Miss Land’s Soldier

[Alisonmallen62]

This is most likely to be a question which cannot be answered!  However I will ask regardless.  If anyone on the forum hails from Belper in Derbyshire plus had piano lessons with Miss Land did they ever enquire who the photo of the first war soldier on her grand piano was?  Sorry to ask such a vague one but I am in touch with one of her relatives on ancestry who is intrigued to know who he was, as am I.  It is thought he was a sweetheart who didn’t return but research I did might suggest a cousin.  So any pianists who studied under the fearsome Miss Land please respond if you recall that photo so we may start a long and probably difficult search. Many thanks indeed 

Edited 16 January , 2019 by Alisonmallen62

[mancpal]

Do you have further details of the possible cousin?

 

Simon

[Alisonmallen62]

I will post it ASAP but am struggling to get into ancestry apologies will try again soon thank you

[Alisonmallen62]

Herbert John Goodall from Uttoxeter born around 1898.  This is a cousin of Alice C Land born Bonsall Derbyshire 1899.  She did have a brother George who if a soldier survived the war.  There is census information and the 1939 register.  They lived at 16 the orchard Belper and Miss Land began her career as a music shop assistant.  The photo I referred to was large and took pride of place standing on the piano.  I found that Herbert was killed in 1917 and I recall he was RAMC.   the owner of the family tree has added the details and obtained a photo.   I am struggling to post the photo right now.  I dnt think that was who she had displayed on the piano so need someone who knew her and with a great memory to help even though it is a long shot.  There may have been others in her family but I gave up research as the tree owner knew nothing about her. Only asking as her name came up recently and set the wondering off agin! 

 

Edited 16 January , 2019 by Alisonmallen62
Adding photo

[Alisonmallen62]

Yes that is him and I have posted the photo.  I can only hope someone knew her!  That chap was a postman in Wales before joining up.  That is why I think there was some else she lost.  I guess someone may be able to find other soldiers linked to the family.  Thank you for helping 

[TTracer44]

Hello Allison, a good place to start would be Miss land’s first name, so we can find her possible siblings, if you have access to the 1939 register that should give you her full name.

Den

[Dragoon]

Hi Alison,

Sorry, I'm a little confused, is this photo the one that was on the piano or not?

 

 

Chris

On 16/01/2019 at 22:26, Alisonmallen62 said:

 

 

 

Edited 19 January , 2019 by Dragoon

[Alisonmallen62]

Hello no I dnt think it is the one on the piano.  This is her cousin I believe.  I knew this would be a long shot but if anyone out there had piano lessons with her I guess there was a small chance of knowing about the photo or who the soldier was. Her full name was Alice Christine and she had a brother George who survived war.  It might have been a photo of him I guess but I dnt know if there is anything out there.  

[Alisonmallen62]

On 18/01/2019 at 10:59, TTracer44 said:

Hello Allison, a good place to start would be Miss land’s first name, so we can find her possible siblings, if you have access to the 1939 register that should give you her full name.

Den

Hello yes I have put some detail in post 4 above she (Alice Christine) was born in 1899 in Bonsall and moved to Belper to the Orchard. 

Edited 21 January , 2019 by Alisonmallen62

[Dragoon]

5 hours ago, Alisonmallen62 said:

Hello no I dnt think it is the one on the piano.  This is her cousin I believe.  I knew this would be a long shot but if anyone out there had piano lessons with her I guess there was a small chance of knowing about the photo or who the soldier was. Her full name was Alice Christine and she had a brother George who survived war.  It might have been a photo of him I guess but I dnt know if there is anything out there.  

Hello 

Thank you for your reply.

Can you remember if the photo on the piano was of a slightly older man, or was it a young man, the reason for me asking was that her father, also on the 1939 register was of military age?

Just a thought.

 

Chris

[Alisonmallen62]

Oh ok that actually didn’t occur to me. I have a good memory but obviously I was a child but even then I did think it was a young man.  I was interested in history then and kept the thought with me that it was a sweetheart but who knows.  She was aware I looked at the photo but was very private and said nothing.  Perhaps I should have asked but she was fearsome! She probably wasn’t but looked stern. I hated piano lessons and was happy sitting in the kitchen.  I do recall he wore a cap though that offers no help! She would have been in her teens and possibly working and met someone but it could have been her father.  There was no moustache and I tend to associate older men of that era with a moustache. She eventually worked in a music shop. Her kitchen was like stepping back in time but I truly regret not having the nerve to ask about him. She has a likeness to the cousin up above but somehow it doesn’t ring any bells as being him.  

I am going to try and contact a local church along the road from her home to see if she played there or after all this time someone knew of the family.