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Funny where life takes you…

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Author: Natalie Mayhew

Originally a London girl, now living in Rochester, Kent. Fascinated by social history and passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion

Each Name a Story: The Lives Behind a Forgotten War Memorial – Part 2

World War II memorial plaque with text listing names and military branches, titled 1939 They Served 1945 We Will Remember Them

Fifteen young men, lost too soon, their names rediscovered on a forgotten Second World War memorial in Rochester - each one a life, a story, and a promise to remember.

Natalie Mayhew Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham Gas Company Roll of Honour (1939-1945) April 16, 2026April 16, 2026 3 Minutes

Understanding PTSD Through Ted Mayhew’s Story

A FamilyHistories podcast explores Ted Mayhew's experiences as a POW and the lasting effects of trauma, featuring insights from Prof. Walter Busuttil on veterans' mental health

Natalie Mayhew Edwin George Albert 'Ted' Mayhew (1919-1982) March 20, 2026March 20, 2026 1 Minute

A Life Shaped by War – and Peace

Henry Baynes (1785-1844): A Waterloo artillery officer who survived war, wounds, and service abroad - yet a small act of kindness in 1834 reveals the man behind the medals

Natalie Mayhew Henry Baynes (1795-1844) March 18, 2026March 20, 2026 5 Minutes

A Woman of Her Own Making

Catherine Dibben (1850-1934) rose from a poor Hayling Island childhood to running a successful boarding house and inspiring four generations of women

Natalie Mayhew Catherine Dibben (1850-1934) February 18, 2026April 16, 2026 2 Minutes

Twins and the Paths of Poverty and Prosperity

Henry Mayhew (1812-1881) and Priscilla Mayhew (1812–1886): born together, lives apart - twins in an age of change

Natalie Mayhew Henry Mayhew (1812-1881), Priscilla Mayhew (1812-1886) February 13, 2026April 16, 2026 7 Minutes

Discovering the Missing Mayhew Child

A young woman wearing a coat, scarf, and hat is shown in profile with a low light background of terraced streets at dusk

Lily Violet Dorothy Mayhew (1907–1942) vanished from the records as a baby, only to re-emerge as a young woman whose life was shaped by loss, work, and war

Natalie Mayhew Lily Violet Dorothy Mayhew (1907-1942) February 13, 2026April 16, 2026 14 Minutes

A Smörgåsbord of Food Memories

Childhood meals remembered through everyday food, family habits and changing tastes - a glimpse into domestic life in the past

Natalie Mayhew Recollections February 11, 2026February 11, 2026 5 Minutes

The Man Who Bent New York’s Broadway

Henry Brevoort (1747–1841) resisted change, influencing Manhattan's layout while practicing Native American folk medicine

Natalie Mayhew Henry Brevoort (1747-1841) February 8, 2026February 8, 2026 6 Minutes

“Present at the Death”

Charlotte Mayhew (c1816–1899): a silenced life recovered through the records

Natalie Mayhew Charlotte Mayhew (c1816-1899) January 16, 2026January 17, 2026 9 Minutes

Warrant Officer Edwin John “Jack” Aslett

Killed whilst flying - after VE Day, aged 23

Natalie Mayhew Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham Gas Company Roll of Honour (1939-1945) January 15, 2026April 16, 2026 2 Minutes

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Funny Where Life Took Them
Some of the surnames on this site — click one to find stories behind it

Bailey Baker Banfield Banfield aka Wackrill Barrett Baynes Booth Bovill Bowes-Lyon Brevoort Bristow Brock Chaldecott Collingwood Conway-Gordon Coolidge Cooper Cotton Courtauld Daley Dibben Dowman Down Earle Finch Fitzgerald Gordon Hall Harvey Hill Irving Kirby Krug Lane? Levens Mayhew Mayo Napier Obee Payne Poulton Rose Saumarez Sheldrake Todd Twohey Wackrill Whetten

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