Is much on my
mind at present. A rather fanatical relative encouraged me to take a DNA test
from Ancestry.co.uk. Frankly this has given a mass of information which I’m
very uncertain how to interpret. My interest, indeed our family interest, dates
back over 20 years.
When Alison
was in her final school years she entered the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme.
Among the tasks was to develop an interest. She decided on genealogy. There was
a story within my family that many lived for centuries in N Staffordshire near
Stowe by Chartley. We investigated with her and found the actual location was a
hamlet nearby at Fradswell. Looking at the churchyard immediately gave a trove
of information as there were Hall gravestones going back centuries.
After Alison
left for university Annette, who had always been interested, did a lot of
further research. It soon transpired that the family in Fradswell had occupied
a farm until the middle of the 19th century when on the death of the
patriarch the children had sold up. There were a large number of girls and
three boys. My great grandfather used
his substantial inheritance in an unusual way. Although married with a child he
travelled to the Americas, we don’t know where, and lived there for several
years. We can only presume he intended, if successful, to bring his wife and
child to re-join him. In the event he returned to England and his family, fathering
nine girls and two boys.
It is just a
little later that a central puzzle in my life begins. My paternal grandmother
for some reason, presumably severe post natal depression, handed over her first
born to her mother-in-law. Although my grandmother had several more children
her first born never returned. This first born child was my father. Family
stories have it that my great grandmother, a very maternal woman. had pleaded
for the baby to stay with her. This plea was reinforced as her own two youngest
died young.
Thus as my
father put it he was “Granny reared”. The main consequence for me was that he
was always close to his younger aunts who had effectively been big sisters to
him. I never understood this as a child and I always thought it slightly odd.
My father lived with his grandparents and then with his grandmother until her
death. He then lived with his aunt and uncle until he married.
It is my
great grandfather who is of much interest to me. While still at Fradswell he
was in the Staffordshire Yeomanry. This was a sort of Home Guard of its day. I
have his cavalry sword as an heirloom. Although this was after the Napoleonic Wars
there was great fear that revolution would spread to England. The Yeomanry was more of a support
to the civil power as they were not contracted to serve outside the county. He
returned from the America’s with a limp which was said to be the result of
falling off his horse. When he returned he had a life as a farm bailiff prior
to eventually becoming the licensee of a public house. My father was raised at
this pub which is ironic because he was at another pub while living with his
aunt and uncle.
My DNA
results show as close relatives only the three I already knew about. The DNA
appeared to show a strong Scandinavian decent ( 29% ) which I supposed could
support the family story that my distant ancestors came to England after the
Norman conquest. It was said they were in the retinue of Earl Ferrers and he
gave the land which was subsequently held for centuries. We can trace my
ancestry back to the 16th century but beyond that is virtually
impossible as written records are very sparse.
My only male
cousin has no heirs so it will be up to Alex ( my grandson ) to continue the
family name.
Based on the
family probably still living in N Staffordshire Annette advertised in a Stoke
on Trent newspaper. This was very successful as we found several distant
relatives. Inspired by the fanatical genealogist we met up a couple of times.
We are all descended from the final Fradswell family. The expert genealogist
wrote a paper about our family for a genealogical journal.
Why don’t
owls mate in a storm?
Because it’s
too wet to woo
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