A few years ago now I started to research the Feakes family history, luckily with such an unusual surname this task was reasonable easy – but not quite as easy as you would imagine ! I have been able to trace my ancestors back to around 1640 but it took me a while to get going. I gathered what facts I could and headed off to the family history centre but could not even find any record of my grandfather, Gordon Godfrey Feakes. As it turned out we descended from a long chain of gamekeepers based in Suffolk, around the village of Bardwell. I was to discover that due to local dialect and the limited ability to read and write there are many spellings of the family name in public records. Feakes . Fakes, Faekes and Faks are just a few examples of what I have found – it does make it slightly confusing. Once started it all became slightly easier and I was very soon making considerable progress

I must add at this point that perseverance is key to any success, records tend to be handwritten and when translated get misread and a lot of imagination is required when completing your research.

My Grandfather - Gordon Godfrey Feakes

Born in Bardwell, Suffolk on 5th September 1892 the third son of Arthur and Susanna Feakes. It was when I decided to research the life for my grandfather that I first embarked on this family history project and so I feel it would be appropriate to dedicate this research project to him, Gordon Godfrey Feakes.

His father Arthur John Feakes, known as John was a Gamekeeper, employed on one of the estates around the village of Bardwell, Suffolk. On 10 August 1914, Gordon enlisted in the 16th Queens Lancers and went to France with the regiment on 12th October 1915. On the 13th March 1919, Gordon was transferred into the Army Reserve.

Gordon married Phoebe Emily Cox at the Parish Church East Ham on 1st June 1925 - Gordon and Phoebe had a son, Ivor Gordon Feakes, born on the 2nd February 1927

I have never been able to establish how or why the marriage ended but I believe Phoebe left Gordon in 1929. although the electoral register shows Gordon as living in The Street, Plaxtol in April 1930 - most probably with his parents Arthur and Susanna.

My grandmother, Ethel Feakes (nee Pearson ) had two daughters and a son (my father). The eldest daughter Yvonne Mollie, was born on 17th March 1929 (around the time that Gordon's marriage to Phoebe came to an end ! )

My father Gordon Victor Feakes was born o 1st August 1930. Gordon Godfrey took up residence at Dernier Road Tonbridge with my grandmother Ethel and their children Mollie (Yvonne) Gordon and Fay.

My grandfather can be seen in the photograph on the left. He is in the middle row - far right. I believe my grandfather continued the family tradition of game keeping but in his later years delivered coal in the Hildenborough area.

He fell ill and died at the age of 56 at the family home in Dernier Road Tonbridge on 7th May 1948.

It is a great shame that I have been unable to find out any further information on the life of my grandfathers family that he shared with Phoebe - maybe there was some bitterness and perhaps this stone is best left unturned ! The full Feakes family history can be found at Feakes Family Tree

I would also like to dedicate my family history project to my Mum, Vera Else Feakes, who gave me inspiration to kick this project off, several years ago.

Unfortunately, since loosing my mum in July 2002 I have not been able to find the inspiration to continue with the project. I can't really explain why, just haven't been able to face it. Maybe in the not too far distant future I will have a change of heart - hopefully documenting my progress on this web site may help.