Martin F.Slater ; No Roots Too Deep!

My family research, which began in 1990, now covers much of England (Cornwall, Devon, Hampshire, Sussex, Essex, Rutland,Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Durham, Kent, Northumberland etc), the Shetland Islands,& County Wexford, Republic of Ireland.
The most detailed research I have is on the Christian family of Rutland & Leicester, the Coe's & Parr's of Nottinghamshire,the Slater/Sclater/Slatter's of Shetland, & the Smith's & Cooper's of Kent (i.e.Bexley Heath)
A cousin of mine, Enid Hargreaves, has written a large book on this last families' history. I believe it is available for consultation at the Bexley local history library.

Apart from illigitemacy, the biggest mystery I have is that of my 2x gt grandfather James Slater (b.Walls, Shetland 1808) who vanished on the Baltic island of Osel (now Saaremaa, part of Estonia) in 1849 after the brig he was master of was driven aground there!

GEDCOM Trees (viewing trees requires 4.0 or later)

• The Smith family of Essex & Kent (11 KB)
  Contents: Paternal ancestry of my mother, Audrey Kathleen Smith (b.1928)
• The Nevill family of Greenwich, Kent (14 KB)
  Contents: The Nevill family- Greenwich fishermen
• The Brown family of Kent (7 KB)
  Contents: Brown genealogy (mainly Greenwich)
• The Cooper family of London & Kent (57 KB)
  Contents: The Cooper family (mainly Bexley Heath,Kent)
• The Cook(e) family of Leicestershire (46 KB)
  Contents: Originating in Northamptonshire, this line is a maternal branch of the Christian family relating to Catherine Cook(b.1792)3rd wife of Richard Christian (b.1779)
• The Littledyke family :Rutland & Northamptonshire (5 KB)
  Contents: Family of Juliana Littledyke, 1st wife of Richard Christian (b.1779)
• The Ayres Family of Devon & Sussex (71 KB)
  Military connections back to the Napolionic period explain the wanderings of this family.
• The Redmile family of Rutland (3 KB)
  Contents: Family of Elizabeth Redmile, 2nd wife of Richard Christian (b.1779)
• The Christian family of Rutland & Leicestershire (195 KB)
  With proven records back to 1600 & a church plaque (see below) that takes it back to c1470 this is a fascinating family. Contains much original research.
• The Parr family of Nottinghamshire (24 KB)
  Contents: The descendents of Gervas Parr (b.c.1630, Nottinghamshire)
• Slater/Slatter/Sclater of Shetland from 17th C. (1536 KB)
  Slater family of Shetland + related families.Prior to this name being adopted the family came from a Swedish Viking source.
• The Coe family of Nottinghamshire (34 KB)
  Contents: Descent of William Coe (b.c.1640, Southwell, Nottinghamshire)

Family Photos

• Family Plaque for Christian family from c.1470 (277 KB)
  Contents: This plaque was probably made c.1900-1910 and contains an error: James' (b.1751) marriage is shown incorrectly.
• Marriage certificate of James Christian (1751) (93 KB)
  Contents: Original marriage document for James Christian (b.1751) & Jane Lester from the Rutland parish of Clipsham.
• Thomas & Mary Christian c.1863 (71 KB)
  Thomas Christian & Mary nee.Kavanagh & family c.1863
• Richard (Dick) Christian (1779-1862) (791 KB)
  The famous Dick Christian; most of the gentry who hunted from Melton Mowbray knew & respected him. He was immortalised by the "Druid" (the writer Henry Hall Dixon)& the Dick Christian Novice Stakes is still contested at Leicester today!