Patron saints are heavenly advocates for nations or places, occupations and professions or people. Perhaps the most well known is St Christopher, the patron saint of travellers.
I think that it is time for family historians to have a patron saint who they can call upon in times of stress and bewilderment. But who should it be? Who would favour our particular interest?
Sidney was a private in the 1st Royal Marine Light Infantry. The RMLI were the naval gunners and infantry soldiers of the Royal Naval Division. And the RND was regarded as an elite unite, tasked with ‘the hardest nuts to crack’ on the battlefield.
Sidney found himself in one of the worst battles of World War I.
Married at St Luke’s church in 1907, Sidney had two children with his wife Rose Beatrice, Sadly, less than two years later, Rose died of infection following childbirth and Sidney was left with a baby and an eighteen month old to care for.
When his parents moved to Minehead, George went with them. He became a policeman in Gloucestershire’s Constabulary but suffered ill health and died young, leaving a son less than 18 months old.
From sad beginnings, George Cowley Martin built a stable life for himself, his wife and twelve children in Gloucester.
The Martin family were a family of mariners. Peter Martin was also a customs officer, reliant on shipping coming into harbour.
But Minehead was a port of fluctuating fortunes and when the port was going downhill, Peter had a decision to make.
People start researching their family history for a number of reasons including wanting to discover where their family originated from or to find out about a particular member of their family.
Vince had always wanted to know about his grandfather, about whom his father could tell him almost nothing.
