Help Wanted


PLEASE HELP! These requests are from people all over the world, mostly looking to touch base with their roots in Ferring - They'd love to hear from you.
"Due to my letter that you published on the genealogy page I have been contacted by a friend of my late mother's who now lives in New Zealand. He remembers going to the same school as her. It must be nice to know that your Ferring website reaches out to other people in the world. Thank-you." Linda Willis
I want to let you know that I have been able to contact someone who wrote to you and found a family history connection! This is truly a great website. Thank you very much for doing such a great job. Regards, Kathleen Moore, Chicago, Illinois

THE GODMAN FAMILY? I am researching the Godman family I'm especially interested in the Godman family history as it relates to Ferring. Can anyone in your group provide information to me? I will appreciate it greatly. Many thanks, Bill Godman Email: wmgodman@aol.com
THE HIDE FAMILY - DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION? I am researching my family history and have found that my great great grandmother was from Ferring. Her name was Ann Eliza Hide and she was born in 1854. Her parents were Henry and Harriett (nee Woods). She married William Coles in the second quarter of 1876 in the district of East Preston. I would be very interested to know if anyone has any information regarding the Hide family. I believe the connection with Ferring goes back at least to Ann Elizas grandparents. They were Thomas and Elizabeth (nee Street) and he was born in around 1800 in Ferring. Thomas and Elizabeth were married in Ferring on 6th November 1821. Here's hoping! Kind regards, Richard Baldwin Email: richard.baldwin@pendax.co.uk					Hello, I hope you don't mind me contacting you. I saw your website while doing some surfing/research, and seeing the effort put into it, I wondered if my site might be a useful resource for your sites visitors. If you can find the time to review my site and if you think it could be a valuable resource, if you would consider linking to it, it would be greatly appreciated. I'm lucky enough to make a living involving genealogy, but its not just work, it's also still a hobby, so please let me know if there's anything I might personally be able to assist you with. Thank you for taking the time to read this email. Best regards, James. http://www.bmd-certificates.co.uk We locate and obtain UK (England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) birth, marriage or death certificates. BMD Certificates, 2nd Floor, 145-157 St John Street, London EC1V 4PY
BILLY COOPER - CAN YOU HELP? Dear Sir, I am a motoring historian, and trying to find the family of Billy Cooper who trialed motor cycles and Morris cars, and was the first owner of an MG in 1926 His son was/ is Cllr Charles William Woodman Cooper of Worthing in 1962. I believe Charles' wife was Mary, and a daughter was Ellen, but it could be the other way round. I would be pleased to know if Charles, Mary or Ellen are still around, or if they were connected to the garage in Ferring - 'Coopers Garage'. I am trying to compile a Who's Who on Billy for possible publication. I found you on the Ferring website. I look forward to hearing from you, and thank you in anticipation. Mike Dalby, Uffculme, Devon. Email: mikejd@autodatum.freeserve.co.uk
THE DYER FAMILY? Dear Sir/Madam, I am descended from the Dyers of Sussex, my earliest record is for my Gt Gt Grandfather John Dyer who was born in Ferring in 1806, I have all the information on him from his marriage onwards but I know nothing of his parents or siblings. I would be most grateful if anyone could provide me with more information on him or where else I might possibly look. Thank you Bill Anderson Email: bill@billanderson.co.uk
VOYCE FAMILY - CAN YOU HELP? Jennifer, I chanced upon your village website and thought you might be interested in a photograph I have. The picture shows my grandmother and aunt (now aged 87 and living in Jarvis Brook) in front of the cottage in Ferring where they lived. I estimate the photo was taken in 1924, the year the family left Ferring. My grandfather (Charles Voyce) was a gardener and worked on the Henty estate from about 1910 to 1924. It was in 1924 that Mrs Henty died and the estate was sold- at least that is my understanding. As a result the family moved to Cowden near Tunbridge Wells. My father (Ernest Voyce) was born in Ferring in !914. His birth certificate gives his parents home address as "Garden Cottage" in Ferring. I have not been able to locate the property which I understand is much changed from those days (if it survives at all!). My aunt, who was just 4 years old when she left the village believes the cottage was near the Henty Arms. I wonder if you can shed any light on the exact location of the cottage? Kind regards Alan Voyce Email: pamela.voyce@virgin.net
A CANADIAN LOOKING FOR THE SMITH FAMILY Hello, I am a Canadian tracing my family and I have been over 2x on trips to track things down. Unfortunately the name is Smith. I have just found that my great great grandmother Mary Anne was born in Ferring about 1811. She married a James Smith, stone sawyer about 1830 and moved to Angmering where they had at least 3 children before moving again to Willesden, London. Any idea how I could find out more about her, her maiden name and particularly whether her family were a long time Ferring family? I must admit I have not yet tried to find her marriage record but I will have to do that. Thank you very much. L. Moore Email: themoores@fastmail.to UPDATE 14 January 2007: Hello Jennifer, Just an update, an Angmering Village resident who purchased the Ferring Parish Records for his own enquiries was able to look up Mary Ann's family throught the baptisms, although we are not sure if all the children are in fact of the same family. As follows: James Bennett and wife Ann Bennett baptised in Ferring, Sussex: Ann 4 Apr 1809 Mary Ann 6 Oct 1810 (who later married James Smith born Shoreham) James 20 Dec 1812 Thomas 1815 George 1817 Charlotte 1819 Stephen 1822 Eli 4 Apr 1833 If anyone knows anything about the Bennett family of Ferring I would love to hear. Also I don't know how to go about tracking James Smith born Shoreham. Very appreciative of your response, Lynne Moore formerly Smith, Toronto Canada
CAN SOMEONE HELP? "Good morning, I will be pleased if I could have a request published on your website. I am very interested to enquire if anyone has a picture of the corner where Sea Lane turns southwards to the sea front prior to the construction of Goring Way, I believe there was a bowling green at the corner and the near adjacent house was occupied by the founder of Smith Crisps and later by "Beachcomber" a daily writer in the D.Express or D. Mail. Thank you. John Robertson, Sea Lane Email: john.robertson3@tesco.net
ANYONE REMEMBER TOBCON? Hello Jennifer, My name is Roger Williams and two years ago I moved into 43 Ferring Street after it was converted back into a house after being a tobacco and sweet shop since 1950 Since moving in I have tried to find out what the house looked like before it was a shop and while it was a shop. (It was called TobCon). I would be most grateful if you could post a request on your web site for anyone who has any photo's of my house and would be happy to give me a copy to get in touch with me at 43 Ferring Street or Email me at rogerwilliams1uk@yahoo.co.uk. Many Thanks, Roger Williams
A SHIP NAMED AFTER FERRING? Hi Jennifer, Some years ago I bought a house on the south east corner of Ireland, which had previously been owned by a very active beachcomber. Among the heap of odds and ends left behind when he left was a ships life ring,with the name 'Ferring' and 'London' printed on it. Was there a ship named after your village? it can't have been too long ago as the ring is made from polystyrene. I would be very interested to know. Regards, Joe Brezina Email: margeyoung@eircom.net
A THANK-YOU TO FERRING FROM CANADA !! Thanks to the notice you placed in your web site for me, as a result, the son of an old friend happened upon my message while surfing thru, advised his Dad who recently contacted me. Our recent contact is now revealing the whereabouts of other old friends whom I'm looking forward to meeting up with in the near future. Please remove the notice from your web site as no longer required. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and the Village for the use of your site and wish you and all a very merry Christmas and a wonderful new year. With thanks. Alan Masters Beeton, Ontario, CANADA.

Linda Tilbury? I wonder if you could help me get in touch with Linda Tilbury? You listed a tapestry by someone of that name on the Ferring Village website but, since there are "Linda Tilburys" mentioned online, I do apologise if I'm troubling you in vain. The Linda Tilbury I'd like to reach used to live in Lincoln. She'd probably recognise my name since she was, I believe, coordinator of the Cathedral volunteers, of whom my mother was one. If this is the same person, would you mind letting me know how I could get in touch with her? She and I did meet, almost ten years ago, when she helped me show a visiting group of American students some "parts of the Cathedral other guides cannot reach". I have, though, a more recent motive for writing: I was wondering if she could give me the name, again, of a mason she used to know who had worked (if I recall) on the Romanesque Frieze, and who was also knowledgeable about some of the economic issues involved. I'm an economist myself, and am still interested in doing some work on the intriguing issues of cultural and economic valuation surrounding the cleaning of the Cathedral. (For the record, there's a fairly recent article in Journal of Cultural Economics 25:131-148, 2001, by Pollicino and Maddison, on "Valuing the Benefits of Cleaning Lincoln Cathedral".) Sorry to have run on so long. If you could, though, just let me know if I've reached the right Linda Tilbury, I'd appreciate it very much. (signed) Nick Gomersall C.N.Gomersall, Associate Professor of Economics, Luther College, 700 College Drive, Decorah, Iowa 52101, USA, (563) 387.1133, http://faculty.luther.edu/~gomersni --- http://home.rconnect.com/~fulano
	This house was built in 1926 at the top of Sea Lane. It was the home of a Mr and Mrs Pusey. If anayone has any more information about this house, I would appreciate it if they would let me know. Les lesliebill@ntlworld.com
Marten or Walder??? Hi, My family resided in Ferring according to the church records around 1580 onwards. The family story is they arrived in the UK in 1066 with William the Conqueror. (who knows how true that would be??? not me) My great great grandfather William Marten was baptised there 6 December 1809 his parents, Richard Marten and Elizabeth Walder were married 26 April 1808. William Marten later married Sarah Rous and with their 7 children sailed for New Zealand in 1857. Are there any Marten's or Walder's still living in the area? Would love to hear from them or any one who could help me in my search. My email address is barbart@paradise.net.nz Regards from down under, Barbara Another person who would like information on the Marten family is Verity, email veritymarten@blueyonder.co.uk "I have sent an email to barbart@paradise.net.nz but have had it returned. I realise your site is 2000 and assume she has a different email address now. have you any record of her address or telephone no. as I am related to her by marriage via the Marten and Walder connection that she talks about in her email. if you don't want to give me her details but are able to contact her for me then my email is veritymarten@blueyonder.co.uk hoping you can be of help yours Verity Marten"

From Julie: I noticed that there was a work by Doreen Teale on your site, it wouldn't be Doreen Mary Teale from Harrogate originally would it?! I had a friend called that in the 1940's, but I think this is a bit of a long shot. Any help? Best wishes Julie julie@robgsmith.free-online.co.uk From Anthony Denton: This message is the result of a long held interest in a certain Peter Assheton. It is a long story, but in 1966 I visited him in Earls Court when he was in his 90's and I was a young lad of 30 and about to emigrate to Canada. Over the course of my visits I gained a great interest in him and later tried to find out something about him but without much success. I have a small file of information, starting with the fact that he was born on April 1 1870 at Ferring Grange. By some amazing coincidence I have just found that the Grange is only a short walk from where my father retired in East Preston, and I have walked around a lot of that area. My daughter, who is deep into the genealogy of our family, has found a connection with an Assheton. This last is not really relevant to my interest, and if you could help me or put me in touch with someone who could help, I would be most grateful. Anthony Denton. ajmd@sympatico.ca Don't know if you can help me but I am trying to find information on my grandmother Mabel (Francis) King. I believe she resided in the area before 1959. She was bedridden from 1947 to 1959 when she died, and I have some embroidered framed art that was made and documented as done at Ferring by the Sea. Their family home was called Frith Knowl my mother has some old pictures in her belongings from the area. Her name was Beatrice Jean King born 1921 She had 1 sister Bertha and 3 brothers Leslie, Cyril and George. I hope you can put me onto some leads as to where I can find some information as I live in Canada and cannot readily access the area. My mother passed away 2 years ago and her living sister and 1 brother are too elderly to give me much info. Thank you very kindly for your time. Heather (McLeod) Scarisbrick hjscarisbrick@shaw.ca