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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

When the obvious doesn't ring true


moggs

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Hello all,

I realise now I'm not the best of researchers as I have found a number of mistakes in my quest for the truth. However, what I want to say here is a lesson I have learned about this.

I had an image of my grandfather and linked it with the information I had gathered. When this image did not fit the information I looked elsewhere for conflicting information (which I never found) and still couldn't quite put two and two together.

Case in point, on his records it says he was a printer before the war. On the honour roll placed in his school it says he worked for Griffith's Bros.. I assumed this was a printing company of some sort. In all my research I did not find any reference to such a company. The only Griffith's Bros. listed was as Tea Merchants. I disregarded that without a thought.

It was only when, after more searching, I found a museum piece with a label that said "Griffth's Brothers Tea package - packaging and leaflet printed by Griffith's Brothers" that the penny dropped. He had been a printer for Griffith's Brothers Tea Merchants after all. Better still, I had an address for his workplace, a building that still exists, and a history to further explore.

Just showed to me that often the truth is staring out at you in the first place, you just need the 'eyes' to see it for what it is and not be blinded by a, perhaps, unrealistic image.

all the best to you all in your research

keep your mind open

Jonathan

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Yep, a good point...

Bernard

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And some times all it needs is a fresh pair of eyes to see what you have been missing - really frustrating at times :angry2:

Grant

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Jonathon

The mention of Griffiths Teas brings back some memories from the distant

past.

As a small boy I used to amuse myself looking out the window of the steam

train as it plied its way between Wollongong and Sydney looking for the

signs of Griffiths Teas alongside the rail line as they must have had a head

office in Sydney and every one of there signs had a milage on it :eg

21 Miles to Griffiths Teas.

Just thought that I would add that.

Peter

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Jonathon

The mention of Griffiths Teas brings back some memories from the distant

past.

As a small boy I used to amuse myself looking out the window of the steam

train as it plied its way between Wollongong and Sydney looking for the

signs of Griffiths Teas alongside the rail line as they must have had a head

office in Sydney and every one of there signs had a milage on it :eg

21 Miles to Griffiths Teas.

Just thought that I would add that.

Peter

Brilliant. One of the reasons for starting thread was to see if others may have similar memories. All I know is that Robur Tea bought Griffith's out in the late twenties.

Jonathan

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Jonathon

The mention of Griffiths Teas brings back some memories from the distant

past.

As a small boy I used to amuse myself looking out the window of the steam

train as it plied its way between Wollongong and Sydney looking for the

signs of Griffiths Teas alongside the rail line as they must have had a head

office in Sydney and every one of there signs had a milage on it :eg

21 Miles to Griffiths Teas.

Just thought that I would add that.

Peter

Brilliant. One of the reasons for starting thread was to see if others may have similar memories. All I know is that Robur Tea bought Griffith's out in the late twenties.

Jonathan

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Jonathon

The mention of Griffiths Teas brings back some memories from the distant

past.

As a small boy I used to amuse myself looking out the window of the steam

train as it plied its way between Wollongong and Sydney looking for the

signs of Griffiths Teas alongside the rail line as they must have had a head

office in Sydney and every one of there signs had a milage on it :eg

21 Miles to Griffiths Teas.

Just thought that I would add that.

Peter

Brilliant. One of the reasons for starting thread was to see if others may have similar memories. All I know is that Robur Tea bought Griffith's out in the sixties.

Jonathan

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Jonathon

The mention of Griffiths Teas brings back some memories from the distant

past.

As a small boy I used to amuse myself looking out the window of the steam

train as it plied its way between Wollongong and Sydney looking for the

signs of Griffiths Teas alongside the rail line as they must have had a head

office in Sydney and every one of there signs had a milage on it :eg

21 Miles to Griffiths Teas.

Just thought that I would add that.

Peter

Brilliant. One of the reasons for starting thread was to see if others may have similar memories. All I know is that Robur Tea bought Griffith's out in the sixties.

Jonathan

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Sorry people,

the forum seems to be playing up with my posts.

Jonathan

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Jonathan,

I don't suppose you remember that every railway station in the country had a sign saying (X) miles to Griffiths Tea. Strangely in our house we drank Bushells. :lol:

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Jonathan

I well remember the Griffiths Teas signs along the railways, and my disappointment when I finally saw the building in Sydney that housed the company.

Something that I've found when researching men from the Great War is that there's a natural temptation to assume that everything that was written at the time must be correct. In fact, people writing up records were just as prone to error as we are.

Cheers

Gareth

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Serendipity! Thanks to rga, it clicked with me that my wife and brother in law were/are Bushell's.

For a very long while, I've been meaning to look up why they had a painting they brought back from a trip to Oz, showing New Year 1969 with a derelict farmhouse with a battered "Bushell's" sign.

I just thought they bought it for the "random" Bushell's sign. It's not a brand we have in the UK, so I just thought it was a store sign.... Now I know different!!

Ties in neatly with the OP!!

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All I know is that Robur Tea bought Griffith's out in the sixties.

Jonathan

I wonder if they made their tea out of acorns! I though it was just ersatz coffee that was made that way.

"Robur" is the Latin word for oak.

Ron

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Sorry people,

the forum seems to be playing up with my posts.

Jonathan

Did anyone else look at those repeat posts to see if they had a countdown in mileage to Griffiths teas?

Just me then... :lol:

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