Clarification Will Spriggs 1898 Family

by | Oct 13, 2019 | Text Only, Content Type, Family

Hi All,
As one of the family genealogists and a self appointed historian I think I should correct a few items in the discourse between brother Bill and cousin Peter.

Our Grandparents certainly were opposed to the marriage of their son Bob to Hazel Warneford however it was not because of Hazel’s family but rather the Quaker belief that one should be established prior to getting married (This why our Grandmother’s first love was rejected by her father as her suitor was a teacher with few prospects – (Google Ursula Hick’s letter on her early life). Bob at the time was enrolled at McGill University as a civil engineering student prior to his graduation the following year (1924) and employment with Bell Telephone. He remained with the ‘Bell’ until his retirement. Hazel and Bob had known each other from Acadia University prior to the Spriggs’ move to Baie d’Urfé. Hazel’s father was one Canon Warneford of Johnson Parish New Brunswick and his father was also a man of the cloth.

I believe our Grandparents never lost their Quaker identity when they came to Canada but as there were no Meetings locally available to them either in rural Nova Scotia or in Baie d’Urfé they practised their faith together themselves for the most part. I did see them on occasion in the local St Georges Church sitting quietly at the back of the church.

Regarding our fathers enlistment in the armed forces, Nova Scotia was raising a new battalion in 1916 (219th Battalion Nova Scotia Highlander Regiment) and recruiters came around to Acadia where Dad was studying and a lot of his classmates joined up. His Quaker cousin Eric had already joined the Royal Artillery in England and Dad was a new Canadian not a year from arrival so it must have been difficult not to join to fight for England (and Canada) when others around him were joining. In an interview between sister Hilary and our Dad his response to her question why did he join the fight he replied “they were the Anti-Christ” The only comment I know of made by our Grandfather at the time to the recruiter was “You realise he is underage?” and that was acknowledged which meant that he was eligible for free education after hostilities ended of which he took advantage.

Bill’s recollection of the events during the war were not quite correct. The dog fight he remembered did take place and I recall when, as lads, David and I were being tucked into bed by Dad, we sometimes asked for a story from his war days. Regarding this encounter, he said that his wings were full of holes as one of the scouts attacking came in from one side and then the other while other scout attacked from behind and in front. They were fortunate to escape that day.

Regarding the sortie which led to the awarding of the DFC to both Dad and his observer, Oscar Berridge, Dad said there was a big push on in the latter days of October 1918 and a pocket of German resistance was holding up the advance up in their sector. Either there were no other aircraft available or he was with a flight of which the others returned to base due to very bad weather conditions, but in any event he and his observer continued alone, found the pocket of resistance and attacked it with bombs and machine gun fire which allowed the advance to continue. On returning to base they encountered a German observer aircraft which they engaged and shot down. Dad said as they were firing at each other, he could see the German’s tracers beading in on his plane. Eventually, they shot off the propeller driven fuel pump located on the upper wing just above his head at which time he broke off. As he did his observer pounded on his back and pointed to the German aircraft which was then plunging down in flames. (In case you are wondering, the plane had an auxiliary hand operated fuel pump which came in handy). You can Google “London Gazette” and then do a search for “William Spriggs” 1918-1919 which shows the notice and some detail of the award.

Our mother’s Dad, Jack Lickfold, was not involved in the aircraft industry as it was essentially before his day. Mom’s brother ‘ERL’ however was. ERL went overseas from Trinidad with the 1st Caribbean Contingent in 1915. Later he trained as a pilot joining the Royal Flying Corps after being posted to the Middle East. He was an instructor on fighter aircraft. In 1931 he joined with a Mikey Cipriani, who bought a de Haviland Moth, to bring the first Trinidadian owned airplane to Trinidad. ERL came to Montreal to check the plane out, then it was packed up and shipped to Trinidad where ERL re-assembled it and flew it for the first time. ERL and Mikey parted ways shortly after and that was extent of ERL’s flying days. He held the first license as an aircraft mechanic on the island.

I would like to thank Peter for sharing with us the discourse between him and brother Bill. It is really a treasure

love to all
John

 

Fisher: earliest known

by | Nov 23, 2019 | Text-emails, Fisher

Apr 28, 2019

From John Spriggs

Regarding the Fishers; the earliest in my tree is Reuben who was a surgeon of Southwark in London and married a Joan Howe. They had at least two children named Martha and Reuben. Martha went to Youghal Ireland and Reuben followed on a visit and was very taken by a Quaker lass named Margaret Shute. Her father was not impressed by this non Quaker and so Reuben returned to London, joined a Quaker meeting there, and returned to Youghal, his foppish manners and dress discarded, and convinced Margaret’s father that he might make a suitable match. They had a large family, two branches of which joined later when Samuel Alexander married Isabella Fisher (Alexander’s father Edward married a Jenepher Fisher). I have nothing earlier that the surgeon of Southwark.

When Phyllis and I visited Cork a few years ago we went to the Cork Meeting house and purchased a history that one of their members had put together called Merchants, Mystics and Philanthropists (350 Years of Cork Quakers) which is quite interesting and has a lot of info about the Quakers of Cork and by extension some of our relatives. (Youghal, Cork and Limerick are relatively close and there was a lot of Quaker traffic between them over the centuries). Another source of information can be found in the “Fishers of Pilltown” which you can Google. You should also be able to look at my tree on Ancestry to see where my research has led me. I hope to see yours sometime to see where we diverge.

Well I’ll close this for now. Great to connect our families once more.

Warm regards
John

Haddon Fishers

by | Nov 23, 2019 | Pre 1600, Text-emails, Fisher

Apr 30 2019

Hi Peter,

Don’t give up on your Haddon Hall Fishers.  Check out Kinsalebeg.com and you’ll find lots of Fishers which may well give you a path to the pot of gold.
Another interesting trail to follow is a note that our Grandfather mentioned in his genealogy.  It is the match between Reuben Fisher and Mary O’Callaghan.  Follow Mary’s lineage which will take to an amazing path to the past.  Check out my tree to see if your findings confirm mine.
Good hunting.
John

Grandfather Clock

by | Nov 13, 2020 | Text & Images, 1700-1799, Family

The Old Grandfather Clock inherited by William Spriggs 6th

This clock belonged to William and Martha Knight and is believed to have been bought by them in about 1782 when they moved to Worcester from London. Martha’s maiden name was Tessyman. The clock descended to their daughter Martha who married William Spriggs, then to their son  William Spriggs of Worcester, then to their son William Spriggs who married Elizabeth Sarah Manser of Hoddesdon; then to their son William Manser Spriggs of Ackock’s Green, who married Alice Josephine Hayward of Torquay in 1896; then  to their son William Spriggs of Baie d’Urfe, Quebec Canada who married Agnes Elisabeth Lickfold of Trinidad, British West Indies in 1926.

My brother David Spriggs has the clock, still in place in our home on 32 Oxford Road. It used to work well, But is now not working at all, and would need some repairs to get it going again.

Here is a note also that I found on the inside of the door:

Long case clock of 20 Bradeleyes listed in vol. 1 on G.H. Baillies “watch makers and clock makers of the world” The notation is as follows:

Joseph Bradley, Worchester “an 1744 -9 w.”
The “an” signifies “ante” and the “w” signifiers “watchmaker”
The dates indicate the earliest and latest available records; and those called “watchmakers” often made clocks.
The date 1782 found inside the case is probably a purchase (or repair date as suspected).

It seems very probable that this is the Joseph Bradley that is mentioned in the write up.