Read

The Read family originated from Tottenham in Middlesex, with our earliest ancestor James Read tracing to the 18^th century. The original trade of the Read family was that of Blacksmith. Although some of the next generations pursued this trade and indeed the trade that many blacksmiths evolved into as motor car engineers, others in the family followed the building trade especially painting and decorating.

The Read family remained in the London area until some of the family moved to Buckinghamshire in the early 20^th Century. This is linked to two daughters of George Read being in Service in the Chesham area and meeting their future husbands whilst there.

The link to the Gorman family is through the marriage of George Read to Minnie Mary Gorman, albeit through their eldest illegitimate son George ! The link to the Andrews family was by the marriage of illegitimate George and it was his daughter Agnes who married into the Gillard family.

A key family who are our ancestors are the Rolt family. Little is known about this family other than they were a family of Shipwrights from the Poplar area of London. It is the marriage of Amelia Rolt to Robert Read in the mid-19^th century that links the families.

Distant relatives of the family have been traced to New South Wales and Victoria, Australia and it is those relatives who managed to provide the key to unlocking the roots of this family.

Common family names are Robert, James, George, Ernest, Amelia and Mary.