It
is with real pleasure that we welcome Doreen Norton as our Guest
Contributor this month. We first met Doreen after the publication of
Sandy Ditzig's article in Issue 11. In an article called Caroline Western's Journal, Sandy told the story of her
Great Great Grandmother, Eliza Stentiford. After publication, it soon became apparent
that Eliza was the elder sister of Doreen's Great Grandmother, Ellen
Stentiford, whose story she tells in this Issue. Doreen and Sandy are
now in touch with one another and have begun to create a composite
picture of their family.
Many
of our readers live outside the UK and like others, have to do all
their research during holiday trips to Devon. Please be aware that the
Devon Record Office in Exeter is moving to new premises on the
outskirts of the town during 2004. As a consequence, it is closing
down for a four-month period from May to September next year while the move
takes place. The present plan is for a complete shut-down but, also under
consideration, is the idea of providing some very limited access to the
micro-fiche section of the Parish Records collection for part of this period.
This would be in the existing premises in the centre of Exeter but there is no mention of access to the
actual Parish Registers or to the micro-film collection of the Bishop's
Transcripts. We will publish any decision they make as soon as
possible but, in these special circumstances, will be very pleased to carry out
research during the winter months for family members likely
to be affected by the closure - just use the e-mail
link below to contact us.
Dianne
Baird has sent us a quotation from George Bernard Shaw which is
particularly apt for an Issue which records George Stediford's
appearance at the Old Bailey:
"The
danger in tracing your family tree is that you may find an ancestor
hanging from a branch, either by his neck or by his tail." Thank
you for this, Dianne.
Keep
in touch,
Muriel
and Richard
