My connection concerns an old family letter written 1818 from my grandmothers niece Blanche BIRCH then (end World War I) living Portsmouth but who I now find was born 1896 in rural Wellington.Blanche's parents were Edwin BIRCH b. 1871 at Hollybush house, Wellington and my grandmother's sister Laura Ellen BIRCH (nee KEENAN) born 1869 Church Stretton, Shropshire. Edwin BIRCH's parents were Isaac BIRCH born 11/4/1827 Wellington, Shropshire and Mary J ?, they having 3 sons, William, John and Edwin plus 6 daughters Agnes, Annie, Alice, Louisa, Mary J, Edith.
Isaac's parents were William BIRCH b. 1775 a butcher then farmer, and Catherine LEE b. 10/7/1785, Wrockwardine, Shropshire who married 26/4/1802 Wrockwardine, Shropshire and who had 7 sons William b 1803, John, Richard, Edwin, Joshua, Christian and Isaac born 11/4/1827 Wellington.
At the moment I am trying to find details of a death of Blanch's older sister Laura May BIRCH seemingly in some sort of (possibly industrial) accident 19/10/1917. I believe there may have been a newspaper report in a Shropshire newspaper at the time? Seeing it was wartime could have been war related?

Regards
Cliff Jones
New Zealand