The Alabaster Chronicle

The Journal of the Alabaster Society
 

NUMBER THIRTY,  SPRING/SUMMER 2009

Contents

• Editorial, by Sheelagh Alabaster
• Secretary`s Letter, by Laraine Hake
• Laraine`s Postbag
  Janet Alabaster (IIIA)
  Oriole Veldhuis (IIC)
  Genny Davidson Smith (
  Beryl Neumann (IIA): poem
  Pippa Alabaster (IIB)
  Frannie Alabaster: Nips & Crumpets
  Tony Moore (IIA) on Brian Alabaster, sculptor
  Jim Alabaster  (IIA)
  Rory Herbert
  Oriole Veldhuis
  Jo-Anne Saville (nee Criddle)
  Carol Osborne (IIA)
  Art Gallery of Ontario: Mary Criddle painting
• Rebecca, A Visitor from Australia
• Whitechapel Bell Foundry, London
• Going to Australia
• Nan Criddle Kenyon, Obituaries
• New Zealand and London Gazettes
• Website Award
• Ocean Waves: Jim Alabaster
• William (Kabbalah) Alabaster
• Births, Marriages, Deaths
• An Alabaster and the Eggheads: John Hendrie
• Who is the Alabaster?
• Christmases past
• Brighton Belles of 1925

Editorial

by Sheelagh Alabaster

THE BELLS THE BELLS
My head is ringing. I am not completely convinced that the word Spring will ever be appropriate, but my glasses are now well polished and at least half full.
In this issue we have another photo quiz, tales from the ocean waves, postbags full of new discoveries of Alabaster connections, an appeal for a possible outing to the accompaniment of Bow Bells, some beach belles of 1925, carillons of praise for the Alabaster website, insights into our cabbalistic alabalistic writings, Society accounts, stories of ringing the changes and starting out in Australia, a poetry corner, website honours, news of the 1911 census , information from the London Gazette, and tinkling reminiscences of Christmases past.

Sheelagh.

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Laraine`s Letter

from our Hon. Secretary, Laraine Hake

Welcome to 2009!

"The 21st century" still has a futuristic sound to my ears and yet we are getting close to the first 10% of the 21st century being behind us. I do not suppose our Alabaster ancestors back in Hadleigh thought in terms of the "16th century" or "17th century" but I wonder what they would make of our still being interested in them and delving into their lives. Will we have descendants in the 25th century who will be interested in us? It does seem unlikely!

The 1911 Census now available online

A little closer to today is the census that was taken on 1st April 1911. As many of you will be aware, this can now be viewed, for the cost of a few pounds per sheet, on the internet. This is the first census where the actual sheet completed by our not-so-distant ancestors can be viewed, actually in the handwriting of your grandfather or gt grandfather - even your gt grandmother if there was no man around! Amazing!

To return to present year, I do hope you enjoy this Alabaster Chronicle, the thirtieth copy, which is no mean achievement in itself. Even looking forward from August 1993 when the first was produced, I am not sure that I would have predicted that it would survive this far. The fact that it has is, of course, down to the continuing interest of you, the wonderful members of the enlarged Alabaster family. Thank you to all that you are still willing to subscribe, contribute and read!

My love and thoughts go out to you all at this time of change that we are experiencing. In particular, my sympathy goes to those of you who have lost a loved one. Several are mentioned later in this edition but please, please accept my apologies if I have missed somebody. As you may recall, I lost my own dear father last July. May I take this opportunity of saying thank you once again for all the kind letters and emails of support that you sent. I had not previously appreciated what a difference they would make to me.

On a positive side, my darling grandchildren continue to thrive and it is wonderful to hear of Alabaster descendants continuing to be born, all over the world. My mother and I have just returned from Kendal where we were able to attend Florence's second birthday party. I am sure that many of you have also had moments of similar enjoyment. So let us think to the future of our family. A positive note on which to end!

Laraine

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Laraine`s Postbag

Janet Alabaster (IIIA), 20th July 2008
My name is Janet and I am married to William Henry Alabaster.
Since finding out about my ancestors I stumbled on a rather interesting fact; my Paternal Grandfather`s Great Grandfather on his mother`s side was Joseph Haines whose brother John married Virtue West Alabaster! How's that for coincidence?
Laraine: This was fascinating information! I put Janet in touch with Valerie Knobloch who is descended from John Haines and Virtue (nee Alabaster).. By my calculation, Valerie is 3rd cousin twice removed to Janet and 9th cousin to her husband William Henry! I hope they will continue to share their research discoveries.

Oriole Veldhuis (IIC), August 2008
We had our 103rd birthday for mother on Saturday, August 9th. It was a very happy time for all of us to be together.
My siblings all made it to mother’s birthday. In order of age they are: Verna, Faye, Oriole, Pearl, Twins: Ruby & Roland, and Bev. Kaye.
In the picture they are: Faye Young; Oriole Veldhuis; Ruby Hunter; Roland Vane; Pearl Queen; Verna; Mother - Ruth Vane (Clark); Bev Kaye Shepherd.
The Vane siblings are all the gt grandchildren of Percy Criddle, son of Mary Ann Rebecca Alabaster.

Genny Davidson Smith 23rd August 2008
I have a copy of my father’s birth certificate which names his mother as ‘Florence Gertrude Smith formerly Alabaster’. My father was born in 1913. There is a Florence Gertrude Alabaster on your website, who was born in 1884 and died in 1961. I feel certain that this is my grandmother as I remember when she died in 1961.
I would love to know more and hope you can help me. Many thanks.

This is an immediate reply - when I should be doing other things! I am always interested to hear from ANYBODY connected with the name Alabaster but Florence Gertrude Smith wasn't some distant relation, but the sister of my very own grandmother, Adeline Bertha Alabaster (1881-1960). I did not realise that Florence had a son - I have a note of daughters, Mabel and Gertie, and actually went to meet Gertie in the mid-sixties when I was about 14 and first got interested in family history. Regret now that I did not take more notes. I think you and I are second cousins

My father, Ronnie was always reluctant to talk of his family. I knew that he had two sisters, Gertie and May, as he called her, but never met them. I met my grandmother (once only) but didn’t really know her, probably because we were living in the States and Canada until 1960 and only came back for the odd week during the summer. When my mother died, I found an old letter written by May to my mother when my father had died some ten years previously and so I wrote to the address hoping to make contact, but the letter was returned as ‘gone away’, much to my dismay. I always knew I had relatives, but when your surname is Smith and you don’t have much information, it’s quite hard to get any information.
Last week I visited my sister Helen, and she told me of a conversation she had had with my mother some years ago. She had written notes at the time and that is when I knew of the Alabaster connection. Needless to say, I couldn’t get online fast enough when I got home. So there we have it. I always knew I had cousins and I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to have found one.

I do hope that you will make the time to read the article I wrote about the many babies to whom Cordelia Victoria gave birth. I started tracing my family history seriously in about 1981 - and I realise now that it was about this time that I went to see "Gertie" (Mrs A. Dickenson) at her home in North Countess Road, Walthamstow. My father, Leslie Victor Oram, would have been first cousin to your father, Ronnie. They seemed to have very little contact with the extended family which seems strange now - although I suppose I do have first cousins I would not know if I met them in the street - I do at least know they exist!
My father actually died just five weeks ago on 20th July. He was 89 and, to quote himself, "had had a good run" but I suppose I am still coming to terms with it. I had one of those horrible moments earlier today when I thought to myself that I must ask him whether he remembered the children of his Aunt Flo..............
Anyway, until I started researching the Alabaster family as a "One Name Study" in 1990 and then started the Alabaster Society in 1992, I knew very little about the brothers and sisters of my grandmother (she is my Alabaster connection, my paternal grandmother - exactly the same as you and Florence!) other than a mention of "Uncle Sid". If you read the articles from Chronicle 8, you will see something about him there too.

Descendants of Cordelia Victoria Jolly and Thomas Alabaster

Cordelia Victoria Jolly 1852 - 1939 b: 03 Oct 1852 in 22 Bedford St, Stepney d: 17 Aug 1939 in 208 Fleeming Rd, Walthamstow, London, E 17

+Thomas Alabaster 1853 - 1924 b: 17 Jun 1853 in 6 Bartholomew Pl, Bethnal Green d: 12 Dec 1924 in 208 Fleeming Rd, Walthamstow, London, E.17 m: 11 May 1873 in Parish Church, South Hackney

........ Emily Augusta Alabaster 1874 - 1956 b: 30 Apr 1874 in 11 Suffolk Street, Bethnal Green d: 15 Aug 1956 in St Michael's Hospital, Braintree, Essex

........ 2 Elizabeth Jane Alabaster 1875 - 1875 b: 22 Jun 1875 in 3 Abingdon Street, Bethnal Green d: 06 Jul 1875 in Bethnal Green reg district

........ George Alabaster 1876 - 1957 b: 27 May 1876 in Bethnal Green reg district d: 06 Sep 1957 in Edmonton = Fanny Wenham 1878 - 1964 b: Abt. 1878: 19 Sep 1964 in Croydon m: 14 Jan 1906 in St Mary the Virgin, Walthamstow

........ Cordelia Catherine Alabaster 1878 - 1887 b: 27 Apr 1878 in 3 Abingdon Street, Bethnal Green d: 08 Apr 1887 in St Saviour reg district

........ Alfred Ernest Alabaster 1879 - 1883 b: 24 Nov 1879 in Bethnal Green reg district d: 25 Jul 1883 in Bethnal Green reg district

........ Adeline Bertha Alabaster 1881 - 1960 b: 30 Jan 1881 in 3 Abingdon St, Bethnal Green d: 21 Jun 1960 in 60 Ickworth Pk R, Walthamstow, London, E 17 = Ernest George Gillingham Oram 1874 - 1939 b: 11 Feb 1874 in 51 Belgrave St, Stepney d: 1939 m: 08 Jun 1902 in ,Walthamstow, London, E 17

........ Walter Ambrose Alabaster 1883 - 1883 b: 23 Feb 1883 in Bethnal Green reg district d: 23 Jun 1883 in Bethnal Green reg district

........ Florence Gertrude Alabaster 1884 - 1961 b: 08 Apr 1884 in St Olave reg district d: 1961 = Henry Philip Smith 1886 - b: Abt. 1886 m: 03 Jun 1911 in St Mary the Virgin, Walthamstow

........ Sidney Herbert Alabaster 1886 - 1966 b: 01 Feb 1886 in St Saviour d: 07 Oct 1966 in Thanet = Daisy Florence Lewis - 1937 d: Jun 1937 in Dartford m: Mar 1907 in West Ham (= 2nd Wife of Sidney Herbert Alabaster: Christina Hill Banks 1892 - 1981 b: 29 May 1892 d: Mar 1981 in Lewisham m: Mar 1939 in Bromley)

........ Horace Edmund Alabaster 1887 - b: 03 Dec 1887 in Walthamstow, Essex

........ Harold John Alabaster 1888 - 1889 b: 09 Dec 1888 in West Ham reg district d: 26 May 1889 in West Ham reg district

........ Victor Augustus Alabaster 1890 - 1890 b: 08 Jan 1890 in Walthamstow d: 31 Jul 1890 in West Ham reg district

........ Gilbert Stephen Alabaster 1891 - 1918 b: 27 Mar 1891 in (Good Friday) d: 05 Apr 1918 = Ruth Mary Lewis 1893 - 1978 b: 25 Aug 1893 d: 26 Dec 1978 in Hendon m: Mar 1915

........ Christopher Davidson Alabaster 1892 - 1892 b: 12 May 1892 in 1 Clyde Terrace, Capworth Street, Leyton d: 01 Aug 1892 in West Ham reg district

........ Ada Victoria Alabaster 1893 - 1911 b: 20 Nov 1893 in 1 Clyde Terrace, Capworth Street, Leyton d: Sep 1911 in Hackney

I have included the descendant tree of Thomas and Cordelia, above, just so you can see what I am talking about. As you can see, many of the babies did not survive infancy. Those in italics are the ones who lived until at least 21 years old. Over the past few years I have gradually been contacted by the grandchildren of various of them, and now I am in contact with you, that is almost a full house!
In April, we held an Alabaster Gathering in Hadleigh, Suffolk, where are ancestors lived in the 16th and 17th centuries. This was the 8th such Gathering I have organised; the first was in 1990 and they have been held on an approximate 3 year cycle since then - you will just have to come in 2011! Anyway, at this Gathering there were grandchildren of no fewer than four of the children of Thomas and Cordelia. Here is a photograph to show you even more new found second cousins.

Left to Right they are:
Colin Alabaster and Tricia Dyer - grandchildren of Sidney Herbert Alabaster (1886 – 1966)
Moe Parry - granddaughter of Gilbert Stephen Alabaster (1891 – 1918)
(slightly behind) Laraine Hake - granddaughter of Adeline Bertha Alabaster (1881 – 1960)
Bea Alabaster - granddaughter of George Alabaster (1876 – 1957)
- and now we have found the granddaughter of Florence Gertrude Alabaster (1884 – 1961) too!

Beryl Neumann (IIA), Australia
I saw this poem the other day in a magazine – I could not resist adding the last verse....
 

- and so say all of us! Well done, Beryl.

Pippa Alabaster (IIB), 5th October 2008:
Dear Laraine, I contacted you some years ago but sadly never signed up to the society.
I was today searching the internet for a recent article on my one of my three boys in relation to his football. On checking I found that part of the article has been uploaded onto the Alabaster website with a comment "...wonder who this Bertie Alabaster is..." so thought I would pass on the information.
Bertie Alabaster is our youngest son and we are related to Albert Alabaster (Bertie`s namesake). I think there was some contact with the society in the 1990's. Albert Alabaster lived in Chingford in his final years and Bertie is one of his great grandsons.
Hope this is useful …… happy to provide any other information.

Frannie Alabaster, 8th October 2008:
I have just started a new business called Nips and Crumpets doing afternoon Tea in people`s homes with Sam as chief waiter. I don’t know if it qualifies as Alabaster News (but here is the press release):

N I P S and C R U M P E T S
Elm Farm, Linstead Parva, Suffolk
www.nipsandcrumpets.co.uk

A personal service providing vintage tea parties in your own home. The perfect way to enjoy a birthday celebration, bridal shower, christening, anniversary, or retirement party. We prepare and serve a sumptuous tea so that you can relax with your friends or family. Jane and Frannie started Nips & Crumpets through their mutual love of baking and presenting food - the quintessential English afternoon tea - inspired by a trip to The Ritz.
They are helped by Sam (Frannie’s son) a young adult with Downs Syndrome, currently at Lowestoft College working towards a Certificate in Food Studies.
To set the scene they use beautiful vintage tea-sets, in hues of pink, green, yellow, blue and gold laid out on antique tablecloths with napkins and vintage cutlery. There is another picture on the Alabaster Family Business page.

Tony Moore IIA, 28th October 2008:
I was in the retail outlet centre in Antrim yesterday(a big complex with M and S, Nike, Laser and many more) and saw a lifesize metal sculpture in one of the open spaces with the following plaque in front which said:

Grandpa, Sam and Billy
Brian Alabaster of Suffolk made this sculpture in 2003. His son Sam, a 15 year old boy with Downs Syndrome sits reading with his Grandpa Dickie who is 82. Sam's dog, Billy age 10, is at his feet.

I thought these two emails were very interesting – having received them within 20 days of each other. Of course Brian, the sculptor, is the husband of Frannie and Sam, immortalized reading aged 15, is now the waiter for Nips and Crumpets. Well done to you all!

Jim Alabaster IIA, 1st Nov 2008:
My son Tom, who is working in New York, spotted this web page yesterday and sent the link to me asking if S H Alabaster was my father, which I was able to confirm. Do you know where the original of the cartoon is it would be great to have a copy?
The cartoon originally appeared in a local newspaper, and the "web page" referred to must be our own: see the link above. RW.
I had an appointment at Treliske Hospital in Truro the last Friday at the Thoracic Unit and when I checked into the Reception she said, "Oh, my goodness: we have 37 Alabasters listed here. Where are they then? I know there are one or two in the phone book locally, but not that many.
I think the receptionist must have been exaggerating a little, otherwise, why aren’t they members?

Rory Herbert, 3rd Dec 2008:
My ggg-grandmother was Katherine Alabaster (b.1814), daughter of Charles Alabaster (1775-1820) and Mary Dearmer (1786-1838). Katherine Alabaster married a John Greeves and had a daughter, Katherine Elizabeth Greeves (1841-1884) who married my gg-grandfather, James Cuff (b.1839).
James Cuff owned the Malvern Mineral Water Company at Holy Wells, Malvern and had a son, Archibald Cuff (b.1869), who became a surgeon. Interestingly, Archibald’s sister was named Violet “Dearmer” Cuff, presumably a reference to her great grandmother, Mary Dearmer. Archibald married a Harriet Cockbaine (b.1873) and they had a daughter, Katherine Cuff (1900-1968) who married my grandfather, Henry Lawrence Willey (1894-1975).
Henry was educated at Harrow, and at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, and served in the King`s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Apparently, he was one of the last wounded men (head wound) to be removed from the Somme battlefield in 1916. As a young boy, I remember discovering his WWI helmet with the hole in it in the attic of his house in Sheffield, together with his service revolver. He later became a doctor (yes indeed, Dr. Willey)!
Henry and Katherine (Cuff) had a daughter, Caroline Roxane Mary Willey (1932-2005), my mother, who married my father, Harvey Herbert (b.1929), in 1956.
Hanging in our bedroom is an oil painting by “M. Criddle 1838” together with a miniature of the same. I have attached a scan of the miniature (picture, left). On the back of the miniature there is an inscription in biro which reads, “Painted by Mrs CRIDDLE Picture of Miss Elizabeth Greaves (sic) who later became Mrs Cuff”. Clearly, this cannot be correct as Katherine Elizabeth Greeves was not born until 1841. It is much more likely that the portrait is of Katherine’s mother, Katherine Alabaster, painted by her older sister, Mary Ann Criddle (nee Alabaster).

Is this not just AMAZING! I continually force myself to accept that there cannot be much more out there to discover and time and time again I am proved wrong!

Rory Herbert, 4th December 2008:
Many thanks for your reply and I am very glad that you found my email so exciting. I have attached a couple of photos of the original oil painting (pictured below) which measures about 33” x 28”. The second photo shows the inscription on the rear of the canvas, “M Criddle 1838” (pictured right).
Until I discovered the society’s web site I was completely unaware of the relationship of the artist to the subject. I was aware that my gg-grandfather, James Cuff, had married a Katherine Greeves and that Katherine’s parents were John Greeves and Katherine but I had no clue to the Alabaster connection until my contact with Ann Upton.
In hindsight, I should have figured this out as Katherine Greeves older sister was Mary “Alabaster” Greeves who, incidentally, married the well known artist and war correspondent for the Illustrated London News, Melton Prior, whose memorial is in St. Paul’s Cathedral. Attached (pictured left) is a photo of her tombstone that I found on the web.
I think that, because of the inscription on the back of the miniature, my mother always told me that the portrait was of my gg-grandmother but, as I explained in my last email, this cannot be correct. I think whoever wrote the inscription simply missed a generation and I am now 99% certain it must be of Katherine Alabaster.
The only other options I can think of is that it could be a self portrait of Mary Ann Alabaster but she would have been 33 at the time and the subject appears younger or, if John Greeves had a sister Elizabeth perhaps of her. However, neither hypothesis adequately explains why the portrait has been in my family for five generations.

I put Rory in touch with Oriole and Myrna in Canada, both descendants of Mary Ann Rebecca, who must have been the M. Criddle who produced the paintings.
Oriole replied with equally fascinating material.

Oriole Veldhuis (IIC) to Rory Herbert, 4th December 2008:
Dear Rory,   I am a member of the Alabaster Society from Canada and just received your interesting letter. I have been researching the family for some time so all you say fits into my frame very well. I may have material that would be interesting for you as well. I will keep it is mind as I go back later to write about that time period. I am working on Canada right now.
It was Percy Criddle’s Uncle Greeves that encouraged Percy to go to Germany when he was feeling down and while there (met my gt-grandmother) and thus led to her going to England to be married. It’s a long story and I am working on writing it.
The book you just bought has a little in it about my side of the family, the Vanes. It is the Vane story I am trying to tell.
Your little picture is just lovely. I know Percy’s mother supported herself and Percy by painting. It would be a lovely picture to include in my book if you would be so inclined to let me use it. Women artists had a very hard time due to male dominance in the art world. Commissions for portraits was their main source of income.
Here are the entries in Percy’s diary related to him:

1876, Nov. 15
Went to Hammersmith - Saw Aunt who is juvenescent as ever & Uncle - also Miss White -with whom I had a grand discussion on Religion, Politics, etc. A deal of chaff took place to her discomfiture - and my relatives cruelly enjoyed every piece of ridicule directed at her arguments. She was very good-humoured however - & I am to lend her a book. I have had some sort of sore inside my upper lip for some days and Uncle Greeves has cauterized it - also given me Tinct. of Iron to take night & morning - (20 drops in water) after meals. I hope it will now recover tone - but don't feel at all easy on the subject.
Nov. 17­, 1876
Uncle Greeves & I had an Oyster Luncheon at Sweetings (corner of Cheapside).
Jan 17, 1878
I am suffering from Piles -confound it -& have had to consult Uncle Greeves who has stopped Port wine, hoch & pastry -ditto eggs. He is treating me with Claret -bacon, beef, sardines & beer ­also with Castor Oil every other morning & Strychnine & Fer. Clor. Iron 2ce a day.
1879, Sep.22
Uncle Greeves died this morning soon after 1 o’clock aged 69.

Rory Herbert IIC to Oriole Veldhuis
Many thanks for getting in touch and for the diary extracts regarding “Uncle Greeves”. I have his occupation as an “apothecary” so it all makes sense. In these days of the internet it is quite amazing how a little research into a portrait can uncover such a wealth of information. Of course you may use the scan of the miniature in your forthcoming book. I feel that you already have the right! Attached is a photo of the original oil painting that I took today which you could also use as they make a nice pair.

- and if that was not enough, a few days later I heard from another member of the same part of the family………..

Jo-Anne Saville, 8th December 2008
Hello Laraine, My name is Jo-Anne Saville (nee Criddle). Nan Kenyon is my Aunt and her husband Gordie has been forwarding the emails that you send to Nan to me. I would like to find out more about joining the Alabaster Society. I am amazed at how much information is available!

9th December 2008
Mary Anne Alabaster was my Great, Great Grandmother. Her son, Percy, was my Great Grand Father, his son Stuart Criddle was my Grandfather and his son Percy Criddle is my Father. Dad is 85 now and in fantastic health. He and I have been to see Aunt Nan several times this year, but unfortunately her health is declining. I am very fortunate that she told me about Henry Alabaster and his grand daughter, Ginny Bird. I got to meet her when we went to Thailand five years ago. My husband and I went to the Golden Palace where Henry was advisor to the King of Siam and we also went to the graveyard to see his shrine. It was a fantastic trip!!
Ginny is descended from Henry Alabaster who was adviser to the King of Siam in the latter part of the 19th century. Henry had a family in Siam, now Thailand, who took the name Savetsila, a literal translation of Alabaster meaning White Stone.
Aunt Nan was very knowledgeable on the family history and wanted to be sure to pass along any information that she could. From her stories my interest has grown and I will become a member of the Alabaster Society.
Where do you fit in?
Well, this is how I replied. It confused Jo-Anne no end although it makes sense to me!
Mary Ann Rebecca Alabaster's grandparents, Robert Alabaster and Ann Mison were my 5 x gt grandparents whereas they were your 4 x gt grandparents! Their son, Robert Alabaster (my 4 x gt) was the eldest brother of Charles, father of Mary Ann.................and so we come down the generations - Mary Ann Rebecca was the first cousin to my 3 x gt, Charles Henry Alabaster, Percy Criddle was the second cousin to my 2 x gt, Thomas Alabaster, Stuart Criddle was the third cousin of my gt grandfather Thomas Alabaster........... your father, Percy, is the fourth cousin of my grandmother, Adeline Bertha Alabaster (1881-1960). You are the fifth cousin of my father Leslie Victor Oram (1919-2008) and fifth cousin, once removed to Laraine Hake nee Oram! It's interesting, of course, how the generations slip - I do realise that you are not of a comparable age with my father, but that your own father was actually born after mine!

Carol Osborne (IIA), 31st December 2008
Laurie is seeing in the New Year with Ginny and family tonight – wonderful!
Carol is a third cousin of mine with whom I made contact during the past year. We share gt gt grandparents in Thomas Alabaster and Sarah Letitia (nee Lawrence). When I visited Carol last summer, I discovered that not only did she have an interest in Thailand but that her son, Laurie, was living there. I told her about the Savetsila family and contact was made between Carol’s family and Ginny, hence the exciting news that Laurie would be with Ginny and family, including her Marisa and Francesco, Ginny’s children, to see in the New Year.

Carol Osborne, 5 January 2009
Thought you'd like to see big group photo of Ginny and family just arrived. Visit now over - a wonderful time was had by all as the photo shows.

Curatorial Assistant, Office of the Director, Collections and Research :
Art Gallery of Ontario. 317 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON Canada M5T 1G4 Canada, 9th Jan 2009
Dear All:
This is a long overdue e-mail to update you on the status of the Art Gallery of Ontario’s acquisition of Mary Alabaster’s The Artist’s Painting-Room. The work has been accessioned by the Art Gallery of Ontario, its particulars follow:

Mary Ann Rebecca Alabaster
The Artist's Painting-Room 1830
Oil on canvas 84.5 x 70.4 cm
Gift of Morton Rapp in memory of Hyman M. Smith, 2008
No. 2008/24

I am particularly pleased to let you know it underwent a significant conservation treatment, and is on view at the AGO in our Wood F.P. Gallery (Gallery 123 on the visitor guide). It has also been published in our modest highlights publication, The AGO Collection: highlights (Toronto: Art Gallery of Ontario, 2008).
If you have any questions about the work in the AGO’s collection, please feel free to contact me. I continue to research the work, and may be in contact with you at a later date. Many thanks for you help so far, and please accept my very best wishes for 2009, Greg Humeniuk.

Oriole Veldhuis to Greg Humeniuk
Thank you for the update on the picture. It is very good news.
We have just had a portrait which Mary Ann painted of her sister made known to us through the sister's descendant in England. It is quite fine I think. If you are interested you could ask further details from Laraine Hake. The owner has given me permission to use it in the book I am writing about the family in Canada.
- and so we go full circle it seems.

I received this notification from Marguerite Cory, Curator, Sipiweske Museum, Wawanesa, Mb.,Canada who kindly contacted us when Nan Criddle died in December:
For anyone who may be interested we have put the Criddle /Vane story on the Virtual Museum of Canada under the Community Memories section. Some of Mary Anne Alabaster`s paintings are included. It is well worth perusing.
To finish, I received the following poem at some point during the past six months. It is a calming point on which to end.
 

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A Visitor from Australia

One evening in spring 2008 our phone rang, a voice said, 'Hello, I am Rebecca, Michael's daughter.' Harry, Michael's father, emigrated to Australia in the early 20th century. Harry was Alfred's elder brother, Alfred being father of John Brian (Group IV). Contact had been kept over the years by letters between Barbara (Harry's wife) and Peggy (John Brian's mother).

Rebecca was now visiting England and Europe and wished to make contact with her family in England. Over the next few months she visited us several times and met up with many of her English cousins and asked many questions about her ancestors. Then in the autumn she moved on once more to Canada to continue her travels.

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"The Bells, the Bells"

Ed. is interested in seeing whether we can organise an Alabaster trip to Whitechapel, maybe in a few months' time? They have a very busy schedule of tours, but the visit is well worth doing.

Nothing specifically Alabaster in the Bells, but the Whitechapel location gives a lovely idea of history and is not far from Family stuff. There is a wonderfully imaginative audio guided tour available, with a bit of notice, from Whitechapel Library, which takes you on a creative trip of discovery round the sights, sounds and smells of the present-day area. (This tour is an art work, not a tourist experience. Also, it was great fun).

If there is interest for the bell foundry, note that tours, Saturdays only, are prompt starters needing check in at about 9.30am or at 1.30pm. I also have a friend who does "proper" London walking tours if you would like to make a list of places important for your own research. It all depends on what numbers are involved, so if you are interested please contact me: my details are on the Contact Us page.

WHITECHAPEL BELL FOUNDRY (edited extracts from their website information)

The Foundry buildings date from 1670, four years after the Great Fire of London, and presumably replaced earlier structures lost to that conflagration.

As to the business of making bells here - a link has been established tracing an unbroken line of founders in Aldgate and Whitechapel back to the year 1420 (in the reign of Henry V, and 72 years before Columbus sailed for America). Whitechapel Bell Foundry's business has always been, and still concentrates solely on, the manufacture of bells and their associated fittings. Whitechapel's famous bells include the original Liberty Bell (1752), the Great Bell of Montreal and, probably best known of all, Big Ben in the Clock Tower at the Palace of Westminster. Cast in 1858, this is the largest bell ever cast at Whitechapel, weighing 13 1/2 tons. To this day, a cross-section of the bell surrounds the entrance door to the Foundry.

The premises are now designated as Grade II listed buildings, and as such may not be altered in any way. Thus the frontage remains unchanged on a very busy East London road amongst many modern buildings. Over the years, the foundry has found itself in the midst of dramatic events. During the Blitz, in the Second World War, many surrounding buildings were hit and destroyed, including the Church of St. Mary, Whitechapel (the 'white chapel' which gave the area its name), just a few hundred feet from the Foundry. During the war years, the Foundry ceased making bells, switching to manufacturing castings for the Ministry of War. In the aftermath of the war, the Foundry was very busy replacing peals lost to bombing raids and fires, including the bells of St. Mary le Bow and St. Clement Danes of 'Oranges and Lemons' nursery rhyme fame, in London.

The traditions of craftsmanship and old skills working alongside modern technology today still produce bells which are renowned, at the "sign of the three bells" in London's East End.

FOUNDRY VISITS

Tours of the foundry are not available during working hours. Visits are therefore confined to selected Saturdays with tours commencing at 10.00am and 2.00pm prompt (no late admission). All tours have to be pre-booked. Regrettably, insurance restrictions mean we cannot show around young people under the age of 14. Parties up to a maximum of 25 persons may tour.

There is ground floor access for wheelchairs with assistance and using portable ramps. But there are two short flights of narrow stairs to ascend and descend during the tour and the management of the Foundry is unable to offer assistance in providing access to the floor these serve.

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