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Funny where life takes you…

Stories from beyond the family trees

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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

Staying in and ‘Coming Out’

A pale lady is seated alone in a schoolroom holding a black-edged letter, obviously downcast and presumably musing sadly about home and family, as suggested by 'Home, sweet Home', the music on the music stand. Three pupils play happily in a sunlit background.

Lil Coolidge (1857-1906): Jan 1877 to Jun 1880, the rocky and twisting road to finding love

Natalie Mayhew Elizabeth Brevoort 'Lil' Coolidge (1857-1906) July 30, 2022November 5, 2024 8 Minutes

A doctor’s wife

photograph of the Old House, Dorking, now a Grade II listed building

Lil Coolidge (1857-1906): Jun 1880 to May 1896: happiness and tragedy in a small country town

Natalie Mayhew Elizabeth Brevoort 'Lil' Coolidge (1857-1906) July 30, 2022July 2, 2025 7 Minutes

Things are never so bad

Lil Coolidge (1857-1906): Jul 1896 to Oct 1906: doing the best she could

Natalie Mayhew Elizabeth Brevoort 'Lil' Coolidge (1857-1906) July 30, 2022November 5, 2024 8 Minutes

He Answered the Call

He Answered the Call: Alfred John Payne, an underage soldier of WW1

Natalie Mayhew Alfred John Payne (1899-1916) July 16, 2022April 24, 2024 8 Minutes

“Tail End Charlie”

Historic black and white photograph of the rear turret of a Lancaster bomber with the rear gunner in post

The remarkable life of a child born from a First World War love-affair

Natalie Mayhew Ralph Adey Collingwood (1918-1997) May 31, 2022April 24, 2024 9 Minutes

From the Goal Line to the Front Line

The story of Chelsea goalkeeper William Krug who joined the 17th Middlesex (1st Football) Battalion at the start of the Great War.

Natalie Mayhew William Alfred Krug (1893-1929) May 23, 2022December 6, 2024 8 Minutes

One purple moment  

Harry Mayhew (1886-1933): a teapot full of gold coins leads to mishap and courtroom chaos

Natalie Mayhew Harry Mayhew (1886-1933), Mayhew January 26, 2022November 6, 2024 9 Minutes

Tragedy at sea

Matthew Saumarez (1718-1778): a tragedy at sea and a case of mistaken identity.

Natalie Mayhew Matthew Saumarez (1718-1778) January 21, 2022April 24, 2024 3 Minutes

Peter Mayhew (1929-1980)

Group of people working in film editing cutting rooms

Peter Mayhew (1929-1980): A film editor and father, remembered for his extraordinary life and contributions

Natalie Mayhew Charles Peter 'Peter' Mayhew (1929-1980) December 31, 2021November 6, 2024 1 Minute

The Tooting years

Postcard image of a man with two young boys walking along a seaside promenade in 1936

Peter Mayhew (1929-1980): an unconventional family history begins in 20th century Tooting

Natalie Mayhew Charles Peter 'Peter' Mayhew (1929-1980) December 30, 2021November 6, 2024 6 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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