|
Pages: [1]
|
 |
|
Author
|
Topic: The Joys of Research (Read 417 times)
|
justmej
RootsChat Member
Posts: 230
Grandma Janet 1912
|
When I started my family research four years ago, I had little more than names... not now! One particular branch of my family, keeps turning up new information and I'm now wondering how much more I can possibly discover about them.
The man in my avatar is responsible... my great grandfather. Some may remember my 'shock' discovery of a family graffiti wall a couple of years ago...
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,255464.msg1422622.html#msg1422622
Little over a week ago, some family relatives from this branch, came to visit for a few days, from as far away as America. It was the first time I myself had met them and we got on so well, it was as if we had known them forever. We had such a wonderful few days, visiting the areas connected to great grandfather's family. It was to get a great deal better...
The sun shone... we've had floods since!
Our visit to the family grave, at the same time as someone arriving to tune the organ and inviting us into the Church and allowing us to take photographs.
Our visit to the house where the family had once lived and to my complete amazement, I was given 'The Indenture' of the sale of the house, to my great grandfather, by the present owners  ... I had previously written a 'courtesy' note, informing the occupiers we would be in the area, so as not to appear suspicious!
Our visit to Gibside... I had unsuccesfully tried to arrange to view the family graffiti wall for our visit... on the actual day the National Trust were brilliant, they allowed us to drive up to the Stables, which is uphill and usually got to 'on-foot', from there we were met and taken to view the family wall!
I really didn't think anything more could happen, then from the Indenture I had been so kindly given, came some new information... an address where the family had lived previously. That evening, I did a 'google' search and it turned up some very interesting information... an old newspaper article, mentioning great grandfather. Another, was a link to a message that had been posted in 2007, regarding the dreadful murder of a child, in 1908 and the Inspector involved with the case, was none other than my great grandfather! This message had been posted by someone related to another police officer, who had worked alongside great greatfather and they have their family scrap book of photographs and extensive newspaper reports from that time!
I'm sure this family have been looking down on us and smiling recently and I think it shows that I'm more than a little pleased with the latest events;D 
justmej
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
BRUMBY; CHEESEMAN - Louth, Lincs
BRUMBY; CLARK; SMITH; YOUNG - Sunderland, Durham
COWING; FOSTER; HUDSPITH; KILGOUR; PATTERSON; PATTINSON; PRINGLE; ROBINSON - Northumberland
DOUGLAS; LAURENCE; MOFFAT; McQUEEN; PRINGLE - Scotland
HALL, HARDING, MAUGHAN(M); McQUEEN - Whickham, Durham
OLIVER; STARK - Durham; Northumberland & Scotland
|
|
|
MarieC
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 3302
In Queensland, Oz
|
That's wonderful, justmej - what a buzz!!
Indeed, I am sure this family is smiling on you and smoothing your way. Long may they continue to do so!
MarieC
PS Could you get your lot to talk to my Martins, please, and convince them it isn't going to hurt them to be found??
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Martins in London and Wales, Lockwoods in Yorkshire, Hartleys in London, Lichfield and Brighton, Hubands and Smiths in Ireland, Bentleys in London and Yorkshire, Denhams in Somerset, Scoles in London, Meyers in London, Cooks in Northumberland
|
|
|
|
|
justmej
RootsChat Member
Posts: 230
Grandma Janet 1912
|
PS Could you get your lot to talk to my Martins, please, and convince them it isn't going to hurt them to be found??
MariaC, I will see what I can do although it certainly has not worked with another of my main lines!
Yes, Cember, I can relate to your visitors being speechless... we were too, on more than one occasion!
Interestingly, still on this side of the family, our American visitor told us a heartwarming story. Her own father had died when she was just a child and as she got older, she had always yearned to one day find her English side of the family. Many years later she found an address, amongst her fathers papers and decided to write a letter and then forgot about it. At the other end, the family had long moved on, although they had remained in the same village. Fortunately, the postman recognised the name and was able to deliver the letter, so what a surprise she got to receive a 'phone call from her English first cousin!
I had to laugh too, when she sent me pictures of someone with the same surname and asked if I'd ever come across this person, whilst doing my family research. And the story behind that... her friend had been on a visit to Wales some years ago and whilst on tour she noticed the guide's badge showed the same surname as her friend back in America. Thinking there might be a very slight chance this person was a relative(!), the friend took pictures of the guide... and yes, some years later maybe, but I was able to tell her this was indeed a distant relative of ours, from another branch of the same family... quite amazing!
justmej
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
BRUMBY; CHEESEMAN - Louth, Lincs
BRUMBY; CLARK; SMITH; YOUNG - Sunderland, Durham
COWING; FOSTER; HUDSPITH; KILGOUR; PATTERSON; PATTINSON; PRINGLE; ROBINSON - Northumberland
DOUGLAS; LAURENCE; MOFFAT; McQUEEN; PRINGLE - Scotland
HALL, HARDING, MAUGHAN(M); McQUEEN - Whickham, Durham
OLIVER; STARK - Durham; Northumberland & Scotland
|
|
|
justmej
RootsChat Member
Posts: 230
Grandma Janet 1912
|
Another, was a link to a message that had been posted in 2007, regarding the dreadful murder of a child, in 1908 and the Inspector involved with the case, was none other than my great grandfather! This message had been posted by someone related to another police officer, who had worked alongside great greatfather and they have their family scrap book of photographs and extensive newspaper reports from that time!
justmej
I'm delighted to have received copies of the newspaper reports... it's like reading a novel... there is so much graphic detail, right up to the execution of the prisoner, by Pierrepoint and his brother. Although it's over a 100 years ago, I'm still finding it rather difficult to read parts of the gruesome details, yet amazingly my Great Grandmother sat in the Grand Jury gallery in 1909 and listened to all the evidence! She must have been a strong woman!
justmej
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
BRUMBY; CHEESEMAN - Louth, Lincs
BRUMBY; CLARK; SMITH; YOUNG - Sunderland, Durham
COWING; FOSTER; HUDSPITH; KILGOUR; PATTERSON; PATTINSON; PRINGLE; ROBINSON - Northumberland
DOUGLAS; LAURENCE; MOFFAT; McQUEEN; PRINGLE - Scotland
HALL, HARDING, MAUGHAN(M); McQUEEN - Whickham, Durham
OLIVER; STARK - Durham; Northumberland & Scotland
|
|
|
|
Pages: [1]
|
|
|
|
|
