Findings

Today found some interesting stuff - my mother's 

Nursing qualification from 1946:

General Nursing Council Registration for Dorothy May Askham, 1946

Old Family Photos

Lots of old family photos are stuck in boxes in the loft or storeroom and no-one ever looks at them. Many are  tiny, grainy and faded.

With Picasa (which can be downloaded, free from the internet) I've been able to bring many of these old photos to life and in the process been able to pass them on to other family members.  
There are several ways of improving photographs.

One way is to use the cropping facility to look at the part of the picture which you're interested in, whilst still keeping the original photo on the computer.

Here's a good example - a photo of my grandmother (Bunty) staying at a friend's caravan back in the 1960s.  It's such a long time ago that no-one knows who the friend is so, apart from the retro caravan, the important part of the photo is  Bunty herself.

So it's been cropped and now we see Bunty and in greater detail:

When I become more adept  I'll learn how to delete the friend's shirt and tie - but that's for another day!

Another advantage is shown by next photo (taken about 1929) which was so faded that no-one could see what it was.  The photo was imported into Picasa and then I pressed the button 'I'm feeling lucky' and lo and behold my mother's parents appeared in their motorbike and sidecar:

Before (above) and after (below) 

Not as clear as today's photos but what an improvement!


Another very useful feature of Picasa is being able to straighten pictures. Take this photo from our living room window:

A great pic but the sea somehow doesn't look right. After applying straighten, the photo is a great improvement:

and it's less likely to make me feel seasick. As you can see, when a picture is 'straightened' it does lose part of the sides, so this can't be done with every picture.


Web Albums - coming ...

Sisters

Three generations of Sisters: 

Brenda and Dorothy

Vicky and Fiona

Sadie and Holly

This photo was taken in Edinburgh, May 2010 - and is never to be repeated. 

John William Hodgson Smale (1919 - 2006) My Father

Born: 5.7.1919, Miller Hospital, Woolwich.

Parents: John Henry Hodgson Smale and Violet Florence Gasper.

Married 24.5.1949, Maker with Rame Church, nr Millbrook, Cornwall

Dorothy May Askham, 27, spinster, Nurse, St Aubyn, Devonport. Father William Edgar Askham, Farmer (retired).

John William Hodgson Smale, 29, bachelor, Fisherman, Cremyll. Father John Henry Hodgson Smale, fisherman.

Children:

Jennifer Anne, b 28.3.1951, Plymouth (me)

'Bottling Up' Copley Arms, Hessenford, about 1960

Jack and Dorothy at a dinner dance, probably Hannafore Point Hotel, Looe, mid 1960s.

He has written his own book of memoirs - up to about 1970 - which are well worth reading, but to sum up:

Moved from London to Trenython in 1925.  Went to school in Tywardreth, left School at 14, apprentice plumber.  The only prize won in school was for gardening.  Scout master.  Moved with parents to Cremyll. Called up, wireless operator certificate, invalided out of army, in home guard, worked in dockyard. 

Fisherman after war Looe and Plymouth. Also sold the fish, fish round and fish and chip shop.  Met Dorothy when on coach trip from Leeds to Scarborough.   He was in Leeds overseeing the building of an engine for the boat.                                                                                                       Flat in Salisbury Tce, Stoke. When baby due moved to Antelope (converted Brixham Trawler) moored at Cremyll with Frank, Gwen, Robert, Bunty and JHH. Hurt back so unable to fish, took on Barley Sheaf pub, Liskeard in 1952.  Worked very hard and, on death of his father in 1956, relinquished tenancy of Barley Sheaf then they took over the Sportsman’s Arms, Menheniot.   In 1959 took over tenancy of Copley Arms, Hessenford.  In 1962 heard of possibility of making an old run down building in Dobwalls into a pub. . . and the rest is history.

Retired in March 1968 to Endellion, Saltash.  Opened a health food store, way before it’s time, taking over an old butcher’s shop.  Business was slow and they decided to go back into the pub trade again, taking over a run-down pub in Gunnislake, The Cornish Inn.  
Rotarian for many years, including President and Secretary.
Word got round that the Smales were back in business and many old customers were glad to support the new venture, so after a couple of years the business went well.  No public bar, just a lounge bar, and dining room for overspill and people with children.  Letting bedrooms, made old fuction room into four letting bedrooms with en-suites, way before their time.  Very successful.

Retired in 1983 to Kelly Bray and were involved in Cancer Research and Rheumatism and Arthritis charities, also founder member of St Mellion Golf and Country Club and founder member at Mayflower Marina, Richmond Walk, Plymouth and Founder Chairman of Callington Probus (prof retired businessmen's assoc).  Boats: Bianca and Unicorn.  Moved to Leicestershire at end of 1989, then to Derbyshire to be near the grandchildren whilst they were growing up.

Less involved in organisations, spent time exploring the area and had an excellent garden growing all sorts of fruit and vegetables, and ornamental shrubs and flowers. Painting, German, actively raised money for local Doctors' surgery and helped with hospital car service.

 Moved back to the Westcountry, living in Millbrook near where they had married - and Frank and Gwen - then when Jack was less well moved to Kelly Bray again to be near to daughter and son in law.

Obit, Plymouth Herald 11.1.2006:
SMALE John William Hodgson (Jack), peacefully on January 9th 2006 after a long illness, aged 86 years. Loving husband of Dorothy, father of Jenny and granpa of Fiona and Vicky. Will be sadly missed by all his family and friends. Funeral service at Glynn Valley Crematorium, Bodmin on Monday January 16th at 9:30am. No flowers by request please, donations if desired made payable to either the Cavitron Fund or the R.N.L.I. by retiring collection or to C. P. Coombe Funeral Directors, Glenmoor, Moss Side, Callington, PL17 8AS. Tel: 01579 383349.

Died 9.1.2006 Liskeard, Cornwall after a long illness  during which he was looked after admirably by his wife, Dorothy.  His remains were scattered on Kit Hill overlooking Plymouth Sound.

Dorothy May Askham

Born: 11 March 1922, Loftsholme Farm, Howden, Yorkshire (which is now an hotel)

Parents: William Edgar Askham and Hilda Mary Briggs.

She remembers looking out of the kitchen window of the farm and watching the funeral cortege of her grandfather coming towards the house, on its way to the burial ground.
Died: 10 February 2012, Torbay Hospital.

Above and below: Dorothy with her mother, Hilda

Awaiting info on Dorothy ....
Went to Patterdale School  (http://www.scarborough-heritage.org/resources/Commarch/ANECDOTES%20Richard%20Percy.pdf) at age of 10, played sports on the sandy beach.

Went to Selby High School at about 15, too Higher School Certificate.

Catering College, called up trained as a nurse (Knighton in Leicester). Worked in London, nursed many people, including Neville Marriner.  Was working in Leeds when met Jack. Transferred to work in Plymouth - midwife, delivered about 80 babies, then did her practical and had me.

After Jack died she found it very difficult, having been with him for over 56 years.  Living on her own was a challenge as she'd always been with lots of people - farm, school, nursing, inns.  

She had no-one to look after and couldn't get used to having leisure time.  After a few weeks she starting going out and about again, playing scrabble, visiting friends and relatives and joining in community activities but as her health deteriorated these were curtailed.  Bought a house with daughter and son-in-law by the sea in Paignton, so they were always on hand.

first tree

This is a rudimentary 'til I've learned how to put one in here

William Smale 1791 - ...)
m Ann Stocker (1798 - ...)
in 1815?

\

John Henry Hodgson Smale (1826 - 1898)
m Mary Ann Waddon (1825 - 1900?)
in 1847

\

William Joseph Smale (1861 - 1920)
m Eliza Morey (1857 - 1934)
in 1883

\

John Henry Hodgson Smale (1898 - 1956)
m Violet Florence Gasper (1898 - 1987)
in 1917

\

John William Hodgson Smale (1919 - 2006)
m Dorothy May Askham (1922 - 2012)
in 1949

\ 

Jennifer Anne Smale (1951 - ...)