One faded photograph of a 1920s motorcycle outing transformed my understanding of a grandfather I had known only as a bitter old man
One Photograph, Four Generations
Category: Paternal Family Stories
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
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
Discovering the Missing Mayhew Child
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
“Present at the Death”
Charlotte Mayhew (c1816–1899): a silenced life recovered through the records
The Good Mother
Leah Ellen Mayo (1847–1927) a young widow, navigated poverty, prejudice, and impossible choices - then reinvented herself to keep her family together
What’s in a name
Julia Lane? (c.1840–1925): Illiterate but resilient, she rose from famine-era Ireland to hardship in London, through her inner strength and determination
Religious persecution in Suffolk: The 1810 Wickham Market riots
Wickham Market, a historic Suffolk village, faced intense religious conflict in 1810, leading to riots and eventual legal reforms protecting religious freedoms
The Levens family and Croydon’s bells
Levens family members were key figures in Croydon’s bell ringing tradition, elevating the art over several generations
Ted Mayhew (1919-1982)
Ted Mayhew (1919-1982): His wartime experiences reflect nearly five years as a POW, enduring brutal conditions, starvation, and the perilous Long March in 1945
