Tag: Social History

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Genealogy

Lowcock Branch #3

Early married life for my 4 x great grandparents Ann Lowcock and James Richard Brereton saw the birth of three children: Thomas, Sarah and James. 

Thomas was born late 1818/early 1819. The records for him are scarce, and his baptism record has not survived.

Sarah was born on 29 March 1820 in Bristol and baptised on 29 April 1821 in the church of St Philip and St Jacob, Bristol. Her father James was working as a highly-skilled goldbeater at that time, producing gold leaf.

A goldbeater at work

Baby James was born late 1824. Again, there is no record of his baptism. One reason for the lack of Thomas and James’ baptism records could be that the family were moving around Somerset as James Brereton sought employment. 

No child was recorded born to James and Ann c1822. In common with most women of the period, Ann gave birth every two or three years, so the four year gap is unusual. My suspicion is that their baby born c1822 died in infancy, and the records have not survived.

Although James had a good trade, working in metal, his health failed – possibly due to metal poisoning. And his family found themselves in London, seeking financial support. Almost certainly, James had returned to his birth city to connect with his family. However, by this time his father Thomas had died and his mother Sarah did not have the means to offer financial support.

The record of James and Ann’s eviction

Seeking poor relief, James, Ann and their children were evicted from St Dunstan in the West, London. What would happen to them next?

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Categories
Genealogy

Lowcock Branch #2

I’m researching my 4 x great grandmother Ann Lowcock and her family.

On 17 May 1818 Ann married James Richard Brereton in her home town of Martock, Somerset. James was born on 19 November 1793 in Shoe Lane, Fleet Street, London, and baptised on 22 December 1793 in St Dunstan-in-the-West, London. How and why did he make his way to Martock?

James was the third of nine children born to Thomas Brereton and Sarah Wright. In 1807 he became an apprentice cutler, learning the skills required for metalworking. Apprentices usually served a seven-year term and, as with James, commenced their learning at the age of fourteen.

James’ father, Thomas, paid £30 – the equivalent of around £3,000 now – so that James could learn a trade. Thomas was a clerk in Fleet Street, and earning a decent living.

The apprentice became an extra worker in the master’s household. He or she was subject to the absolute authority of the master and by the terms of their ‘indenture’ could not gamble, go to the theatre or a public house, play cards or dice, marry or fornicate. Little wonder that some of the apprentices ran away from their masters.

In 1814 James qualified as a cutler. His skills allowed him to work with various metals, including gold. 

James travelled across southern England, plying his trade. In Martock, he met Ann Lowcock, and they married. Ann, from a secure family had, seemingly, secured her future. Now, she was expected to raise a family. More about that next time…

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Music

The Wrecking Crew

The Wrecking Crew, aka The Clique and The First Call Gang, were an ad hoc collection of high-quality session musicians who played on many of the hits of the 1960s. The musicians included Hal Blaine, Tommy Tedesco and Carol Kaye and they played on records released by artists such as The Beach Boys, The Monkees, the Mamas and the Papas, Frank Sinatra and Sonny & Cher.

Members of the Wrecking Crew

From a jazz background, playing music in the West and East Coast nightclubs, the Wrecking Crew took their musical skills into the recording studios where they would often record a full album in a day. These musicians were presented with one-chord and three-chord pop songs. Their job was to add the jazz chords and licks, and make the songs “swing”. This they did in style, transforming a basic song into an international hit.

The Wrecking Crew often went uncredited on the record sleeves and labels, but the next time you find your foot tapping to a musical rhythm, or you find yourself singing along to your favourite 1960s song, the chances are the rhythm and melody were provided by the Wrecking Crew.

My article for the Seaside News about Peggy Lee appears on page 43 of the magazine.

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Genealogy

Lowcock Branch

I’m researching the Lowcock branch of my family, starting with my 4 x great grandmother Ann Lowcock. Ann was born in March 1799 in Martock, Somerset to Thomas Lowcock and Ann Lawrence. However, she wasn’t baptised until 23 September 1804, also in Martock (pictured).

Why the delay? It is difficult to say. The family had strong church connections, so it is unlikely that the delay occurred on religious grounds. Maybe Ann’s mother was unwell for some time after the birth. Or maybe Ann was baptised at that time because she was unwell and not expected to survive. From this distance, we can only speculate.

Ann’s father, Thomas, was baptised on 2 November 1766 in Martock. He married Ann Lawrence on 1 March 1795, again in Martock. 

Thomas was a weaver and a property owner in Martock. Weaving was undergoing a revolution in the early 1800s, and no doubt Thomas was caught up in that revolution. However, there is no evidence in the records to suggest that he was involved in, or affected by, the Luddites.

The Lowcock family enjoyed a high standing in Martock society. Ann’s brother, James, was a glove maker and a clerk at the local church. Indeed, he appeared as a witness at many weddings.

The evidence suggests that Ann enjoyed a comfortable childhood in a prosperous market town. Like most women of that era, she was illiterate. Society expected her to find a husband and raise a family, which she did. More about that next time…

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    Categories
    Music

    Fever – Peggy Lee

    Fever is one of the most sensual songs ever committed to vinyl. Peggy Lee (pictured) recorded her version in May 1958 in Hollywood. She significantly altered the lyrics adding historical invocations, including the verses beginning “Romeo loved Juliet,” and “Captain Smith and Pocahontas”.

    With Jack Marshall, Peggy Lee arranged a slow, sultry version of Fever. Her vocal was accompanied by bass, limited drums, and finger snaps, Peggy Lee adding some of the finger snaps. The song was her 118th single in a career that featured over 1,000 masters and 270 compositions.

    Peggy Lee was born on 26 May 1920 in North Dakota. Her ancestors were Scandinavian – Swedish and Norwegian immigrants. Her mother died when Peggy was four, and this resulted in a difficult childhood.

    As a teenager, Peggy Lee appeared on local radio stations. Engagements in California and Chicago followed, and they brought her to the attention of band leader Benny Goodman. Goodman and Peggy recorded together, producing a string of hits, including How Deep is the Ocean and My Old Flame.

    In 1943, Peggy left Benny Goodman’s band. She enjoyed further success as a singer and composer, and also featured in movies including The Jazz Singer (1953) and Pete Kelly’s Blues (1955), earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

    In 1955, Peggy Lee wrote He’s a Tramp for the movie Lady and the Tramp. Indeed, she co-wrote all the original songs in that film. She also provided the voices for the dog Peg and the Siamese cats. 

    Despite poor health in later life, Peggy Lee continued to perform and record. However, Fever, the record she made with Jack Marshall and her ex-husband Dave Barbour, remained as her signature song.

    When you listen to Peggy Lee’s recordings and witness her performances, it’s easy to understand why she was regarded as “The Queen of American Pop Music.”

    The book that started my writing career. Sam’s Song has received over 3,000 reviews and ten years after publication is still riding high on Amazon’s private detective chart https://www.amazon.com/Sams-Song-Smith-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B00OHZ151W

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