Last year I was given the task of ordering battery lights for the History Group’s entry in the village Christmas tree competition. This was an abject fail as the string that arrived was about 5cm long but that’s another story. In the magical ‘big brother’ way that is a feature of Facebook algorithms, up popped an advert for a string of lights where each light was also a peg. I had a light bulb moment (no pun intended). These pegs are meant for displaying Christmas cards. All I can say is that the cards would need to be teeny tiny as the pegs are quite close together but I did not want them for cards. I am very fortunate to have an extensive photograph album for my mother’s side of the family. Add to this, the few photographs I have for my father’s family and my daughters’ paternal ancestors and I amassed a cast of eighty. Given my paucity of cousins, I was quite impressed by this.
The pictures span 9 generations, from someone born in 1778 (who lived to be over 90) to someone born in 2013. I printed them out 2-3cm wide/deep and then laminated them. Hint if you are going to try this – leave at least a centimetre of blank laminate above each picture, otherwise the pictures are covered by a peg. I have a duplicate set of pictures for small visitors to play with should they want to. If you are going to do this, you might want to round the corners, as cut up bits of laminate can be quite sharp. One or two recalcitrant cousins do have a habit of twisting round to face the wrong way but that is the way of Christmas ornaments! I also have to remember to set the lights to constant not an annoying flicker (of which there are seven varieties) but I am pleased that I now have eighty family members joining me for Christmas. It is really difficult to photograph the effect successfully, as to get the full impression the pictures are too small to see but this will give you an idea.
Now for today’s alphabetical favourite family history website. C is for Church of England Clergy Database. This site provides biographical data on clergymen, taken form various archives in England and Wales, for the period 1540-1835. For those doing one-place studies, it is possible to use the advanced search to search by place. You may not have clergymen in your own family but it is great fun to learn more about who baptised, married or buried your ancestors. For example, I can tell you who the local curate was in 1620. This was probably just a few years after my house was built.
‘Philip Boteler, ordained deacon 5 Feb 1617 by William Cotton, Bishop of Exeter. 1 Aug 1620 became curate of Buckland Brewer, Bulkworthy, East Putford and West Putford. Went on to be rector of Landcross 5 June 1641’
Many of the entries in this year’s advent calendar are based on my book Family Historian’s Enquire Within. I would be very grateful if anyone in the UK wanting to buy a copy would get in touch with me directly (there will be no charge for UK postage). I am trying to free up book storage space ready for novel two arriving!
The History Interpreter - Janet Few 