My Ancestors

It’s sad when photographs lose their connection to the living. This thought always occurs to me when I see portraits amongst bric a brac.It seems even worse to inherit such photographs. These two wonderful photographs lived in my grandad JARVIS’s Gladstone bag.

Grandad JARVIS know that they were family photographs, but as far as I remember couldn’t recall any clues as to who the men were. It’s very likely that one or more of these men are ancestors and that some are farm workers… I just have no way of knowing who is who. Perhaps one day some very clever software, analogous to DNA techniques, will allow me to scan the faces and determine probabilities of relationships? Until then they remain a mystery.

Grandad knew little about his JARVIS or maternal ancestors. Using census, birth, marriage and death records I know that grandad’s own great grandad (my 3 x great grandad) JARVIS was from at least 1841 until his death in 1875 the farmer of around 90 acres in Bethersden, Kent. The farm was Buss Farm, a farm that some of you might have seen on television many times. many years ago, because it was used between 1991 and 1993 as the farm in The Darling Buds of May TV series that featured David Jason and launched Catherine Zeta-Jones’ career.

John JARVIS (1798-1875)and his wife Harriet JARVIS (nee FORSTER) (1804-1872) are buried together in St Margaret’s churchyard, Bethersden. Their gravestone reads:

Sacred to the memory of John JARVIS of this parish who died May 5th 1875 aged 77 years. Also Harriet, wife of the above who died Nov 11th 1872 aged 68 years. Also Ann their daughter who died Sep 9th 1873 aged 39 years. They left surviving 5 sons and 5 daughters, Elizabeth, John, Richard, George, Harriet, Mary, William, Stephen, Elizabeth and Sarah. Also Harriet daughter of the above who died March 24th 1887 aged 55 years.

I wonder if that is John, standing on the left of the top photograph? Perhaps the others are his sons? Will it ever be possible to know?

Perhaps there are other copies of the photographs within the distant family that might provide the key. It’s probably my best hope.