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The Ker family of Brentford

Margaret Ker wrote in October 2014: 'I'm hopeful someone else might remember my husband's family.'

A year later Peter Stuart sent details of his sister-in-law's research into the Ker (or Kerr) family, see below. Together they provide a rich picture of a local family, Margaret's memories coupled with family research into six generations of Kers.

In 2023 Peter Timms, first cousin of Margaret, sent a photo showing his mother Winifred Ker - below. In 2024 Peter sent The Early Life of Winifred Ker: his mother's reminiscences of her life in Brentford from around 1920 to 1941 - a recommended read.

Margaret Ker

Ian's Dad Bill Ker was the last of his generation, he died last year. One of the Lockyer family (Charles) was his best friend at school (Chiswick County in the 1930s). He married Bill's and Doll's cousin Doris Ker (Brentford, last quarter 1945).

At least until World War 2 a lot of the family lived in Brentford for almost all of their lives so I am really hopeful of finding out more in due course, including about the very first ones.

Doll Luffrum was my husband's aunt, very dear "Auntie Doll' to us and our 4 children.We have very happy memories of visiting her in Mafeking Avenue before we emigrated to Australia and on return visits home. She died in 2000. Her only son David now lives in Bognor and of course we keep in touch.

Doll was a Ker by birth and at one stage the family lived at 25 Mafeking Avenue.The family came to Brentford before 1840 and your website is just wonderful in providing me with background as I trace the family history.

Especially interested earlier today in the material on the Newens family as the first member of the family actually born in Brentford (James Roxburgh Ker(r) born 1836) was a journeyman baker who worked for the Newens family.

He managed to get himself listed twice in the 1881 census, presumably because as a baker he really did spend the night in two places! -the first part with his family at 18 London Road and the second with his employer at 327 High Street.

His father James Ker, born 1802, appears in an 1839 directory as a butcher and dairyman but although he continued to give his profession as butcher his occupation was more usually labourer, so I was very interested to learn of the severe 1841 flood as I reckon it could have wiped out a newly established 'business' (especially when the owner of same had 7 children to support!).

I was interested that in all of that they presumably managed to find some money to have older son James (b.1836) apprenticed, probably(?) to an earlier Newens. All his working life (and it's on his 1897 death certificate too) he proudly described himself as a journeyman baker.

Hoped I might find an even earlier Brentford connection (James Ker victualler died 1797) but according to his will he only had daughters.

Please get in touch if you have a connection with the family, I will forward your email to Margaret.

Ker family research

Peter Stuart sent a document with the results of family research covering six generations of the family, starting with James and Belmira KER or KERR who baptised their son James at St Luke Chelsea on 25 December 1802. This document can be downloaded, see link below.

Peter added 'More than happy that the data is available to all on the condition that it is accepted as is. As with all amateur research errors can occur but I am very happy to have it challenged if somebody can improve the detail.' Please get in touch if you can suggest any updates.

The research contains details of many marriages and includes the following local surnames:
Ansell, Barrett, Baxter, Broome, Collier, Davis, Dodds, Field, Franklin, Gaunt, Ginger, Grimbly, Johnson, Lockyer, Luffrum, Miller, Parry, Pool or Poole, Rutter, Stafford, Stagg, Thrupp, Turrell, Underhill, Vincent, Wakeling, Weatherley, White.

Download Word document.

Photo of Win Ker and records of her from 1921 and 1939

Peter Timms sent this photo of Winifred Ker in 2023. Her parents and earlier generations feature in the document sent by Peter Stuart, see above. The following records show Win and her parents in 1921 and 1939. 1921 census for Ker family, 25 Mafeking Avenue, Brentford William Ker, age 30y 6m, Machinist, G W Railway Co., Brentford Dock Daisy Ker, 29y 11m Dorothy Ker, 6y 6m, Whole time at school May Ker, 5y 1m, Whole time at school Winnifred Ker, 3y 9m William Ker, 1y 7m All were born in Brentford except Daisy, wife of William, who was born in Clapham. 1939 Register for Ker family, 33 Brentwick Gardens, Brentford William E. Ker, born 1890, Hydraulic Crane Driver Daisy Ker, 1891, Unpaid Domestic Duties William Ker, 1919, Process Proofer & Engraver Winifred Ker, 1917, Cosmetic Store Keeper Winifred's surname has been crossed out and altered to Stafford, also crossed out and replaced by Timms: her two married names. There is a note by her entry 'M.B.B.A. 27.10.51'. BBA was the area code for Brentford & Chiswick, perhaps 'M' for Medical Card? Peter Timms: photo of my mother Winifred Ker in the back garden of the family flat in Mafeking Avenue. I would guess she must be about 15 years old, which would make the date 1932. The family got the offer of a house in Brentwick Gardens and moved there in 1936. It may well have saved their lives as their flat, and others in Mafeking Avenue, were bombed in 1940 and destroyed. My mum (Winifred) probably worked at Coty on the GWR in 1939. She loved working there. My Nan ( Daisy) was actually christened Margaret but she didn’t find out until she visited Somerset House in the 1960s. She hated the name Daisy so was very pleased to find that out. She always said that she came from Battersea; her birth - Margaret Poole - was registered at Wandsworth which covered Battersea and Clapham. Webmaster: Brentwick Gardens are on land north of the M4, west of Gunnersbury Park and south of South Ealing Cemetery. I reckon they were new when the Ker family moved in as there are no mentions of this address in the British Newspaper Archive before 1940.

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Published November 2014;last updated August 2023