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Sylvia Strapps-Coon
10
Location: Michigan, U.S.A.
Date: 26/04/2000
My Grandmother, Isabella Esther Custance was born in Louth, Lincolnshire in 1878 and she died 8 December 1957, in Hamilton, Ontario. As one of 13 children, she went to work at an Inn at the age of nine. I remember her talking about making sparrow pie and exclaiming " Eee, it were beautiful". As an adult, she worked in a lace factory in Nottingham. She was accomplished at sewing, knitting and crocheting. In addition Grandma practiced midwifery at a time when most births occured at home.
Her skills in the kitchen included making dandelion wine and beet wine. Auntie Isabelle, my mother's sister, related an anecdote about Grandma's first attempt to make whisky. Quoted from a letter to me, dated 24 January 1987, it reads, The Pumpkin Story - "We were having a party for a few relatives and friends. Spin the bottle was the the name of the game. A circle is formed of people, a bottle placed in the middle, which a person spins. The one to whom the neck points is the player with whom you share a forfeit with. Grandma Crofts and George Henderson were in this turn, the two players. My mother was to take Mr Henderson into the pantry of the dining room and give him a kiss. Mom forgot all about the large pumpkin shell on the floor in which she was ageing her first try at home made whisky. Raisins, wheat, liquids and what have you. In the pantry they went, but it was too late to tell Mr H. (who was a tall man and rather large feet) who kicked the pumpkin, not knowing of it being there and Wow! all over the floor. It was the best forfeit ever played". This incident took place in Hamilton, Ontario after the family emigrated from England in 1913.
Grandma was very sociable. She played the piano at family gatherings and loved to play cards, usually whist. In her youth, she was a Victorian beauty with dark hair and hazel eyes. Her peaches and cream English complexion remained fresh and clear even when she was in her seventies.
In true Victorian fashion, Grandma fell to the floor in a swoon and went rigid when overcome by emotion. These antics usually resulted in the family doing her bidding. One day, she was struck by lightning inside the house and was terrified of storms after that. When a storm threatened, Grandma drew the heavy green drapes and turned off the electric lights. She insited that one of her daughters be with her during the tempest if Grandpa was at work.
Grandma loved beautiful clothes and I remember in particular a drak green woolen suit with lemon coloured gloves, that she wore for her 75th birthday. She often wore a stole of grey squirrel with little brown eyes made of glass beads. I was fascinated by the poor little beasties when I was a child. In the winter, Grandma always exuded a faint smell of mothballs from the storage of her woolen clothing. She had a long fur coat and dainty overshoes with fur tops.
Grandpa died in 1947 and Grandma married William Cherrie, in Hamilton, in January 1957 but sadly she died of staphylococcus infection following colon surgery about eight months after the wedding. She was 79.
Sylvia Strapps-Coon
9
Location: Michigan, U.S.A.
Date: 31/03/2000
I would like to give you a little background about myself. I was born in Hamilton, Ontario and moved to the states after the death of my first husband in 1960. My present husband is American and was born here in Michigan. We were married in 1966.
My connection to the Custance family is through my mother Maud Crofts. Her mother was Isabella, daughter of Nicholas and Rebecca Custance. I began searching the family about 1987 and while corresponding with another researcher who is a distant cousin on my Strapps (paternal line) I mentioned that my mother was born in Nottingham and her mother was a Custance born in Louth, Lincolnshire. Over the course of time, this cousin encountered a man named Roger Custance, who also lived in Nottingham and he wrote to me immediately. That was in 1990.
Roger and I exchanged information and in 1992 when he learned that my husband and I were to visit Nottingham, he and his wife invited us to stay in their home for a few days. We did just that and at the same time, we met Sylvia (the Strapps cousin) and we had a lovely holiday in the company of both families.
Roger and I have a Great Grandfather in common (Henry Custance) as you will see on the GEDCOM. My husband and I enjoyed our time in England so much that we went back again the next year and again stayed with Roger and his wife and Sylvia and her husband.
One particulary interesting aspect of the trip was the day we spent in Norfolk in the area where Hambleton Custance had lived. We saw the estate of Weston Longville and went inside the church that the Custance family had attended. On the way back to Nottingham, we stopped at a country pub that served delicious food and we enjoyed a leisurely meal. The weather was warm and sunny and that day represents one of our fondest memories of England.
Then in 1997 I received a letter in response to my query in the Nottinghamshire Family History magazine from a woman who is a cousin in my Crofts line. My Grandmother Isabella Custance married a man named George Crofts in 1898. He had a brother, Fred who was killed in France in 1917. My mother had often spoken about her Uncle Fred and how her father had said to him "see you later Fred", just before Fred left for the front lines but tragically never met again. Fred was in the Sherwood Foresters and my Grandfather, George, was in the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in WWI. Uncle Fred was killed by an exploding shell and his body was never recovered. My cousin, Nancy, is Fred's Grand-daughter.
George and Isabella Crofts, along with their three daughters, "the three gels" as they called them, emigrated to Hamilton, Ontario, just before the Great War. George went over about 1911 and sent for his family in 1912. Her's a little story to give you a chill - they were slated to go on the Titanic but it was overbooked and they couldn't get passage. They sailed to Canada the next year on the Teutonic.
My mother was eight years old when she left England and she remembered many details about her home there. She lived in 52 Garden Street and when my husband and I were in Nottingham in 1992 we went to that street but the old Victorian houses had been pulled down and only an abandoned lace factory remained across the street. My Grandmother was a laceworker and did piece work at home when the family lived on Garden Street. It was thrilling for me to see where thay had lived even if the house was gone.
Well I could go on with many family stories but I will have to save some for another time. I just wanted to tell you something about my origins and even though I live in the states, I am still very much an English-Canadian and keeping in touch with my English cousins is very important to me. I was delighted to have found your website and anticipate visiting often.
Alan Cameron Custance
8
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Date: 26/02/2000
Hello Graham. I am Alan Cameron Custance and I live in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. My Great Grandfather was John Daniel Custance who arrived in South Australia in 1881 after having been agricultural advisor to the Imperial Japanese Government. He was a graduate of the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, England. I have a photo of him in a book and there is no resemblance to photos on your site.
Like many people I have a casual interest in the family tree but I have not devoted the time to do it properly. I think I might start now - your website has inspired me.
I looked through the census data on your site and maybe he was the John aged 9, son of Thomas (a gardener) in the 1841 census. Is Cirencester in Huntingdonshire?
I know a lot of Custances in Queensland. They are descendants of James, who came to Australia in the early 1800's. He was the son of Mark who lived in London in the Parish of St.Luke.
I have to go now but look forward to hearing from you. Maybe I can help make your family tree paper wider if not longer.
Marlene Custance
7
Location: Nova
Scotia, Canada
Date: 01/03/2000
Please find below some information but far from complete.
William Custance: He was a native of England and settled at Upper Rawdon, Nova Scotia. He married Elizabeth Pammeletta (Bond) daughter of Captain John Bond. Born 1794, England died 28 April 1860, married 20 December 1821.
Children:
1. William Custance born born 1822/3, died November1903, married 20
January 1853 to Elizabeth Whittier born 1821, died 18 November 1889.
William inherited the homestead farm.
Children of William and Elizabeth:
1a. Charles W. Custance 2a. Ezra 3a. J. Walter (married Minnie Wallace)
4a. Theodore
5a. Benjamin 6a. Frederick (My husband's Great Grandfather) 7a. Rev.
Mary Amelia
Children of Frederick:
William James married Margaret Victoria Anthony
Children of William and Margaret:
Frederick Atherton born, 25 January1933 married Betty Iona Neil born,
14 May 1935
Randolph Allen (my husband) born 18 February 1955, married Marlene Donna MacDougall 1979.
Children of Randolph and Marlene:
Keith Allen Custance born, 1981. Jaime Victoria Custance born, 1987.
Marlene Custance 6
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
Date: 08/02/2000
Hello Graham. I am located in the Provine of Nova Scotia, Canada. To the best of our knowledge William Custance, who was my Great, Great Grandfather was a native of England and settled at Upper Rawdon, Nova Scotia. He married Elizabeth Pammeletta (Bond) Smith, daughter of Captain John Bond and former wife of Henry Moon. He was born in 1794 and died 28 April 1860.
I have pictures that show some family resemblance to those that you have. I also have some additional information if you interested. I would be pleased to pass this on to you.
It would seem that Hants County, where we live, is about the only area in Canada to have Custance's.
Chris Royall 5
Location: England
Date: 15/08/1999
Miscellaneous Custance Folk!
Custance, Mary widowed, lodging house letter in Tucker Street in 1850s (possibly wife of Captain Custance?) Lived and died 1854 in Tucker Street.
Custance, Mary Ann kept lodgings in Tucker Street 1826-64
Custance, Judith Ann Lodginhouse keeper in Tucker Street in 1881 Cromer, Norfolk
Custance, Susan, daughter of Mary. She was a dressmaker living in Tucker Street 1826-77 born 1802
Custance, WilliamA Captain. was on the poor rate of 1791. He lived in Tucker Street above where the Bath Hotel is today.
Ian Rea 4
Location: Australia
Date: 25/11/1999
Hi Graham. Just visited your website and I was most impressed.
My brothers wife says her Grandmother was Minnie Gertrude Custance. She gave me no other information but the name intrigued me. So checking the IGI I found a lady born 6 August 1873 in St.Sepulchre, christened 1 July 1874 there. She married on 16 July 1893 at St.Mary Shoreditch to a George Spencer. I wonder if this part of your database? My sister-in-law is interested in her family tree but as yet has done little about it and she lives in Wallington UK and I'm in Melbourne, Oz.
Jan Emily Drabwell 3
Location: Australia
Date: 06/09/1999
Hello again Graham. I started out looking for relatives of my husband's
late father, joined the Genealogy Society and I have gone on from there.
I 'm currently back to James Drabwell who married Eliza Little in St.Pancras
Old Church in 1831. I have sighted the parish recoerd of this wedding,
but haven't got any further yet. I believe he was born in 1812, parents
James Drabwell and Ann. So he would have most likely have been the eldest
son (being named James). Perhaps your Elizabeth was a sister of our
James ???
From James and Eliza we descend through their son Charles Henry Drabwell who married Rhoda Robinson in 1860. Then to Henry Joseph Drabwell who married Martha Annie Buckland in 1897. Next to John Albert Drabwell who married Alice Turner in 1930. Then to my husband John frederick and myself Janette Gosper married in 1957. Our son eric John married Amy Fair, from Louisiana U.S.A. in 1998.
I have traced siblings and descendants of all these people and have a tree of about 200 twigs!
I really am looking forward to hearing more from you about this vast family!
Kevin Ettery 2
Location: Australia
Date: 21/07/1999
I went to school in Warragul , Victoria, Australia with a Mark Custance. I had a look at the Australian White Pages at www.whitepages.com.au/search.shtml and got the following for Victoria, Australia. You can try the other states of Aussie.
Custance D.J. & J.A. Farmers, Wheelbarrow Road, Traflgar East,
Vic 3824 (03) 5633-1965
Custance H.A. 105 Burke Street, Warragul, Vic 3820 (03) 5623-5057
Custance P. 25 Calway Street, Drouin, Vic 3818 (03) 5625-4719
Custance S.J. 4 Howqua Apartments St, Mt Buller 3723 (03) 5777-6123
Custance S. 51 McGregor avenue, Portsea 3944 (03) 5984-2858
Custance M.A. 54 Gordon Street, Traralgon 3844 (03) 5174-3897
Rick Muncie 1
Location: U.S.A.
Date: 07/06/1999
Freedom and Anna Custance were both born in England. Freedom died in the U.S.A.
Freedom Lippincott (born 01 Sep 1655) Plymouth, England married Mary Custance on 14 October 1680 in Burlington Co. N.J. Freedom died 1697 in Burlington Co. N.J. They had Samuel, Thomas, Judith, Mary (my relation), Freedom. This is what the Lippincott book says about Mary Custance.
Mary (Custance) Lippincott was related to the Olive and Woolston families who settled in Burlington County through her mother. Her maternal Grandfather Thomas Nottingham, a yeoman of Wellinborough, Northamptonshire, England, married Mary Hills on 24 April 1624. They had at least 12 children: Elizabeth who married William Powers, Mary who died as a child, Mary 2 who died as a child, Mary 3 who also died as an infant. Susanna who married William Woolston, Samuel, John, Hannah, Judith who married Thomas Olive, Ann who married ? Custance, a daughter who married ? Potter and a daughter who married Samuel Palmer.
This comes from the book "Lippincott Five Generations of the descendants of Richard and Abigail Lippincott by Judith M. Olsen.
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