My family tree is the result of several years work which I undertook after my retirement, and when I realised that I knew very little about either the Peirce or Moxham family history. My parents spoke very little about the past and just like many others, my desire to find out more came after the death of my parents.
I was born at Stowey Farm near Timberscombe in Somerset but have moved around quite a bit in my life, and have now lived in retirement in France for nearly 19 years. Prior to that I spent 20 years working in Belgium, where my 2 children still live and work. My mother Eileen was born in Rockley near Marlborough, Wiltshire. She was the youngest of 9 children. My father was also the youngest of 9 children,so there has been plenty of scope to find ancestors. I knew more about my mother's family than my father's as we seemed to maintain a slight contact with aunts and uncles. My mother went to school in Ogbourne St George and when she was in her early 20's moved to London together with her sister Kath. They both worked in service and my mother met my father in South Kensington, my father being a butler in a house in Queens Gate. My sister Shirley was born in St. Thomas's hospital London and they lived in a mews cottage near Queens Gate. When WW2 was imminent, the family who employed my father (Mr Beadle), moved to their country estate, Stowey Farm, nr Timberscombe. I was born there in Dec 1938.
My maternal grandfather, William Moxham was born in Monkton Farleigh, Wiltshire and was an agricultural labourer in his younger days. He was one of the "farmer's boys" who joined the army in order to improve his life. He was soon sent to Ireland where he met and married Julia Sexton from Cork. This was an unusual story occurring during the time of much unrest between Ireland and England. They had 9 children, three being born during his time in army barracks before he, Julia and children left for service in S.Africa (Boer War). His occupation was groom. William and Julia had two more children in S.Africa but the first died at the age of 2. On their return, they had 4 more children in Wiltshire/Berkshire before leaving the army. All the siblings of Julia emmigrated to New York in search of a better life.
My paternal grandfather, William Henry, was born in Islington, London, the son of a shoemaker. He married Laura Elizabeth Salt, who was the daughter of a silversmith. I did not know them as they both died at at relatively young age. He seemed to have had a comfortable life as a Stock Broker's Clerk and the first 8 children were all born in Hornsey, London. However things went badly wrong and the 9th child,my father Harold Peirce was born in West Ham,Stratford. Harold had a very poor childhood and after the death of mother Laura when he was just 11, he was looked after by his elder sister's. His father died in poverty when he was 22 years old.