Looking for family members. Hay, Cramp, Mills, Stonham

[Andrew Hay]

I am starting some reseach into my family history and would like to know if anybody knows anything.
Ok, Hay comes from my father, he's came from Scotland, so you can exclude that surname.
One of the members of my family was Alfred Mills Stonham, also better known in Hastings as Biddy the Tub Man. You can see his tub in the fishermen's museum. Most of my family in the 1880's - 1920's(approx) were fishermen.
My gran was called Annie Louisa Cramp (died1971) and grand father Mark Cramp (died 1950's)
thanks for any help.

[bernard Adams]

i remember biddy very well doing his tub act hastings sea front i pulled his tub and biddy round hastings in the carnival after he retired from his act many of his family live in hastings still some live in bembrooke road will try and forward some addreses for u

[mbiggar]

Hi Andrew, there is an Alfred Stonham listed in the 1881, 1891 and 1901 censuses for Hastings, along with his family. In 1881 he was just born (about 3 months old), with parents Edward and Jane and several siblings. Is this your ancestor? I can copy you the full info if it's the right fellow. I have other Hastings records I can check for you as well.

In return, I am interested in the Mills part of his name_ _ _ My ancestor from Hastings was Alfred Mills Godden, orphaned by age 9. Any idea where your Alfred Mills got his name from? There are a few individuals in the Hastings area with Mills as a middle name in the 1800s but no common ancestor that I can determine.

[Kenneth]

I was interested to see your enquiry, since I am one of Biddy's great-grandchildren. There is a fair bit available via the museums, as you will have found, with (if it's still there since I've not looked since I was a teenager in the 70s) a good watercolour in the public library). His daughter and two sons are long dead and sadly the number of grandchildren is dwindling. A surprising number of visitors to the town remember him and I have met folk in London who recall his tricks.
I have only hazy recollections of someone I apparently referred to as my "bestest grandad" as I was three when he died, but my grandmother - his daughter - told many tales, revealing a robust, vigorous man who inspired huge loyalty. He fished in Canada before the First War brought him home, and family memory has it that he was astounded - or fascinated - by the long saloon bars. His son-in-law, and grandsons all fished/traded in the Old Town at various times. Although still in the area, none of my branch of the family presently reside in the two parishes.
K

[fleming]

Hi Kenneth, I too come from the Stonham family tree. My ggrandmother was Mercy Page (nee Stonham) youngest daughter of William Stonham and Mary Mills.(maybe this is where Mills fits in ) I'm not quite sure but I believe that Biddy was the 5th child of William Stonham and Anne White. I guess this makes Biddy Mercy's nephew. I know very little about this part of my family and would love to hear from you.

[Charlemagne]

Biddy the Tubman married a daughter of John Wood, my Great-grandfather. This was from John Wood's first marriage. Can you tell me the Christian name of Biddy's wife. My late father remembered Biddy well, told me he used to walk 7 miles to Bexhill pushing a heavy fish cart, and 7 miles back. Was impressed with his strength.

[oldboysid]

My wife Sylvia is part of the Mills Stonham family, Sylvia's mother was a Mills and Biddy Stonham 'The Tub Man' was Sylvia's her great uncle.
Sylvia's grand father was Biddys brother and would go around with Biddy when he was in his tub in the sea and would collect money for charity.
I have three photos of him on the Flicker web site under my name on it as Hastingsman 1066.
I can remember see him out at sea and pushing his fish hand cart along the road on his way to Bexhill.
Sylvia never did see Biddy as she was to young.

[andrew_hay]

Sorry I haven't been here for quite a long time I didn't receive any message to say there were replies but I'm here now. Also it's not easy to do research as I'm not living in England now but in Italy.

I have been doing research on the Cramp side of the family mostly so far.

My Gran (Annie Louise Mills), was born in All Saint's Street (believed number 54) , HASTINGS on 25th November 1895 and sadly died 1st June 1972.

I don't know how long she lived there for but I have found out that she also lived in Post Office Passage and in Winding Street the periods are not yet known. The last part of her life she spent in my home in Victoria Avenue, Ore.

She married Mark Cramp at an unknown time after the death of his first wife Emma. He was a widower with 3 children (Emma, Fanny and Arthur H). My mum (Annie Gladys Cramp) was born on 27th March 1930.

Arthur H Cramp was killed during the first world war on 22nd September 1917 and was married to a Mrs Cramp nee (UNKNOWN) who lived at 30 Red Lake, Ore

I would be grateful if anybody with other info would contact me here or send me a PM if you want my email.

As I've already said I've recently started again this line again so will update as regular as possible.

The census is from 1901

Thanks in advance for any help and links you can provide.

Andrew Hay

[clstonham]

hello.. im from hastings and my grandad is related to biddy stonham_ _ _ so are we_ _ _. i am to young to ever meet him_ _ _ but i would love to know anyone who is related as i do not talk to that side of the family no more_ _ _. where i work there is a man who used to know biddy he said he was a lovely kind man and when he died he gave all his money to chairty he said it was sooo good when he was young to see biddy in the middle on the sea on his tub spining round_ _ _xx

[melissa_ballard]

hello i live in hastings and my nan joan is biddy`s grandaughter she was stonham before she married my grandad sid ballard she has 5 children as well as grandchildren and great grandchildren and she still lives in bembrooke rd hope this helps let me no if theres anything else i can find out for you as im doing a family tree too good luck with it x