Genealogy Forum UK

Any ideas as to how I can find info on my great grandfathers political life?
Harvey Jinks b. 15 May 1883. Died 22 Dec 1954.

Harvey Jinks was a councillor for Spon Lane ward in West Bromwich in the 1930's. I've found a link on roots, but other than that nothing. According to my mum he had been a councillor for many years when he left (due to his wife's ill health), and would have possibly become mayor as she says, that as this time it went by seniority. I would imagine he was a member of the labour party, although this is unconfimed.
He was also supposed to have been active in the trade unions for the Trade and General Workers Union (they do not have records going back this far).
What I know for sure is that he was a member of The Royal Antediluvian Order Of Buffaloes at Swan Village (I have a copy of the certificate he recieved when he was sworn in). He was originally an iron moulder, but later became an outdoor beerhouse manager in Railway Street. My mum says that he injured his back, possibly due to working on a road gang.

Any ideas about where to look?
(I know I can get the archives to do some research, but I was wondering what I could find out before I went down that road!)

The obvious place is the Archives Sue, or West Brom books, or any other relatives, who has all his old papers and documents etc?

Linell.

Hi Sue - I'll ask at the Archives next time I'm there. I'll also call a couple of mates at Sandwell Council.

linell wrote:The obvious place is the Archives Sue, or West Brom books, or any other relatives, who has all his old papers and documents etc?

Linell.

I don't think any of the family has any documents - I think my mum is the last of his grandchildren left, and she hasn't anything. My gran threw a lot of things away in her later years including my grandfather's death certificate, I photocopied a lot when I first started doing my tree, but by the time my gran died most of it had disappeared (my gran had dementia).

Thanks Antie Em, I'll be very grateful

Oh what a shame it's all be chucked Sue, what a waste Maggie may find something for you at the Archives, fingers crossed. Linell.

linell wrote:Oh what a shame it's all be chucked Sue, what a waste Maggie may find something for you at the Archives, fingers crossed. Linell.

I hope so!

My two grandmothers couldn't have been more different.
My maternal grandmother told us a bit about her family, well more than a bit - I knew my great great grandmother was a midwife before I found it on the census for example. But she was scatterbrained even before her dementia.
My paternal grandmother was older, and I suppose I wasn't as close to her as to my other gran. But she had a wicked sense of humour when she shared the joke. She kept every family document that came in to her possession including birth certificates of her aunt's husband. My aunt has most of these today (I got copies of most of them years ago).

You sound like me Sue, I have ended up 'keeper' of all the family photo's and all the history, big responsibility to pass it all on so our children and grandchildren can make sense of it all. Need a new bedroom to store it all in, I even have two Samplers made by my Gtx5 Grandmother in 1827. Linell.

linell wrote:You sound like me Sue, I have ended up 'keeper' of all the family photo's and all the history, big responsibility to pass it all on so our children and grandchildren can make sense of it all. Need a new bedroom to store it all in, I even have two Samplers made by my Gtx5 Grandmother in 1827. Linell.

Oh, I'm so jealous! I would imagine that there must have have been samplers in the family, but know of none! This is possibly more dissapointing because I've done my share of embroidery, including a couple of sampler maps.

snoopysue wrote:

linell wrote:You sound like me Sue, I have ended up 'keeper' of all the family photo's and all the history, big responsibility to pass it all on so our children and grandchildren can make sense of it all. Need a new bedroom to store it all in, I even have two Samplers made by my Gtx5 Grandmother in 1827. Linell.

Oh, I'm so jealous! I would imagine that there must have have been samplers in the family, but know of none! This is possibly more dissapointing because I've done my share of embroidery, including a couple of sampler maps.

I have a few things, but my most treasured possession is two sitting lions that my Great Grandma used to have on her sideboard - she gave them to me before she died, I was about five and mom says I used to cry for the "dogs". I bring them out and hold them every now and then. My mom didn't know how to get them home, but we knew the Bonacorsi Ice Cream family and one of them brought them home in the ice cream van.

I've made samplers for each of my children, my mom and my five sisters. Inside the frame I have added a dated message personal to all of them with the details of where to find the family tree, although I do give everyone a copy regularly, just in case.

I do have a few things from the family - on the living room wall is my paternal grandfather's long service award from GKN. I also have a silver and oak picture frame. Luckily I also have a copy of my great grandfathers certificate when he joined The Royal Antediluvian Order Of Buffaloes at Swan Village - it's a colour photocopy, my mother informed me recently that she'd thrown the original out!!!!!

snoopysue wrote:I do have a few things from the family - on the living room wall is my paternal grandfather's long service award from GKN. I also have a silver and oak picture frame. Luckily I also have a copy of my great grandfathers certificate when he joined The Royal Antediluvian Order Of Buffaloes at Swan Village - it's a colour photocopy, my mother informed me recently that she'd thrown the original out!!!!!

Don't you just love it when someone says that, sometimes just weeks too late

Antie Em wrote:

snoopysue wrote:I do have a few things from the family - on the living room wall is my paternal grandfather's long service award from GKN. I also have a silver and oak picture frame. Luckily I also have a copy of my great grandfathers certificate when he joined The Royal Antediluvian Order Of Buffaloes at Swan Village - it's a colour photocopy, my mother informed me recently that she'd thrown the original out!!!!!

Don't you just love it when someone says that, sometimes just weeks too late

It's a good job she said it on the end of a phone, as I might have been done for murder!

Is this now completed pending antie ems investigations?

Northern Lass wrote:Is this now completed pending antie ems investigations?

Yep!
(It had degenerated to pleasant chit chat, had't it )