Thursday, August 13, 2009
Kentish connections.
Kent - county of my ancestors.
I am a Maid of Kent, having been born to the south east of the River Medway.
We assumed that all our maternal ancestors came from Kent. My mother's father's family seem mostly to hail from various Kentish towns and villages.
It was comparatively recently that cousin Alison discovered that mother's mother's family had not always been Kentish people.
I think our mother would have been surprised to learn that her mother was actually born in Cheshire - not the select genteel Cheshire, but rather the outskirts of Manchester.
People travelled much more than many people might have realised.
Following one line of my mother's family back we come to Caroline Mallion, my gr gr gr grandmother.
If we move to her brother John, a different line of descendants appeared, leading to Mark who now lives in the USA. His family have lived in Rhodesia and South Africa.
Mark is now amongst my facebook contacts.
And bless him he is posting family photographs.
I have sat staring at this one below for a long time. I couldn't see straight away just what was hypnotising me.
Was it me..... was it my mother?
It is actually Mark's great grandmother Florence (nee Mallion), aged about 50.
Then I covered the good lady's mouth and gasped! There were even some tears.
It was me!
See what you think?
When Bill appeared I asked who he was looking at and straight away said it was me.
Perhaps I shouldn't claim Welsh heritage from the Jones side of the family as I have done since childhood. Mother's mother's family were originally from Wales before they moved to Manchester and then south to Kent.
Perhaps I truly am a Maid of Kent and carry Mallion genes.
And so it is a serendipity thing that Bill and I began to think about a week's holiday in October and opted not to travel far - instead to explore East Kent.
I think we have found just the place and it appears to be free when we want it.
I'll sort it out in the morning.
The place is called The Pig Barn! Yes, it was the pig barn once and is within a farmyard at the village of Chislet. It will cost £220 for the week. The conversion into holiday cottage looks superb.
Today has been busy.
Well, some things feel organised now.
The cupboard (or fridge) is no longer bare.
We went to Asda before half past eight - shopping is very easy at that time.
We stopped on the way because a man with a white stick was seemingly ignored by a bus driver. I guess the elderly man was dithering and didn't put his arm out like they say you should. We then drove him to his doctor's appointment.
I have sorted out appointments.
There was much confusion about an ultra sound scan I am due to have before seeing urology team.
The X Ray department told me when the appointment is for - 6 hours after I see the doctor!
So now I will see the doctor 3 weeks later than planned.
We have been to Lidl for a few bits and enjoyed a sociable time - Bill's cousin's husband was in there ( the one that has been mayor.). Give us a ring he said to arrange when we could round and open a bottle of wine - and at last sort out some family history with Bill's cousin and tell her more about the Ellises and Brands.
Then we met Al who has been a past chairman of Crawley Athletics Club. His wife nursed me after the hysterectomy - 25 years ago.
This afternoon I cleaned and sorted all my stock items that were bought at car boot sales during the last 2 weeks or so. They are all written up and ready for shop or EBay.
Bill, bless him, sorted out the rooms Ashley and Ekatarina had used. Then he dusted and vacuumed everywhere.
We have no plans for tomorrow - our 44th wedding anniversary.
I like that number - 44.
It was the year of my birth just south of Tonbridge in Kent.
I am a Maid of Kent, having been born to the south east of the River Medway.
We assumed that all our maternal ancestors came from Kent. My mother's father's family seem mostly to hail from various Kentish towns and villages.
It was comparatively recently that cousin Alison discovered that mother's mother's family had not always been Kentish people.
I think our mother would have been surprised to learn that her mother was actually born in Cheshire - not the select genteel Cheshire, but rather the outskirts of Manchester.
People travelled much more than many people might have realised.
Following one line of my mother's family back we come to Caroline Mallion, my gr gr gr grandmother.
If we move to her brother John, a different line of descendants appeared, leading to Mark who now lives in the USA. His family have lived in Rhodesia and South Africa.
Mark is now amongst my facebook contacts.
And bless him he is posting family photographs.
I have sat staring at this one below for a long time. I couldn't see straight away just what was hypnotising me.
Was it me..... was it my mother?
It is actually Mark's great grandmother Florence (nee Mallion), aged about 50.
Then I covered the good lady's mouth and gasped! There were even some tears.
It was me!
See what you think?
When Bill appeared I asked who he was looking at and straight away said it was me.
Perhaps I shouldn't claim Welsh heritage from the Jones side of the family as I have done since childhood. Mother's mother's family were originally from Wales before they moved to Manchester and then south to Kent.
Perhaps I truly am a Maid of Kent and carry Mallion genes.
And so it is a serendipity thing that Bill and I began to think about a week's holiday in October and opted not to travel far - instead to explore East Kent.
I think we have found just the place and it appears to be free when we want it.
I'll sort it out in the morning.
The place is called The Pig Barn! Yes, it was the pig barn once and is within a farmyard at the village of Chislet. It will cost £220 for the week. The conversion into holiday cottage looks superb.
Today has been busy.
Well, some things feel organised now.
The cupboard (or fridge) is no longer bare.
We went to Asda before half past eight - shopping is very easy at that time.
We stopped on the way because a man with a white stick was seemingly ignored by a bus driver. I guess the elderly man was dithering and didn't put his arm out like they say you should. We then drove him to his doctor's appointment.
I have sorted out appointments.
There was much confusion about an ultra sound scan I am due to have before seeing urology team.
The X Ray department told me when the appointment is for - 6 hours after I see the doctor!
So now I will see the doctor 3 weeks later than planned.
We have been to Lidl for a few bits and enjoyed a sociable time - Bill's cousin's husband was in there ( the one that has been mayor.). Give us a ring he said to arrange when we could round and open a bottle of wine - and at last sort out some family history with Bill's cousin and tell her more about the Ellises and Brands.
Then we met Al who has been a past chairman of Crawley Athletics Club. His wife nursed me after the hysterectomy - 25 years ago.
This afternoon I cleaned and sorted all my stock items that were bought at car boot sales during the last 2 weeks or so. They are all written up and ready for shop or EBay.
Bill, bless him, sorted out the rooms Ashley and Ekatarina had used. Then he dusted and vacuumed everywhere.
We have no plans for tomorrow - our 44th wedding anniversary.
I like that number - 44.
It was the year of my birth just south of Tonbridge in Kent.
