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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: wurding on Wednesday 21 July 21 16:05 BST (UK)
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This letter is a response to Norman Rowsell of India from his cousin (both through the Rowsell and the Norman families from which both descend through different marriages) on the subject of the Rowsell family and genealogical research the sender had conducted in Somerset. I have had limited success in transcribing the writing and would appreciate any assistance with the missing sections:
https://imgur.com/rm8plGK (https://imgur.com/rm8plGK)
August 12th 1898
stamped Holy Trinity Parsonage Eltham Kent
My dear Norman
your letter….. has been forwarded... asking for information about the family history. I believe John Barry has a complete genealogical tree with all particulars….have ???? it. I possess an old “coat of arms” which was given to my father long ago by an enthusiastic ?????. Which ?? to be identical with that of the Rosewells”, and was said to connect us directly with them. When I was in the neighborhood of Bath and discovered at Dunkerton ?? exist the Cradle of the Race in the little village churchyard is an old T??? with inscriptions ??? obliterated, dating about
(https://imgur.com/rm8plGK)
https://imgur.com/rm8plGK (https://imgur.com/rm8plGK)
Page 2
the beginning of the 17th century on it I found ‘sacred to the memory’ of three generations, the first called Rosewell, the next Rowswell and the next Rowsell. It is very curious that the ??? do not seem to have noticed that the name was under going a change. The record of the parish states that the Rosewells were the principal land owners of the district for many generations and the land finally passed out of their hands through failure of male heirs into a Family ??? which they intermarried. I have a curious old Book - the Trial of the Rev Thos Rosewell for High Treason: ie for ??? against the King. In it he is described as of Dunkerton, Somerset, The son of a landowner of good position there who had been defrauded.
(https://imgur.com/6pBWT7u)
https://imgur.com/6pBWT7u (https://imgur.com/6pBWT7u)
Page 3
All this is amusing and interesting. I also found a queer little rhyme in the same church yard.
“Here is a bed of Roses: here doth lie “John Rosewell, Gent, his wife, ?? children by”
I noticed that the favourite Christian names among them were Thomas and John. Th?? Are still in Bath, a few ??? of the Rosewells and of Rowswells who ??? ??? new ??? from the Parent(?) ??? before the final change of name to Rowsell - and there is in Bath an ??? House with ??? ??? on which the Coat of Arms. Roses command(?) a Well. With lion and head is ca???el ???? ? have been the Rosewells -
I have nothing else in my possession to help ??? ??? but you could ??? d??? Le?? ??? ?oy writing to J. W. Barry [ed. John wolfe Barry, the architect, was a relative]. ??? D?lah?? ?? ????
(https://imgur.com/kUTSrLY)
https://imgur.com/6pBWT7u (https://imgur.com/6pBWT7u)
Page 4
I was very sorry that when you were last in England I saw with nothing of you ??? owing to your numerous engagements and my duties which were always at cross purposes - although you ???m???sd w??? ?? see one here it ???ford ??? come off - h? Much manages better ??? time you are in the Old Country. I am glad to hear you can still keep up the good old English sports [ed. Norman was a rugby and tennis player]. I can ??? ???te usual now to the ?arce ?? Le?? Of them. But have fallen back on Golf and find it as ??? ??? fascinating, I am becoming a very fair player. ??? have f??? L??? In my Parish -
I am afraid your ?? ??arthes is much shaken by Aunt Julia’s death [ed. Likely Julia Montefiore nee Norman d. 1895]. It is always a solemn thing for the Normans when their
(https://imgur.com/HXyc97i)
Final page
contemporaries and old playmates are called away ? ????? tools the funeral service at Streatham(?)
With kind love - ? ??? cousin(?)
T Norman Rowsell
[ed. Norman’s cousin Thomas Norman Rowsell 1842–1929, incumbent of Holy Trinity Eltham]
(https://imgur.com/6QpNbB9)
[url=https://imgur.com/6QpNbB9]https://imgur.com/6QpNbB9
(https://imgur.com/HXyc97i[/url)
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My take of page one:
My dear Norman
your letter TO HERBERT has been forwarded TO ME asking for information about the family history. I believe John Barry has a complete genealogical tree with all particulars BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN it. I possess an old “coat of arms” which was given to my father long ago by an enthusiastic ANTIGUARIAN Which PROVES to be identical with that of the Rosewells”, and was said to connect us directly with them. When I was in the neighborhood of Bath and I discovered at Dunkerton, SOM (Somerset) exist the Cradle of the Race in the little village churchyard is an old TOMB with inscriptions ALMOST obliterated, dating about
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Page 2
the beginning of the 17th century on it I found ‘sacred to the memory’ of three generations, the first called Rosewell, the next Rowswell and the next Rowsell. It is very curious that the WRITERS do not seem to have noticed that the name was under going a change. The record of the parish states that the Rosewells were the principal land owners of the district for many generations and the land finally passed out of their hands through failure of male heirs into a Family WITH wh(which) they intermarried. I have a curious old Book - the Trial of the Rev Thos Rosewell for High Treason: ie for PREACHING against the King. In it he is described as of Dunkerton, Somerset, The son of a landowner of good position there who had been defrauded.
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Page 3 has the same link as page 2!
The link for page 4 gives a 404 error!
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Final page
contemporaries and old playmates are called away AND
HERBERT AND I TOOK THE FUNERAL service at Streatham
With kind love - yr aff? (your affectionate) cousin
T Norman Rowsell
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Page 3 has the same link as page 2!
The link for page 4 gives a 404 error!
Thank you for these transcriptions. Here is the correct link for page three https://imgur.com/kUTSrLY (https://imgur.com/kUTSrLY)
Here is page four again (https://imgur.com/HXyc97i[/url)
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sorry here is page four https://imgur.com/HXyc97i (https://imgur.com/HXyc97i)
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Page 3. Not entirely sure of the accuracy!
All this is amusing and interesting.
I also found a queer little rhyme
in the same church yard.
“Here is a bed of Roses: here doth lie
“John Rosewell, Gent, his wife,
NINE children by”
I noticed that the favourite Christian
names among them were
Thomas and John. THERE are still
in Bath, a few SURVIVORS of the
Rosewells and of Rowswells who
BROKE AWAY NO DOUBT FROM THIS
Parent ?? before the final
change of name to Rowsell -
and there is in Bath an ANCIENT
House with STONE FRONT on which
the Coat of Arms. Roses AROUND
a Well. With lions head is CARVED
KNOWN TO have been the Rosewells -
I have nothing else in my possess
ion to help YOUR SEARCH but
you could NO DOUBT LEARN MORE
BY writing to J. W. Barry ESQ
DELAHAR (?) ST WESTMINSTER
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Parent stem before the final
change of name to Rowsell -
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Parent stem before the final
change of name to Rowsell -
THANK YOU. That was driving me crazy!
Page 4... as best as I can make out:
I was very sorry that when you were
last in England I saw with nothing of
you BUT owing to your numerous
engagements and my duties which were
always at cross purposes and al-
though you PROMISED TO COME OVER
AND see ME here it SOMEHOW (never?)
come off - WE MUST manage
better NEXT time you are in the
Old Country. I am glad to hear
you can still keep up the good
old English sports I AM NOT
QUITE EQUAL now to the MORE VIO-
LENT Of them. But have fallen
back on Golf and find it as (trust-?)
INGLY fascinating, I am becoming
a very fair player. WE have FINE
(suites? duties?) in my Parish -
I am afraid your POOR (mother?) is
much shaken by Aunt Julia’s
death . It is always a solemn
thing for the SURVIVORS when their
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a very fair player. WE have five
links in my Parish
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back on Golf and find it as (trust-?)
INGLY fascinating, I am becoming
I wonder if that word is astonishingly?.
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back on Golf and find it as (trust-?)
INGLY fascinating, I am becoming
I wonder if that word is astonishingly?.
I believe you are correct!
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Thank you all very much! I have the letter as follows now:
My dear Norman
your letter to Herbert has been forwarded to me asking for information about the family history. I believe John Barry has a complete genealogical tree with all particulars but I have never seen it. I possess an old “coat of arms” which was given to my father long ago by an enthusiastic antiquarian Which proves to be identical with that of the Rosewells, and was said to connect us directly with them. When I was in the neighborhood of Bath, I discovered at Dunkerton somerset exist the Cradle of the Race. In the little village churchyard is an old Tomb with inscriptions almost obliterated, dating about
the beginning of the 17th century. On it I found ‘sacred to the memory’ of three generations, the first called Rosewell, the next Rowswell and the next Rowsell. It is very curious that the writers do not seem to have noticed that the name was under going a change. The record of the parish states that the Rosewells were the principal land owners of the district for many generations and the land finally passed out of their hands through failure of male heirs into a Family with which they intermarried. I have a curious old Book - the Trial of the Rev Thos Rosewell for High Treason: ie. for preaching against the King. In it he is described as of Dunkerton, Somerset, The son of a landowner of good position there who had been defrauded.
All this is amusing and interesting. I also found a queer little rhyme in the same church yard.
“Here is a bed of Roses: here doth lie “John Rosewell, Gent, his wife, nine children by”
I noticed that the favourite Christian names among them were Thomas and John. There Are still in Bath, a few survivors of the Rosewells and of Rowswells who broke away, no doubt from the Parent stem before the final change of name to Rowsell - and there is in Bath an ancient House with stone front on which the Coat of Arms. Roses around a Well. With lion’s head is carved known to have been the Rosewells -
I have nothing else in my possession to help your search but you could no doubt Le?? ??? by writing to J. W. Barry Esq of Delaney? St Westminster
I was very sorry that when you were last in England I saw with nothing of you but owing to your numerous engagements and my duties which were always at cross purposes - although you promised to come and see me here it somehow never come off - We must arrange better next time you are in the Old Country. I am glad to hear you can still keep up the good old English sports [ed. Norman was a rugby and tennis player]. I am not quite equal now to the more violent of them. But have fallen back on Golf and find it extraordinarily fascinating, I am becoming a very fair player. we have fine duties In my Parish -
I am afraid your mother is much shaken by Aunt Julia’s death. It is always a solemn thing for the Normans when their
contemporaries and old playmates are called away. Herbert and I took the funeral service at Streatham
With kind love - affectionate cousin
T Norman Rowsell
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Thank you all very much! I have the letter as follows now:
I have nothing else in my possession to help your search but you could no doubt Le?? ??? by writing to J. W. Barry Esq of Delaney? St Westminster
I think the missing part is "no doubt LEARN MORE by writing...."
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As before
we have fine duties In my Parish -
This is
We have five links in my parish. (As in Golf links)
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And
back on Golf and find it as (trust-?)
INGLY fascinating, I am becoming
I wonder if that word is astonishingly?.
I believe you are correct!
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From the York Herald 24 February 1894 I am going to guess the "Herbert" is a brother to the author of the letter:
From an article on recent wills:
The will (dated June 25, 1886), with two codicils
(dated December 12, 1889, and July 10, 1891), of
the Rev. Thomas James Rowsell, of Dean's-yard,
westminster, Canon of Westminster, who died on
January 23, at Newlands House, Tooting Bec--road,
was proved on february 8, by the Rev. Thomas
Norman Rowsell and the Rev. Herbert Rowsell,
the sons, the executors, the value of the personal
estate amounting to over £27,000.
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A reference to the high treason:
London Daily News 14 November 1903
Someone has written a letter to the editor stating that the new Education Acts put the clock back more than 200 years, and in his letter mentions this:
The extracts that I supply are from the charge to the jury given
by Lord Chief Justice Jeffreys at the Court
of King's Bench, Westminster, in 1684m upon
the trial of Rev. Thomas Rosewell for high
treason, the said charge arising from a mis-
representation of certain utterances of his at
conventicles held at Rotherhithe and other
parts of London.
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From the York Herald 24 February 1894 I am going to guess the "Herbert" is a brother to the author of the letter:
From an article on recent wills:
The will (dated June 25, 1886), with two codicils
(dated December 12, 1889, and July 10, 1891), of
the Rev. Thomas James Rowsell, of Dean's-yard,
westminster, Canon of Westminster, who died on
January 23, at Newlands House, Tooting Bec--road,
was proved on february 8, by the Rev. Thomas
Norman Rowsell and the Rev. Herbert Rowsell,
the sons, the executors, the value of the personal
estate amounting to over £27,000.
I believe you are right. Herbert Rowsell 1843-1915 was Thomas Norman Rowsell's brother
A reference to the high treason:
London Daily News 14 November 1903
Someone has written a letter to the editor stating that the new Education Acts put the clock back more than 200 years, and in his letter mentions this:
The extracts that I supply are from the charge to the jury given
by Lord Chief Justice Jeffreys at the Court
of King's Bench, Westminster, in 1684m upon
the trial of Rev. Thomas Rosewell for high
treason, the said charge arising from a mis-
representation of certain utterances of his at
conventicles held at Rotherhithe and other
parts of London.
FYI I am confident that the man in question Rev Thomas Rosewell B:3 May 1630 Dunkerton (near Bath), Somersetshire, England, D:14 February 1692, whose grave near ciity road in London I visited by accident when I sat next to it to eat my lunch, by pure chance, was NOT ancestral to the Herbert, Thomas and Norman despite their claims.
They all descend from Thomas Rowsell Thomas Rowsell of Wimbledon B:1702, D:1773 who is not linked to the above as far as I can tell although the former did have a grandson Thomas Rosewell
B:Abt 1719 London. D:1726 Hackney.