Page 28 - Just another English family (Sep 2019)

enormous number of reinforcements (the loss of men on the side of the British in the Boer War is estimated at 23,000), but other locations had a more direct impact on some members of the Soothill tribe. What became known as the Chinese question – what was to happen to the once great Empire of China – impinged on missionaries there. The Chinese developed a hatred for all foreigners and in June 1900, a fanatical sect, called the ‘Boxers’, rose in rebellion with the connivance of the Chinese government, and made a sudden attack upon the European Legations in Peking. A large International European army was despatched to relieve the Legations, which it duly did.
In 1901 Queen Victoria died after a reign of sixty-four years. The nine years (1901-1910) of the reign of Edward VII heralded a series of changing international alliances revealing tensions which were later to erupt. Domestically there were welfare reforms, such as the Old Age Pension Act (1909) and the Children’s Act (1909) which provided better protection for some of the more vulnerable elements of society.
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Identifying the groupings in the 1861 census
Working out a family tree is usually an ongoing process. There is rarely a finally completed project which cannot be added to. In fact, the present journey of developing the Soothill tree or trees has certainly some way to go. However, it is important to take stock and review progress so far. This is the purpose of the present draft.
For the 1861 census I have identified various groupings which may be linked as more evidence emerges. The count at the moment is 20 groupings; there are also six individuals who cannot be linked on current information with any of the
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