SSH and environs

Here is a further bit of name-dropping! This is not substantiated as I have never found the link which my father maintained existed. William Barnes, 'The Dorset Poet', is supposed to be related to my branch of the Chant family. It may have been wishful thinking but there could be a connection. In a biographical work I have seen recorded that Barnes would take his daughter to the top of Ham Hill and point out to her the various localities which were visible and which had played a part in his life.. Barnes is buried at Winterborne Came: his memorial is the Celtic cross you see. He was a friend of Thomas Hardy and in the living room at Hardy's home, Max Gate, a small painting once owned by Barnes is on display. When Hardy died this was disposed of, together with other memorabilia, by Hardy's sister. Subsequently it was repurchased as a gift to help record the friendship between the two men. http://www.william-barnes-society.org.uk/

Labels: Dorset, Genealogy

Now for a bit of name-dropping! Thomas Hardy O.M. used to worship at Stinsford church where his father had assisted with maintaining the tidiness and appearance. Hardy would walk over the fields from the home he had designed for himself called Max Gate. On his mother's side, my late cousin David Chant was a distant cousin of Hardy, a fact of which he was proud but which he often kept to himself in discussions. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-hardy-country

Labels: Dorset, Genealogy

A week or so ago my cousin Michael Loving and his wife, Wendy, came to see me. I had not seen Michael since I visited his parents with mine, when I was still at school, and it was holiday time. It was at a period when his family was in Axminster. Even after his dad had passed away we used to receive a Christmas card from his mum with bits of family news. When Amy died contact dropped but I had been looking to renew the relationship for some years. This did happen finally as Michael found one of my Internet postings.
Like me he had bits of family memorabilia and his and my pieces will fit together to mend some missing pieces to the puzzle. I did not know that my father had been Will Loving's Best Man but here was a photograph which suggested that was the case. Michael also had an autograph book that clarified the last visit to her sister (his grandmother) by our great aunt Emma, who had married Tom Gale and emigrated to America. This is useful for the Gale reunion which is taking place later this month for members of the family coming from Emma and Tom's son Vernon. It proves that Emma was alive after the date we had thought, although it is possible she died the next year.

Labels: Dorset, Genealogy

I had made myself so tired last week that Monday was a 'stay at home' day. Today I went first in the direction of Sherborne and for the afternoon decided to explore to the south of Dorchester and see if there were any of my Hansford family in any out of the way spots.
I saw a signpost to Stinsford and knew the village rang no bells as a place to which I had travelled. After one or two wrong turnings I found the church and discovered it was one for which Thomas Hardy's father had worked. The village itself features as Mellstock in 'Under The Greenwood Tree'.

Labels: Dorset

This is the church which my great grandparents, William and Elizabeth Stanton attended. They are buried in the churchyard together with several of their children and grandchildren.
The family lived a fair step away in the hamlet of Birdsmoorgate and I think the walk to Marshwood on a Sunday would have been a little easier as the way was a good bit less hilly. Perhaps there were reasons I have not yet discovered.
I went down to the church on Wednesday to pay my respects and was lucky enough on my way home to meet the chap who now owns the old family home. He has still got the old, pre-registration deeds and has promised to look them out so I can see just what mortgages the Stantons and the Hansfords took out on the property as security for various family enterprises.

Labels: Dorset, Genealogy

Cannon to right of them,

Labels: Dorset, Gravestones

Labels: Devon, Dorset, Environs, Gravestones, Somerset

After the snow we have the rain. The fields are saturated already but will dry out ... depends how long the wet weather continues.

Cousin Jenni and her husband, Steve, came for a few days earlier this week and we went out and about as much as possible. We were quite lucky with the weather and saw a few glimpses of sunshine on Tuesday. I took them on one of my usual round trips and here is a view from Weymouth.

Later we went on to Portland and then up to the Hardy Monument, set on the high ground with views over Dorset. Steve was impressed by the mounds and hollows around the hillside and wants to visit again when it is a bit warmer and sunnier.
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-hardymonument

We then travelled the coast road to West Bay where many of the boats were standing on the quay for the winter and then back to Stoke-sub-Hamdon via Beaminster.

Labels: Dorset