• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

127 Bristol Road

Sérionne

New Member
Hello,I am doing an historical research about the Frenchman Jean, Henry de Sérionne (1891-1918) whose military papers indicate that he was a commercial employee and lived at Bristol Road 127 in 1912. Do you have any information on this house? Was there a business and if so, what type? Are there any photos from the time?
Thank you for any information
 
Welcome to the Forum, Serionne. I hope that some of our members will be able to help you.

Chris
 
Google Earth shows 127 Bristol Road is now all modern housing in 'Highgate' an area close to the city centre so presumably the area was cleared some time in the recent past. I remember the apartments in Viceroy close were there in the 1960's

Hopefully someone may have old photo'sUntitled.jpg
 
Last edited:
An address search for 127 Bristol Road on the 1911 Census shows that no such property exists.
Odd numbers jump from 123 (a manufacturers' clerk & family) to 129 (a widow with no occupation) and even numbers jump from 126 to 128 as expected. Nor does the number appear in the index of houses on that road.
Nor does the name Sérionne appear amongst those living in Birmingham in 1911.

Maurice :cool:
 
Last edited:
On the 1912 electoral roll there is a Martha Bayley listed at 127 Bristol Road.

In 1911 she is listed as living in Edgbaston (need a subscription to see the address). She is listed as a Boarding House Keeper.
 
1913 Kelly’s shows an Edward Brownrigg Wood, Surgeon at 127.

In 1900 someone from that address is advertising a house to let in Bristol Road.
 
There is the slight problem that there were then Bristol Road in the Birmingham area and a Bristol road in Selly Oak, each numbered separately. In the 1912 Kellys the main birmingham one has a Mrs Bagley at 127, and the Selly Oak one does not list 127, nor does the 1913 one. Probably it is the main one in this case, but thought I ought to point this out
 
Assuming that Martha Bayley was still a boarding house keeper (as I mentioned) a year later, it would seem likely that Jean was probably boarding with her.
 
Martha Bayley boarding house keeper is listed at 157 Pershore Road on the 1911 census.
Bingo !!
He is listed as Jean Henry boarder aged 20. Foreign correspondent under personal occupation. Chandelier manufacturer under trade and he is a worker. He is listed as a French resident and born in France
 
Last edited:
Perhaps she moved to 127 Bristol Road and he moved as well. Is Mrs Bagley/Bayley the same person. I will have a closer look at the census return. Definitely BaYley
 
Google Earth shows 127 Bristol Road is now all modern housing in 'Highgate' an area close to the city centre so presumably the area was cleared some time in the recent past. I remember the apartments in Viceroy close were there in the 1960's

Hopefully someone may have old photo'sView attachment 155664
Odd numbers on Bristol Road were on the right side of the road as you left the city centre and not the left in the modern Highgate development.
 
The only thing I can find on FMP is a hospital admission record for a J. de Serionne who was an interpreter for the Royal West Kent Regiment, but no mention of a Birmingham connection. Date of birth of 1892, so possibly the same man, and was transferred from No 9 Cav. Field Ambulance to number 34 Casualty Clearing station. Here's the history of No 34 CCS

34Left Blackpool 6 Nov 1915; landed at Le Havre 10 Nov 1915; Sanvic 11 Nov 1915; Camp Carcassone (Marseilles) 13 Jan 1916; Boulogne 1 Feb 1916; Heilly 2 May 1916; Daours 4 May 1916; Vecquemont 10 May 1916; Grovetown 14 Sept 1916; La Chapellette (near Peronne) 16 Apr 1917; Tincourt 1 July 1917; if this text is included on any webpage other than the Long Long Trail you have stolen it; St Idesbalde 12 Aug 1917; Zuydcoote 1 Sep 1917; Frevent 21 Nov 1917; St Omer 28 Nov 1917; ordered to move to Italy but then rescinded; Brie 27 Dec 1917; Marchelepot 28 Dec 1917; Villers-Bretonneux 24 Mar 1918; Namps 26 Mar 1918; Etaples 9 Apr 1918; Fienvillers 1 Jun 1918; Grevillers 10 Sep 1916; Rioux 2 Nov 1918; Solesmes 3 Nov 1918 (possibly the furthest east CCS taking casualties at the Armistice); Cambrai 26 May 1919.Also known as 1st West Lancashire CCS

Can't see a Birmingham connection there. This is with due acknowledgements to The Long Long Trail website.

Maurice :cool:
 
I was wondering what the likely name was of the chandelier manufacturer he was working at before WW1 - particularly 1911. Was he on a sort of secondment to a British company eg Oslers ? Or in Britain to write articles for France about British products ? Speculating ....again. Viv.
 
It looks as if he was born in Vienne, about 8 miles south of Lyon. We stayed there in 2014 for a week and it is home to quite a nice little jazz festival. I even bought a storm jacket there and still use it to this day. :)

Maurice :cool:
 
Last edited:
I was wondering what the likely name was of the chandelier manufacturer he was working at before WW1 - particularly 1911. Was he on a sort of secondment to a British company eg Oslers ? Or in Britain to write articles for France about British products ? Speculating ....again. Viv.
1913 directory (nearest to 1911 on Ancestry)
1617986602695.png
 
Yes - I was surprised to see how many were listed.
I wondered about Barwell as it mentions "...for home & export....". Guess we will never know for sure.
 
Back
Top