Because of budget issues this month, I had to suspend my Ancestry account. I knew it was coming, so I downloaded my updated GEDCOM (we had recently added a lot to the Bateman family line). I was puttering around online the other day, not looking for anything in particular, and came across S. Well Genealogy blog via Geneabloggers (I read this daily). I now owe Susan a huge thank you!
In her post "Wisdom Wednesday: Websites for Village Histories", she provided a link to a free site that gives historical information about villages in the UK. Following this link, I found the information for Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, UK which is where my Ede family came from, according to what I have found so far.
I typed Wednesfield into the search box on this site, and it gave me a short little history on the area.
In her post "Wisdom Wednesday: Websites for Village Histories", she provided a link to a free site that gives historical information about villages in the UK. Following this link, I found the information for Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, UK which is where my Ede family came from, according to what I have found so far.
I typed Wednesfield into the search box on this site, and it gave me a short little history on the area.
It became clear that Wednesfield is a fairly small township, within a larger area. Not unlike where I grew up in New Hampshire, where we lived in a little village that was actually part of a larger town. Scrolling down a bit, I found a link to Wolverhampton, and followed that.
This brought me to a page listing various resources.
This brought me to a page listing various resources.
Scanning through these categories gave me some information about the area, but also brought up some questions. There were so many different churches in the area...which one did my Ede family belong to? I had no idea of their religious affiliation, except that I knew my grandmother was raised Methodist. These categories provided mostly statistics on the area. Not really what I was looking for.
I went back to the main page, and on the left hand column was a link for "Related Websites"...have to follow that and see what is available.
I went back to the main page, and on the left hand column was a link for "Related Websites"...have to follow that and see what is available.
The Gen Uki site caught my interest, so I popped over there, and I didn't initially find what I wanted on the main page, so I clicked the link at the top for the Stafforshire County Page. This brought up a page with links to various resources for the area.
And this is where my trail ends for explaining step by step how I got the information.....I can't remember what I clicked on that got me where I wanted to be. And no, I didn't keep track, in my excitement, of each URL for each click I followed. I will have to go through the history of my browser and see if I can follow the trail more specifically.
Anyway....I eventually ended up at Wolverhampton History. This site provided not only historical information, but pdf indexes. I began checking each one, looking for any Ede family name that was remotely familiar. And I found it:
Anyway....I eventually ended up at Wolverhampton History. This site provided not only historical information, but pdf indexes. I began checking each one, looking for any Ede family name that was remotely familiar. And I found it:
On page 342, of the "Wolverhampton St. Peter's Baptisms 1813-1875 A-Ed" I found my GGGrandfather, Joseph Ede. Further research in the other indexes for St. Peter's also found most of Edgar and Esther's other children, and even a listing for Edgar and Esther's marriage. I have contacted the appropriate records department, and will be ordering copies of each of these records as the budget allows.
A quick jump over to Wikipedia, and this is what I found on St. Peter's:
"St Peter's Collegiate Church is located on the highest and the oldest developed site in central Wolverhampton, England.[1] For many centuries it was a chapel royal, and from 1480 a royal peculiar, independent of the Diocese of Lichfield and even the Province of Canterbury. The collegiate church was central to the development of the town of Wolverhampton, much of which belonged to its dean. Until the 18th century, it was the only church in Wolverhampton and the control of the college extended far into the surrounding area, with dependent chapels in several towns and villages of southern Staffordshire.
Fully integrated into the diocesan structure since 1848, today St Peter's is part of the Anglican Parish of Central Wolverhampton. The Grade I listed building, much of which is Perpendicular in style, dating from the 15th century, is of significant architectural and historical interest. Although it is not a cathedral, it has a strong choral foundation with the Music at St Peter's in keeping with English Cathedral tradition. The Father Willis organ is of particular note: a campaign to raise £270,000 for its restoration was launched in 2008.[2]" (courtesy of Wikipedia: St. Peter's Collegiate Church)
A quick jump over to Wikipedia, and this is what I found on St. Peter's:
"St Peter's Collegiate Church is located on the highest and the oldest developed site in central Wolverhampton, England.[1] For many centuries it was a chapel royal, and from 1480 a royal peculiar, independent of the Diocese of Lichfield and even the Province of Canterbury. The collegiate church was central to the development of the town of Wolverhampton, much of which belonged to its dean. Until the 18th century, it was the only church in Wolverhampton and the control of the college extended far into the surrounding area, with dependent chapels in several towns and villages of southern Staffordshire.
Fully integrated into the diocesan structure since 1848, today St Peter's is part of the Anglican Parish of Central Wolverhampton. The Grade I listed building, much of which is Perpendicular in style, dating from the 15th century, is of significant architectural and historical interest. Although it is not a cathedral, it has a strong choral foundation with the Music at St Peter's in keeping with English Cathedral tradition. The Father Willis organ is of particular note: a campaign to raise £270,000 for its restoration was launched in 2008.[2]" (courtesy of Wikipedia: St. Peter's Collegiate Church)
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia: St. Peter's Collegiate Church
That is one amazing church! Maybe someday I will get to visit in person, and see this, as well as where they lived and worked.
That is one amazing church! Maybe someday I will get to visit in person, and see this, as well as where they lived and worked.
