I.

A.

Fanny Webb’s (Percy Tall’s mother) Ancestry and Life                      1832-1874
This is the sketchiest period of the family history. Fanny had a hard life. Christened and brought up in Hitchin, Hertfordshire she lost her father and, almost certainly, her mother as a child. As a teenager she worked as a servant. She married William Tall when she was 19 and had five children, William dying just before the birth of their fifth child. William’s parents were unable to support the family with the result that Fanny and her children were sent to Ampthill workhouse. Fanny returned to Hitchin but had to enter Hitchin Workhouse in 1871 when she became pregnant with Percy. Hitchin, sent her to Ampthill workhouse on March 31st and Percy was born one day later. A month later Fanny returned to Hitchin where her elder children still lived. In 1873 Fanny married an older, retired man aged William Ansell, sadly she died less than a year later. Fanny’s father’s name was Joseph Webb, but his ancestry remains uncertain.  

B.

Why did Tall's enter the Workhouse three times?  On the first occasion Fanny had five children to support and her husband was dead. On the second occasion she was pregnant with her future son Percy. According to family memory, Fanny had been working as a servant in a big house.  She was made pregnant by her master’s son who was then sent abroad to Canada.  Percy entered because his mother and stepfather died.

C.

Why did Fanny’s Children Move to Wellingborough? Percy’s sister Mary moved to Wellingborough with her husband, a builder who had been born @ Earls Barton. In 1881 Percy’s brother Frederick is staying with his sister and Harriet is living nearby and although Percy is still @ Hitchin Workhouse, it is evident that his family kept in contact with him, because by 1891 Percy is working at Wellingborough.

II.

Percy and Annie Tall’s Family:                                                                    1892 - 1945
Photographs and a considerable amount of information is available about the lives of Percy, his wife and children. The family lived in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire and had a large family. Sadly, two sons died in the first world war and two daughters died in childhood. Percy became an engine driver and, in working class terms was‘well off’.

A

The First World War                                                                                      1892-1920 
      i     The background to the War
     ii.    Denis Tall and the war in Palestine
    iii.    William Tall, the Somme and Passchendael
    iv.    Bertram Tall and the end of the War.

B

The Twenties and Thirties                                                                             1920 & 1930

C

The Period of the Second World War

III.

Harry and Nancy Tall’s family:                                                                     1940 - 1990
Photographs and a considerable amount of information are again available about the lives of Harry, Nancy and their three children. The social changes that occurred after WWII were combined with scientific and technological changes revolutionised life

Notes on Percy and Annie’s Children’s Families
                  N.B. If you want your families information included - send it to me.