Tony Wait Genealogist

12/11/2025

Stepping into England under Oliver Cromwell’s rule today!

09/11/2025

At this time of remembrance, I want to share the tragic story of James Henry Coward, my grandfather’s older brother.

When war broke out in 1914, 26-year-old James had just married Laura Sayer. A year later, they welcomed a daughter, Edith—but tragedy struck when Laura died soon after, leaving James a widower. Though exempt from conscription, he was publicly shamed by a woman from the White Feather Movement and, determined to prove his courage, enlisted in October 1916.

Less than a year later, on October 4th, 1917, he was killed near Geluveld, Belgium, while serving with the 1st Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment. He now rests in Lijssenthoek Cemetery.

Decades later, his daughter Edith visited his grave for the first time, carrying only a worn photograph of the father she never knew. James’s story remains a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and the sorrow it left behind.

09/11/2025

We will remember them...🌺

08/11/2025

26/10/2025

Here I am (on the right) with my 6x great-grandfather, David Wait — courtesy of AI and a touch of time travel magic! It’s 1766, and I’ve just arrived at his carpentry shop on New Inn Street, Shoreditch, in London’s East End. The place is small and bustling — full of the sounds of saws, the smell of freshly cut wood, and the sensation of honest hard work.

His wife, Eleanor, is nearby, caring for their daughter, Catherine, and their newborn son James. Sadly, in the same year, they lost their little boy John, who died aged only one.

Moments like this bring family history to life — imagining the people, places, and everyday lives behind the names in the records. But, AI couldn't get the dates correct on the chart!! 🤣

18/10/2025

Contact me here or at tonywait@hotmail.com

09/10/2025

The announcement of the birth of John Lennon in the Liverpool Echo 85 years ago...

21/09/2025

The faded baptism registers reveal more than just names and dates—they tell the story of a Scottish congregation building a life in 18th-century London and the beginning of my family’s history.

In 1764, a new meeting house was built on London Wall, near Coleman Street, amid the noise of carpenters, traders, and passing carts. A year later, on July 7, 1765, my 5×great-grandfather John Waite was baptised there. His father, David, a Shoreditch carpenter, lived among workshops, weaving lofts, and smoky lanes where Scots and Londoners worked side by side.

John’s baptism was conducted by Reverend Robert Lawson, a son of a Dumfriesshire minister who dedicated himself to serving the city’s Scottish families, often baptising sickly children at home—such as John’s sister Elizabeth in 1768 or his cousin in 1767 at Lawson’s house in Hackney.

Lawson’s ministry ended suddenly in 1771 when he fell ill during a snowstorm at just forty-two years of age. His grave remains unknown, but many he served—including David Waite and his wife Eleanor—are buried in Bunhill Fields, the dissenters’ burial ground.

These records carry more than ink. They echo the voices of my ancestors and their minister against the clatter of London—a testament to faith, migration, and finding a place far from home.