Favorite Recipe--Tea cakes, Pies and Bread, Oh My!

     Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to join.  I am hoping it may help me to pinpoint someone or something that I have researched and not blogged about on Flipside.  AND push me to blog about family each week in 2024.  Sometimes I get lazy. 😁  Let's see how well I keep up.

     Week # 14 (April 1-April 7) is Favorite Recipe. 

     Not even a question here, West Hartlepool/Hartlepool, England baking.  In 2003 when my brothers and I crossed the pond we had no idea all of the Hughes family lore, pictures and home baked goodies we would bring home.  

     Wonderful tea cakes were served during an afternoon tea at Mary and John Marsh's home at 23 Borrowdale Street in Hartlepool.  John George Marsh is my paternal first cousin twice removed.  His wife, Mary Pounder Marsh treated us to several of her cakes.  Unfortunately, I did not take any photos of the delicious array sweet treats.  

     Mary and I corresponded by snail mail for at least a year following the trip and she shared a couple of the recipes she served that afternoon.  

Mary Ann Storey Hughes
standing in front of the Hughes Green Grocer shop
cover, Reflections beneath the Wagga Moon

     John Marsh grew up with his parents, Eli Marsh and Mary Alice Hughes Marsh, at 70 Florence Street, West Hartlepool, England in the home of his maternal grandparents, George Henry Hughes and Mary Ann Storey Hughes.  The Marshes are listed in the electoral rolls of 1930 as residents in the Hughes household.  

     John's maternal grandmother and my paternal great great grandmother, Mary Ann Storey Hughes, Annie Hughes, was quite a baker.  She is mentioned in the booklet, Reflections beneath the Wagga Moon.  I like to think that the recipes Mary Pounder Marsh shared had been passed down to her from Mary Ann Storey Hughes to her daughter, Mary Alice Hughes Marsh to her daughter-in-law, and are the recipes my paternal great great grandmother used to sell in the shop.

     In 2021, I decided to try baking a few of the recipes.  

Basic Cake Recipe

     One variation was adding 2 ounces of coconut to the batter 

and whipped cream and toasted coconut to the top.

Another variation was to add 1 tablespoon of cocoa

and 1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda to the batter.

      I only attempted the two variations of the basic cake recipe.  Mary also sent me recipes for gingerbread, Bakewell tart, almond cake and a split cake with cream and jam.   

P.S.  Thankfully I have a wonderful friend who has lived in England her entire life and she was able to help me with some of the ingredients and oven conversions. 💖

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2024, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser



Worship--Saint Aidan's Church, Hartlepool, England

    Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to join.  I am hoping it may help me to pinpoint someone or something that I have researched and not blogged about on Flipside.  AND push me to blog about family each week in 2024.  Sometimes I get lazy. 😁  Let's see how well I keep up.

     Week # 14 (March 25-March 31) is Worship. 

The Hughes Kids
Hartlepool Wall
The Headland
August 3, 2003

     Back in 2003, when my two brothers and I crossed the pond we had Hartlepool, County Durham, England in our sights.  Our Hughes/Storey lineage traces back to West Hartlepool and Hartlepool in the 1800's and beyond.  The Hughes actually removed from the Wordsley, Birmingham, England area, and further back from Wales.  

     The municipal brough of West Hartlepool was created in 1887 and in 1967 the Brough of Hartlepool was created by combining West Hartlepool and Old Hartlepool.  

St. Aidan's Church
Hartlepool, England
August 3, 2003

     We had a laundry list of family and places to visit during our three day visit. One important building was Saint Aidan's Church, now known as Saint Aidan and Saint Columba Church.  The church opened in 1890

The Alter
St Aidan's Church 

My brother Jeff
St Aidan's Church
Hartlepool, England
August 3, 2003

     

     Our first day in Hartlepool was a Sunday and we had planned to attend church services at St Aidan's.  I was surprised at the small attendance.  As I walked into the sanctuary, I had goosebumps thinking how generations of our Hartlepool Hughes family had been baptized/baptised, married and buried from this very church.  

     

George Henry Hughes (Pop Pop)
Baptized at St Aidan's Church
West Hartlepool, England
Easter Sunday, April 10, 1898

Ken and I in front of the baptismal font

     The baptismal font in St Aidan's Church where my paternal grandfather, George Henry Hughes was baptized on Easter Sunday, April 10, 1898.  

George Henry Hughes
May 9, 1930
Obituary

Mary Ann Storey Hughes
March 16, 1935
Obituary

     My Paternal great grandparents obituaries, both services were held at St Aidan's Church.

     Even into the 2000's Hughes family members continue to have their services in St Aidan's Church.  One cousin we met in 2003, Alan Hughes, died in 2009 and his funeral service was held at St Aidan's.

     My morning attending a service at St Aidan's Church has become a cherished memory.  The thought that I was surrounded by sights and sounds of my Hughes ancestors gave me comfort and peace.

St Aidan's Church

Hartlepool Then and Now

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2024, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser



The Family of George Henry Hughes and Mary Ann Storey Hughes of Hartlepool, England

     Today I am tearing myself away from cruise photos and concentrating on my Hartlepool, England family. A recent e-mail from a direct cousin has pulled me back to genealogy after a long absence. In previous UK Hughes blogs I have mentioned that back in 2003, my two brothers and I, had the good fortune to make a trip across the pond to reconnect with our Hughes roots in Hartlepool. During those few brief days, I was able to hear old stories, collect numerous precious photographs and finally get the family group chart in order. 

     Over the years I have been able to network with other cousins who have seen my genealogy home page. Slowly the George Henry and Mary Ann Storey Hughes chart has come to life with photographs, additional names, documents and dates plus remembered stories. This family group chart of my paternal great great grandparents, has a photo of each individual (if I have one). My hope is that the blog will continue to help me connect with family--worldwide--and we can all continue to add additional information and photographs. 

     I would like to add that in reviewing my blogs, I have NOT given my paternal great great Hughes grandparents the attention that is due. This will now be corrected. Thank you cousin for waking me from my genealogy lethargy.

   Mary Ann Storey Hughes in front of the family storeThis is the only photograph I have of either of my Hughes great grandparents
Brief Background
     George Henry Hughes, son of Samuel Hughes and Ann Hill was born in 1851, Wordsley, Kingswinford Parish, Staffordshire County, England. He married Mary Ann Storey, daughter of John Story and Ann Robinson on Christmas Day, December 25, 1870, at All Saints Church, Stranton, West Hartlepool, England. 

     George and Mary Ann had ten children. Included are two sets of twins! Only one child died--one of the last set of twins. George Henry Hughes died on May 8, 1930, at home in West Hartlepool England from cardio vascular degeneration and chronic bronchitis. Mary Ann Storey Hughes died on March 14, 1935, at home in West Hartlepool, England from acute heart failure. 

     Both are buried at Stranton Grange Cemetery, Hartlepool, England. There is no tombstone to mark their final resting place. Additional information regarding George Henry and Mary Ann Storey Hughes can be found on my genealogy home page.

The Family Group Chart ofGEORGE HENRY HUGHES AND MARY ANN STOREY HUGHES
1. Ann Maria Hughes born 1871 in West Hartlepool, England, died in October, 1945 in Billingham, England. Married Thomas Alfred Williams in West Hartlepool, England in 1899.   The Williams had nine children the seven who lived are:  Bertha A., George Henry, Hilda, Mary Alice, Edith Ferdinanda, John Thomas, Herbert.  Ann Maria Hughes Williams is buried at Stranton Grange Cemetery, Hartlepool, England. 

John George Hughes
  2.  John George Hughes (my paternal great grandfather) born on June 16, 1873 in West Hartlepool, Durham County, England, died on May 20, 1921 in Woodlawn (now Aliquippa), Beaver County, Pennsylvania from what appears to be throat cancer. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Aliquippa, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. 

     On June 7, 1897 at St. Aidan's Church, West Hartlepool, England, he married Elizabeth Ferdinande Olesen. Additional information regarding my paternal great grandparents, John George and Elizabeth Olesen Hughes can be found on my genealogy home page.3.  

3. Samuel Hughes was born in 1876 in West Hartlepool, Durham County, England, died 1936 in West Hartlepool, Durham County, England. Married on May 1, 1901 at St. Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, England, Sarah Jane Adamson. Thanks to Irene Hughes O'Shea I have networked with numerous cousins who descend from this branch. There are photos and family stories.

4.  Eliza Jane Hughes was born in January 1879 in the family home, 61 Hill Street, Longhill, West Hartlepool, England.  She died at one year nine months on October 4, 1880.  She is buried in North Cemetery, Hartlepool, England.

5. Mary Alice Hughes was born on May 28, 1881, West Hartlepool, Durham County, England and died on February 6, 1949 in West Hartlepool, Durham County, England. 

     On September 3, 1910 she married Eli Marsh at St. Aidan's Church, West Hartlepool, Durham County, England. Mary Alice died on February 6, 1949 in West Hartlepool, England. I do not know where she and Eli are buried. 

     When I visited Hartlepool in 2003, I had the extreme pleasure to meet John George Marsh, Mary Alice's son. John identified the photo of his grandmother, Mary Ann Storey Hughes (above) and had countless family stories to share. Following John George Marsh's death, his son shared photos and Marsh documents with me.

6. Joseph Hill Hughes was born in 1883 in West Hartlepool, Durham County, England. I do know he lived his life in West Hartlepool; however, have no idea of the date of his death or where he is buried. In 1905 he married Sarah Jane Lester. When I visited Hartlepool, I was able to meet another Linda Hughes....Linda Hughes Wilson, a direct descendant of Joseph and Sarah Lester Hill. She was able to share several old photos from the early 1900's. 

7. Thomas H. Hughes, a twin, was born in 1886 in West Hartlepool, Durham County, England and died after 1965. I believe he married Gertrude Hunter. Apparently when my paternal grandparents (George Henry and Sarah VanGilder Hughes) visited Hartlepool in 1965, the only Hughes in the telephone directory was Thomas. George talked with his Uncle Thomas by phone and Thomas neglected to tell the other Hughes family members still in Hartlepool that their American relation was in town. 

 8. Elizabeth Hughes, a twin, was born in 1886 in West Hartlepool, Durham County, England. She married Robert Dawson at St. Aidan's Church, West Hartlepool, England on May 5, 1906. The Dawson's had to daughters, Elsie and Mildred Dawson.  Elizabeth died in March 1941, West Hartlepool and Robert in June 1969.

9. William Alfred Hughes was born in 1888 in West Hartlepool, Durham County, England. I have no further information on William. One story that was passed down mentioned that William was deaf. 

10. Aidan Hughes, a twin, was born on March 26, 1895, West Hartlepool, Durham County, England and died in 1943 at home in West Hartlepool, England. In 1918 he married Florence Lester. I do not know where Aidan and Florence are buried. I spent much time with this branch of the family when I was in Hartlepool. They shared numerous family stories, documents and photographs with me.

 

11. Twin Boy Hughes was born on March 26, 1895, West Hartlepool, Durham County, England. Died at birth or very young. 

© 2010, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser

Updated October, 2024