Written by Lynn Heiden
Join me as I take you on the journey of one of my old photos in my collection, from buying and scanning to researching and then writing a blog about the family.
Choosing & Buying
The image I selected is a cabinet card photo taken by photographer H. Jenkins of Tunbridge Well, Kent, Engalnd.
I bought this cabinet card, among many others, on 21 December 2024 at the Shoreham Postcard Fair. It is always good to go to a postcard/antique fair or flea market if you are looking for photos to research. To find more information on Postcard Fairs in your area, visit Postcard Pages.
Here are some of my finds from Shoreham; I think they will last me quite a while for my research!
Sorting & Scanning
First, I sort the photos into groups: postcards, carte de visite (CDVs), cabinet cards, and then larger framed pictures. After sorting, I scan both the fronts and backs and save them in a file on my PC.
I typically organise all the photos into small piles based on the amount of information they contain. Occasionally, I get lucky and find multiple photos with the same family name, as I did this time. Scanning the postcards, CDVs, and cabinet cards also allows me to examine the details written on them more closely.
Researching Begins
Here is my chosen photo, a beautiful image of a mother and her baby. On the back of the photo, the baby’s full name is written:
George Francis Tester, born on November 15, 1898. The photo was taken on January 28, 1899.
The baby is wearing a christening gown, which could be very helpful in matching the photo to a baptism date.
I’ve lightened the back view a little to allow us to read more clearly.
ENLARGEMENTS TO LIFE-SIZE
IN OIL OR WATER COLOURS ETC.
COPIES MAY ALWAYS BE OBTAINED
ALSO FROM NEGATIVES TAKEN BY M E.SIMS & D.R.EVEREST.
I began a small family tree with George Francis on Ancestry, father’s surname Tester. I included George’s birth year and that he was born in Tunbridge Wells.
After leaving the tree for a while to gather hints, Ancestry came up with a possible family in the 1901 and 1911 censuses, and also a single man in the 1921 census.
Looking at the 1901 census first, we see a possible match with George as the eldest child and a younger sister named Evelyn. Their father, also named George, works as a plumber and painter. The family lives at 84 Camden Road, a paint shop in Tunbridge Wells.
In the 1911 census, we see the same family, now with two more siblings. The parents, George (36) and Alice Mary (40) have four children: George Francis (12), Evelyn Alice (10). Leslie James (6), and Robert William (4).
In the 1911 census, George, the father, is listed as a shopfitter, and the family lives at 17 Standen Street in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Since I started researching, several hints have popped up on the family tree however not all of them are accurate. One clue was a baptism record for young George, but it was only a transcription. Fortunately, I found the actual image on Findmypast, which states that the baptism took place on January 8, 1899. It seems that whoever wrote on the back of the photo may have made a slight error with the date, or the photo was taken a little later than the baptism. Nevertheless, with all the other information gathered, I’m sure I have the correct family as the father’s occupation and their address match as well.
1921 Census
On the 1921 census (19 June 1921), George Francis Tester is now a young man of 22 years and 7 months, which fits with his birth being November 1898. He is a boarder with his occupation being in the provision trade. Interestingly, he is living and working at the premises of Sainsbury’s.
George was working for Sainsbury’s!
Sainsbury’s has a good online archive that includes some information and photos for this branch. Unfortunately, there are no details available for 1921, only for the later year of 1955. The branch opened in 1888 and closed in 1955.
The 1939 Register
Moving on to the 1939 register, young George is away from his family and is a butchers’ manager living at 28 Westway, Merton and Morden, Surrey. It also says he is married but all the entries below him are redacted… I’ll come back to that.
In the 1939 register, we see George and Alice with their son John Stanley and a daughter-in-law with child? Plus, the Hubbard family all at the same address?
Annie E. Tester is living with George and Alice, as shown in the 1939 register. I’m thinking that she might possibly be a daughter-in-law to the couple, being the wife of their son John Stanley, who is listed at the bottom of the list and shares the same address. The redacted entry below her could be their child.
I search on Findmypast in the Civil Marriage and Divorce Records, entering the surname Tester with the possible spouse Annie Edith. A match came up showing that Annie Edith’s maiden name is Adams. I then looked for any children on Findmypast under Civil Births, using the surname Tester and the mother’s maiden name Adams. This resulted in one match: a daughter, so it may be her.
Is There More Information to Add?
So, now back to George, we are looking for his mother’s maiden name. I searched for his birth in the GRO online and found the below result: His mother was Alice Mary LInes before her marriage.
TESTER, GEORGE FRANCIS LINES GRO Reference: 1898 D Quarter in TONBRIDGE Volume 02A Page 715.
Was George Francis ever married? I believe maybe twice, firstly to Doris Gardner Plumtree in 1923. She was a divorced lady by 1939 and died in 1943. Then a second possible marriage to Lily E. Inchley in 1962. I cannot confirm either of these without marriage certificates.
Here is the death record for George from FreeBMD:
Tester George Francis 15 Nov 1898 Maidstone Vol 16 Page 1555. With the crucial birth date.
There’s lots more still to discover about this family from Kent that I will share with you soon in a follow-up blog. Including an awful family tragedy that happened during WW2, so stay tuned!
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