Davies & Luck

As I have mentioned on the Bright/Bullimore/Mitchell/Alabaster Page - my mothers ancestors were mainly London based and I have discussed on the page the reasons for these branches being such a major undertaking! but i have had some results!

My Grandfather was Edward Davies (b:1923 in Stratford) who was a Postman, who had his minute of fame when he won a competition to name a cat and was presented his prize by Honor Blackman and had his picture in several papers.We had always assumed his family had always been Londoners as they were very proud of their cockney connections, but it appears the family originated in Liverpool, and when you look at how many Davies families there were living in Liverpool (or even London), you will be able to see why I have temporarily stopped searching on this line!! Edward was the son of Edward James Davies (b:1900 in Clerkenwell) - his parents (my 2nd Great Grandparents) were Robert davies (b:1872 in Finsbury) and Alice Ellerbeck (b:1872 Clerkenwell). Roberts parents and my 3rd Great Grandparents were Robert Davies and Mary Kirkdale who bought the family to London from Liverpool. Robert appears to have had a variety of jobs and probably changed his occupation to whatever jobs were available at the time.

Edward James Davies was married to Lillian Elizabeth Luck (b:1903 in West Ham)- who to me was my Nanny Davies. Lillians parents and my 2nd great Grandparents were Levi Luck (b: 1882 in Stratford) and Elizabeth Sippitt (b:1883 in Forestgate) who married in 1902 in stratford. With these two surnames and the name of levi which occurs frequently in the Luck branch, i suspect i may have some jewish Ancestry here.

I have a vast amount of information on the lucks branch which goes back to Thomas Luck (b:1642 in Heathfield Sussex) and Mary Thompkins (b:1655 in Heathfield) - these are my 9th Great Grandparents! I have been helped on this branch by many contacts from the Genes connected site - so Thanks to all my "cousins" on this. The family appear to have come to london around the 1870s with Edwin Luck (b:1856 Burwash) and his wife Maria Walford (b:1850 in colchester). I think work on the railways bought him to london as he had various jobs connected to the railways with Maria being a caretaker at a Railway Mission. A relative on the Lucks (a Lillian Margaret Luck) married a Jessie Clayson, this family has a superb website.

Mentioned above is Alice Ellerbeck, with this very unusual name it has been quite easy to trace many Ellerbeck relatives, and once again thanks to many "cousins" via the Genes Connected site for mutual research and sharing of information. The name Emmanuel also has quite a few occurences in this branch - a bit of a mouthful of a name Emmnaule Ellerbeck - but at least no one will forget it! This line goes back to John Ellerbeck (b:1635 in little Ouseburn) who was married to a Mary Thomas.

Also above i have mentioned Maria Walford, this is another branch i have had good results with, once again Thanks to contacts via genes connected. Peculiarily, this branch also has some unusual names such as Walter, Zachariah and Elias. This branch goes back to Elias Walford who married Elizabeth Porter in 1737 in Halstead.

Other surnames on these branches include Carlicks, Budd and Millisent.