Family History, Welch Chart 0300 Henry Hughan Welch and Effie Elizabeth Holden

1891 30 Kingsgate Road, Kilburn, Hampstead, London 1898 3 Elphinstone Street, Highbury, Islington, London (baptism of Henry Hughan) 1901 3 Elphinstone Street, Highbury, Islington, London 1911 3 Elphinstone Street, Highbury N 1911 3 Elphinstone Street, Highbury Park, Islington, London (at marriage) 1939 Oakvilla Oak Road , Lymington M.B., Hampshire. Living, together with his wife Effie E, with Donald N W INGRAM (born 27 September 1913) Plumber H & C Water Fitter, Ruby C INGRAM (born 5 January 1915) Unpaid Domestic Duties, 1 Record Officially Closed entry and then Henry and Effie 1915 29 Rathecelle Gardens, Hornsey, London (at marriage) Father Alfred Frances Desborough HOLDEN, Manager Metal Works 1939 Oakvilla Oak Road , Lymington M.B., Hampshire. Living, together with husband Henry, with Donald N W INGRAM (born 27 September 1913) Plumber H & C Water Fitter, Ruby C INGRAM (born 5 January 1915) Unpaid Domestic Duties, 1 Record Officially Closed entry and then Henry and Effie 1974 4 Queen Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire (address given at probate) 1939 Bank of England Camp Hut No. 14, Kingsclere and Whitchurch, Hampshire (Too many Bank of England Employees to list) 1941 53 Rothesby Avenue, Crouch End, Hertfordshire (address given at marriage) A Potted History of Francis Hughan WELCH found on Ancestry.com Hugh was born in Crouch End, North London on the 21st of October 1916. His father was a Schoolteacher and Church Organist and as a young man Dad had ambitions to enter the church. However my grandmother had other ideas and was determined that he should make a career in the Banking world. He eventually acceded to her wishes and in 1934 at the age of 18 began his professional life as a clerk at the Bank of England. In the Bank canteen he joined a group at lunch where he met Joan during the first week of the 2nd World War, they married on 13th December 1940 and were together for the next 67 years. Because of his religious convictions he had registered as a conscientious objector but when he realised that Adolph Hitler could not be ignored he registered for active service and joined the Royal Air Force. He was called up and served one year as a radar observer in Iceland before returning to the U.K. where he received his commission as an officer, then posted to India for a further year. After the war Hugh returned home and rejoined Joan, and by now there was also daughter Julia. He went back to the Bank and was given a new position and from there his career progressed until he eventually became one of the advisors to the Governor of the Bank. During this time he decided to realise his ambition and took an External Degree in Theology at the University of London. With the pressures of part time study, and raising a family a lot of his studying took place while commuting on the train between St Albans and his office in London. His commitments now included the running of a Sunday school in Brookmans Park as well as acting as a lay preacher helping in the local churches. Hugh’s resolve was quite remarkable at times and this shone through in the dedication he showed in his pursuit of a life in the church. For despite his many commitments he was eventually ordained into the ministry at St Albans Cathedral some 40 years ago. In his early 50’s Hugh decided to realise his life’s ambition and took early retirement from the Bank and became Priest in Charge here at St Stephens. The church had been going through a difficult period with many problems and he quickly endeared himself to you all with his easy friendship, his deep, quiet religious faith always dispensed with a light touch never imposed and yet available to everyone. Along with this there was his sense of humour and an amazing ability to forget or mislay things including the church keys! Hugh was happiest when surrounded by his family. He is father to Julia, Lorna, and Stephen. In time they all married, and Hugh was very happy to be able to officiate at both Lorna’s and Stephen’s weddings and also conducted the blessing for Julia's second marriage to Brian. Between them they produced eight grandchildren who include Julia's daughters Linda and Sarah; Lorna and Mac have Andrew, James and Helen, with Chris, Emily and Charles born to Stephen and Louise. Sarah and Jon have also given Hugh and Joan two great-grandsons James and Mathew. While Joan was earning her M.B.E. for her work in St. Albans with Meals on Wheels Hugh was also busy with Age Concern and said too Joan, ‘you feed them and I bury them'. On one of his frequent visits to Cape Town South Africa to see Lorna and family, Hugh, not content to simply take a holiday, looked after a parish in Constantia for three months and, as ever, endeared himself to that congregation. Hugh and family had enjoyed several holidays at Penbryn in Wales, and on retirement from their various activities Joan and Hugh changed direction and moved there just down the valley from Stephen and family. Hugh remained committed to the church, joining the Anglican Church in Wales with the intention of assisting the local clergy. In this respect he even managed to learn enough Welsh to deliver part of the service in the local language – no mean feat for a man in his early 70's. Hugh’s character always remained the same and along with his serious side he had a great sense of humour that he combined with an ability to laugh at himself. Hugh was very open minded (he even took himself off to London to see ‘Last Tango in Paris’ to be able to form his own opinion) and he was much in favour of the ordination of women. He would have been delighted with the decision for female Bishops to be appointed, but disappointed with the reaction in some quarters. Hugh always made light of bad times and would utter “Shh, not a word to Bessie” whilst mopping up yet another cup of tea before Joan found out! Along with their family over the years Joan and Hugh enjoyed having various cats and dogs If any one of us, had a difficult time approaching he used a phrase “never mind it will all come out right in the end”. Hugh died gently in his sleep and for him it did indeed ‘all come out right in the end’. Information of Joan Eileen OAKMAN 1939 Mansion, Hurstbourne Park, Hampshire (Too many Bank of England employees to list) 1941 Church Cottages, Hatfield, Hertfordshire (address given at marriage) Father Arthur OAKMAN - Bank Official 1948 3 Fairfield Gardens, Stroud Green, Hornsey, London (London Electoral Roll) At this address Kenneth W SEAMAN and Effie M P SEAMAN Information for Kenneth William SEAMAN 1948 3 Fairfield Gardens, Stroud Green, Hornsey, London (London Electoral Roll) At this address Kenneth W SEAMAN and Effie M P SEAMAN 1981 1Vigors Croft, Hatfield, Hertfordshire (address given at probate)

The idea of these charts is to give the information that we have found in the research we have done and put together and with the help of many other people who have contacted us over the past thirty odd years we have been researching our family. The idea is that you click on the Chart box in blue to be taken to the next family. There is now a large number of charts to be found and connections can be made to all the main families I am researching. If a chart has a box with the standard background it means that as yet I have not put the Chart on the Web.
To conform to the Data Protection Act all the Charts have been altered to exclude all details for living people other than the name.

If you have comments, alterations, corrections, amendments etc. please follow the details to be found on the Home Page to contact me.

This is a Chart for Henry Hughan Welch and Effie Elizabeth Holden