Sunday Salon - Books & Quilts

I have not written a fuller Sunday Salon post for over two weeks, although I did write last week about the situation in New Zealand.

The last few weeks have been busy, with work and proof reading the final days of the Family History Writing Challenge. I did manage to return my library books last Monday without incurring a fine - hooray! and collect a few more. I cannot resist, but I did try....honest. I also collected my stash of books for World Book Night, but more about that later.

My latest book review was the latest in the Lindsay Boxer series by James Patterson - 9th Judgement.

A few weeks ago I dropped a note on a blog hosted at Dizzy-C Book Blog of the strangest food eaten. My comment was that I had eaten, even the smallest, minuscule bit of snake. I promise a blog post on it, which I finally did yesterday and you can read about it HERE, the result was my comment won me a lovely signed copy of the latest book by Christina Courtenay called The Scarlet Kimono, which looks at first glance to be a great book, more when I have read it.

One of my favourite author's is Marie Bostwick, who writes a great series called the Cobbled Court Series, which is essentially about quilting. I highly recommend the series and have read books one and two, have book three on the bedside table and yesterday I have received an email advising that book 4 is due to be published later in the Spring.

Also mentioned in the newsletter was a great link to a website called Jo's Library Quilt and you can also join the Face Book page which accompanies the web page. There are a few link to follow if you are interested, but it appears that the original concept was a patten created by Christine Thresh. The whole purpose is to raise money for a new library in Coalville in Utah USA, and what a wonderful way to raise it. I am planning to purchase the patten from Christine Thresh's website for a project of my own.

A couple of weeks ago I spotted on a well known auction site a rather amazing scrapbook relating to a distant branch of my family. I watched the item for a week, daring to read each day what the current bid was at. Last Sunday evening was the finish line and I placed my bid, and waiting to see if anyone else was planning to bid. Thankfully no one did, and yesterday the scrapbook arrived. It spans the entire political career of my distant ancestor from 1868 - 1874. I sat yesterday morning and looked through the book wondering just who had collected the items, was it a Victorian fan, or perhaps a family member? Maybe even the individual himself. I think I have now worked it out, but more on that later. In the meantime, a little glimpse at the scrapbook!

Ancestor of the week - Willliam James West

This is the belated post from 26 February.

William James West was born in Aldershot Hampshire in 1898, the son of William Arthur West, a military man and, Emma Jane Ellis (Harris).

I had always known that my Grandfather's first cousin had died in the First World War, and then I was presented with a photograph of William, such a handsome young man! The moment I saw that photograph I wanted to know all I could about William.

Private William James West served with the 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment. He is Commemorated at: Ligny-Sur-Canche British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. He died of wounds on 5th September 1918, aged just 20 years.

He is commemorated on the War Memorial at Stony Stratford Buckinghamshire, where his parents, William Arthur and Emma Jane West lived & ran their newsagents business at 63 High Street.

I submitted the details for William James to the First World War Digital Archive whilst material could be submitted. As I wanted to further preserve the details of William.

William James had two army numbers and was Private T4/212898 William James West, Army Service Corps, and later was 51275, 1st Bn. Cheshire Regiment. His T4 Army Service Corps prefix indicates he once served in transport.

As I said I submitted his details to the Digital Archive and they further spotted a detail I had not known about the photograph, as he is rather oddly, pictured above wearing a 'lamb and flag' cap badge, relevant to neither unit he was known to have served in, (unless he served for a time in the small Army Service Corps Armoured Car Companies, recruited from transport personnel. Their 'Light Armoured Motor Batteries', operative in Palestine, wore a similar badge unofficially).

Bombing during the Second World War destroyed some of the records from the First World War.

I was lucky, in that William James's record survived and is a total of 24 pages detailing when he enlisted, his service and which regiment he was attached to and then, finally his gun shot wound to the chest leading to his death in 1918, just months before the war ended.

I have downloaded a copy of his Service Record and have just noticed a mention of the Devonshire Regiment that I had been unaware of.

His medal card, confirms what medals his family were entitled to claim after his death and this corresponds with the Service Record.

NaBloPoMo - Day 6 - Books

I love books, always have done. I especially like old books and the musty smell they share. I don't know if I had a fabric book, you know the sort that babies have that can be chewed, sucked and washed! I do still have my very first set of books which were Noddy books by Enid Blyton.

I remember being allowed each week to choose a book. Mum tells me that even then, I was somewhat obsessive about having a set, and purchasing and reading in order. That is something I still do today and even now I won't start reading the beginning of a series unless I have the next one ready in the wings. Obsessive I know, but it is part of me and I guess that is all there is to it.

I like buying books on line then having them delivered, it saves carrying them from town and they are often cheaper, but you can not beat wandering around a bookshop, reading the titles, perhaps selecting a title, enticed by the cover, reading the rear cover and perhaps a page, or two from the inside.

There are often books which just have that pick me up and touch me cover. Do you know what I mean? The Elm Creek novels by Jennifer Chiaverini books have just that sense about them. I think it is down to the covers, which in the case of this series is about a fictional quilting school, and not too surprisingly the covers are pictures of quilts. - In essence they are feel good books!

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History - Wk 9 - Sounds

Week 9: Sounds.Describe any sounds that take you back to your childhood. These could be familiar songs, jingles, children playing, or something entirely different.

This challenge runs from Saturday, February 26, 2011 through Friday, March 4, 2011.

This week's prompt is a tricky one. I can remember a song which started with what I thought was particularly eerie sound. I hated it, so much so that Mum would have to turn the radio off. It is funny, because you often hear songs from the 60s and 70s played on the radio now, but I don't recall hearing this particular one often. I don't even know what it is called, and will ring Mum to find out!

Well I did ring Mum to find out and a week later we still don't know what the song was called. It had a very eerie, wind sound and I recall feeling the goosebumps up my back!

Fearless Females - Day 4

March 4 — Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.

I do have the marriage certificate of my Grandparents, but sadly there are no photographs.

Instead I thought I would post a copy of the marriage certificate for my Great x 4 Grandparents Richard Budd to Sarah Kemp. The marriage took place in Stoke next Guildford parish which is about 6 miles from Puttenham, which is the parish that Richard Budd came from. The marriage date was 21st July 1796.

Weekend Cooking - Memories of a snake!....

Recently, over on Dizzy C Book Blog the question was posed, of what was the strangest thing we had eaten. My comment post was snake and I promised a post about it.

On the way back from Australia I stopped off in Singapore and met up with a friend. We ate in a variety of places and one night decided to eat in a rather packed restaurant, coming to the conclusion that it was popular with the locals.

We were directed to a table, and sharing with a group of Australian and New Zealanders. After the introductions, we ordered drinks and pondered where the menu was. After a short while the drinks arrived and then a waiter clutching a wicker basket. Initially we assumed it contained bread and I remember think that I was getting hungry!

We were directed to chose from the wicker basket, the basket came nearer and then I could see the basket did not contain bread rolls, but live snakes. Oh -my -word! The men of the table selected their chosen snake and a rather pale Australian women and myself said nothing and shook our heads. I asked my companion if we should leave, but he seemed keen to complete the experience. After a short while the wicker basket came back and so did the chef, clutching a rather sharp knife.

With a very swift movement the head was off the snake as was the skin. The skin slithered across the floor and the remains of the snake was taken to the kitchen area to be cooked and prepared. The locals clapped, as did some of the tourists. I sat in complete horror. Simply willing the rest of the evening away.

After a time the floor was cleared ready for the next load of snakes presumably and dinner was served. Mine was presented to me on a bed of rice. I managed a small mouthful of the rice and snake and will say never, never again. It, was like the whole year I was away an experience. One that I will never forget and will treasure forever, although clearly there are some things that I would never repeat.

The next day we headed across to Tiomen, which is a beautiful Malaysian Island and was the feature of my Silent Sunday post last week. The island was truly magical and I have always wanted to return, but fear that if I do the magical feel of it will have left through the test of time.

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History - Wk 10 - Disasters

Week 10: Disasters. Did you experience any natural disasters in your lifetime?

Tell us about them. If not, then discuss these events that happened to parents, grandparents or others in your family.

This challenge runs from Saturday March 5 through until Friday 12 March 2011

In the grand scheme of things disaster means different things to different people. The recent floods, cyclones in Australia, the dreadful bush fires of previous years in Australia and of course the very recent earthquake in New Zealand.

I have been lucky, I have not been really affected by any of those recent disasters, although I do have family in Australia they were not affected by the floods, by their homes and lives threatened.

In September 1968 the River Wey in Guildford burst its banks. Mum says they heard a noise one Sunday evening and she went to the door to look out. She told her Dad there was water in the road, and the response was, as one might expect, "Don't be ridiculous!" My Grandfather then went to the back door and sure enough the water was just coming in the door.

The family then worked steadily trying to get what they could upstairs, but essentially it was really too late for some items. On the Monday morning, Mum and her Dad went into Guildford to get some wellington boots, by that point it was impassible in some parts of town, but they did get the wellingtons and some bread and other essentials. By Lunchtime on Monday the water was well and truly inside the properties and the lower section of Guildford closed off, and the water continued to rise rapidly.

There was at the time an Army barracks in Guildford and they helped to evacuate those worse affected. My Grandparents elected to stay in their home. By Tuesday morning the water had all gone, but a dreadful smell and clean up now existed.

My Mum at the time worked at the department store in Guildford, Plummer Rodis, which was situated also along the banks of the River and the store was also flooded. Mum recalls the Managing Director, a Mr Brown, coming to talk to the staff, thanking them for all their hard work during, what would have been a challenging clean up operation and costly to the business, regardless, as a way of thanking the staff he paid them all an extra week's wages. A far cry from working for a large business today.

Mum always says that my Grandmother was totally oblivious. On the Monday evening, Gran said she felt like a cup of tea. Anyway, Gran toddled off downstairs and it was a few minutes before my Grandfather realised that she had gone downstairs. They heard a small bang then a bit of an expletive and then eventually Gran came back up the stairs with a teapot and a set of cups and saucers. She had turned the gas on and made the tea, completely oblivious that she could have completely blown the house to pieces.

When I asked how high the water had come into the house, the response was the water had started to climb the stairs and had made it past the first three. It might have been a dreadful experience, but not totally unexpected given how close the house was to the river. The reason for the flood, was not due to excessive rain. but there was a problems with the locks which controlled the volume of water.

This photo was taken by Allen Edwards, whose mother in law lived across the road from my Grandparents. I have looked at this photograph lots of times as it shows the house,the first on the right where my Grandparents lived, but it was only today, when I was adding it to this post that I realised that the top window is open and has my Grandparents looking out and the bottom window has my Mum peeping outside.

Fearless Females - Day 5

March 5 — How did they meet? You’ve documented marriages, now, go back a bit. Do you know the story of how your parents met? Your grandparents?

My Grandparents met through, I think my Grandmother's brother. Her brothers used to have a tipple in the public house at Guildford called The Plough which was situated on Park Street, which is the same public house my Grandfather's & his brothers used. Location wise it would have been I think the closest pub to Manor Farm where my Grandfather & his brothers lived and to my Grandmother's family who lived near the railway station where they worked at the coal yards situated at the back of the train station owned by the Franks family.

My Grandmother's brother Ernest married my Grandfather's sister Margery and my Grandfather married my Grandmother in November 1939.

I remember, asking my Grandmother once if is was just the men who went to the pubs. She said that her and Marge used to go to Henekey's at Guildford sometimes in the afternoons and have a port and lemon and stand in the rear garden and chat and were not encouraged to go in! I remember being very surprised because I do not recall my Grandmother really having a drink, apart from the odd sherry. I think we see our Grandparents as just that, and forget that behind the fact of being someone's wife, mother, grandmother they are people, and in my Grandmother's case perhaps with a hint of rebel!

NaBloPoMo - Day 5 - Association

Isn't it funny how something you see, hear, smell can be associated with a memory or a thought? The human brain is complex and I guess that this is one of those complexities.

Yesterday I read on a blog that, they had smelt the beautiful aroma of a flower. The flower in question was the Freesia's. For me the sight or smell of Freesia's always reminds me of my late Aunt. She always loved the pink and yellow ones.

As a child I remember visiting another of my Aunt's she would always, without exception, as we left had my Grandmother half a dozen eggs and a Toblerone for me. My Gran would always say "Now, Rose, you know you shouldn't" but Aunt would have none of it and insist we left with the eggs. Just how that little tradition started I have no idea.

Anyway, doing my shopping recently I wandered up the sweet isle and there looking at me, above the fun size mars bars that I usually put into Stuart's lunch box as a treat was a Toblerone. I immediately thought of my Aunt. I am guessing that Aunt's grandchildren liked them and she always kept a few in for junior visitors too! Anyway, I bought the Toblerone and consumed most of while writing a blog post later than evening. It looked and tasted just the same as it had one 30 odd years ago!

Happy Memories!

Book Blogger Hop - Book Villian

From the Crazy-For-Books web page "the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book blogger and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book blogger to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added!"

There are a few rules!

1. Enter your blog address at the linky list on the Crazy-For-Books website

2. Post about the hop on your blog & answer the question on the Crazy-For-Books website

3. Visit other blogs in the linky list

This weeks question is:

"Who's your all-time favorite book villain?"

I can't recall a book villain who turns up repeatedly. So, I shall cover my favourite detectives (hope that is okay!). I love the televised Miss Marple, Poirot, Frost and Midsomer Murders. I also like the James Patterson series involving Lindsay Boxer.

NaBloPoMo - Day 4 - Weekend

I like the weekend, and especially the last few. That is because I have not had to work! In my last job I found that working an extra 4 hours on a Saturday a pain when I had already worked 40+ hours during the week. By the time I got home and unwound it was Saturday night, then I had Sunday at home or doing whatever needed doing then it was back to work. In an environment that I found stressful.

Since, starting my new job I appear to have blogged more, read more and slept more. All three things I had lacked in the past two years.

So, I am working today, then having lunch with a friend and former colleague, with plans for getting some project work that I have done over the last month proof read and posted to blog. I also have a piece of written work that I need to print, and get ready in its folder for the day job which will take about 40 minutes and I have a rather large pile of papers in the study which needs a serious overhaul and an appointment with the hairdressers!

That might not sound particularly inspiring, but believe me, I am more rested now than I have been in the previous two years!

She Writes Blogger Ball Redux

She Writes

Blogging about Books and Writing Group Ball

Thursday 3rd - Sunday 6 March 2011

Over at She Writes, Meg who hosts the 1st Books blog thought it would be great to host an online Ball as a get to know you event - great idea! So here's the deal:

• Add your own blog using the Linky, leaving a description of your blog
• Add a post on your own blog by way of introduction
• Visit the other blogs and leave comments!

Welcome to Anglers Rest, where I describe my blog as The Rambling Obsessions of a Fisherman's wife! ~ a real assortment, with snippets of genealogy,books, cross stitching, scrap booking, web pages and general ramblings. Really the blog reflects the two big obsessions in my world, reading and books and genealogy, and if I can merge my two obsessions so much the better! Stop by and have a browse!

Last time, we were challenged to leave a writing tip. So I shall carry on that theme. I have left that original tip here as I believe it is still applicable, in addition, I believe that writing should reflect us as individuals, therefore we should write and enable that writing to become an extension of ourselves.

Write from the heart. I know perhaps lots of people will read it and you might not want that, but there is something very curious about committing finger to keyboard something that might be personal, that perhaps you would not say face to face, or write down and show to someone, that you can do over the Internet via a blog. Somehow, being "out there" is anonymous. Think about it, it is curious isn't it?

To see the original post on Meg's website click HERE

Carnival Of Genealogy 103: Female Genealogy

As modern women I believe we truly under estimate the hardship, suffering and resilience of our female ancestors. Let us consider what we have that they often did not.

• Electricity and Gas, forms of heating and light
• A benefit system that could be used if the need arose, without fear of stigma
• Running water that was safe to drink
• Accessibility to medicines that worked
• Security from unscrupulous employers, landlords and retailers
• A World where child mortality is low
• Being able to wash ourselves,clothes and dishes without have to visit the well first.
• Women's rights - we are able to vote, to own property and to be our own person
• ......the list is endless.

How would we cope if we had to work 15 hours a day for a meagre wage? Yet our ancestors did and they, in some form or other survived otherwise we would not be here today. Women are often the backbone of the family, not from necessarily a financial aspect, although, in rural 18th and 19th Century England women would have worked in the fields too, and the children. Women tended to the men folk, looked after elderly relatives in a domestic sense, looked after the children and tended to the homes and organised the food requirements, making the money goes as far as it could. I believe that we underestimate the female ancestors we each have and perhaps judge them in comparison to modern standards.

What though, if you had been born into the middle and upper classes? You grew up being unable to provide for yourself in a domestic and financial manner. If we want a cup of tea we switch the kettle on and make it. In the 18th Century, depending on your financial standing you either rang a bell and someone made you the drink of your choice or you went to the well and obtained the water, perhaps carrying it and any young babes several miles, poured water into a pan of some kind and boiled it over a fire. Could you even afford tea?

As I have researched my own ancestry, I have developed an attachment to some of my ancestors, their contribution to my ancestry is, in some cases overwhelming. The first is Esther Bellasis, who has been the resent subject of an earlier post, and I will not reiterate that here in its entirety, except to say that Esther made a contribution to history that she herself probably never even considered.

Esther was born Ester King in 1770, the daughter of John King and Mary nee Budd. The whole story resembles that of Pride and Prejudice as John and Mary had a family of 10 children, 9 of whom were girls,and nearly all of them involved with the Honourable East India Company in some way. Esther married George Bridges Bellasis in 1796 in Calcutta India. George was known as the most "Handsome man in India" a fact gleaned from the book written about the Bellasis family called "An Honourable Company" by Margaret Bellasis published in 1952.

What has been established is that the girls went out to India in installments, as they became of age and they were dispatched to parts of the "Empire" in the care of the elder sisters. The story is that one of Esther's sisters was proposed to. The proposal was later retracted and a dual between the proposer and George Bridges Bellasis ensued. As a result George Bridges Bellasis was sent to Botany Bay for life for killing the proposer, having been transported on board the ship called "The Fly" in 1802. When he arrived in Sydney, George was immediately given a conditional pardon by Governor King and on 24 June 1803 received a Royal pardon as an "act of commiseration towards a gallant, but unfortunate officer and an afflicted dying wife".

I wondered about Ester. Just what had her life been like? Married to a well to do member of the HEIC, was she shamed because of the dual and subsequent outcome of that?, then transported like a common criminal? I wish I knew just what she thought and felt. I wondered just what research material had been left behind of the Bellasis time in Australia. George it is well documented as a military man in Australia and India, there is evidence that he was involved in the Freemason movement in the early days of the colony.

I did a search online for "Mrs Bellasis"+Australia and for variations of - Botany Bay, Ester Bellasis and was very surprised to find this painting.

I sent off to the archive, The Mitchell Library, State Library for New South Wales, for a electronic copy and it is one of my genealogical treasures. What is especially wonderful is that the painting by Ester Bellasis is the earliest known piece of artwork by a woman in Australia, so it looks like Ester made her mark after all, which I find delightful, and this is what I meant when I said her contribution to history.

George and Ester returned to England in the early 1800s and Ester is commemorated at Puttenham Church having died in 1805 in Berkshire, at the Bellasis home. George returned to India and later remarried, to his deceased wife's sister, Elizabeth Kent nee King, herself a widow. George died in India in 1825 and the sister Elizabeth in Kent in 1837.

There is just something about that picture that I find soothing. Perhaps it is the fact that Esther was in some small way a women in her own right, in a small way an artist, a contribution to history that she would probably have never realised at the time. Did she get on the boat back to England and realise that the painting had been left behind, or did she intend to leave it far from home? We shall never know.

Do though, some of the characteristics and skills of our ancestors live on in us, two, three or even ten generations later?

This is a photograph of one of my Maternal Great Grandmothers, Caroline Ellis nee Harris 1844 - 1935 with four of her daughters. My Great Grandmother, Annie Prudence Butcher nee Harris is the lady on the far left. Caroline was in her early 90s when she died, as was my Great Grandmother, and that tradition was followed by three of Annie's five daughters. Yes, people are living longer, but is that the only reason for longevity? Isn't there a chance that genetics, passed from one generation to another simply continue, as do expressions, gestures and a hosts of other things that we inherit from our relatives.

When I look at this photograph, which I was given, from the daughter of the lady second on the left, who also died in her mid 90s, I am struck by the time line of history. When Caroline was born Queen Victoria had been on the throne for 7 years, and when she died we were just 4 years away from the Second World War. For me that is a perspective. The changes that Caroline had experienced are remarkable and I can't help but wonder just what she would make of the 21st Century, with our lives of internet shopping and communication via the internet and telephone, What would she make of an iphone or an ipad for example. So much development in what is historically speaking a short space of time.

I hope, that my ancestors would be as proud of me, as I am of them and the contribution they made to my ancestry.

NaBloPoMo - Day 3 - Birthdays

Today My Grandfather would have been 103 years old. I woke up this morning thinking about him and I am sure my Mum has too. I don't think you ever stop missing your parents or a loved one when they have passed away, you somehow learn to cope and adapt.

My Grandfather lead an interesting life and rather than turn this into another genealogy post, you can read about the life my Grandfather had on his Ancestor of the week post.

My husband has a rather special birthday this year, also his birthday is a few days before Christmas so getting a lovely card and gift is always a challenge. I am thinking early this year, and pondering on getting him a bottle of his favourite tipple which has been fermented or whatever the process is for Whiskey!

Family History Writing Challenge - Day 25

Every now and again when researching our family history we encounter unusual surnames. Names that intrigue, us and make us wonder just where the name came from or perhaps are their others with this surname? I have at least two surnames that intrigued me.

The first is the Italian name of ORLANDO. Put that into Google and it displays thousands upon thousands of entries of where to holiday! I then tweaked the search and found that there were obviously others with the name, which in Italy is a little like Brown and Jones. I pondered and in 2002 Registered the name with the Guild of One Name Studies.

Distribution Map for Orlando in Italy & Distribution Map for Orlando in the USA

The surname does exist in other parts of the world, but these are the two distribution maps available currently.

The key thing with a One Name Study is to have a plan of action. The Guild can help you, but the study will be fairly unique to you, perhaps your research style, where you live, where the name occurs and so forth. Even two studies hosted by the same researcher can be different, mine are!

I have much data to be processed and placed on line and much more to gather.

The second name I registered with the Guild was the maiden name of my husband's Grandmother, and is the name of WORSHIP.

Again, with Google you do need to be creative in the search style, as you can be presented with thousands of references to religion and churches. I registered this name in 2005 and like the Orlando study there is much more to be collected, processed and uploaded.

One of the observations with undertaking a One Name Study is that you can look beyond the names and dates into the social history & migration studies. For example my own Italian family is complex but has the connection to the UK at the end of the 1950s. When life in Italy, especially the South and the Islands, my own family is from Sicily, was poor. Like many people before them and since many Italians migrated to make a better life for themselves. Some came to the UK, others to the US. In some cases, in the 19th Century Italian walked through Italy into France and came to the UK on their way to the US, and if they ran out of money by the time they got to the UK they stayed here. There could well be similar migration reasons for people of Polish descent or religious groups.

If you have a vague interest in undertaking a one name study I would recommend it. By registering the name you are NOT committing to completing the study within a given period, you are joining a specialised working group with access to a conference, a journal an on line message board where you can share references, learn and develop your knowledge and study.

Word count 494

Fearless Females - Day 3

March 3 — Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.

I don't share any names with my female ancestors.

There are no particular naming links in my family. My Great Great Great Grandmother was called Prudence Budd. Prudence was born in Puttenham in 1817, she married George Ellis in 1834 and died in 1855. The name Prudence was passed down to the Grand Daughter of Caroline, my Great Grandmother Annie Prudence Harris and was then passed down again to the Great Grand Daughter of Caroline and used as a middle name in 1939. As far as I know that was the last time the name of Prudence was used in the family.

The most unusual name appears on my Grandmother's Warwickshire ancestry with a Bethsheba Drakeley born in Nuneaton in 1797, She married William Matthews in 1818 in Nuneaton and died aged 80 years in Newbold on Avon, near Rugby in 1878.

Fearless Females - Day 2

March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?

This has to one of my favourite photographs. Given to me by a first cousin of my Grandfather, another women who lived a really full and meaningful life.

The photograph is of my Great Great Grandmother, sitting down, Caroline Harris nee Ellis (1844 - 1935) and four of her daughters. My Great Grandmother, Annie Prudence Butcher nee Harris, Mabel Sheffield, nee Harris, Kate Cox nee Harris and Rose Cresswell nee Harris.

Caroline died in 1935 aged 91 years. This photo was taken cica 1930.

Fearless Females - Day 1

March 1 — Do you have a favourite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

I have a few favourite female ancestors, who for one reason or another I am drawn too. One I have researched quite extensively is Esther Bellasis nee King. Esther was my chosen subject for the Australia Day Challenge. The reason I am selecting her today is because Esther left behind a real contribution to very early Australian history.

This picture is titled " The Carrajan by Mrs Bellasis, Sydney and was painted circa 1803." Esther's story can be read by clicking the link above, but she left this painting in Australia when she left in circa 1802-1803. One question that I doubt I shall be able to answer is why she left it behind? Did she get on the boat and think Drat I forgot the painting?, or was it because she didn't care about it and it was a means to an end, created to fill the hours? Nonetheless, it believed to be earliest known piece of artwork in Australian by a woman.

Which made me think. Esther, although born in the village of Puttenham Surrey in 1770 lived much of her life in India, having married there in 1796. She did spend some time in Australia due to her husband, and Esther died in 1805 in England. So the question is did she paint in England, will there be painting lefts and sitting in the sitting room of a descendant of the King family? or perhaps in the archives at Surrey or maybe even something in India?

Fearless Females - 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women's History Month - Introduction

In March 2010, The Accidental Genealogist launched a series of blogging prompts to celebrate Women's history Month. I missed it last year, but this is running again this year and although I am a little late, I am taking part.

The prompts are provided by, and copyrighted to The Accidental Genealogist and are listed one for each day in March. They are listed here purely as an introductory post to assist me as I follow the challenge.

Blogging Prompts.

March 1 — Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?

March 3 — Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.

March 4 — Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.

March 5 — How did they meet? You’ve documented marriages, now, go back a bit. Do you know the story of how your parents met? Your grandparents?

March 6 — Describe an heirloom you may have inherited from a female ancestor (wedding ring or other jewelry, china, clothing, etc.) If you don’t have any, then write about a specific object you remember from your mother or grandmother, or aunt (a scarf, a hat, cooking utensil, furniture, etc.)

March 7 — Share a favorite recipe from your mother or grandmother’s kitchen. Why is this dish your favorite? If you don’t have one that’s been passed down, describe a favorite holiday or other meal you shared with your family.

March 8 — Did one of your female ancestors leave a diary, journal, or collection of letters? Share an entry or excerpt.

March 9 — Take a family document (baptismal certificate, passenger list, naturalization petition, etc.) and write a brief narrative using the information.

March 10 — What role did religion play in your family? How did your female ancestors practice their faith? If they did not, why didn’t they? Did you have any female ancestors who served their churches in some capacity?

March 11 — Did you have any female ancestors who died young or from tragic or unexpected circumstances? Describe and how did this affect the family?

March 12 — Working girl: Did your mother or grandmother work outside the home? What did she do? Describe her occupation.

March 13 — Moment of Strength: share a story where a female ancestor showed courage or strength in a difficult situation.

March 14 — Newsmakers? Did you have a female ancestor who made the news? Why? Was she famous or notorious? Did she appear in the social column?

March 15 — Write a six-word memoir tribute to one of your female ancestors.

March 16 — If you could have lunch with any female family member (living or dead) or any famous female who would it be and why? Where would you go? What would you eat?

March 17 — Social Butterfly? What social organizations or groups did your mother or grandmother belong to? Sewing circle, church group, fraternal benefit society or lodge? Describe her role in the group.

March 18 — Shining star: Did you have a female ancestor who had a special talent? Artist, singer, actress, athlete, seamstress, or other? Describe.

March 19 — Have you discovered a surprising fact about one of your female ancestors? What was it and how did you learn it? How did you feel when you found out?

March 20 — Is there a female ancestor who is your brick wall? Why? List possible sources for finding more information.

March 21 — Describe a tender moment one of your female ancestors shared with you or another family member.

March 22 — If a famous director wanted to make a movie about one of your female ancestors who would it be? What actress would you cast in the role and why?

March 23 — Create a timeline for a female ancestor using your favorite software program or an online timeline generator such as OurTimelines.Post an image of it or link.

March 24 — Do you share any physical resemblance or personality trait with one of your female ancestors? Who? What is it?

March 25 — Tell how a female ancestor interacted with her children. Was she loving or supportive? A disciplinarian? A bit of both?

March 26 — What education did your mother receive? Your grandmothers? Great-grandmothers? Note any advanced degrees or special achievements.

March 27 — Do you know the immigration story of one or more female ancestors? Do you have any passenger lists, passports, or other documentation? Interesting family stories?

March 28 — Do you remember your mother’s best friend? Your grandmother’s? How and where did they meet? How long were they friends? What activities did they share?

March 29 — Create a free Footnote Page or a Genealogy Trading Card at Big Huge Labs for a female ancestor. Some of you may have created your own card back in September 2009 following Sheri Fenley’s post over at The Educated Genealogist. This time, the card is for your female ancestor. Tell us about who you've selected and why and then post a link to what you've created.

March 30 — Did you receive any advice or words of wisdom from your mother or another female ancestor?

March 31 — Pick one female ancestor and write a mini-profile (500 words or less).

BONUS: Take all of your postings and turn them into a memory or tribute booklet for future generations.

Thanks to The Accidental Genealogist for the prompts

9th Judgement by James Patterson

The latest instalment of the Lindsay Boxer series. As with all of the books in the series, there is always two or three events carrying on simultaneously, and through the craft writing of these storylines, the conclusion always arrives at a nice neat package which ties the events all together.

Hello Kitty is a burglar who breaks in and steals the jewellery of well to do members of society whilst the owner is entertaining. Then there is a school teacher who has a close relationship with a fellow teacher, both are married to brutes! and finally there is a murderer who slaughters women and their children in public places. The strands of these three sets of people merges in a rather complex way. Coupled with the relationships with other members of the Women's Murder Club - a lawyer, a reporter and a pathologist Lindsay keeps it all together and brings the storyline to a conclusion. To find out who committed what crime, you'll have to read the book!

NaBloPoMo - Day 2 - Temperature

I hate the cold, although if I am completely honest I would prefer it cold to wet. I also don't like excessive temperatures. I recall once, when visiting family in Australia we visited Dubbo Zoo and the temperature was 42 degrees centigrade. I almost melted!

What I do like is, balmy sunny days, where I am able to sit under a parasol and enjoy the good weather, and not feel like I am overheating! I put it down to a lack of Thyroid, which controls our bodies thermostat!

Family History Writing Challenge - Day 24

Even though I am not sure what the catalyst was for my starting to research my family history, the catalyst for my undertaking a One Place Study was seeing my Great Grandmother's name on the 1881 Census. I remember being so overwhelmed with emotion, here she was, just aged 2. I simply had to know all I could about the village which was embedded into my ancestry.

In the early stages I did like many of us, work back from known to unknown with fairly rapid speed. By the time I was back another two generations from Annie Harris I was firmly addicted and attached to both the parish of Puttenham and to the name of Budd, which I just love! There was even a Rose Budd in the family!

The Budd family were poor, the family featured consistently in the Poor Law Records for their illegitimate children! but regardless, they were part of my family and I felt something for their plight when I read it in the various documents. I wonder what they would make of the world now? These were women who were ridiculed for their "morals" and illegitimacy, yet look at the world today, where it is quite common for women to raise a family whilst unmarried or perhaps have offspring with more than one father. It is a complete turnaround, in what is a relative short space of time, given the history of mankind!

The village itself is a rural one; steeped in history and part of that history was the world occupied by the Curate Charles Kerry. Kerry originated from Derbyshire, yet he spent considerable time in the parish and kept a series of manuscript on the inhabitants of the village. These manuscripts were written at the time and often contained snippets of local history, hearsay & incidentals of village life, there are some parish records details for not just Puttenham but also neighbouring Compton parish and there are a series of pedigrees written at the time by Kerry with the help of those in the relevant family.

Here is the pedigree for the Budd & Strudwick family:



The pedigree contains such incidentals of life for example. There is a reference to William Budd putting his hand down a rabbit hole and being bitten by an Adder snake. The note also says that William put his finger in his mouth and then became a cripple for the rest of his life. I would not have known that from official records - William was born in 1731 in Puttenham, and is not recorded on the census records. There is also a note that Richard Budd who married Sarah Collins and is my direct line of descent had a fine tenor voice and sung in the choir. Another fact that I would have not know. These manuscripts have enabled me to see behind the dates that our ancestors create, and it is these facts that bring them alive and make them people rather than the written word. It is remarkable that the manuscripts survived. The originals were returned the Derbyshire Records Office where Kerry lived. How many more of these manuscripts are in the various parishes across the land, not just here in the UK, but also overseas? These documents were written when there was surely more important things to worry about, perhaps the next meal or the health of a parishioner, yet they were written and I am forever grateful for Charles Kerry.

Word count 576

NaBloPoWo - Day 1 - Spring

I always associate the March 1st, with Spring. Daffodils blowing in a gentle spring breeze. Has that happened? No! It is cold again here, with a nasty wind chill and I am back again into jumpers and wearing gloves. I like the bright sunny mornings and it always cheers people up and puts a spring in their step!

1st March is known here as St David's Day, The National Day for Wales celebrating the Feast of St David's. To celebrate the day people either wear a symbol of a leek or a daffodil.