JANUARY 2015 BIOGRAPHICAL ADDITIONS TO RECORDS

In January our Research Team added biographical information to 47 records on the website and detail of one person cremated or buried elsewhere.

Lots of interesting stories were uncovered by our Research Team in January including:

* Report of the death of Capt John Sumner Eaton RN in September 1888. Originally from Cheshire he joined the Royal Nary at a young age. He served on the Miranda at the age of 13 and had received 2 medals by the age of 14. He was present at the siege of Sebastapol and saw service in China, Australia and the West Indies.

* Report of the death of Mr Oliver James in February 1945. He was responsible for the construction of practically all of the houses in Well Street and St John’s Wood Road besides buildings in Ventnor and Newport.

* Report of the death of Mr William Frederick Mitchell of Yelf’s Road, Ryde in October 1914. During his life Mr Mitchell was well known throughout the country for his great skill and style as a marine artist (see image).

* Report of the death of Mr Alfred Arthur Phillips of Benett Street, Ryde in September 1948. For 52 years he had served on the Island Railway. His unfailing courtesy as a passenger guard on the Ryde-Ventnor line won him great popularity.

Image source: “HMS Monarch (1868) by William Frederick Mitchell”l originally published in the Royal Navy in a series of illustrations. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

For the full list of records updated in January please click on the link below.

If you are able to help with this fascinating aspect of our work and could spend even a short time at the Record Office, please contact Ann Barrett, the leader of our Research Team. You can contact Ann by clicking on the Contact button at the top of the page.