Who Do You Think You Are - Gemma Collins 26th Sep

[kiterunner]

This is William jr's Catholic baptism record (22 Dec 1902), with mother's maiden name given as Moran instead of Moore:

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/reco...2FPH3%2F031170

[Phoenix]

I fell asleep.
When they talked about hairdressing did they mention that this was rough labouring work?

[kiterunner]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

I fell asleep.
When they talked about hairdressing did they mention that this was rough labouring work?

No, they made out that "Gerard" would have been the Nicky Clarke of his day, with high-class customers. Unlikely if his daughter lived in the worst street in London! Also he is a fish dealer on later records.

[Olde Crone]

I haven't watched this yet, but surely a hairdresser in Victorian times was someone who worked with horsehair? Men had barbers, women did their own hair or their maid did it until women had short hair.

OC

[kiterunner]

Looking at the 1871 London Post Office Directory, there is a big section titled Hairdressers & Perfumers, with a very few of them indicated as wig makers. Almost all men. They did say on the programme that hairdressing had recently taken off around then, separately from barbers.

[Olde Crone]

Ah, right, thankyou Kate.

OC

[Ann from Sussex]

One of OH's ancestors appears in numerous trade directories and other records for Nottingham. In the 1754 Poll Book he is described as a barber but by 1815 he and his brother are hairdressers. In an 1840 trade directory he is described as a hairdresser and perfumer, fishing tackle manufacturer and toy maker ....all at the same address: a man of many talents, obviously!

[Sue from Southend]

I have a long line of hairdressers starting from c1720 and ending in 1850s when the son of the last hairdresser became a sawyer in the same area as "Gerard"! They were labelled variously as hairdressers, perfumers and wig/peruke makers. I think someone here (OC?) suggested that hairdresser at that time meant wig maker and I assumed that when the fashion for wigs died out so did their trade?

I enjoyed Gemma's episode as her tree seemed so similar to mine. I have ancestors who lived in Dorset Street but in the 1840s. I have Chapmans in my tree from that area and I did research the background of the Ripper victim named Annie Chapman, just in case

I went to school just round the corner from Canonsleigh Road, Dagenham where Gemma's aunt lived (I also had relatives in Dagenham)

And I used to drive a mobile library onto Foulness Island!

It's a small world....

[Ann from Sussex]

I may have misheard the name but I thought Cousin Christine said the family lived on "Angela" Street at one time. My 3xgt grandparents lived, variously, on Richard Street, Jane Street and Anthony Street which still exist today (amazingly) and are between Commercial Road abd Cable Street in an area that might be Whitechapel or it might be Stepney; it's between the two. I did wonder if Angela Street (if that is what she said) was in the same area but I can't find anything to tell me where it was. On Booths Poverty Maps the streets where my 3xgt grandparents lived are marked in blue and black meaning the inhabitants were poor, very poor and criminal classes. As far as I know the latter didn't apply to my family! My 3xgt grandfather was a clerk, working for the East India Company and I always imagine him as a Bob Cratchett type figure, poorly paid but respectable!

[kiterunner]

I thought it was Angela Street too. That's what I put in my summary post. Googling for Angela Street Tower Hamlets, I found this: Angela Street, E2 Road in/near Bethnal Green, existing until but redeveloped after the Second World War.

Also: part of Crescent Place was renamed as Angela Street in 1938.