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http://www.mygenesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1322652

Looking for information re. Meredith and Drew and wondering why the family were in a tiny sleepy Hampshire village...?


Meredith & Drew Limited
Biscuit manufacturer at Ovenden. Founded in 1830. The firm was originally based in the East End of London. When their Shadwell factory was bombed in 1940, they moved to the provinces, and the Halifax plant became operational in 1941. In 1966, the firm was taken over by United Biscuits. At one time, they were the largest producers of biscuits in England.
They also occupied Brookfoot Mill, Brighouse in the 1940s

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page

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Births Dec 1842 (>99%)
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Meredith Joseph Hardham Thakeham 7 423

Thank you all for the information. It looks as though my family tree DOES contain the right parents for Alice Meredith; as the siblings suggested are those I have listed; but if anyone can help me with info on how she ended up on Ascension and whether her then future husband Joseph was already there or not; I'd be really grateful.

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
Name: Joseph Clapson <<<Of Bank Chambers, Redhill Surrey

Petty Officer RN, killed in the north sea, in action
Probate Date: 13 Jul 1916
Death Date: 31 May 1916
Death Place: Surrey, England
Registry: London, England

£190.00 to widow Alice Mary



UK, Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919
Name: Joseph Clapson
Rank: Sh Corpl 1st (Pensr)
Birth Date: 2 Jan 1863
Birth Place: Bearsted, Kent, England
Branch of Service: Royal Navy
Cause of Death: Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action
Official Number Port Division: 350021 (Po)
Death Date: 31 May 1916
Ship or Unit: HMS Invincible
Location of Grave: Not recorded
Name and Address of Cemetery: Body Not Recovered For Burial
Relatives Notified and Address: Wife: Alice, Bank Chambers London Road, Redhill Surrey

1911 England Census
Name: Jessie Christina Clapson
Age in 1911: 14
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1897
Relation to Head: Daughter
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Queensferry, Scotland
Civil parish: Chichester
County/Island: Sussex
Country: England
Street Address: 20 Lyndhurst Rd Chichester Sussex
Occupation: school
Registration district: Chichester
Registration District Number: 86
Sub-registration district: Chichester
ED, institution, or vessel: 11
Household schedule number: 360
Piece: 5412
Household Members: Name Age
Joseph Clapson 49 <<Carter Wine & spirit Merchant
Alice May Clapson 50
Joseph Cyril Clapson 19
Alice Marie Clapson 16
Jessie Christina Clapson 14

Births Mar 1855 (>99%)
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Meredith Alice Mary Droxford 2c 105 Reg Area for Hambledon



1871 England Census 1871 England Census
Name: Alice M Meredith
Age: 16
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1855
Relation: Servant
Gender: Female
Where born: Hambledon, Hampshire, England
Civil parish: Portsea
Ecclesiastical parish: St Bartholomew
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England
Registration district: Portsea Island
Sub-registration district: Landport
ED, institution, or vessel: 48
Household schedule number: 115
Piece: 1147
Folio: 16
Page Number: 26
Household Members: Name Age
Lizzie Deans 28
Lizzie T Deans 2
Alice M Meredith 16 >>>servant

1901 England Census
Name: Alice M Clapson
Age: 44
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1857
Relation: Wife
Spouse's Name: Joseph Clapson
Gender: Female
Where born: Hambledon, Hampshire, England

Civil parish: Portsmouth
Ecclesiastical parish: St Bartholomew
Town: Portsmouth
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England

Registration district: Portsmouth
Sub-registration district: Kingston and East Southsea
ED, institution, or vessel: 20
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 102
Piece: 988
Folio: 29
Page Number: 16
Household Members: Name Age
Joseph Clapson 39
Alice M Clapson 44 <<<Ships corporal born Kent
Joseph C Clapson 9 <<Island of Ascension
Alice M Clapson 6 <<Fratton, Portsmouth
Jessie C Clapson 4 <<Queensferry, Scotland
William D Clapson 4 <<Queensferry, Scotland

1861 England Census

Name: Alice Meredith
Age: 6
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1855
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Thomas Meredith
Mother's Name: Louisa Meredith
Gender: Female
Where born: Hambledon, Hampshire, England

Civil parish: Hambledon
Ecclesiastical parish: Winchester
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England

Registration district: Droxford
Sub-registration district: Hambledon
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 147
Piece: 698
Folio: 16
Page Number: 25
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas Meredith 42 <<<Baker
Louisa Meredith 37
Hardham Meredith 18
Louisa Meredith 13
Phillip Meredith 11
Fanny Meredith 8
Alice Meredith 6
Eva Meredith 4
Rose Meredith 2


1881 England Census
Name: Charles Higgins
Age: 34
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1847
Relation: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: Hambleton, Hampshire, England

Civil parish: St George
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street Address: 38 Brook Street
Occupation: Opthalmic Surgeon

Registration district: Chelsea
Sub-registration district: Hanover Square
ED, institution, or vessel: 4
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 91
Folio: 58
Page Number: 21
Household Members: Name Age
Charles Higgins 34
Fred Durham 36
Tom Bird 37
Julia Doller 26
Alice Meredith 25 <<<<<<<Servant
George Goodfellow 22

I AM TRYING TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THE ABOVE. Alice Meredith would have been my maternal great grandmother. She was born in Hambledon Hampshire in 1855. Through GU I found a half uncle I didn't know existed. He managed to trace some of Alice's life to Ascension Island and this year returned there to see where Alice had married his grandfather [at St. Mary's Church in 1890]Joseph Clapson and returned some inherited photos of Alice's to the island. The mystery is how Alice ended up there. We understand that she was the daughter of a man that ran the Meredith and Drew biscuit factory and had two sisters. There appeared to be some trouble within the family when the father either drank away or gambled the family fortune. My new half uncle is convinced that Alice only had two sisters; but from my own research she seemed to come from a larger family that included a brother Hardam; unless I have the wrong information. We know that Alice married Joseph on Ascension Island in St. Marys church and later returned to the UK after Joseph went down on HMS Invincible in 1916. What we cannot confirm is how Alice ended up there and how she met Joseph [ b- 02/01/1863 in Maidstone Kent]. Was he already there or did she travel out there with him? My Uncle believes he might have been a footman; but we don't know whether in the services or as a footman IN service.
My Uncle seems to remember hearing something about Alice possibly working for a Lord and Lady De Walden who were the Governors of Ascension; but I can find no information about her parents and the Meredith and Drew biscuit factory or the De- Waldens.
This is a huge gap in the family history and I would love to be able to fill in the gaps and see whether I do have the right siblings and parents for Alice or if indeed I have got the wrong family attached to her. Is someone able to help me fill in the gaps please?Many thanks,