – Jeanne was born on the 4 September 1864 in Ploeuc, Cotes du Nord, France. (The name Cotes du Nord was changed in 1990 to ‘Cotes d’Amor’ – Wikipedia)

1880 – Jeanne arrived in U.K.

1885 – Jeanne marries Yves Rabet (a Labourer also born in Ploeuc) in St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands in the presence of Francois Rabet & Marie Rowland.

Marriage certificate

1896 – Jeanne gives birth to son Raymond Frank Rabet in Trinity, Jersey. (There may have been other children born before Raymond).

1899 – Jeanne gives birth to a daughter Ada Maud Rabet in Trinity, Jersey. (or is it Hilda Rabet as the name keeps changing in the records?)

1901 – Jeanne is living in Trinity with her husband Yves and their children: Raymond, Ada and Alice (and a boarder Francois Demoy).

1902 – Jeanne gives birth to Henri Yves Rabet (my great grandfather) in Trinity, Jersey.

1908 – Jeanne gives birth to William Rabet in St. Saviours, Jersey.

1905 – Jeanne gives birth to Albert Rabet in St. Saviours, Jersey.

1911 – Jeanne is living with her husband Yves (farm labourer), and children: Hilda (Ada?), Alice and Henri.

1921 – Jeanne’s  Registration card states she is a ‘widow’ doing ‘housework’ to earn a living. She is living at Highfield Cottage, St. Saviour, Jersey.

1940 – Jeanne is now living at 3 Chevalier Road with her son-in-law Peter Le Vannais and her grandchildren. Her daughter Ada Rabet (now Le Vannais) is at Burleigh House on this day (is she working there  or living there?)

1946 – Jeanne is now living at Hauteville, St. John’s Road, Jersey.

1956 – On the 14 July Jeanne dies at the good age of 91. Where she is buried is unknown ( and on my list of  ‘Things to find out’).

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Family tree research and projects are never finished and I will update Jeanne’s life as I come across more information. If you are related to Jeanne I hope you have found this post useful and interesting and if you have anything you could add to this timeline please feel free to share it! Have a good day…