Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Fate takes a hand
I had not heard from my cousin Diana for a couple of months so phoned today to see how she was faring. She is a busy soul and, although not too steady when walking, at present, is always up and doing. She was on her way out as I rang, so had time only to say that one of our cousins (nearer to her than me) had expressed an interest in the tree so had been sent some information; a response is awaited.
I looked up this new recruit and it got me thinking about Gale kinfolk in that particular line. Gideon Gale is buried at Stoke-sub-Hamdon and several of his children with him. I have also found graves in Wiltshire and Dorset for sons, George Gideon and Malachi. I had no idea about Igdaliah who had married cousin Rosina Chant.
On the Ancestry web site I saw that both Igdaliah and Rosina had died in the 1920s and the registrations made at Mere in Wiltshire. As Jenny will be exploring some of the villages in that area in a few weeks time I was mindful to pass on the two names in case she should see their grave(s) by some chance. I was at a loose end today so decided to start looking for myself as well and travelled up the A303 towards Mere as a starting place. I was quite confident that the two for whom I was looking were not in Mere itself or Zeals, as they have been explored quite well.
From the A303 I went northward towards Stourton and Gasper as they would still be in Mere registration area. I left both those villages for later and decided to look at Kilmington. Why?
Got it in one!
Labels: Genealogy, Gravestones, Wiltshire
Monday, 15 March 2010
The Battle of Balaclava 25th October 1854
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd:
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.
This memorial to Thomas Warr is at the gate of Fordington Cemetery in Dorchester.
Labels: Dorset, Gravestones
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
William Dampier 1651-1715
The Dampier name, whilst not common, is quite well known in my area of Somerset. William Dampier was from East Coker.
Today I went to Sparkford where there are a couple of Dampier family graves. They may well prove to belong to an unrelated line.
The only possible connection I have in the tree at the present time is where a John Dampier from Chard married a Charlotte Loving from Hawkchurch in 1804. My cousin Michael Loving's grandfather came from Hawkchurch so there is the possibility of a match. Whenever I see the Dampier name I think of the explorer and wonder if there is this oblique connection.
Labels: Devon, Dorset, Environs, Gravestones, Somerset
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Gale Family
Gale is a very common name in my parts of Somerset and Dorset. George Claremont Gale was my second cousin, coming from my great aunt Emma's family after emigration. He came from Canada to serve in the second world war and was posted as missing in action. He is commemorated on the Air Force Memorial at Runnymede.The name just visible on this stone at Bourton, near the Somerset/Wiltshire border is George Gideon Gale. He is from another part of my tree. This George was the son of Gideon and brother of Igdaliah. Igdaliah married Rosina Chant, daughter of Dan Chant who used to have 'The Duke of Cornwall' in Stoke-sub-Hamdon.
Although I have not identified Igdaliah and Rosina's resting place, his father is buried at St Mary's in Stoke.
http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1270553
Labels: Environs, Genealogy, Gravestones, Somerset
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Earth to earth ...
I had passed the gates to this cemetery many times and resolved to visit one day to see if I could find the graves of any of the Bridgwater Chants. Today was the day.
What a depressing location!
You do not expect a cemetery to be a jolly place but this one was abandoned. There had been a few floral tributes placed in memory of passed loved ones but the majority of the people here lie forgotten. Not only forgotten, but with the absolutely stupid disregard for memorials for the dead which is encouraged by 'Health and Safety' legislation, many of the everlasting tributes had been demolished. Do the people who are paid to carry out this sacriligeous destruction have a conscience and ever shed a tear for their actions? It would appear that there are too few Christians taking decisions in this country nowadays.
I hope the people whose project is to help remember those who lie here will come to fruition. http://www.bridgwaterheritage.org.uk/wembdon_rd_cemetery/index.htm
Labels: Genealogy, Gravestones, Somerset
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