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The following messages date from February 11th 2008.

Message 1: Baldock: A tragic tale

I am looking for information on my grandfather, the late Teddy Baldock, World Bantamweight Champion 1927. I have researched his career as a professional boxer and have a book being published in November 2008.
I don’t really have much information about his life after boxing. When he retired from the ring, with no other trade to fall back on, he turned to street bookmaking, which he had learned from his father. Sadly, he soon got in with the wrong crowd and started to lose heavily - up to £100 a day - on the dogs and horses. Apart from the gambling, he was drinking heavily, and it wasn’t long before his marriage broke up.
By 1950 he was back working in Millwall Docks as a stevedore. He had once worked there as a rivet boy. At the age of 16 he would run round the Island as part of his training. I am well aware of how he ended up. My mother has told me she would often see him hiding behind a tree trying to get a glimpse of her, his only daughter; he would then go back to the pub if he had the price of a pint in his

pocket.
It is a tragic story. I would still very much like to hear from anyone who knew him in his later years.
If you can help at all, please get in touch with Island History, or, if you use the internet, contact me on saxymartin@hotmail.com

Message 2: Fox in the West India Dock Police

My grandfather, Joseph Fox, was born in Kelfield, Yorkshire, in 1863. Orphaned at seven years old, he was brought up by his maternal grandparents. On the day he became 18, he joined the West Yorkshire Regiment. Later he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment, which became part of the River Nile Column sent to rescue General Gordon. He served abroad in the Army for 12 years and was demobilised in 1893 at Warley Barracks in Essex.
He was next to be found at 171 Westferry Road, working as a Police Constable with the West India Dock Police Company. He had married Marion Ormiston in 1894, but sadly she died from heart failure in 1899. Her father, Alexander, had been Chief Constable of the Millwall Dock Police Force in 1889, so perhaps this connection led Joseph to his work with the West India Dock Police.
In 1900, Joseph, by now a Sergeant in the Police and living at 134 Westferry Road, married Ada Caroline Eagleton, aged 21. Her address was 188 Abbott Road, Poplar. Their first two children, Joseph and William, were born at the Westferry Road address. Joseph resigned from the Police Force in 1903, at that time his address was 119 Westferry Road. My father Alfred, their fourth child, was born at 9 South East Row Poplar, so the family had moved off the Island by then.
I have recently discovered the Island History Trust and the excellent website and newsletter. I hope there is someone out there connected to one of the names I am interested in: Fox, Eagleton, Kelly, Riley and Cole. Please get in touch with me, Albert Fox, at 33 Laindon Road, Billericay. Essex. CM12 9LL - tel number 01 277

657710

Message 5: Searching for Kemp

My name is Fances Louise Ham and for just over 30 years my maiden name was KEMP. Until recently I gave no thought to the roots of that surname. My dad, Paul, died when I was only 19 ( I am now 43) and he never spoke of his past. I am not even sure that he knew much about his own roots, as his father, William John Kemp, died in Stepney when Paul was six months old. His mother remarried and moved away.
However, he had some photographs of his original family and my mother recently passed them on to me. I have become addicted to finding out about the people behind the faces.
When I was a child, my dad took me to the East End from time to time, and I feel a bond to the area. I would like to find out as much as I can about the Kemps, maybe there are even some living relatives out there. This is for my daughter as much as for me.
Here is what I have discovered so far.
William John Kemp, born probably in 1857, was a Cornish tin miner from Gwinear, near Penzance. He had a son, Francis, who by 1901 was living in Park Street, Limehouse, working as a confectioner. He later became a hammerman, and died in 1937.
Francis’s wife (my great-grandmother) was Rosina Lydia Robious Love, whose father, George Love, was a stevedore.
Rosina and Francis had seven children.They were: Francis (aged 15 in 1901); Amy (aged 10); Cyril (aged 1), who later married Kathleen Tarband (father Edward) and lived at 21 Matlock Street in Stepney; George (aged 9) who married a Beale in 1923, at Poplar; Lucy (aged 13) who married a Patman; Rose (aged 3) who married a Camp, in Limehouse in 1922; and William John Kemp, who was born on Christmas Day, 1901. He was my grandfather.
I have photographs of William in a tug-of-war team in 1926 and 1929, and I am fascinated to find out about tug-of-war competitions. Can anyone help me?
I am most interested in my grandfather William. It was rumoured that he died in an accident and his certificate makes me think this may be true. He was certified dead at 11pm on 9th May 1932, at 3 Raine Street (a private address), from acute osteomyalitis and septiccaemia, both of which are caused by serious injury. There may be a report in a local newspaper which would throw more light on this.
I understand that there are 64 references to the name Kemp in the Island History photograph collection data base, and I am hoping that a reader will be able to make a connection with my family. If so, I would love to hear from you. Please contact Island History, or get in touch with me at rogham@supanet.com

.

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Previous messages have been researching the following names:

Cressall, Pidgeon, Munden, Hosking, Pittman, Clear, Vickers, Von Tersch, Marsh, Koch, Andrews, Tomlin and Selby.

If you would like to see previous messages, or any one in particular, please send an email request as shown opposite.

 Above: Teddy Baldock in his prime

Message 3: Cox and Turner families

Chris Cox, who now lives in Forest Hill, has been looking through the Island History Photograph Collection, in search of his ancestors.
His great-grandparents on his father’s side were John and Joanna Turner, whose daughter Julia married Arthur John Robert Cox, Chris’s grandfather. At the time of the marriage, Arthur lived in East Ferry Road and was working in an iron works. Later, he worked in the docks.
John Turner kept a “marine store” as it was politely called - otherwise a rag-and-bone shop. It was known locally as “Raggy Turner’s” and was still so-called in the 1940s, though by then another family had taken it over. According to family legend, Julia, who was blind in one eye, used to ride around in a pony and trap, collecting scrap metal. This occupation earned her the nickname “Queen of the Island”. She died in Deptfod in 1936.
If anyone remembers these families of Cox and Turner, or is researching them, please get in touch with Chris via Island History.

Message 4: the Adams family

From Lucy Jones
I am researching my family history. My grandfather was William John Adams, born 1929. He had a brother Jimmy. His father was also William, and his mother, my great-grandmother, was called Harriet. My grandfather always spoke fondly of the Island. I would love to hear from anyone who remembers him. Please contact me via Island History or, if you use the internet, on lucyjones@btinternet.com

Message 6: Larkins in the Prefabs

My name is Michael Larkins. I was born in 1947 in Poplar Hospital, my sister Christine and myelf were the first twins born in the hospital after the War.

We grew up at 29 Strattondale Street in a prefab. My parents were Jim and Hilda Larkins and our brothers were Derek, Stephen and Ken. We all attended Cubitt Town Primary School but went on to different secondary schools.

I would like to hear from anyone who knew my family. We moved to Poplar in 1961 and out of the area when we got married.

michael.larkins@rmays.hants.sch.uk

Message 7. Norvell from the North

The family of my maternal grandmother, by the name of Norvell, orginated in Gateshead, County Durham. They moved to the Island at some time in the 19th century and her father, my great-grandfather Harry, was born in Maria Street in 1885. He later became a stevedore but was killed in a road accident at the age of 41, in 1926, by which time the family was living in Upton Park. Other addresses mentioned in my searches include Strafford Street and St.Luke's Church.

I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has come across the name Norvell in their own family history searches.

ianhoy@msn.com