Saturday 25 July 2009
R.I.P.
The news today was that Harry Patch, the last survivor of WW1 trench warfare had died.
Some time ago one of the Patch members of the family asked if he was related to us. Now I have looked the answer appears to be 'no'. I have gone back to the start of the 1800s and it looks as if the family was established in Wedmore. I can not see a Wedmore connection for us although there may be one earlier that I have not discovered.
Henry John PATCH 17 June 1898 to 25 July 2009
son of
William John PATCH born in 1863 in Norton St Philip
son of
Frederick PATCH born in 1842 in Wedmore
son of
John PATCH born in 1816 in Wedmore.
Some time ago one of the Patch members of the family asked if he was related to us. Now I have looked the answer appears to be 'no'. I have gone back to the start of the 1800s and it looks as if the family was established in Wedmore. I can not see a Wedmore connection for us although there may be one earlier that I have not discovered.
Henry John PATCH 17 June 1898 to 25 July 2009
son of
William John PATCH born in 1863 in Norton St Philip
son of
Frederick PATCH born in 1842 in Wedmore
son of
John PATCH born in 1816 in Wedmore.
Labels: Family
Friday 24 July 2009
Constitutional
Yes, I was good again today and walked up the hill.This viewpoint marker shows the number of miles to the different hills and dales to which it points. It was erected to mark the golden jubilee of Her Majesty.
I am still amazed that the quarrymen are allowed to take so much stone from the hill, particularly when they are so close to the public amenity area. Some of the stone is reconstituted and used as facing for the new properties in the village. It will take many years for them to mellow to the colour of the older buildings, if they ever do given the way the stone has been treated.
There are a good many wild flowers up on the hill and they provide a feast for bees and other insects.
Quite frankly I do not know if this is a five spot burnet or a six spot burnet. I have looked at pictures of both and can not tell the difference.
It is on a teasel and there are many of those growing on the hill. The craft people often pick the heads and dry them to make ornaments. Hedgehogs are a favourite, naturally.
Teasels used to be used set in holders for carding wool.
Labels: Environs
Over the A303
I get queries from time to time about possible family connections. Indeed I initiate a great number myself. I can do this quite easily on the Internet as a rule.
Sometimes the lead I am following needs a snail mail follow up to another party and it can require a little caution to send something that the recipient will be getting out of the blue. How do I introduce myself and phrase my query so that I get a reply? On the Internet a percentage of approaches is ignored and this can hold true for written post as well.
Some months ago I received a query from a young lady in the next village who wanted to know if we were related. She did not tell me that much about her family and I do not blame that caution in these days when youngsters tell the world about themselves and their families thus facilitating fraud. Gradually I discovered details about her kin and wrote to her to get confirmation I was on the right track.
Finally I identified her grandfather and sent my snail mail letter to him. He telephoned today and I found he was in my files already. Trouble was that he uses his second given name. That happens so often and makes identification so difficult. Once we got talking I could give him a run down of what I had deduced from computer research and get his confirmation about his parents and siblings.
Now I have updated my files and printed a copy to post to him so he may discuss the family with his granddaughter. Pity but we are not cousins as I have too many missing links because of records that have gone astray over the past five centuries. Something may crop up in the future, though. There is always hope in genealogy as the past wants you to make your discoveries and give them an airing.
Labels: Family
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