Monthly Archives: October 2021

Thoughts on All Hallows Eve

by thehistoryinterpreter

So today is All Hallows Eve. Amidst all the pumpkin carving and tricking and treating, I would like to think about all those who lost their lives and in some parts of the world, are still losing their lives, due to accusations of witchcraft. For the most part, these were unfortunate women (and a few men), often elderly and on the margins of society, who fell foul of the prejudices and intolerance of their neighbours. Sadly, it seems to be human nature to be wary of difference. Is this because we can only cope with threat if we believe it to come from someone ‘not like us’? Are threats are harder to bear if we feel that they come from within our own circle, whether that be geographical, racial or social? My fascination with human behaviour and the history of the marginalised, naturally led me to take a detailed look at witchcraft accusations. A general study for the chapter in Coffers, Clysters, Comfrey and Coifs led to my talk The Burning Time. The parallels between witchcraft accusations and modern bullying are powerful and to highlight these I chose to weave the story that became my novel Sins as Red as Scarlet, setting the true story of witchcraft accusations in Bideford against a strand set in 2020. As I tried to make sense of why three women from Bideford were put to death in 1682, I quickly realised that the seeds of this tragedy had roots that stretched back decades. Whilst on the subject of Sins as Red as Scarlet, I’d like to thank Hidden Branch for this lovely review. It is gratifying to realise that readers understand where I was heading with the book.

So, as you don your witch’s hat, please think about those in your own family history, or from your home area who might have suffered persecution in the past. Apart from the six women who are mentioned in my novel, to give them their real names Temperance Lloyd, Susanna Edwards, Mary Trembles, Elizabeth Caddy, Mary Beare and Grace Elliott, there are others I will be remembering. Not least is Joane Elford, acquitted of ‘laming and pining’ Alice Paynter in 1671. She is almost certainly the sister of my 9 times great-grandfather Peter Elford. I tell the story of the Elford family here but there are very few details available about Joane.

If you want to read Sins as Red as Scarlet, it is available on line but as usual, if you are in the UK, I urge you to come directly to me, to my publisher Blue Poppy Publishing or to your nearest independent bookshop. Happy Halloween.

The Experimental Archaeology Adventure Part 4: Boat building, WhatsApping and Stinging Nettles

by thehistoryinterpreter

Well assignment one is submitted, not without incident owing to the rat-induced wifilessness and with thoughts turning to assignment two I am immersing myself in tales of boat reconstructions. In a completely different context (I was looking for potential speakers about Cornish fishing) I happened across an exciting boat-building workshop in Falmouth. It was even free! There were only twelve places and I thought, no way will there be any vacancies but I applied and am super excited to announce that a boat restorer of my acquaintance and I will duly be getting up at very silly o’clock to spend a day in Falmouth. We had to provide names of next of kin on the booking form; should I be worried about this?

My fellow students and I decided we wanted a space to chat and moan and I stupidly suggested WhatsApp, as some weren’t keen on Facebook. Somehow this meant that I had ‘volunteered’ to set the group up. What I know about WhatsApp would fit on an extremely small postage stamp. I am the person with only seven contacts on my phone, two of whom I have never contacted. After a steep learning curve and with help from Martha, the group was established and there’s a lot of sharing of baking triumphs going on. As regular readers will know, I am genetically programmed to be a non-baker, so I can’t contribute to this, although it will soon be time for my once yearly baking foray as I make the Christmas cake.

We were also asked to pay the balance for our course. I think that worked but there is a great kerfuffle about the accompanying request for particular format pdf confirmation of previous qualifications, which none of us seem to be able to obtain. The alternative is ‘bring your certificates in in person’ (like that’s going to work), or to use a verification service that costs £40, which we are trying to avoid.

Having decided that growing, or even purchasing, hemp from which to make rope might be a bit dodgy and being right out of lime bast (no I didn’t know what that was either), I have been watching videos of using stinging nettles to make string. This does not seem to be without hazard but may be worth a go – easier than baking anyhow.

Now to seek out some sufficiently tall stinging nettles and wait with trepidation for the assignment feedback.

Island Adventures and What Came Next

by thehistoryinterpreter

I’ve just returned from a short stay on the Isle of Wight. Let’s just say that internet access was of the ‘five unbroken minutes is a positive’ variety. Phone signal involved standing on one leg on the balcony with the phone held aloft, hence the radio silence. Mind you, it was better off than being at home where rats eating through cables knocked out all internet connection in three villages for five days.

It is always good to return to the island, where I lived for nearly thirty years. Getting on the ferry was a challenge as we arrived to be told we weren’t booked. After enquiring, it turns out that the holiday park hadn’t cancelled our car and caravan booking (despite cancelling our ability to bring the caravan and swapping us to a chalet instead). The ticket collector was obviously wondering if he should ask us if we realised that we’d mislaid the caravan.

Most of the holiday was spent enjoying the company of Edward, along with his mum and dad. Adult activities included hot-tubbing and board game playing. We explored the delights of the Blackgang Chine’s dinosaurs and dodos. Not sure for how many more years I will be able to clamber across the scramble nets. My first visit to the chine was over sixty years ago, when there was considerably more of it; it has been badly hit by landslips. At that time, it lacked the theme-park activities that it now boasts but it was still a must-see place to go. We played crazy-golf, we built sandcastles and poured two pence pieces into ravenous arcade machines. I drove past the first house that I purchased and was shocked to realise that it is forty years since I lived there! Surely the 1980s are practically last week. Minus Edward, which is probably as well for the sake of the china, we visited Osborne House for the umpteenth time. I was pleased to find that there is a positive correlation between English Heritage visitors and mask-wearing, ferry travellers less so.

Then home to the inevitable catching up. I’ve just written a three-volume novel that is the list of things to do before Christmas, currently standing at 117 tasks. There are three big speaking engagements on the horizon, as well as many other presentations for audiences from Devon to New Zealand, the latter sadly only virtually. I am looking forward to chatting about how the world of genealogy can become more accommodating across the age range as part of The Really Useful Show. Next up will be three presentations for THE Genealogy Show and I’ve just heard that I will have to tackle the learning curve that is recording two presentations for next year’s Rootstech.

A few things to report that have been crossed off the to-do list. I complied a list of best genealogical mystery novels for a Best Books website. I’ve also got an article on the Civil War hot on the presses of Who do You Think You Are? Magazine. Oh, and nothing to do with the to do list but I have Commonwealth Games tickets, only one set but I guess that’s a bonus for the bank balance. Now back to the course reading, of which more in a separate post.

The Experimental Archaeology Adventure Part 3: Book Buying and Making Plans

by thehistoryinterpreter

I have been so busy actually doing my experimental archaeology course that there hasn’t been time to wite about it. It is fascinating and I am having great fun with a group of mostly matureish students from seven different countries, with an intriguing range of backgrounds and experiences. So far (this is week 3), we have introduced ourselves and the course, looked at the changing definitions of experimental archaeology and thought about reconstructing houses. Interesting that when an Iron Age house burns down the roof falls in and then the walls collapse on top, meaning that future archaeologists will excavate the structure walls first and then roof. Never say you don’t learn anything from reading my ramblings. Next stop pottery.

A few technical issues, such as repeated emails urging me to collect my student ID card from  room whatever, which is in …..… Dublin. Wondering how my fellow students from Australia and the US will go about this. Then, having ordered a book in time to take on holiday, randomly I get an email from the dreaded online bookseller saying there had been a problem with delivery and it was being returned. I am roughly translating this as ‘we couldn’t find your house and couldn’t be bothered to ask’. Or even ‘I wanted to be home early and couldn’t be bothered to drive to the wilds of nowhere on a wet afternoon.’ Annoying but I implemented plan B and have now got the book and a message thanking me for returning the book I didn’t want to return and assuring me that I will be refunded in the next week. Most of the reading is available to us electronically, although I do prefer paper and I have the beginnings of a library appearing now.

I am currently immersed in the first assignment, a study of the different definitions of experimental archaeology. Essay writing seems to take much longer than it did in the 1970s, maybe because I am more of a perfectionist now. Ok – or maybe just because I am old. I am also already looking ahead to assignment two which requires us to critique experimental archaeology projects on a similar theme. It is suggested that we might like to link this to our work in the final term, when we have to make something. Thinking of my own interests, I have ruled out experimenting with bewitching people – not sure that would get past the ethics committee. I could make some herbal remedies but the fun would be in testing them and I am not sure that would go down well either. So, do I do something girly and get my spinning wheel out (I really must do some spinning when I have time – try about 2024)? In a continuation of my post mid-life crisis, I am now going rogue. I have suggested to a fisherman (and boat-restorer) of my acquaintance that we might like to build a coracle in the garden. He has long been trying to persuade me to build a garage (people who know my house and garden are now questioning how on earth that would work – it wouldn’t) and I think he was keen on the boat idea thinking it might require a garage to put it in. Ok, so a boat could be a tad ambitious, it seems to involve lots of animal skins that might be difficult, not to say expensive, to acquire. Maybe fishing nets or fish traps though….. My search history now contains some slightly dodgy sites as a result of me searching for ‘where to buy hemp’.