Taylor and Gossage family photographs - Heir hunting find.
Another car boot find about a month ago - 2 wedding albums and a large photo album. They all were from the same family with at least 3 different weddings, a engagement, holiday snaps, work, friends and family life photos. There was a wedding photo from the 50s included. But I have written a separate blog for it. As I am not sure if the seller just put it into the album or it was from this family also. See vintage wedding photo unknown.
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Wedding and photo albums
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I think all the photos were once owned by Brenda Esther Taylor nee Gossage; who lived in Birmingham, Shirley, Solihull and Halesowen. She was born 19th March 1936 and died 12th March 2013 apparently. A search on the internet brought up a request for heir information for an unclaimed estate. However, the recent list from the government does not have her estate on it. So I am assuming that her family have claimed it. However it is so sad that her life in photographs ended up in a car boot lot. There are many pictures and so they may be recognised by a wide range of people. There were 2 wedding albums. Both of Brenda's wedding. The larger one belonged to the couple. The smaller was traditionally given to the bride's parents. There would have been another for the groom's family. So here are the photographs from the bride and groom's album and her parent's album.
Brenda Gossage and Albert Taylor married on the 28th September 1957 at Shirley Parish Church, Solihull, West Midlands. The best man was Mr H Hougham and the bridesmaid was Miss Barbara Townson. The information is in the front of the large album see below.
Barbara J Townson made a beautiful bridesmaid. She lived at 207 Shirley Rd for a while and married Bernard J Wall in 1961. In 1960, her family lived next door to the Wall family. I have researched her and believe she has passed away also. Her family may or may not know these photos exist. I am not sure if she was a friend or relative. It is possible they were friends, although there was about 4 year different in age.
Outside the church before marriage. Brenda with her father, George Gossage. George was registered at the GRO in 1910, born on the 3rd November. However to get into the Royal Artillery in 1927, he went back almost 2 years and said 1908. In 1939 he said he said he was born on the 3rd November 1909. George was a toolmaker, living in Birmingham and Shirley. He died in 1962 registered death in Solihull. Also a close up photograph of Brenda who was very pretty.
This is of Brenda Taylor after the wedding. She has a fine assortment of good luck horseshoes and other wedding tokens. Brenda has her mother's middle name of Esther. Her mother was Esther Dann born in 1911.
Here is Brenda with her new husband Albert F Taylor, her father George Gossage, Best man H Hougham and Barbara Townson. I can not find out about Albert, as there are too many with the same name in Birmingham to just make a guess. I would have to obtain the marriage certificate for more information if I was tracing this family tree. But what I do think is that he probably died some years before Brenda.
Not sure who this little girl is giving a good luck horseshoe to Brenda. She was probably a relative as she is also in the parent's albums.
In 1960, Albert and Brenda Taylor lived at 49 Gillot Rd, All Saints, Rotton Park, Birmingham. They lodged with Stanley T Scott and Joyce G Scott. In 1962, they lived in flat 11 Stanmore Rd, Harborne, Birmingham. This time they shared with Jeanette Meredith, John S Moore, Joan M Moore, Ralph A James and Audrey C James.
St James Church in Shirley is quite a beautiful church to get married at. Here is Brenda and her bridesmaid Barbara. There are two photos the same one in the main album and one in the bride's parents smaller one.
The bride, groom, parents, best man and bridesmaid photograph. Brenda's parents look younger than Alberts. Researching the Gossage family shows them in 1939 at 876 Pershore Rd, Birmingham. George was a tool setter and dis turner. He was an ARP in the fire service during the day and an ARP casualty Red Cross at night. Esther Gossage nee Dann born 19th October 1910 was a housewife. There is one space blanked out on this report that I believe to be Brenda's details. There are 2 further families living at 876. Thomas J Dann and Carrie Dann with one space blanked. Also Arthur J Liffetts and Louisa Liffetts with another space blanked out.
The 1939 information was used for the NHS and updated until about the 1990s. So you find the maiden names of women who were children in 1939 and also those who were still blacked out were thought to be alive. But mistakes were made. I have a relative shown but he is still very much alive today.
Here are all the wedding guests. Cant find much about their best man. Though I think his name was Herbert Hougham. Here are a couple of close up shots of this guest group.
All guests groom's side.
All the guests bride's side. Do you recognise anyone?
The happy couple getting into their car after their wedding.
At the reception with the wedding cake. The photo taken as about to cut it.
The albums and photographer were from the Morris Studios at 246 Ladypool Rd in Birmingham.
Included with the wedding album were all the telegraphs sent to the couple. This one is from Elma and Arthur.
Another telegraph from the Docker brothers. A family firm in Birmingham and also one of the reasons why I wanted to buy this photograph group. The Dockers are in fact part of my family ancestors - a couple of generations back. I suspect one of the couple worked for the Dockers in their paint factory.
From Eve and Elsie - maybe friends or neighbours if not family. Sent to the Mermaid Hotel on the Stratford Rd, Sparkhill, Birmingham.
From George Cross. George may have been another employer. Most women of this time, worked until they had their first baby. It was seen as the man's responsibility to provide for his family.
From Maureen and Harry. Another couple of friends, neighbours, work colleagues or family?
From Mr and Mrs Garner. Probably an older couple due to the term Mr and Mrs.
From Mrs Hougham. I am assuming that this is the best man's mother. It may however be his wife, but surely she would have included her husband in the best wishes!! Odd that the best man is referred to as H Hougham in the front of Brenda's album. It is as if she did not know him very well and he was much older than her or married.
The wedding toast to a long and happy life together. I hope they did have a long and happy life together.
This was the scruffy blue 70s photograph album that the rest of the photos were in. I have taken them all out and thrown it away. Mostly for space and I don't think that the album is acid proof and may eventually damage the enclosed photos.
This appears to be Brenda and Albert's engagement party.
Then there are an assortment for 1960s taken photographs. It shows 5 different children. Although I can not find if Brenda and Albert had children. There appears to be at least 2 children born in the late 50s and early 60s that may be belonging to them.
The baby has no details - but just has the same facial details as Brenda. Probably dating to the early 60s. The middle photograph has on the back. Mike 3 years, 3 months and Mark 16 months, December 1962. There are a few more but I am not going to show them here.
In June 1968, there is Linda's wedding. No further details. But with a bit of research the church is in Harborne. It is St Peter's Old Church. Harborne, Birmingham. Would suggest Linda is from the Taylor side as the photographs show his parents.
Another family wedding at a register office. Looks to be the Taylor side again - as the couple at one end are Albert's parents.
1974 on the back but no names. There is a photograph with the dog's name on - Fritz.
1973, Brenda and a child and Fritz the dog. There are a few more photographs taken in this decade. Not all shown here.
1971. Albert, his mother and three children. Along with the family dog.
1974, Western Super Mare on the reverse. Western was a popular destination with people from Birmingham. It was the closest seaside resort to travel to by car or by coach.
October 1975.
No names or dates. But there are more photographs of these two children in the album.
Christmas 1977. Rent control section, housing Dept, Sandwell. Photography by B Binns.
The latest photograph was in October 2002.
I don't know as to why all these photographs ended up in a car boot sale. They were amongst house clearance stuff. It may be that the house was cleared by the council and without any heirs being found at that time. They may have ended up being stored and eventually sold if not claimed in time. Or the heirs did not want them.
I buy photographs and other ephemera that may or may not be identifiable from car boots mostly. In recent weeks I have brought some photographs and a WW1discharge paper. which I will show soon It is amazing what is thrown out and what ends up in car boot sales. Some of the items, I have discovered are from people who are still alive. Newspaper clippings, photographs, negatives and also projector slides. I believe in preserving the past.
