First, to everyone who came, whether from near, far or even further, a very big thank you for doing so. Your enthusiasm, friendliness and capacity to talk exceeded all my
expectations. It would appear that you all found new links and information as well as experiencing the pleasure of being in our ancestors' lovely village of Ashton.
Secondly, on all our behalf another very big thank you to the present day villagers of Ashton who took the opportunity of our Family History Reunion to add their own Roots History
Weekend Event. This also added hugely to our own Reunion experience and gave us further chances to learn about both our ancestors and more recent Ashton history.
As soon as people arrived on the Friday morning armed with Family Trees the buzz of conversation began. Links were forged within minutes, facial likenesses considered and cousins
were added to the families.
The discussions were broken for a Ploughman's lunch and the business of collecting the Memorial Inscriptions in the churchyard .
Unfortunately a rain storm arrived just as this work began; the village electricity supply flickered but the spirit of the recording team did not. Some had to hand rather soggy
pieces of paper to Ann Garfield, MI Co-ordinator of the Northamptonshire Family History Society and their instructor and leader in this task. She says she went to bed that night
surrounded by paper drying on her bedroom floor.
Eventually the findings will be published by the NFHS and available for purchase.
[ Following note added 18th February 2003 ]
Ashton Memorial Inscriptions Price is £1.50 and UK postage is 45p. Cheques to Northamptonshire FHS.
Send orders to Mary Ginns 26 Stella Avenue, Tollerton, Notts. NG12 4EX
The Richardsons were there in strength; strangers on Thursday but a "Family" long before Sunday. Josie de Moor and Bill Richardson from Australia, Gary, Jil and James Richardson
from New Zealand, Ralph and Pauline Richardson from Somerset, Jean Griffiths and sister Janet King from the next county and Pam Wootton from Northampton. Then on Saturday Belinda
Morrissey who is Josie's sister, Pat Spring who is Pam's sister and Ron and Dorothy Richardson joined them.
Josie de Moor also found another "Cousin" in Cyril Summerton Jones and by the look of his amazingly long, and interconnected Family tree displays I think we could all claim a bit of
Cyril.
The Webb descendants were there too, Emma Stacey with her mother Marion Hawkins, and Enid and Barrie Hibbert. They also had a large and detailed file to study, sent by Mary
McGinnis of Tennessee, the great granddaughter of Mary Webb/Timbs. Also there was another Family Tree from the same Henry and Martha Webb, provided by Sharon Thrift who lives in
Australia. This last link being made only the week before the Reunion.
Alan and his sister Brenda represented the Malcher family with links to many families of us there including those of Emma, Cyril and Denise Marsden and her daughter Susan. Brenda
brought her photo album of early pictures which was a delight to study as she patiently explained who was who in the pictures. Another member of a local Malcher family (I
apologise for not taking their name) joined the group to add information on Saturday.
Wendy Lynch came the furthest within the British Isles making the long trip from Dunfermline in Scotland. She brought along her friend Moira Donnison who although not a Family
History researcher herself was soon assimilated into the group and was a pleasure to have there. I didn't see her yawning so hope she has been affected by the bug now. Or
did we put her off ? Wendy's main interest was Fearn.
Margaret and Michael Pell had links with many there as they are researching the Shakeshaft and Shouler Families. Other Shakeshafts also joined in with the village events so I
believe they were kept busy.
When I think of busy I also think of Shan and Les Gooodridge who linked up with Gerald Goodridge who came along as a relative beginner. Shan and Les also helped another local
beginner on the Saturday afternoon and were very generous with their time and energy. We must not forget their young daughter who assisted them on their laptop computer.
Ann Pape came in search of her Clarks and Stimsons and Denise Marsden and her daughter Susan were other Clark researchers. My only close link was with Denise so it was a
particular pleasure to meet her and Susan. Denise 's great-grandfather's second wife was my great-aunt so although not linked by blood line we are linked in a common
interest.
Denise, Terry and I were lucky enough to be shown round the Manor House by the present owner Andrew Hunter. It was there that our Clarke couple lived at the turn of the 19th to
20th century, when the Manor was divided into four dwellings.
Paul Mills came with his parents and we hope he was helped to further his research. Mrs Smith was looking for many names including Shipp but I have not yet discovered a link to my
Shipp family, but I have promised to send her a Shipp "story".
On Saturday we were pleased to welcome John Pancoast from Westport, Connecticut in the U.S.A. whose ancestor left Ashton for America in 1680. John had no known direct links
with any other researcher but a hearth tax reference was found for his ancestor. John joined the walk around the village and seems to have enjoyed the pilgrimage to his ancestral
roots.
Julie Saw in Australia and David Linnell in Woking, Surrey were unable to attend the reunion but provided their Family Trees for our researchers.
Of the several villagers, who joined in the research chat, a special mention must be made of Kath Lever whose knowledge of the village is invaluable.
Apologies to anyone I may have missed, please put me straight.
