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Many of the details of our family's decendants are given to us by Val and Joan's Grandfather William Arthur Gay (1881-1952), who worked for the city of Exeter in the Guildhall from 1910 to 1944, an antiquarian and historian who valued his heritage. He wrote down the immediate family line as he knew it, in the year 1916.
The following text is from a journal he started but never finished, written inside a scrap book started by his wife's aunt, Alice Thurnell (1853 - 1922), which also contains a collection of poetry and hymns started when she was 34 years old, living at The Waits, St Ives, Huntingdon, in 1887. He describes his family tree as handed down by word of mouth.
The numbers refer to a sketch of the tree.
1916
P1
1. John Gay died no children
2&3 Joe & Chas. Australia
4. William Gay (Grandfather)
5 Robert Gay had sons Robert (died a bachelor)
married Betsy & William (sons Frank, Harold & George)
6. George Gay (Sailor, married but no children) held the Baltic medal & probably the Crimean medal also. (Bunclark sold his effects)
7. Tom Gay (Sailor in the Merchant Service, probably lost at sea).
Great Grandfather Gay had seven children – all boys.
P2
Frank Gay, who was at the Diocesan Training College at Exeter, & afterwards went to Ealing as a school teacher has a son – Donald.
The sons of William Gay were Charles & John. I, William Arthur Gay, am the son of Charles. John Charles Gay is the son of my uncle John Gay & another son Will is with the Canadian Forces at present (1916)
My father has the portraits of his mother Mary Gay & his father William Gay, also of his eldest sister (Maria). These were copied & painted at Malta on one of his sea voyages. The portraits each cost £ 1 & the frames 8/= apiece.
P3
Aunt Mary (father’s youngest sister) gave me quite recently the portrait of my Grandmother Gay’s sister (Mrs Carpenter of Kingsteignton) which bears a strong resemblance to Aunt Mary.
Aunt Charlotte (another of father’s sisters) who died a few years ago gave me the old picture painted on glass which hangs in the front room.
Aunt Maria (whom I have mentioned before) lives at Sandygate & married George Carnell.
I was born at Studland in the County of Dorset (at the Coastguard Station) in the year 1881 – June 8th. After living at Exmouth & Dawlish we came to Exon in the year ___
P4
…and in 1905 August 24th I married Louisa Maud Mary Briant, daughter of H. T. Briant late of Twickenham in the County of Middlesex. We were married on her 23rd birthday, I being then 24 years of age.
My wife’s family are of St Ives in the County of Huntingdon. They are descended from the Riders, the Metcalfes & the Thurnells. My wife’s mother was Mary Ann Metcalfe Thurnell, & we have paid a visit to St Ives (where stands in the market place the statue of Oliver Cromwell). Henry Metcalfe Thurnell, my wife’s grandfather held the island of Portobello in the River Ouse near St Ives & was a rod merchant.
It has pleased the Almighty to grant unto my wife & myself two
P5
…daughters Mary & Nora. Their full names are Mary Clarissa Briant Gay & Nora Lydia Hall Gay. They are named after their Grandmothers Briant & Hall. Hall was my mother’s maiden name. Mary was born at Alphington on the 28th Oct. 1906 & Nora on the 7th March 1910.
My Wife had two brothers, but both died young.
My wife & I were married at Alphington, Devon, & lived at No. 7 Devonia Terrace in that Parish, where Mary was born.
Nora was born in the house where we now live – 18 St Leonards Avenue, on the 7th March 1910.
My father Charles Gay is a pensioner from H. M. Royal Navy.
My wife’s father was a baker & confectioner & kept a shop at 1. Staten
P6
…Gardens, Twickenham. His name was Henry Thomas Briant..
etc....
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