Gertrude Louisa Selden

Some time ago, I acquired a large bundle of photographs from a fellow blogger, Val Erde. I have looked through them from time to time and made efforts to research the families, but joining the dots is proving difficult. So, my only option is to dive right in and keep fingers crossed that someone recognises them!

The photographs and other ephemera were bought as a bundle and originally listed online as ‘Essex Family’. They include negatives, some letters, and even some very sweet children’s drawings.

Here I will concentrate on images relating to Gertrude Louisa Selden (aka Gertie) and her family. Someone has helpfully written names on the reverse of each photograph.

Gertie (taken at) The Novelty Studio, Union Street, Plymouth

Gertie & ‘Willie’

According to a number of family trees on Ancestry (plus my own research) Gertie was born in 1883 in Plympton St Mary, Devon. Her parents were George Selden and Harriett Luxton. On the 30th January 1907 Gertie married William Robert Rundle (Bob), who is with her in one of the photographs, and their eldest child William (Willie) was born the same year.

Gertie & Bob (back), with George & Harriett

There is also an image of a Frank Herbert (below), who is presumably Gertie’s younger brother Francis, born 1887. I am very struck by the likeness between them!

Frank Selden (back), Gertie Selden (right), George Selden (front right). Others – Hawkridges?

And to my eye there is a further resemblance between the seated older woman, and George Selden sat alongside her. On the back is written ‘Hawkridges?’. Research led me to Susan Selden, George’s sister, who married a man named William Henry Hawkridge. However, Susan (born 1859) was twenty years younger than George, and the woman in the photograph looks to be about the same age as him. Perhaps the woman stood on the back left is Susan? Or perhaps they are not connected to the Hawkridges at all. Please let me know what you think!