Dear Howard, how lovely to hear from you and thank you for giving me Margaret’s e-mail address. I have just written to her enclosing quite a bit of information that I have. I have copied my letter to her and inserted it below. I have also sent you all the copies that I have sent to Margaret.

Thank you for letting me view your site, what a lovely home you have and a lovely family. John and I have 4 children, 3 grandchildren and 1 grt grandchild and live in Essex. I will write again later, I received your e-mail late last night so waited until this morning to reply. I have only just sent an e-mail to Margaret and now must go and have some breakfast. Again thank you for replying to my email so quickly. It is lovely to make contact, John was quite thrilled.

Best wishes Sue

Hi Margaret, how lovely to make contact with you. I have just by chance found Howard DeVoe’s site with the family history on it and I have been absolutely amazed with the work done by you and the lovely photos. My husband is John Sharman and he is the son of Rosa Sams who was born at 60, Furness Street, West Hartlepool 22 Feb 1918 she was the daughter of Alfred Sams born 1895 Lindsell, Essex and Charlotte Troup who was born 6 November 1896 White Hurworth, Wingate, Co, Durham. Evidently John’s Grandfather Alfred Sams went to Hartlepool to work in the steel works and met Charlotte and married. They eventually moved back down to Essex with Rosa. John was born in Essex along with his sister. Charlotte Troup’s birth cert shows no father. Charlotte appears on the 1901 census as the daughter of David Robertson Troup and Ann but in fact was their granddaughter. Ann Troup nee Simpson, nee Weighill married Isaac Simpson in, I think 1857. There is a ref for an Ann Weighells marrying in Stockton District Dec qrt 1857 10a 149. Isaac Simpson died in 1869 aged 31 ref Mar qrt District Easington 10a 246. Ann is on the 1861 census with Isaac along with a son Thomas Weighill aged 5, who I presume was born when Ann Weighill was about 17 and not married. The 1861 census all gives a son called Joseph Simpson born abt 1859 Durham. There is also a daughter called Mary Ann born in 1868 who I feel sure is Isaac and Ann daughter. She appears on the 1871 census as a visitor to William Weighill, Ann’s father and then on the 1881 is shown as his granddaughter.

Charlotte Troup divorced Alfred Sams and then went on to marry an Alfred Hand

I have inserted photos of Charlotte (she is the one on the left with the photo of her sister Eva Wren).

The information I have on the Wren side came from a member of that family. I can’t quite remember who at the moment but will search today on my records and let you know any information I have. Jane went on to have 11 children with Ernest Wren; I will send you all their dates later today.

Again it was lovely to make contact.

Best Wishes Sue Sharman