#52Ancestors ‘Handed Down’

~ Chiddicks Family Tree

Welcome to week 24 of my Genealogy challenge, from the wonderful Amy Johnson Crow, of writing something about your Ancestors for a whole year, #52Ancestors in 52 weeks.

This weeks prompt is ‘Handed Down’ and like many Genealogists, I seem to be the family collector and hoarder of all things history related. All these things are obviously cherished and loved and over the years I have received many different possessions that I am so grateful for, which makes this decision particularly hard.

I have decided to pick as my most cherished possession, that has been “Handed Down’ to me, as my Great Uncle John Daniels ‘Button Stick’.

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For those of you that don’t know what a ‘Button Stick’ is it’s a strip of metal or wood slotted in such a way, that it will pass over a row of buttons (as on a military tunic), allowing each button to appear through a slit, so that the buttons can be polished, without soiling the Uniform. The Button Stick was also kindly framed by my Cousin and presented to me at a Family Reunion, several years ago. The story surrounding the reunion was captured in an earlier blog which can be found Here

Great Uncle John was a Company Quartermaster Sergeant in the Irish Army, Service  Number 208771. The ‘Button Stick’ was passed to me after Great Uncle John sadly passed away on 28th February 2017 and I was both honoured and humbled that his Wife, Great Aunt Josie, wanted me to have her Husband John’s ‘Button Stick’. It truly is priceless both for sentimental reasons and the fact that my Great Aunt was so thoughtful to hand it down to me. I will treasure it.

I have attached some pictures of Great Uncle John and Aunt Josie as well as some of the pictures that were also passed onto me.

John and Josie Daniels

(Aunt Josie and Uncle John)

John Daniels Army 1940's

John Daniels Army

 

John Daniels at Collins Barracks

(John Daniels at Collins Barracks)

John Daniels Army 1950's

John Daniels Football 1950's

John Daniels Army 1953

 

 

All My Blogs For Family Tree Magazine in one Handy Place

Published by Chiddicks Family Tree

I began researching my family tree around 15 years ago to initially find out more about my Father who died when I was three years old and I haven’t stopped searching yet. I also have a keen interest in Military History in particular WW1.

13 thoughts on “#52Ancestors ‘Handed Down’”

    1. Thanks so much Marian, I’m sure google would tell you it’s origins I think it goes back a long way through the Army. I must confess I hadn’t seen one myself until I received this one. It’s definitely a treasured possession now

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  5. Every day you learn something new, is a good day. Now I know what a button stick is.

    Recently found your blog, and I’m hooked. I started researching our small Texas town’s first black school teacher (1908) over a year and a half ago. What started out as a simple search, has turned into a fascinating story that continues to grow.

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  6. Pingback: What’s Your Favourite Family Heirloom? – The Chiddicks Family Tree

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