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Chapter Eleven

'BELLA'   FRANCES ISABELLA LEA   1871
'NAT'   NATHANIEL GODWIN PIKE


Bella was the fourth child born in this family.   She spent most of her life in and around Malmesbury, eventually meeting her future husband Nat Pike, whom she married in 1897 at Westport St. Mary Church.   They Lived at 44 Bristol Street and had two daughters, Dorris and Murial.

Murial and her husband ran a public house for many years.   Dorris married Harry Box and had a son, David John (known as John), to whom I am very grateful for the photographs of Bella and Nat, his grandparents.

The beautiful old photograph below was taken at the wedding of Maurice Prince and Nat’s sister, Louisa Pike in January 1898.


Back Row:   Nat Pike (30), Alfred Pike (27), Maurice Prince (Groom), Edwin Godwin Pike (Nat's father, 61), Charles Edwin Pike (19)
Middle Row:   Emma Rose Harris (nee Pike, 20), Bella Pike (nee Lea, 26), Martha Emily Pike (25), Louisa Ann Prince (Bride, nee Pike, 22), Rosina Pink (nee Woods, 58), far right unknown
Seated:   Edwin James Pike (12), Herbert William Pike (16)


       
Nat and Bella in latter years                   Daughters Dorris and Murial    



Dorris’ son John Box and his wife Pam



“SECOND PRIZE” at the carnival!


Before proceeding with the next stage of our family tree it would seem an appropriate time to look at some of the photographs that were in Annie Lea’s possession.   Unfortunately we can only wonder who these photos were taken of as like many people today, no one has written on the reverse of them giving names and details, but I am sure that she would not have kept them unless they were of the family.   But whose?   Are they the Lea family, the Gladwin family or perhaps the Legg family of Stratton St. Margaret and South Marston?   The photographs were taken between 1860 - 1890.

The rich brown sepia colour we find so charming in Victorian photography was the result of having been printed in direct sunlight and fixed in hypo.   They were then toned in a solution of chloride of gold and not as so many people believe, and understandably so, that they were coloured with age.

The small 4” x 2.5” photographs are known as ‘Carte de Visite’ and were very popular from about 1860.   Millions were sold over the next twenty years before giving way to the larger photographs that would have been used to stand in a frame on the mantelpiece or a table.   The loss of trade by ‘Carte de Visite’ prompted the introduction of an embossed leather bound album to compensate for lost revenue.   Annie and Ernie owned one of these, out of which I have taken these family photos, eventually to be returned and hopefully kept for future generations of the family to enjoy.

As a footnote I thought it would be interesting to add the fact that a giant photograph 20” x 24” used for framing and hanging on a wall would have cost between £8 and £9 pounds when a labourers weekly wage would have been about 10s and 6p a week.


The young lady on this photograph has appeared on many other photos as well.   Inscription on the back reads: “To Anne, with love and best wishes, From May, Nov 19th 1908”


               
Sisters perhaps?


               
A proud moment for father and son?

These are ‘Carte De Visite’ photographs and would have been taken approximately from 1860.

               

What I find so intriguing about these old photographs is their lasting qualities and definition. It is amazing that they are so sharp considering the people had to hold a pose without moving in the slightest for some considerable time, otherwise causing the photograph to be out of focus.

       
Doesn’t this little girl look like she has a mind of her own?   Same girl, but older?


Many of the scenes in the photographs would have been set up in the photographers’ studio.



Ever since I have seen this photograph I have had the strange feeling it may be of Percy Lea, but of course there is no proof.

~~oo0oo~~

Additional material in the folder, not showing on this page:
Lots more photographs of unknown people
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This page was last updated on 10th April 2007.