Family History Researcher - Can you help?

[rcm]

Hello BHF members

I am researching my family history and have subscribed to this forum in the hope of finding connections / information on Mortlock, Willis, Reeves, Dowding and others.

My Grandfather was Charlie Mortlock. My Grandmother Ethyl Willis. They lived in 23 and 25 Churchfield Road and were married in 1912

Grandma was a domestic servant and once worked at the Manor House, I think.

Grandpa worked for the gas company.

Their family home was 222 Blandford Road where my father Charles and his siblings John, Lilian and James were born.

The family moved to Portsmouth in the late 1920's early 1930's.

My Great Great Grandfather was William Mortlock who I believe lived at 46 White Horse Lane.

My Great Grandfather was William Mortlock, a coalman, who lived at 23 Churchfield Road

My father kept in contact with his cousin Ethyl Florence Reeves a spinster who I think was a professional Nanny

There are also family associations with "Lucy's" (prop: Lucy Mortlock) tea rooms, which was once in Beckenham.

I would appreciate contact with anyone who may be able to help my research...

Thank you ...

RCM

[The Historian]

These are the only names I could find out of your list that are buried in the Parish Church.

24 Feb 1748 REEVES Mary
26 Jan 1819 REEVES William Beckenham 87
28 Jan 1838 REEVES Ann Beckenham 55
26 Apr 1845 REEVES William Locksbottom, Farnborough 68
8 Jan 1850 REEVES Lydia Beckenham 7
19 Feb 1881 REEVES John Elmers End, Beckenham 60
1 Sep 1884 REEVES Gordon Edmund Beckenham 11 mo

13 Jul 1727 WILLIS Samuel
19 Feb 1729 WILLIS Frances(Francis?) inf
5 Jul 1731 WILLIS Wm inf
18 Sep 1732 WILLIS Charles inf
31 Jan 1752 WILLIS John
7 Apr 1758 WILLIS Susanh
29 Nov 1765 WILLIS Temperance
18 Sep 1780 WILLIS Charles inf
19 Apr 1783 WILLIS Lucy
28 Sep 1841 WILLIS Anne Beckenham 6m
18 Apr 1869 WILLIS John Beckenham 33
3 Mar 1878 WILLIS Charles John Beckenham 13
3 Nov 1867 WILLIS Mary Jane Beckenham 4m
8 Mar 1874 WILLIS Edith Mary Beckenham 10m
12 Feb 1885 WILLIS Amy Beckenham 2
15 May 1891 WILLIS Arthur Beckenham 5 mo
21 Mar 1898 WILLIS William Beckenham 58
2-Jul-34 WILLIS Caroline 2, Gowland Place, Beckenham 84

[rcm]

Hi
Thank you for this information and your time.
I made a slight error in that "Lucy's tea room" was I know think "Miss Lucy" a coffee house in Forest End. It was one of three in the general vicinity owned by Mortlock. One may have been a confectioners?

I recall childhood family trips in the 1960's to Beckenham. We visited my father's cousin Ethyl Reeves and her sister Florence Short.
As far as I remember we used the tube from Waterloo to Crystal Palace, a picnic beside a lake and a long walk: presumably down Churchfield Road! I think the house was where an apartment block now stands. Ethyl visited Portsmouth as an elderly lady in the 1980's

I have looked on Google at recent street photographs. I note that 23 / 25 Churchfield Road appear to have double front doors. Do you know if these houses were built as maisonette or since converted. A 1911 census entry has Albert Reeves and family (11) living in 6 rooms at 25 Churchfield Road.

My Mortlock / Willis forebears originate from Hempstead, Essex and Old Basing, Hampshire, respectively. They married into Reeves, Dowding, Short, Turk and Sadler families in and around Beckenham, but having left the area my Grandparents did not keep in contact. It was only Ethyl Reeves and her sister Florence Short with whom my father and uncle James kept contact.

It will be interesting to see if any of those Willis' in the parish records are related to any from Old Basing.

I have been told that some family graves were destroyed during WWII when bombs fell on the local cemetery.

Once again, many thanks for your contirbution..

Kind Regards RCM