Tower of London

Having been alerted to the fact that the installation starts to be dismantled soon after Armistice Day I thought I'd better get a move on if I wanted to see the poppies at the Tower of London.  So I went on Monday, despite the pouring rain (I always think of what the soldiers had to endure in the Great War, and mentally declare myself a wuss on these occasions).

It was a moving and magnificent sight, made all the more so because of the sheer number of people looking.....

More soon.

Back from north of the border.....

Here I am, back fro m, my annual trip to Scotland, and I'm pleased to report that we had some good weather this time.... yes, plenty of sun!  Mind you, the weather forecast for a couple of days was "Raining hard all day, with occasional periods of not-raining-quite-so-hard.

We did get out a bit - a trip to the seaside (sea was nice and warm but the beach was so windy that I've only just got rid of the sand in my teeth and boots) and also to Peebles, which I love.

Also saw some more War memorials, which I continue to photograph:

More soon.

Amazing what you find.....

Yesterday I had a trip to the new sorting/delivery office in Cambridge (yes, I know, it's a rock and roll life). Said office has now moved to the other side of the city, on the old Cattle Market site, so it's now only one bus ride for me but I had forgotten how far it was from Cherry Hinton Road to the back of the site (virtually on the railway line) where the office now is.....!

However, it was worth it for the item which awaited me (once they'd found it) and the surprise package (scuse the pun) which I found on the wall:

More soon.

A felon in the family.....?

Ah, those newspapers...... the Stamford Mercury from 30th November 1835 suggests a rather unpleasant character on the outskirts of the Culpin family.  I haven't yet discovered if he was caught!

FELONY - TEN POUNDS REWARD

WILLIAM CULPIN, labourer, is charged upon oath with ROBBERY and brutal ATTEMPT to MURDER.  He was born at Warmington, near Oundle, is about 5 feet 4 inches high, 22 years of age, rather stout and robust, a bad walker, knees rather bent, toes turned out, keen eye, prominent cheek-bones, flat nose with expanded nostrils, wide mouth, upper lip rather turned up, hair with a curl of two at the temples, hoarse voice, and a peculiar twirling of certain muscles of the face when eating or talking.  Had on light cotton cord smallclothes, drab gaiters (the bottom button mostly undone), blue and white shirt.

Any person apprehending the said William Culpin, lodging him in any of his Majesty's gaols, and giving notice thereof to Mr Bristow, constable, Peterborough, shall receive the above reward.

More soon.

Good Advertising......

Found in the North Devon Journal, 18 May 1922

"Continued Success: Mr Culpin’s Marvellous scientific cure for deafness, all catarrhal troubles, Nerve wracking head and buzzing ear, Noses, Rheumatism and nervous troubles cured.

No operations under any circumstances are necessary.  No appliances of any kind need be worn.

Owing to numerous applications for appointments, Mr Culpin decides to remain at The Forresters’ Hall, High Street, Barnstaple, the whole of next week."

I have no idea whether he's related to "my" Culpins but......

I also have no idea what Blogger are doing - it has taken me a while to find my way back in on the laptop.  No longer can I just log in from the usual page.  This is probably "progress".......

More soon.

Back to anniversaries......

When I first started this blog I used anniversaries to introduce my rellies; today shall be no different....

Mindful of a family barbecue coming up, I thought I'd better brush up my Freemans - make sure all the references are there and generally update where possible; there is so much more information available online now, compared to when I started, that it's not difficult to add to the "older" old data!

So, combining the two tasks above, let me introduce you to my first cousin 5 times removed Edward Freeman.  Born in Camberwell in 1820, youngest of the five children of  Charles and Martha (nee Cross), he grew up to become a shopman in the metropolis and married Mary Ann Faulkner on 5 July 1846 (there's the anniversary) at St George's Church Camberwell.  

They stayed in the Camberwell/Bermondsey area and produced six children (Edward (1847), Mary (1849), George (1858), Alfred (1861), Emily (1861) and Amelia (1871)) prior to Edward's death in 1888.

To be honest, this is the kind of family which would not get me onto WDYTYA because they're, well, ordinary.  Warehousemen and domestic servants, you know the type - just like 99% of all our rellies!  The only thing I can find of any significance is that Amelia, the youngest, married James Blatchford and....,shock horror..... moved out of London to Worthing!  

I didn't want to be on TV anyway.....

More soon.

PS.  Looking at a chum's family the other day, not only did I find the name "Wulfhilda", I also found the occupation "Finisher, Jam".  Both made me smile!

Back on source....

So now the holiday is over it's back to the genealogy..... and I'm still going through my data to find the missing sources.

My surname of choice today was Branson..... and I was going to make a gag about being in a pickle.

New thing, though, is that I'm doing this on the phone.   Let's see what this app is like.....

More soon.