After a couple of sun bleached days in Gent and Brugges in Belgium we boarded a ferry from Ostend to Ramsgate and, since late June, have had a wonderful month of genealogy research in the southern counties of England where most of our relatives lived, centuries ago.
We’ve had amazing access in county records offices to stiff, waxy, crackly land leases they took out and signed hundreds of years ago. Their blotchy signatures are there aplenty. And, believe it or not, so are many ancient hand-written letters which give an amazing insight into the type of people they were.
We found tithe maps, beautifully detailed and cross-referenced with numbered location maps allowing us to trace exactly where our relatives once lived. We were able to track down their activities on electoral registers, Bishop's Transcripts, Marriage Indexes, and ancient original Parish Registers disintegrating on the frailest of papers even as we turned the tinder-dry pages whilst wearing soft white protective gloves. So fragile. So impossible to read.
We took photographs of the stone and cob cottages where our relatives once lived, the churches where they married, the pubs where they shared a pint, and, finally, the headstones in the cemeteries where they ended their days.
We even resorted, in one remote location, to cleaning one headstone with toothpaste (the only non-toxic, non-damaging illuminating white substance we had with us) in the hope that it would better highlight the etched grooves in the old decaying headstone enabling a clearer photograph. Evenso, we are still at a loss to decipher some of the lettering.
We ended up having to charge the digital camera battery every single night: it was so drained every single day. So many photos of data it will take us years to sort.
We are now in the Midlands, where, for the first time in the entire three months we are experiencing what looks like solid, non-stop rain. The ground is so sodden we can’t even park in the campground, but are on hardstanding on the perimeter – albeit quite pleasant and surrounded by dripping greenery. With free WIFI as a bonus.
We have, now, only a few days to catch up with old friends, clean and drop off our motorhome, then next week we’re home. Another lovely trip. Sun-scorched in the main, this year but lovely memories all.
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Bec coffering in front of Bruges City Hall
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| Belfry tower and Dijver canal. Brugge, the Venice of the North |
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| Love these facades in Ghent, Belgium |
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| The Lion's Mound, overlooking what once was a battlefield, commemorate the Allies' victory over Napoleon's imperial trips, Waterloo in Belgium |
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| Hymans House National Trust garden in grounds of historic ruin, near Horsham |
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Beautiful Cowes on the Isle of Wight
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Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
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Alum Bay, Isle of Wight
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Beautiful waters of the Isle of Wight
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| Laycock Abbey, Chippenham |
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| King Johns Hunting Lodge Tea Room, Chippenham |
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| Miss Bec in Old Smity Garden in Godshill |
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| Brick Kiln pond conservation area |
