The Swift family Nottingham

Trying to find out more about the Swift family, in particular from Sneinton/St Ann's, Nottingham. The earliest ancestor I have found was born in Shepshed, Leicestershire, and moved to Nottingham. Have some information that I'm willing to share.
Would love to hear from any current Swifts who have ancestors from the areas mentioned above to find out more about the family, especially if they remember a Harold Swift, as I'm trying to find out about his time before and after WW1. He also told his nursing home carers that he was related to boxer, Wally Swift and would teach his Grandchildren (not Wally's!) to spa, so would love to know whether there is some truth in this.
Leave a message or email
ukusaroots-swifts/at/yahoo/dot/co/dot/uk

Elliot family St Mary's parish Nottingham

I am searching for information about an ancestor of mine, John Elliot who married Elizabeth and had 2 children-Elizabeth in 1700 and Joshua in 1705 in St Mary's parish Nottingham. John's descendants worked as Framework knitters until about 1850.
I can't find anything else about John and Elizabeth, so if you are also a descendant or can help, please get in touch!

Elliott ancestors and a famous person!

I have a famous ancestor. Well he was interviewed and now appears on Google books. To me that's famous! He was a successfull Framework knitter and trained John Heathcote-"Who?!" I hear you cry, well he invented a bobbin lace machine. Very handy in 1809.
Anyway, it seems that Leonard's brother, Joshua (named after their Grandfather), was a trustee for Nottingham entrepaneur, George Africanus, who came from Sierra Lione as a slave and managed to buy his freedom and became very successfull in Nottingham.
On the BBC Nottingham website it says:
"Just after his marriage George and Esther founded the Africanus' Register of Servants, an employment agency which remained a family business for more than 70 years.

George Africanus was also involved in Watch and Ward, a sort of police force responsible for preventing civil disturbances.

In 1829 he became a "freeholder", owning his own family home as well as business premises and accommodation he rented out."

It is these business premises that Joshua was trustee of.

Perhaps to the readers of this, it is no big deal. But to me I am very proud of Leonard and Joshua for their achievements and in Joshua's case for being clearly a person of support and trust to George, I can only think that Leonard was a similar person and will be looking into this family in more detail!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2007/02/08/george_africanus_dedication_feature.shtml

Alex Johnson

Looking for Alex Johnson a US serviceman who most possibly stationed in Lancashire (BAD2?) England between 1942-1944. Visited Nottingham regularly. May have been stationed in Edinburgh or Leicestershire. He played the piano and went back to the States after his service.

Did you know Elsie Swift?

I am putting a few "can you help?" posts on here as I have some relatives who are not very computer literate (I'm struggling with being blog literate but hey) who would like to find out about certain people and have hit brick walls.

The first is Elsie Swift. She lived in St Ann's, Nottingham, England, and during WW2 she served in the A.T.S. between 1941 and 1944 as a cook all over the country including Preston, Lancashire.

My relative would like to get in contact with anyone who knew her either during the war or before/afterwards.

Welcome!

Hi,
Welcome to my blog! I've never done one of these before, but I'm hoping to do my blog all about tracing my family tree as well as some other thoughts on other interests of mine. We'll see!