2013 Reflections

Well I started the year on a reasonable high and am going to end it in a reflective and low key fashion.

The biggest change was in relation to the day job. Over recent years I struggled with the profit before people mentality within my chosen profession. I wasted a lot of energy and time arguing within a structure that was completely out of my control and remit to influence such change. A fellow colleague advised me many times to pick my battles more carefully and not to waste energy on the unchangeable. Whilst I heard his message, I didn't listen to him. More fool me. That was the catalyst for my change. The events that unfolded over the tale end of 2010 into 2011 lead to planning change in 2012 and then a completely different focus for 2013.

I still practice in my chosen profession. I need to for my professional development and registration, but I no longer have the passion for it that I once did; nor do I have the ambition. The corporate world, full of unrealistic pressures and budgets effectively left a shell of an individual as I walked away from a reasonably successful career. It was either walk or my sanity. The answer was effectively a no-brainer.

The dawning of 2013 produced The Book of Me, which has been successful and more so that I ever thought possible, both within the real and virtual world and groups. I am afraid to say that I once shared a project with someone who I considered a genuine colleague and friend who then took my idea and ran with their own project and published before my due date. I will never fall into that trap again. I lost not only a good friend and colleague but a great deal of time and effort on the project. So having said that I am observing from a distance several individuals who rather think my hard work on the Book of Me is theirs for the taking. It is not and I will name and shame those that overstep the mark.

The Book of Me continues to be a source of interest and I am at the point where my calendar for running physical groups is becoming very full and I have in the last few weeks accepted a booking for 2015.

The Anglers Rest blog has had a small facelift - I am a great creature of habit, I like the overall structure and feel of the blog, but am very irritated that in order to get around blogger not allowing comments from some I have had to opt for moderation and accept anonymous comments.

I spent several months earlier in the year moving my material from the web space allocated from my ISP to another provider. The Anglers Rest website is now in it's new home and I still have some material to load to the site. More recently I have structured and organised websites for several individual and specific projects - my one place studies and one of my one name studies. I also moved to publishing a quarterly newsletter for the Orlando ONS with the view that once written it is archived on the Orlando ONS website as well as the Guild of One Name Studies library. It is of course indexed by Google and available to other Orlando researchers.

My personal genealogy has been a bit slow this year, mainly driven by a poor filing system and time constraints. I spent about 5 months working with a selection of other genealogists forming the Society for One-Place Studies, which formed officially on 1st September 2013 and not before time! A society such as this one has been needed for a long time.

Global Genealogy

Having floated this idea briefly following a Gene Meme from +Jill Ball last August I was contacted by someone who stated that they have a business with the same name and that I "might like to reconsider the name". So I have an alternative name, nothing outstanding, but it does what I want it to do. Interesting that of all those who stepped forward to participate no one mentioned the company and they didn't step forward until just before Christmas. Perhaps they need to review their marketing plan as I had never heard of them but they do exist. A post will be published tomorrow about the new name and the blog address.

Keeping Mum!

As I said, I will be ending the year on a low as my Mum is in hospital and has been since 10th December. Thank you for the messages sent to me via this blog, Facebook and email. Mum is quite poorly and will be in hospital for at least another few weeks.

Coming up

I am still writing a regular column, Across the Pond for the In-Depth Genealogist digital magazine, it is hard to believe that it is a year since I wrote my first column and I still contribute regularly to the In-Depth Genealogist blog.

I am planning a regular feature on this blog linking in with the themed prompt hosted by Geneabloggers - Society Saturday. Here I plan to share details of some Societies that I am involved with, or have been involved with or others that cross my path. Most will be genealogical or historical but there maybe a few others too!

The book based on the Book of Me will be published a little later this year, I had planned for earlier, but given how I am ending the year I have delayed the publication date.

A few months ago I signed a contract with a publisher for a genealogical book which will be published early in 2015. So, I am rather busy researching and writing for that and looking forward to 2015.

All in all, I think 2013 has been a reasonable year. I am looking forward to 2014, with the all the promise it has.

Finally, thank you to all those who read this blog and comment or send me emails. They are appreciated and I do try to answer comments on the blog - keeping it interactive. I am a little behind with commenting at the moment and hopefully normal service will be resumed soon!

Happy New Year to you all and I hope that 2014 is everything you hope it will be.

Nelson Mandela

Just before I head off to bed each night I flip the television on or over to Sky News for a quick news fix.

I was saddened to see and hear that Nelson Mandela had passed away, aged 95 years. 

What an inspirational man.

Nelson Mandela was a major driving force to end Apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid was system of racial segregation which was enforced by legislation by the National Party of South Africa who were the ruling party between 1948 and 1994.

It was during this process of enforced segregation that the media of the United Kingdom became somewhat focused on the athlete, Zola Budd, well known for competing barefoot.

Zola Budd is a white South African, who aged 17 years  was denied the status of holding the world record in 1984 because South Africa was at the time unable to compete in International athletics due to the apartheid status. In 1985, whilst representing Great Britain Zola claimed the world record for the 5000 meters.

She represented Great Britain, because, one of the British tabloid papers, The Daily Mail, persuaded her father to apply for British Citizenship on the grounds that her Grandfather was British. 

I recall the media coverage of the campaign held by the Daily Mail because it was whilst I was at my Aunt's she mentioned the fact that her Great Grandmother had been called Budd. As a teenager I listened and added the data to the memory bank. Further coincidence occurred because Zola made her home in Guildford, my home town and not more than 4 miles from Puttenham where my Budd ancestors hailed from. Another fact that I had added to the memory bank and had not recalled those facts and events until I sat and saw the news of Nelson Mandela's death.

I have no idea if there are links between my Budd family and Zola's. I guess anything is possible. Budd though is a fairly common name in my bit of Surrey and genealogy can be plagued with serendipity as we all know.

Battening Down the Hatches!

The weather forecast for England has been for heavy rain and severe gale force winds, the prediction is for the worse since 1987.

In 1987, I was living inland and in Surrey and can recall the devastation those heavy winds caused.

This morning as I looked out of our bedroom window towards the sea, I could see several tankers, with heavy loads, moored awaiting to dock at Teignmouth Docks. I sure do not envy those guys on those vessels.

The weather has been somewhat dubious all day. Teignmouth is on the coast and is between the second and third named place on the map; in the red bit!

By mid afternoon the wind was starting to pick up and by early evening the rain had started to fall. Now, just approaching midnight, the rain is falling very heavily and the winds are pretty severe. The prediction is for the worse to occur at around 3am.

Meanwhile, hubby has gone to bed, I am just finishing my bedtime tea and then I shall be away to bed, listening to the wind as it rages. So very glad that I am not out on the sea tonight.

"See"  you all on the other side!

Friday 13th - Superstition!

I was looking for something on YouTube earlier today, when I came across this song. Feel free to sing along, tap those feet, or perhaps do both! ....it is the perfect song for today, if you are so inclined.

Blogging to become an author......

Two of the three ‘R’s’ have been classed together in educational terms since the 1700's when, in 1795 Sir William Curtis used the phrase, “Reading Writing & Arithmetic” during a speech. In 1818 it appeared as space filler in the ‘Lady Magazine’.

Is anyone else struck by the irony that education was not compulsory in the UK until the Education Act of 1870. Prior to that typically the wealthy, and especially boys received an education of some sort.  Indeed, many of the poor families who did manage to send their children to school typically and repeatedly removed their children from school at particular times of the year. It was these periods that gave the historical grounding to the still used school holidays, such as spring for lambing and harvest during October.

Reading and writing quite naturally go together and very often there is natural movement between the two in a two way flow process.

Portrait of Samuel Pepys by J. Hayls.
National Portrait Gallery, London

The moment we put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) we essentially become an author. In former years those key historical figures who kept diaries such as Samuel Pepys (1633 – 1703) never really expected their diaries to survive and become a testament to their very existence.

Fast forward to the internet years and every one of us has a medium for being an author of sorts with the creation of blogging. Just as in the early stages of writing, blogging evolves with practice, time and interaction with others. 

The internet has completely revolutionised the way in which we purchase, read and write books. Indeed, it is no longer the serious and devout academics that produce books. The playing field had been opened up and everyone can not only write, but publish their creation.

Furthermore, there is something rather appealing about creating your own personal space, in which to say exactly what you think, feel and wish to share with others. Those familiar with London will know of Hyde Park Speakers Corner, in which anyone of us is free to stand and lead a discussion in the confines of leafy and probably wet suburbia.

Blogging can therefore be what ever you want it to be. It can be a space where you can share your inner thoughts and as an anonymous person, or you can share your thoughts, comments and plans about any subject or various subjects as you wish.  A blog is effectively your own creative sandpit, an open space, a place where you can share your creativity and explore. The world of creativity has taken the whole concept and process a stage further and there are now companies and sites that will allow you to create books of your blog posts.

The technology and internet has enabled each of us to produce whatever we want. We can write and self publish. It is quite possible to self publish and use all the best bells and whistles that would be used if the routine publishing route had been taken. The contemplation that self publish means last resort has gone, as several well know American actors take to the self publishing platform; their plan has just raised the bar again.

Ramblings from my Desk..... (16)

The first day of Autumn has arrived here in the UK. The weather has been lovely today and a warm sunshine prolongs the life of the summer flowers.

A few weeks ago we were told by friends that a nearby garden centre already had their seasonal department layout for the Christmas and festive season. The season that seems to get earlier and earlier, coupled with the season merging.

Global warming I think has played it's part. When we returned from Australia at the end of last October it was zero degrees Centigrade. The temperature and weather remained low and miserable for months, with Autumn, Winter and Spring merging. I wonder what will happen this year?

As the sun rays shined across parts of Devon today I have been involved in several big projects. One started in January and has just debuted on line as the Book of Me, Written by You and I have been busy talking and I could say leading, but that would be wrong.

Those that joined the Facebook group have truly embraced the sentiment of the idea; and the ideas and thoughts are flowing nicely! It really doesn't matter what you do, whether you host something online, walk into a shop or work from behind a desk, the common denominator is people and it those people that make things a success.

The other big project has been my involvement with a new Society, which specializes in One-Place Studies. Again, through this project it is the people that make the difference as we exchange ideas, develop friendships and embrace the expanding world of social media.

The children, not that I have any, have returned to school and two neighbours of ours this morning had fairly glum faces as they returned to a new school year. In England it means, probably snow, cold weather, burst pipes, cold and flu season and Christmas and that is just this term. The truth is it will go into much of next term too.

On the domestic front, I am feeling better, happier and content. I still am always busy and my new laptop and I have been on a journey of discovery and frustration together as I grasp Windows 8. The penny has finally dropped!

As to forthcoming projects. The book I have been writing about a particular branch of my family that hailed from Surrey and went to India is progressing very slowly. The projects mentioned above have hindered the book, but that is OK. I thought long and hard about publishing  versus self publishing. Then someone recently said to me that self publishing meant that your work was not worth publishing. I was a little speechless, and saddened that someone has such a narrow minded view, and it takes all sorts in this world, it would seem!

Self publishing is a big step. I have 100% of the cost outlay and I therefore take 100% of the revenue and 100% of the risk. It is a risk I am willing to take.  The saying that everyone has a book in them is probably true, but it does not necessarily mean that it is a book that should be published or will be published! For me it is all about taking part, bring an idea to life and resulting in something I am proud of. Something where I can say I did that, and that other family members can enjoy along with other historians.

I have a few other projects to get to, some are new, others were on previous lists and some are in progress, but as I said, it is only the first of September!

A Summer Flashback!

The last month or so has been one of mixed emotion. Firstly we had a really wonderful spell of hot summer weather. Temperatures up into the late 20s and early 30s centigrade. Of course, other parts of the world frequently experience temperatures such as those, but us Brits are not use to very hot  or extreme cold. Which is why we obsess about it! I read somewhere that sales of paddling pools had increased 800%, which means that quite literally thousands were sold. We already own one, purchased a few summers ago for our Border Terrier Alfie, who loves it!

As June rolled into July we saw Wimbledon and the fantastic final played by Andy Murray. I was quite literally on the edge of my seat. Cheering him onto win.

Next came the Royal baby. I am not especially a Royalist. I am though a traditionalist. I understand the concept of Monarchy and the part they play in British and worldwide Society, the hard work they undertake and being a history graduate, I understand the historical presence of the whole Royalty issue.

No one, apart from the vital bits of the Royal household knew the exact date that junior was expected. There was lots of guessing in the media and the hospital where the birth was due to happen was swamped with media from across the globe. I recall the apparent expected date, 13 July, because it fell on my wedding anniversary; (we get one with a 0 at the end next year, and my beloved really needs a medal!)

Every morning I got up and checked Sky News for a baby update. Then finally it was announced a little boy, a future heir. How simply wonderful. So it was somewhat saddening to read the negatives, the costs of maintaining the Royals and all the hullabaloo. Think nice thoughts. Little baby Cambridge is deserving of
that.

Just when the excitement of tennis and babies could not sustain the media we had the anniversary marking a year since the Olympics were held in London during 2012. I should also point out that there were other venues too across the Country – Weymouth and Cardiff spring to mind. Now, I like tennis, but I am not a real sport enthusiast and in previous years I have never been glued to my television as much as I was during London 2012. I became absolutely consumed with it.

When I wasn't home I recorded the various events and watched them later and watched Sky News for regular updates. My claim to fame, was that my husband was at one of the Olympic venues. In one of the support mechanism roles, not associated with sport. It was the first year we had ever been apart for our wedding anniversary, but what an experience. My journal for last year is full of notes and snippets about the Olympics and being home alone, well with Alfie who spent many days wondering where his master was.

Over the weekend the BBC showed the repeat of the Opening Ceremony and I have managed to find the event on YouTube. It is lengthy, over 3 hours and it only took 47 seconds before a mention was made to the weather!

Enjoy the revisit to the opening ceremony, it truly is British pomp and ceremony at its best and hopefully fulfilled the slogan of ”Inspiring a generation”

Happy Anniversary!

Well, today is my 19th Wedding Anniversary. Doesn't time fly? We married at 4pm on the afternoon of the 13th July in Kenya. It was a hot day and the flowers were beautiful and vibrant and the temperature was pretty hot.

Here in the UK we are in the midst of some great weather, known as Summer! it has been 30C today, much like Kenya just without the Indian Ocean!

Anyway, here is a rare picture of the two of us, usually one of us is behind the camera, but we managed this by balancing the camera on the statue in front of us!

11th July 2013 at Compton Castle Rose Garden

And just for a little fun!

Compton Castle - 11th July 2013

Compton Castle - 11th July 2013, a set on Flickr.

Described as a National Trust property, Compton Castle is still lived in by the family. You can look through part of the house and the rose garden which is delightful, especially on a lovely summer's day.

All Change!

Graphic courtesy of Google Images
and http://www.arraspeople.co.uk/

I awoke on Monday to a world without Google Reader. It was not new news; but at least 3 months old.  I had hoped, fool that I am, that perhaps Google would listen to their users and not close the facility down. 

Well, they didn't listen to their users and Google Reader is now RIP.

Over the last few months I had imported my news feed into not one, but two sites; Feedy and Flipboard.

So this morning, sitting with my iPad about to catch up with my RSS feeds I tried Feedy. What I found was "oops, the service is over subscribed, please try later"

Well, I could try later, but that did not fit in with my schedule for today, so I instead opened Flipboard. 

I have to say I was surprised and quite happy with the service. I read a few posts, marked a few for later reading (a bad habit of mine!) and then carried on with my day. I may go back to Feedy, but for now I am happy playing and reading via my new best friend Flipboard.

Sadly, before the news of Google Reader closing I had paid for the upgraded application for my iPad called Feedler Pro. Sadly today that seemed useless and I do hope in the future that I get to use that app again. For no other reason that I liked it. 

Why do these companies insist on change, just for changes sake?

So my final word on this is - 

Graphic courtesy of Google Images & http://bigdogzola.com

Sir John Bowring at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum Exeter

As I said yesterday, in my post about the Royal Albert Memorial Museum at Exeter, that I would share my memorial item from the Museum.

One of my ancestors, was well known and lived in various places round the globe, but was born and died in Devon and in particular Exeter. I gave a fleeting thought on whether there would be anything at the museum about Sir John Bowring (1792 - 1872).

Well, as luck would have it there was a small mention of Sir John and in particular the fact that he left his collection to the Museum.

Here is what was on display -

Having looked at the small collection on display I asked a staff member if they held anything more. They do and it is held in the bowels of the museum and not likely to be added to the item displayed any time soon.

The Museum website revealed this about John Bowring, so no details that I didn't already know, but what a shame that there was not more on display.

Cathedral Grounds, Exeter

Having wandered around the museum and had a sit down with some lunch we ventured to look round the Cathedral Grounds at Exeter. Despite the forecast, the rain held off in Exeter although the sun did not venture out much it did warm up.

The Cathedral green is always a focal point that seems to "force" people to sit and enjoy the magnificence of the building. We didn't go in and will save that for another day, although I have visited the Cathedral many times.

The Cathedral seems to be in a permanent state of being cleaned, absolutely necessary, but the scaffolding does spoil a nice photo!

The last photograph here is Mols Coffee Shop which dates from 1596 and despite being a lovely building with lots of Exeter history, it is not the the oldest building in the City. Currently the shop is not a coffee shop, but instead sells rather expensive leather handbags and shoes. Whilst I am rather partial to shoes, somehow I would have been happier if it was a coffee shop selling the wonderful aroma of coffee beans and delightful chocolate and other cakes.

Royal Albert Memorial Museum

Since we have lived within a stones throw of Exeter I have always wanted to visit the museum there. Then today we had opportunity. The car was going into the garage and we were provided with a courtesy car. The weather forecast was for rain and I hate shopping and especially in the rain. So this was the ideal time to visit the museum.

And, what a wonder it was!

A busy and thriving City, it is quite hard to believe that the museum sits within walking distance of car parks (with City prices I might add!) and the Central railway station. The roads were busy and the pavements more so. I waited a wee while for the majority of pedestrians to move out of my screen shot.

The museum is spread over two floor, and as I was informed by a member of staff, the items on view are about 100th of what is in the museum's bowels. Not a fabulous expression, and I did so want to see what was not on display., The exhibits are not changed "that often". I could hardly complain the first visit in over 15 years!

Downstairs the displays echo the start of almost mankind & evolution. Through the various stages until we arrive at the 21st Century. There were lots of stones and a fascinating video produced in association with the Geological Association which shows the passage over time with various Devon scenes so you can put the historical & geological facts into context. 

The one fact that you can not miss as you (and as we did after the Museum) wander around the City is that is has always been the thriving entity it is now,but in different terms. At one point it was dangerous to cross the River Exe. Remember this is the days before bridges and robust boats, we are talking Roman times here.

On display is an early model of the City with a clear view of the Cathedral.

After the model display there is a further set of videos describing Exeter through the years of the Second World War, complete with a map of Exeter written in German that was used by the Luftwaffe to bomb the city. There was an Anderson Shelter on display.

I was quite taken with a little girl who was visiting with her parents. She was only about 18 months or so and could walk, toddle  walk at an alarming rate. She went immediately up to the television screen and touched it expecting it to move. How things have change when we expect the screen to be a touch screen. This little girl will not know of a time when screens did not move, phones did not take pictures and a million other things and she will not know of a life without an app, mobile banking or shopping.

I digress.

On the way upstairs is this lovely statue to the Prince Consort - Albert, who this museum is named after

The exhibitions continue with a view of the world, various artifacts from across the globe, starting with the North America rim - Alaska, heading through to the far east - China and Japan and then across Africa and Australasia. There were several rooms with various long dead animals and , suitably attended to and hanging from walls, in display cases. I am not too good with dead animals and birds. My husband joked I could have looked round if they had been people and I am horrified to say he is write. Dead bodies yes, birds and animals no. 

There was also a Tiger killed by one of the Royal family in Africa and presented to the museum in 1905, and a rather tall giraffe called Gerald who is apparently one of things most people remember from their visit to the museum. Whilst I can remember Gerald I shall share tomorrow my museum delight!

There were various plaques commemorating people through the Museum and I shall share these over at Grave Encounters

If you do get an opportunity to visit the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, I recommend it. It is a fascinating historical account of Devon and the West Country at the very least.