Alexandra Grace BEST
Abt 1905 - 1978 (~ 73 years)-
Name Alexandra Grace BEST [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] Born Abt 1905 Southville, Bedminster, Bristol, England 
[1] Gender Female Address 1911 163 Coronation Road, Bedminster, Bristol, England [1] Address 1916 Kennel Farm, Long Ashton, Bristol, Avon, England [5] - Kennel Farm is listed as Gracie's home noted by hand in the front of her twin books of "Book of Common Prayer" and "Hymns Ancient and Modern"(noted at the front that these were given to "Aunty Gracie" by May and Dorise). Also noted is the name of the nearby church "All Saints, Long Ashton". A 19th century map (see attached) shows the location of Kennel Farm. It is just south of the site of St Johns Church which was apparently the church that served the village of Bower Ashton prior to its abandonment in the 13th Century (possibly due to Black Death)?
Kennel Farm, Bower Ashton (Modern) 
Kennel Farm, Bower Ashton 
Kennel Farm c1800 Education 1916 Ashton Gate Road, Bristol, England [5] Ashton Gate Girl's School Address 1957 33 Royal York Crescent, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England [3, 6] Address 1961 11 Cornwallis Avenue, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England [3, 6] Address Between 1964 and 1974 33 South Road, Portishead, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England [3, 4, 6] Died 20 Jul 1978 [2, 3, 6] - 03/15
Rosebud wrote to Ronald STANTON 5th July 1978, 2 weeks before Gracie's death "Gracie is so under the weather that she just hasnt the energy to do anything - can you imagine Gracie of all people being in that state!! For the last three weeks her doctor has been treating her for a persistant cough which has got progressively worse so that she is quite exhausted and falls asleep off and on all day. We decided that we must get to the root of the trouble so we went together to see him yesterday afternoon and the outcome is that he feels she has whooping cough. She has to have blood tests and x rays to confirm this diagnosis but we are hopeful that we shall know for certain next week."
Person ID I88 My Genealogy Last Modified 27 Aug 2018
Father Thomas Hardwick Davies BEST, b. 8 Feb 1862, Leeds, Yorkshire, England Relationship natural Mother Julia Elizabeth HAMMERSLEY, b. Abt Dec 1860, Stafford, Staffordshire, England , d. 1949 (Age ~ 88 years) Relationship natural Married 14 Dec 1881 Registry Office, Wakefield, Yorkshire, England [1, 7] Family ID F512 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 Walter William John HEATH, b. 2 Mar 1904, 3 Bromley Road, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England , d. 3 Aug 1974, Ham Green Hospital, Pill, Bristol, England (Age 70 years) Married 26 Mar 1932 Holy Trinity Church, Clifton, Bristol, England [2, 3] Last Modified 27 Aug 2018 Family ID F51 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 2 Harold Leonard ROSSITER, b. 10 Aug 1900, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England , d. 30 Dec 1987, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England (Age 87 years) Married 26 Jun 1975 Portishead, Somerset, England [2, 3] Last Modified 27 Aug 2018 Family ID F52 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Notes - 07/15
Alexandra (or “Gracie” as she was known) and her husband Walter HEATH were Uncle and Aunt to my Grandfather Ronald. They and my Grandfather were suprisingly close bearing in mind the generational difference. Ron had lived with Walter (and his mother Annie May) under his grandmothers roof whilst a young child as his father was a soldier and often away from home during WW1. I have my grandfather’s diaries, which record that Walter and Gracie used to be frequent visitors to Ronald (and wife Ruby) at their home (the Vicarage at Wellesbourne, Warwickshire) in the 1960’s. I don’t believe Walter and Gracie had children, which is how some of their artifacts (the photos; Gracie’s bible and numerous other interesting objects) have found their way down to me.
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Kennel Farm is listed as Gracie's home noted by hand in the front of her twin books of "Book of Common Prayer" and "Hymns Ancient and Modern"(noted at the front that these were given to "Aunty Gracie" by May and Dorise). Also noted is the name of the nearby church "All Saints, Long Ashton". A 19th century map (see attached) shows the location of Kennel Farm. It is just south of the site of St Johns Church which was apparently the church that served the village of Bower Ashton prior to its abandonment in the 13th Century (possibly due to Black Death)? Also attached the modern location in Google Earth - the farmhouse seems long since gone.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en-GB&geocode=&q=long+ashton&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=13.179201,39.418945&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Long+Ashton,+Bristol,+Avon,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.438213,-2.635421&spn=0.003391,0.009624&t=h&z=17
An additional map (attached) has come to light amongst the papers of Ronald STANTON. This cutting from the Bristol "Times & Echo" newspaper (11th December 1926) depicts Kennel Farm in the foreground of an artists impression of the Ashton Gate area around 1800. (The drawing was made in 1926).
A New Testament Bible was awarded to Gracie Best for "Scripture Knowledge; Ashton Gate Girl's School; December 1916". On the front of the bible is the text:
"PRIZE 1916 To the pupils in the Bristol Council Schools who excelled in Biblical knowledge given by the religious tract society and by the late Mary Proctor in memory of her husband"
This bible has within it the front page of another "Holy Bible" which has Gracie's name in handwriting in the front page, and also has written in it "I had this bible when I was 8 years old" and below this "Sunday evening, April 27th 1890 at 10.28"
- 07/15
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Sources - [S31] 1911 Census, BEST, Thomas Hardwick; bc1862; RG14PN14920 RG78PN903 RD319 SD3 ED36 SN16.
Name Relation Condition/Yrs married Sex Age Birth Year Occupation Where Born
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BEST, Thomas Hardwick Head Married M 49 1862 Restaurant Caterer Yorks Leeds
BEST, Julia Elizabeth Wife Married 29 years F 50 1861 Staffs Stafford
BEST, Clare Winifred Daughter Single F 20 1891 Fancy Goods Shop Assistant Bristol Totterdown
BEST, Gladys May Daughter Single F 19 1892 Milliner Bristol Bedminster
BEST, Eveline Gertrude Daughter Single F 18 1893 Shorthand And Type Writer Bristol St Simons
BEST, Dorothy Mildred Daughter Single F 16 1895 Glass And China Apprentice Bristol Fishpounds
BEST, Alexandra Grace Daughter Single F 6 1905 Bristol Southville
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RG number: RG14
Piece: 14920
Reference: RG14PN14920 RG78PN903 RD319 SD3 ED36 SN16
Registration District: Bristol
Sub District: Bedminster
Enumeration District: 36
Parish: Bristol
Address: 163 Coronation Road
County: Gloucestershire - [S34] Papers - STANTON, Ronald Geoffrey, Ronald Stanton, Significant dates.
- [S34] Papers - STANTON, Ronald Geoffrey, Ronald Stanton, General Information.
Includes:
ALLEN
HEATH
THORNE
FLETCHER
Early Trees
Old Address Book (undated) (unscanned) - [S35] Death Certificate, HEATH, Walter William John; b1904; 1974; Death Certificate.
- [S91] HEATH BEST Box, HEATH, Walter William John; BEST, Alexandra Grace; Box of items and papers;.
Items include:
Certificates - Birth and Death for HEATH, WWJ;
4x Photo Albums;
1x Large Photo;
Bible front cover: Inscribed on inside page "I had this bible when I was 8 years old". And "Sunday evening April 27th 1890 at 10.28"
Also inscribed on inside page (reverse) is "A Gracie Best, Kennel Farm, Long Ashton"
This was not originally Grace's bible since she was born c1905. The bible looks similar to one published c1870 by George Eyre and William Spottiswoode, London. Possibly a bible belonging to one of Grace's parents previously.
Tin box containing:
Box of wedding invitation cards as per photo scan.
Box containing a "medal" inscribed "WJH" on the front and "B&DRL; Runners up; C Div; 1933/34; Clifton" (Bristol & District Rifle League)
Box containing WW2 "Defence Medal" and "War Medal"
Set of spoons
3x "Bristol Rifle League" "For Skill"
1x HMS Rodney (blue laquer crest at top)
Pouch containing "Common Prayer" book inscribed in front cover "Gracie Best" "Alexandra Grace Best, Kennel Farm, Long Ashton, W Bristol"; "To Aunty Gracie from May and Dorise"
and
"Hymns A&M" book inscribed in front cover "Gracie Best, Kennel Farm, Long Ashton, W Bristol, England" and "All Saints Long Ashton, Alexandra Grace Best"; "To Aunty Gracie from May and Dorise"
New Testament Bible 1916
"Prize 1916. To the pupils in the Bristol Council Schools who excelled in Biblical knowledge given by the Religious Tract Society and by the late Mary Proctor in memory of her husband."
Inscribed on the inside cover "Awarded to Gracie Best for Scripture Knowledge; Ashton Gate Girl's School; December 1916" - [S34] Papers - STANTON, Ronald Geoffrey, Ronald Stanton, Letters - HEATH, Walter William; BEST, Alexandra Grace;.
Unscanned - [S12] Marriage Certificate, BEST, Thomas WH; HAMMERSLEY, Julia E; 1881; Marriage Certificate.
Marriage: 14 December 1881 Register Office, Wakefield, Yorkshire
Thomas Hardwick Davies Best, 21 Bachelor Auctioneer’s Assistant of Frizinghall, Shipley
Julia Elizabeth Hammersley, 21 Spinster of Kirkgate Railway Station, Wakefield
Groom’s Father: Thomas Serase Best, Auctioneer
Bride’s Father: Ralph Hammersley deceased, Shoe Manufacturer
Witnesses: J T Kershaw; Fredk Appleyard
Married by Licence before George Roberts, Registrar; Irving Whitworth, Deputy Superintendent Registrar
- [S31] 1911 Census, BEST, Thomas Hardwick; bc1862; RG14PN14920 RG78PN903 RD319 SD3 ED36 SN16.
