A search in 1911 census please

Originally Posted by Merry

Of passing interest...

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 19 June 1936

Dorothy's father, Wm Hy Short of Woodey, was an alderman and chairman and MD of Serpell and Co biscuit manufacturers. He had started work with this company as an office boy. (this s from a report of his estate worth £83,000)

Reading Evening Post 29 October 1965

BSC was an OBE and a JP. He died whilst convalescing at Torquay.

The factory had a big fire in 1904, it was taken over by Huntley and Palmer at some point.

[Merry]

Yes, also BSC's father was a flour miller (plus his sons in 1911), so presumably selling to the biscuit people!

Originally Posted by Merry

Took me an age to find it! IMHO she doesn't look dissimilar to the photo with the dog!

I must say Dorothy is dressed very dowdy in that 1913 photo for a daughter of a fairly well off family. I thought she was a servant.

[Merry]

Not everyone is interested in fashion. She looks just like my great aunts, b around 1890-1900. Same hair, hobble skirt and homemade blouse! They were not wealthy, but well off enough to sent the eldest girl to the Royal College of Music.

[Phoenix]

Wow, the two of you have been busy! Amazing how it is all falling into place.

I did the same sort of thing years ago, but we had the actual album to work from. A Dutch bookseller had come across it in a flea market over there, and we managed to sort out the family for him, and the names of the various friends. Very rewarding.

[Piwacket]

To echo Phoenix - WOW! You’ve both been so busy and come up with some remarkable results! As said, it’s falling into place… and the connection to Benjamin Clark.
Yes Serpells was a biscuit factory (South Street, Reading.) Hearsay (way back) has it wasn’t well received - almost scorned, by H&P. The Palmers were a very important family, ultimately owned a lot of land in and around the town - even had a huge housing development built for its workers - several thousand by that time. Part of their land was gifted to Reading as a Public Park, where there’s a big statue of Richard Palmer. The Mr Huntley at some point split and founded another huge company, Huntley, Bourne & Stevens, which made biscuit tins (some very collectible now!) but also was sold circa 1970s.

… was amused to see Dorothy May Short - they’re my Christian names too

I’ll pass all your findings over to my Forum friend, who’ll no doubt be as amazed as me.
Thank you!

[Merry]

Reading Evening Post 23 February 1966

Benjamin Clark was the chairman of Reading Magistrates. He left £45,000 at his death in 1965. He left £200 to the council of Taunton School for annual prizes in Mathematics and Science. He was chairman and MD of Serpalls Ltd and chairman of the Reading and District Employment Committee and for 21 years chairman of Earley Parish Council.

[Merry]

Reading Evening Post 08 June 1966

When Dorothy died it was mentioned she was of South Lake House, but the clipping does also say by this date most of the land was covered by a housing estate.

[Merry]

Just to clarify - DMS was Dorothy Mary not Dorothy May. My typo. She was also born in 1894 not 1895. I think I was overexcited with my 2 fingered typing!! Apologies

[Piwacket]

Originally Posted by Merry

Just to clarify - DMS was Dorothy Mary not Dorothy May. My typo. She was also born in 1894 not 1895. I think I was overexcited with my 2 fingered typing!! Apologies

Aw well, never mind