My father and mothers family were born in the Woolwich area as I was myself.

My father's family always worked at the Woolwich Arsenal my dad had 46 years service in when he died just before retirement at 60 years), he was in charge of the proving yard. His family lived at 3 Speranza Street Plumstead, which my sister visited a couple of weeks ago.

My mother's family all worked at Siemens, Granddad Neve was a foreman there, my mother also worked and her siblings.

In September 1940 there was a massive raid on the woolwich Arsenal and surrounding towns, it was decided the Key personnel should be evacuated with their families to Staffordshire, house were built to accommodate them, it is still known in Stone (the nearest town) as the ministry estate. Late 1949 it was decided Dad was needed back at the Arsenal, so we moved back to Sidcup

Both my sister and I were born in Woolwich Mothers home. I am now trying to trace graveyards for my Maternal Grandmother's family the Pictons, have you any ideas how I can achieve this, I believe that there buried in churchyards not cemeteries.

p.s. my mothers maiden name was Neve and they lived at 29 Riverdale Road.

All my family were born in Plumstead, I myself was born in Woolwich. My father Frederick Rogers was born at 3 Speranza Street Plumstead next door to Plumstead Police Station in 1906, all his family worked at the Woolwich Arsenal. himself serving 46 years and was still working there when he died aged 60.

My Mothers family the Neves and the Pictons lived in Plumstead, his parents, the Neves, lived in Riverdale Road and most of the family worked at Siemans where my Grandfather was General Foreman.

The Pictons which was my Grandmothers maiden name lived in Woolwich, quite a few of them emigrated to Canada in the early 1900's (originally from Pembroke Wales).

The Neve family were on my mothers side, they originally came from Necton in Norfolk, my Grandfather was born in Woolwich in 1878 and died in 1938, my mother Jessie was born in Charlton as her father worked at Siemens as a Engine, she had nine siblings. Unfortunately I didn't know them very well as our family was evacuated to Staffordshire in 1941.

The Pictons which were on my maternal grandmothers side I did not know about until I received a 57 pages family history from Brian Picton Swann in Canada, the only thing I knew was that they were originally from Haverfordwest Wales and worked in the coal mining industry and moved to Woolwich to work in the docks.

My Grandfather George Rogers lived next to the Plumstead police station, my sister and I went in May for nostalgia trip and both set of Grandparents houses were there, Granddad used to lift us up to look over the wall at the police dogs in the yard.

The other family the Hursts who were my paternal Great Grandparents were Army people who ended up living in Woolwich as William (my Great Grandfather) was in the Royal Artillery, but on the 1901 census he's occupation was boilermaker so would assume that he had retired from the Army.

My sister and I also visited the Woolwich Arsenal site which had museums but also now is a estate of luxury flats mostly each costing 1.3 million.

Photos:

George Rogers. He was my paternal Grandfather, he worked at the Woolwich Arsenal in the Danger Building and lived at 3 Speranza Street, Plumstead.

My Mum and Dad getting married at St Nicholas Church Plumstead on 28th June 1928.

My mother Jessie with myself and my sister Evelyn taken about 1939 at a photographers in Woolwich.

Gran and Granddad Neve

A very formidable looking Granddad Neve!

Uncle Fred Neve and family.