I started this tree some 30 years ago but got no further than the memory  of my late parents. However it started again when my daughter gave me a  grandads book to fill in with stories and anecdotes. At the same time the 1901  census was published and FreeBMD opened up a whole new world of information  available on the internet. Purchasing birth marriage and death certificates  soon led to earlier family members being "found" and contact with others who  saw my first website on Genes Reunited soon sparked an ambition to follow back  my parents lines as far as I could. It now has many of the 1911 census data.

I am most grateful for the information supplied to me by a number of the Klees  and Spencers [my mothers family] especially for the information about the  Rhine Brass and String Band of Klee musicians who settled in Malvern. The  Klee's came from Germany in the 1860s to play in Spa towns as Geman bands were popular  at that time. Contact with a Klee who had been approached 
 by a German author on the musicians of Frickhofen resulted in the family tree  information from Germany extending back to 1700s. I decided to start a one name  research into the Klees and so there are quite a few of them in this tree or  really set of trees. Recently I have been in contact with some descendants on the German side  which has been interesting to see how they have fared and what life is like now for todays  generation.

I have also added my wives lines which in themselves are most interesting.  Elaines family came from Devon and moved first to Bristol and then to the  bright lights of the new dynamic town Cardiff. Here the Forses obtained the  post office contract and expanded that into mail delivery, weddings and  funerals with a fleet of landaus drawn by white or black horses. They were  based in a prime site opposite Cardiff castle which became a garage and a coach  fleet as motor charbancs came in. Other businesses included farms and milk  deliveries.

The Peace's came from Huddersfield and Norman Peace worked hard at the violin  to escape from the grimy life of his family. He practiced 8 hours a day and  moved to Bournmouth whre he was in the Bournmouth Symphony Orchestra and then  later as first violin at the London Symphony Orchestra.

Granny Spencer's line has also proved most interesting, a long line of butchers  and farmers in and around Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Hereforshire.

A breakthrough regarding my own line of Browns! I've found some long lost  cousins!!    
 My Great-Grandfather Ebenezer Brown who has been hard to find was mis-labled  in the 1901 census as a butcher. Examining the original document shows it was  really builder, and as a result there are 2 other brothers of my Grandfather  John Chalmers Brown who were also in the family business and another sister.   Ebenezer's Dad, John Thomas Brown, who we though built Thames sailing barges  was actually a builder whose line extends back to the Ipswich area around 1700.

I have also been contacted by the wife of my father's brother William telling me about  her family research. This is exciting because I have never had any contact with that  side of the family, probably due to the effect of the war in moving people around. I  am looking forward to meeting this branch of the family. This prompted me to  investigate differences between our trees and has enabled me to correct some errors.

I have recently made contact with Adolph Klee's grandaughter who has just started her own website. Grandfather lost contact with his brother so it was nice  to meet up and hear more family news from a different perspective.

I have now found the decendants of my Grandmother's sister who married Wilfred Victor Stokes and  lived at Tyle Mill, Sulhampstead,Berkshire. Auntie Nora who I had though was a Malpas was in fact  Nora Stokes. [I had not seen her since I was a small boy.] 
  
 Going back on the Chalmers line we see Andrew Chalmers marriage in Glasgow and  this information lead on to his father George Chalmers from Leslie in Scotland. Interstingly Leslie was my fathers first name.

We are trying to obtain photos of the people in this tree, so if you have a photo  of some of them or of thier family members, we would love to receive a copy please.  Also you may have stories or information about birthdates, marriage dates and places of death and  dates. Even other children in a family! All these help enormously!

Anyone who wants to check out some of the information is welcome to contact me.  There is also the guest book. Happy Hunting!!