James Archer from the album

Phil’s History:

A ‘work in progress’ family history website starting from an Archer family of South Oxford, who were freemen, brewers, haulage contractors, and first ‘Archer & Co’ then ‘Archer Cowley & Co’ furniture removers in the 19th and 20th Centuries, inter alia, to whom are linked by marriage the Penfolds and Wells of Southwark and Surrey, the Reeds of Devon, the Gilders of Oxford and Hinckley, the Morgans of Petworth, Sussex, the Garners of Middleton, Lancs and many others. There are connections via Phil and the present generation (born 1930s/40s) with a patent law firm known as "UD&L" with motor-racing and Scottish antecedents.

This is the best photograph of great-great uncle James Archer, that I know of. He really does look a splendid man. Yes, an astute business man, without any doubt whatsoever. But not a hard man. Not the ‘bad-cop’ type. Whereas Mr Cowley does look as if he would drive a very hard bargain if need-be. Well, well. So easy to be wrong about these things. So easy to be influenced by stereotypes. Shall we ever know? Probably not. No one who really knew them has recorded these things. And why would they? Well, for precisely the reasons that drive me forward with this history of the family.

Phil’s History:

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