Many years ago, in fact so many that my archived emails no longer work but I think it may have been around 2006, I received an email from Mary Britton about an envelope in her stamp collection. This prompted me to add a little pieceto our Loose Ends page whihc I have copied below.

Who was G.T. Verney?

Mrs Mary Britton has had a black bordered envelope in her stamp collection for many years with the name G.T. Verney Esq., Takeley Essex on it. Verney is her family name so G.T. Verney was a relative, possibly her grandfather’s brother. The envelope is franked from Southend-on-Sea  October 27 09 and has a Bishop’s Stortford postmark also dated Oct 27 09 on the rear.

A search of TLHS archives has not found any Verney records at all. Similarly the 1901 census has not shown anything with a Verney link to Takeley.

The challenge is to discover what G.T. Verney was doing in Takeley in 1906. What was his full name and was he so well known in the village that a full address was not required, or was the envelope held at the post office for him to pick up?  What sad news (we assume the black edge tells of a death) did the envelope hold? It may be possible to find a Verney death that matches the date on the envelope.
If anyone can help Mary with  these unanswered questions please send your information via the secretary at secretary@tlhs.org.uk and we will pass it on.

Now, fast forward to today (February 2020), a mere 14 years on, and Ros Boon has written with some answers to the mystery.

Hello,
I was looking for information on Bassingbourn Hall when I tripped over your Loose Ends page and saw your post about GT Verney.... well, I had a delve and think I have solved the mystery.
George Thomas Verney married Laura Coulman at All Saints Church in Kingston-upon-Thames on 29/09/1883.

Laura must have died as he then married Constance Webb at Ealing Parish Church on 11/06/1887.



Constance Webb is the daughter of Henry Webb and Caroline Eliza Potter.



Caroline, Mrs Henry Webb, died on 07/10/1909 - the envelope was sent to Mr Verney to acquaint him of his mother-in-law's death.

The newspaper clipping mentions a Potter and what I take to be Verney children.

Although I have no idea why GTV was in Takeley at the time, I am guessing the snipping from an Old Bailey trial might have something to do with it .

In 1911 he is a widower, boarding at 31 Holford Square, 80 Clerkenwell Road.

All best wishes, Ros Boon.

So there we are, we now know much more about G.T. Verney but the one thing we still ddo not know is what he was doing in Takeley. I'm sure someone out there will one day realise that his is there long lost relative and will get in touch with us.