List of Blog Posts by Location
Tom Hancock was an English golf professional with a long and active career in the United States. Born in Richmond, Surrey in 1885, Tom began training in his hometown with J. H. Taylor at Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club. He then worked as an assistant to James Braid at Walton Heath, where he knew my great-grandfather Alf Ward.
James Ward was born in 1771 in the hamlet of Aston and Cote, Oxfordshire. He fathered at least 16 children between 1800-1838 with two wives: Maria Willoughby (1774-1817) and Teresa Howson (1797-1850).
Our 3rd great-grandfather Thomas Ward was born about 1813 near Witney, Oxfordshire, the son of James Ward, a labourer. Thomas moved to Mortlake, Surrey and married Mary Ann Maria Walters in 1838. They had 11 children. 2-3 years ago, I started looking for Thomas Ward’s family of origin in Oxfordshire. This is a summary of my research so far.
Young Jimmie seems to be about the most popular player on the Irvington course, for whenever he steps up to the tee with his small bag of clubs, the crowd gathers. The little chap will step up to the ball after his father, Alf Ward, who is the professional at the course, has teed it up for him, then get ready to swing. Then he will look around with a mischievous grin and say “Watch me.”
Francis Walters was from Epsom, Surrey. He stood at 5 feet 4 inches tall, with pale skin and grey eyes. At age 18 he enlisted in the 2nd Battalion of the 12th Foot, serving in England and Ireland from 1812-1819. He he returned to Epsom where his oldest child Mary Ann Maria Walters, my 3rd great grandmother, was born in 1820.
Thomas and Mary’s youngest son William Ward remained unmarried and joined the British Army in 1879. He frequently found himself in trouble by creating disturbances while drunk, drawing his bayonet on the escorts that removed him, threatening and offering violence to his superior officers, assaulting police constables and escaping confinement.
