Lake Family. Birmingham City Police Whistle

[Frank come]

I have a police whistle made about 1905 by Joseph Hudson of Barr Street. The whistle has been stamped C202. Enquiries with the West Midlands Police Museum show the collar number C202 was allocated to John Lake. John was born 1877 and lived in the Glebe Farm/Lea hall area. In 1897 he joined Staffordshire Police and was stationed at Rugeley and Burton on Trent. He transferred to Birmingham City Police in 1911. He retired in 1922. His only indiscretion appears to have been in 1921 when he went into the Station Inn in Booth Street and consumed a pint of beer. He told his Inspector he had gone in to use the urinals. His pay was reduced for 1 year. He married Annie Pugh and they lived in Woodbine Villas, Lea Hall.
A spin off to this story is that when John was 4 years old he lived with his parents at The Reddings Farm, Glebe Farm where his father, Abraham, was the Farm manager for the owner Mr Walter Graham who owned the nearby Stechford Stud Farm. The Lakes had two or three Irish lodgers. In December 1880 one of them, John Gately went to the Gardeners Arms in Solihull High Street where he met up with some other Irish men. They went to the back of the pub where John was shot and later died. A man named Duff was later found guilty of his murder. To cut a long short it was all to do with Irish republicanism and guns and ammunition stolen from Kynoch Works in Witton.
John Lake had a brother, Abraham who was also in the Police.
I would like to know of any existing relatives of the Lake family.

 

[mikejee]

I have moved this to the names section and adjusted the heading so as to make it more obvious what you are looking for

 

[Frank come]

I have moved this to the names section and adjusted the heading so as to make it more obvious what you are looking for

Thank You

 

[MWS]

Unsurprisingly (due to the late marriage) it doesn't appear that John had any children.

Abraham married and had 2 daughters and 5 sons. Interestingly, all except the youngest son were registered as Leak and the eldest son's (also Abraham) marriage, death and daughter were also listed as Leak. The daughter Jean Margaret, married in Stoke (as Leak) and had 2 daughters, both who appear to have remained there. So there are definitely relatives.

Not sure how many, if any, more of Abraham's children carried on as Leak.

 

[Frank come]

Unsurprisingly (due to the late marriage) it doesn't appear that John had any children.

Abraham married and had 2 daughters and 5 sons. Interestingly, all except the youngest son were registered as Leak and the eldest son's (also Abraham) marriage, death and daughter were also listed as Leak. The daughter Jean Margaret, married in Stoke (as Leak) and had 2 daughters, both who appear to have remained there. So there are definitely relatives.

Not sure how many, if any, more of Abraham's children carried on as Leak.

Thanks for this. Now I'll start digging under the name Leak. I wish they'd have stayed local. It might have made tracing them easier.
Thanks again. Frank

 

[Pedrocut]

Worcester Chronicle, December 1880.

 

[Pedrocut]

Later in 1885 a man is charged with John Gateby’s murder.

 

[MWS]

A slight revision, Abraham probably had 4 sons and 3 daughters, all listed as Leak. The youngest son listed as Lake/Hitchman in Aston is probably not his as there is a Leak/Hitchman daughter registered at a similar time in Bham.

At least 2 other sons, Thomas and Edward William (reg. William Edward), stayed as Leak. Thomas doesn't seem to have married but Edward did and had 3 children.

 

[MWS]

Abraham's 3 daughters all appear to have married as Leak.

Nellie (1897) married Thomas Peel, stayed in Bham before moving to Staffs (death reg. Cannock) and had as many as 3 sons and 2 daughters

Bessie (1898) married Cecil Harrison, stayed in Bham and possibly had 2 sons.

Gladys (1913) married Wilfred Simpson, moved to Warrington and had a son and a daughter.

So John's 7 nephews & nieces seem to have had as many as 13 children (one nephew, John, unaccounted for).

 

[Frank come]

Abraham's 3 daughters all appear to have married as Leak.

Nellie (1897) married Thomas Peel, stayed in Bham before moving to Staffs (death reg. Cannock) and had as many as 3 sons and 2 daughters

Bessie (1898) married Cecil Harrison, stayed in Bham and possibly had 2 sons.

Gladys (1913) married Wilfred Simpson, moved to Warrington and had a son and a daughter.

So John's 7 nephews & nieces seem to have had as many as 13 children (one nephew, John, unaccounted for).

This is great. Thanks to everyone for all their help. This certainly gives me food for thought. It's amazing how the spelling of surnames changes over the years.
Frank

 

[MWS]

It's a surprising one, Abraham (John's brother) remained a Lake, and his & his wife's death were registered as Lake.

Abraham's remaining son John seems to have married late and had no children.

Of all Abraham's grandchildren there appears to be only one male Leak, John E b1944, son of Edward William but he (if I have the right one) possibly had 3 sons and a daughter.

 

[kirstydriver0]

Hi, I have been trying to research my family tree and you've actually helped me alot. My great great grandad was Abraham. I would love to see a photo of him but unfortunately I cannot get one at all. My great grandma was Gladys Abraham's daughter and my grandad was Peter , Gladys son! We lived in Warrington and I've found my family tree difficult due to the change in surname lake leak! Kirsty X

 

[kirstydriver0]

This is great. Thanks to everyone for all their help. This certainly gives me food for thought. It's amazing how the spelling of surnames changes over the years.
Frank

Gladys was my great grandma!!! Her son was Peter Simpson my grandad, he had 3 daughters.

 

[Frank come]

Gladys was my great grandma!!! Her son was Peter Simpson my grandad, he had 3 daughters.

Hi Kirsty, It's great to have at last found a relative of Abraham Lake. I need to contact you as I would like to return the whistle to the Lake family. I don't think the history forum like you giving email details and so I will try to trace you via ancestry.
If go onto Ancestry and under 'Search' you will see 'card catalogue' search under West Midlands Police, and enter Abraham Lake and you will be able to see his Police record.
Frank

 

[kirstydriver0]

I have a police whistle made about 1905 by Joseph Hudson of Barr Street. The whistle has been stamped C202. Enquiries with the West Midlands Police Museum show the collar number C202 was allocated to John Lake. John was born 1877 and lived in the Glebe Farm/Lea hall area. In 1897 he joined Staffordshire Police and was stationed at Rugeley and Burton on Trent. He transferred to Birmingham City Police in 1911. He retired in 1922. His only indiscretion appears to have been in 1921 when he went into the Station Inn in Booth Street and consumed a pint of beer. He told his Inspector he had gone in to use the urinals. His pay was reduced for 1 year. He married Annie Pugh and they lived in Woodbine Villas, Lea Hall.
A spin off to this story is that when John was 4 years old he lived with his parents at The Reddings Farm, Glebe Farm where his father, Abraham, was the Farm manager for the owner Mr Walter Graham who owned the nearby Stechford Stud Farm. The Lakes had two or three Irish lodgers. In December 1880 one of them, John Gately went to the Gardeners Arms in Solihull High Street where he met up with some other Irish men. They went to the back of the pub where John was shot and later died. A man named Duff was later found guilty of his murder. To cut a long short it was all to do with Irish republicanism and guns and ammunition stolen from Kynoch Works in Witton.
John Lake had a brother, Abraham who was also in the Police.
I would like to know of any existing relatives of the Lake family.

Hi Kirsty, It's great to have at last found a relative of Abraham Lake. I need to contact you as I would like to return the whistle to the Lake family. I don't think the history forum like you giving email details and so I will try to trace you via ancestry.
If go onto Ancestry and under 'Search' you will see 'card catalogue' search under West Midlands Police, and enter Abraham Lake and you will be able to see his Police record.
Frank

Hiya I have just joined and viewed / saved his police record! Interesting! I knew he was married to a Sarah lake too I did my previous tree on find my past! I am on there as a member now anyway so you should be able to find me.

 

[MWS]

You can start a private conversation between yourselves where you can exchange details.

Just hover over the other persons name on the left and then click on 'Start conversation'

 

[Pete Owen]

I have a police whistle made about 1905 by Joseph Hudson of Barr Street. The whistle has been stamped C202. Enquiries with the West Midlands Police Museum show the collar number C202 was allocated to John Lake. John was born 1877 and lived in the Glebe Farm/Lea hall area. In 1897 he joined Staffordshire Police and was stationed at Rugeley and Burton on Trent. He transferred to Birmingham City Police in 1911. He retired in 1922. His only indiscretion appears to have been in 1921 when he went into the Station Inn in Booth Street and consumed a pint of beer. He told his Inspector he had gone in to use the urinals. His pay was reduced for 1 year. He married Annie Pugh and they lived in Woodbine Villas, Lea Hall.
A spin off to this story is that when John was 4 years old he lived with his parents at The Reddings Farm, Glebe Farm where his father, Abraham, was the Farm manager for the owner Mr Walter Graham who owned the nearby Stechford Stud Farm. The Lakes had two or three Irish lodgers. In December 1880 one of them, John Gately went to the Gardeners Arms in Solihull High Street where he met up with some other Irish men. They went to the back of the pub where John was shot and later died. A man named Duff was later found guilty of his murder. To cut a long short it was all to do with Irish republicanism and guns and ammunition stolen from Kynoch Works in Witton.
John Lake had a brother, Abraham who was also in the Police.
I would like to know of any existing relatives of the Lake family.

 

[Pete Owen]

Frank, do you have a photo of the whistle? Hudson Metropolitan whistles don’t as a rule carry an officer’s number. Many did have serial numbers, though.