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Welcome to the Youdell family history for the decendants of:
Edward Youdell & Alice Wilson...
The Youdell family name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational name derived from the place called Yewdale in Lancashire, a valley at the north end of Coniston Lake. The place is recorded in the Lancashire Feet of Fines of 1196 as "Ywedalebec", and is so called from the Olde English pre 7th Century "iw", yew tree, with "dael", valley, thus "valley where yew trees grew". The Yew tree http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxus_baccata was used to make longbows. The longbow was instrumental in the defeat of the French army by Henry V at the battle of Agincourt on Friday, 25th October 1415. visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_longbow
Locational surnames, such as this, were acquired by local landowners, and the lord of the manor, and especially by those former inhabitants of a place who had moved to another area, usually in search of work, and who were thereafter best identified by the name of their birthplace.
The modern surname from this source has a number of forms, ranging from Udall, Udell and Udale to Youdale, Youdell and Uvedale. Examples from Church Registers include: the marriage of John Youdell and Elizabeth Ritcheson at Crosthwaite, Cumberland, on August 17th 1567, and the christening of Isabell, daughter of Ralf Youdell, in Greystoke, Cumberland, on May 3rd 1626.
The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Alicia de Yowdall, which was dated 1379, in the "Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire", during the reign of King Richard 11, known as "Richard of Bordeaux", 1377 - 1399. Throughout the centuries the Youdell surnames have continued to "develop" often leading to interesting variants of the original spelling.
Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax.
Langdale & Grasmere
It was Norse settlers, arriving in the 9th and 10th centuries in search of suitable grazing land for their livestock, with their longhouses which were the forerunners of today's farmhouses. They left their legacy in the names of topographical features such as pike, dale, fell, beck, gill and how.
LANGDALE (GREAT), is an upland vale in the Grasmere parish, Westmorland. A mountain-group, called the Langdale Pikes, soars into three peaks, rugged, steep, and picturesque, the highest with an altitude of 2,424 feet; commands extensive and magnificent views. ...
Edward was born in 1881 to Joseph & Margaret (nee Philipson) Youdell of Langdale.
Alice was born in 1888 to William & Agnes Wilson (nee Lancaster) of Grasmere
Edward was the 5th of 14 children. The family had a small landholding in the Langdale area.
For a number of years Joseph Youdell, Edwards father owned the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel at Langdale.
The children were:
Sarah A born 1873,
John W born 1875,
William born 1877,
Thomas H born 1879,
Edward born 1881,
Mary Jane born 1884, Married John Holmes & lived at 'Rose Cottage', Elterwater Ambleside, Westmorland
Margaret born 1885,
Bessie born 1887,
Louisa born 1889,
Joseph born 1892,
Fred & Hannah born 1895,
Emma born 1897 &
Percy born 1899.
Edward emigrated to Australia in 1911. He worked as a Gardener for the Anglican Bishop of Adelaide.
He volunteered to serve in the 16th Light Horse Regiment in 1914 and served in Egypt and Palestine during the First World War. He returned to Adelaide aboard 'The Prinz Ludwig' which sailed from England July 9th, 1919. He was discharged later in 1919.
Alice Wilson from Grasmere, Westmorland emigrated to Australia in 1919 and worked as the cook for the Anglican Bishop of Adelaide. Edward & Alice married in 1920. They had three children. Murray, Elizabeth and 'Bruce'. Edward died of head injuries while cycling on his way home from work in 1936 aged 55.
Murray William (Bill) born 1921, died 1997.
Elizabeth born 1924. Died 1924, aged 3 months
Edward Bruce (known as Bruce) born 1927, died 2011.
Alice (widowed) walked 5 miles across the fields each morning at 5am to make breakfast for the 100+ patients in the Enfield Hospital. She went back to England for a few years after the Second World War to see her sisters intending to remain. However she didn't like the cold and returned to Adelaide in 1949 shortly before Bruce married June Backrack in 1950. Sadly, Alice died of a stroke in 1951 just 6 weeks after the birth of her first grandson Gary.
Bill (Murray) served in the RAAF in Darwin during WWII. After the war he started a fencing business with his first wife Roma. She died unexpectedly in her sleep in 1965. Bill shortly after sold his fencing & timber mill business and the family home and went to England to study Scientology. He later married a Grechen Bates???. They had a daughter Rebecca before divorcing. Rebecca is a contemporary dancer & choreographer who now lives and works near Cairns in far north Queensland.
Bruce, June and Gary moved to Perth from Adelaide in 1952. June's parents, George and Merle Backrack lived at Elders Parade in Bassendean. June's siblings included two brothers, Reg & John and two sisters, Pat & Judy. For more history of the Backrack family go to www.historybrowser.com.au/Backrack---Bachrach
Bruce & June's 3 sons.
Gary born 1951.
Mark born 1954.
Steven born 1957.
Gary married Athanasia (known as Seer) in 1974, oldest daughter of Spiros & Anastasia (known as Tasia) Stefanatos later Stephens. Gary & Seer have 5 children; Yolande, Joshua, Odette, Nathan & Joel.
Mark married Eleanor (known as Elly) in 1982, oldest daughter of Robert & Dorothy Brown of Geelong. Mark & Elly have 3 children; Jessica, Daniel & Luke.
Steven married Dianne (known as Di) in 1982, oldest daughter of Arthur & June Pimm of Nunawading.