Aldis - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

1g383 — 2012-01-18 11:33:19Z

Arthur C W Aldis was a pupil of King Edward's school, Birmingham and left in 1900 to read Mathematics. The school magazine (Chronicle) of July 1954 records "GIFTS TO THE SCHOOL, 1953-54
Among a number of most welcome gifts to the School during the year, we should like to record our special thanks for those of two donors in particular, whose gifts will bring about valuable changes in the buildings. Firstly, in memory of A. C. W. Aldis, O.E. 1900, M r . John Aldis and his mother have given a bequest to equip a new optical laboratory. Secondly, the relatives of Harold Smith, O.E. 1902, have given a bequest to equip, in his memory, an additional music room."
The laboratory is no longer in use but the plaque has been kept with the possibility of it being reinstated when some new science laboratories are built in the near future. To this end I would value some more information about Arthur Aldis.

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

philaldis — 2012-01-04 18:59:15Z

Hi I am sorry that I cannot tie anything in at all to my database with any of these names. Good luck with your further research

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

iamMelissaDMatt — 2012-01-04 18:12:52Z

Hello-
since starting this thread, I have since found Harold's marriage record. Given his age, he was born about 1897 in England, his father was Frederick Charles Aldis and his mother was Frances Kendrick.
I'd love to know if there is at least some family connection to the Aldis Lamp, otherwise it was clearly a misunderstanding or a joke that no one got but Harold and we've gone on believing it all these years.
If anyone has access to records and can tell me more about Frederick & Frances and Harold's beginnings in England, I would be very appreciative.
thanks so much
(and yes, this is an interesting thread) :)
-Melissa.

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

Aldis_John — 2012-01-02 11:47:25Z

Wow. Confusing. I'm not sure who the William Steadman is in my picture. I attached it again, but I'm not sure that is working. Was the file too large (3.5MB)? I tried to attach a smaller version (0.5 MB) of lower resolution.
Under the picture (difficult to read) it says "Baptist Church, Westgage, Bradford, York" and "Bradford Mechanics Institute of the Northern Education Society." I am not entirely sure I'm attaching the file correctly in this system. I'll try again, but I can try by direct e-mail if that is OK with you.
Rev. John Aldis of the "Baptist Chappel Sutton Craven" and the "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Society" (again, under his picture) was (I'm pretty certain) the father of my paternal grandfather, Steadman Aldis. I have a small and very OLD photo album from the English Aldis family, but ther are no names in the book.
Let me know if you get this OK. jwaldis@gmail.com

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

philaldis — 2012-01-01 19:56:54Z

Here are some pictures of William Steadman Aldis

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

philaldis — 2012-01-01 19:32:04Z

Hi
No attachment was with the last post can you resubmit it. I take it your grandfather was William Steadman Aldis the son of rev John Aldis. The other William Steadman (not Aldis) was the father in law of the Rev John Aldis. Assuming it is the former I know he had three children Isabel who married Trego Webb, Morton and Amy. I have nmo record of either of these having children. However, presumably your father must have been Morton - am I right? WS Aldis died at Tenterden in 1928.

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

Aldis_John — 2011-12-31 21:33:14Z

This is a GREAT discussion. I think I have a very old print/picture of William Steadman (see attached). I am not entirely sure where he fits in my family, but my Aldis grandparents had this picture on the wall of their home.

I would very much like to make some contacts with the English Aldises to flesh out some of the family connections. (My grandfather, Steadman Aldis, son of Rev. John Aldis) came to the States in the late 1800s.)
John Aldis

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

philaldis — 2009-05-25 20:23:30Z

Another picture of Reverend John

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

philaldis — 2009-05-25 20:06:33Z

I don't know if this helps but Rev John was a famous baptist minister born 1808 in Colchester died 1907 in Frome aged 99. He married Lateatia Steadman in 1831. I have photos of him (attached) but not his wife. His wife was the daughter of Sarah robinson and William Steadman. They had nine children that I know of Sarah, Lateatia, John, William Steadman, Emily, James Arthur, Thomas, Henry and Charles. Of these three of the brothers Wiliam Steadman, James Arthur and Thomas attended Trunity College at Cambridge and were highly ranked as wranglers in maths in their respective years. They were instrumental in getting the university to award degrees to non-conformists. WS went on to be a professor at Aukland where he had some difficulties which you can find info about on the web. James Arthur went to India before becoming Head of Queen Mary's Grammar at Walsall and then retiring to Minsmere in Suffolk. Thomas became a school inspector. Hope some of that is useful.
Phil

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

pjrichuk — 2009-05-24 14:44:59Z

From census data it would appear that both connected back to a John Aldis (b.c.1808,Colchester) - possibly son of Stephen & Elizabeth c.20 Jun 1808 Lion Walk Meeting House-Independent, Colchester) and Letitia Steadman b.c.1806 of Bradford. The Steadman name could well be significant.

I wondered whether this family could be connected to the Aldous family of Fressingfield but I have not found anything on line to identify Stephen and Elizabeth.

Regards
Peter

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

philaldis — 2009-05-23 22:26:58Z

http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.northam.usa.states.kan...

If you look at this link here you will find the trail warms up as it refers to the second Henry Aldis that I sketched details of. He is now the far side of the Atlantic from us so maybe he could be the one you are after - if the trail is good I look forward to hearing more

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

philaldis — 2009-05-23 22:12:22Z

Hi my brother Jim passed on your query to me. I am not sure that I am able to help much but I will try.
Jim has reported things quite accurately about the sons of ACW Aldis. He had the four sons as Jim reported. The gravestone link is to the second son Jim who was killed in the war. His younger brother Harry then followed him into the RAF and actually spent a lot of his time in Canada training the Canadian Air Force. This was my first thought that as he was called Harry and had been in Canada could this have been a link? However nothing else about your information ties up. In my database I have no Harold Aldis at all. However, seeing as the Harry above was known as Harry although christened Henry I then looked for any Henry Aldis. I have two both of whom I have very sketchy details of.

The first was an Uncle of ACW - I do not have a birth date though his next brother up was born in 1843 so this seems too early.

The second was a first cousin once removed of ACW Aldis and I have even less date information on. However as ACW was born in 1878 this may be a better timeframe. If you want to know more about this Henry I will try and fill in the blanks of his family tree back as far as I can.

Hope this is of some help.
Phil

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

jimaldis1 — 2009-05-23 06:44:25Z

I've forwarded your e mail to my brother to see if he has any more information. I haven't been able to work out how your great uncle fits in. My grandmother's eldest brother was called Harold, but his surname was Smith. He was born in 1883.

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

iamMelissaDMatt — 2009-05-19 00:28:40Z

Very interesting. So it would seem that Arthur Aldis's sons are all accounted for.
The story goes like this:
(Harold Aldis was my great-uncle)
Harold was secretive (modest perhaps, in some instances?). Harold worked as a Mechanical Engineer at Massey Harris (in Canada), though he only told his family that "I run the machines at Massey Harris".
Harold had told my dad that his father was a watchmaker.

My uncle (who had been in the Naval Reserve in New Zealand) asked Harold if there was a connection to he and the Aldis Lamp. Harold told my uncle "yes that was my father" (or something similiar).

Perhaps there was a misunderstanding by my uncle, perhaps Harold is related in some fashion to your grandfather Aldis; just not a son.
Perhaps perhaps perhaps :)
If you think your brother Phil might be interested in helping, please forward my e-mail address and query:

melissadmatt@yahoo.com

thanks for the reply,
-Melissa.

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

jimaldis1 — 2009-05-18 22:38:28Z

I am one of his grandchildren. He studied Maths at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, graduating as Second Wrangler in his year. He went into business with his older brother Hugh, also a mathematician. His wife was Grace nee Smith. He had four sons: John, Jim (who was killed in the RAF in WW2), Stuart (my Dad) and Harry (who only died last year). My brother Phil has a lot more information on the family tree.

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

iamMelissaDMatt — 2008-10-21 02:29:32Z

Thanks Peter,
I don't have much to go on so I don't know if this is the one but its somewhere to start.
His son was Harold John Aldis born probaby in the 1890's England. Married Mary Margaret Jean (Mayme/Mamie) Griffin in 1925 Ontario. No children.

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

pjrichuk — 2008-10-20 11:27:16Z

I found this link as well - may indicate his wife's name was Grace - http://www.twgpp.org/information.php?id=1295767

Regards
Peter

Re: Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

pjrichuk — 2008-10-20 11:21:36Z

Hello,

According to Google his full name was Arthur Cyril Webb Aldis. There is a match for an Arthur Cyril Webb Aldis on BMD - GRO 1878Q3 Islington 1b/269. Do you have enough information to know if this is likely to be a good match?

I also found an entry on the 1891 census that looks a possibility - parents James Alfred Aldis b.c.1842 Southwark and Frances Emily b.c.1846 Suffolk. In the 1891 census James Alfred is a headmaster of a grammar school in Walsall Staffordshire. The information on the children indicate that the family moved around a lot. Several were born in Calcutta, India then one in Bury Lancashire, then Arthur C W was born in Holloway Middlesex and then some younger children were born in Walsall Staffordshire.

Does this sound like a match?

Regards
Peter

Looking for information on Arthur C. W. Aldis, inventor of Aldis Lamp

iamMelissaDMatt — 2008-09-29 03:52:22Z

His son married my aunt, looking for his vitals as well as those of his wife and children.
thanks,
-Melissa.

aldis family isle of man

ireneakeith — 2008-04-10 21:34:14Z

Trying to contacy Norma Bottomey who has a mutual ancestor in her tree Mary Jane Helena Aldis.