Today would have been my mum’s 100th birthday. It therefore seems very appropriate that I have just sent out the first lesson of my online course for Pharos about Putting your Female Ancestors into context. This is the first presentation of this course and I am planning to work alongside the students to tell my mother’s story. Who am I kidding? The course lasts five weeks. It took me three years to finish my grandmother’s story but at least I can have aspirations and make a start. I will get a second chance in September, as the course will be repeated then. There are still spaces on the September course, if you would like to join in.
Anyway, I have begun and today will be spent adding to a timeline, which will become the framework for my story and scanning in photographs that I haven’t yet scanned. I will keep you posted with my progress, or I fear lack of it.
It has been about ten weeks since my last update and as I am a fair-weather gardener and the weather hasn’t exactly been fair, there’s not a lot to report. The main addition is the new water butt, which was a very extravagant Christmas present. As I have much of my garden in pots, plenty of watering is required in dry spells. Strangely, the two existing, unattractive, plastic water butts, that came with the house, collect water from the tiny summerhouse and the garage respectively. It seemed strange that nothing was gathering what fell on the, much larger, roof of the bungalow itself. This led to my new acquisition, which is a former whisky barrel and believe me you could get seriously hungover just breathing in the fumes that emanate from it. The first job was to manoeuvre it into position once it had been deposited on the door step. Fortunately its arrival coincided with some visiting muscle, so with a bit of an effort, it was moved to where it needed to be. Next, it needed to be attached to the downpipe, also not totally straightforward or without incident. A couple of heavy downpours later and it was filling up nicely. The water butt is situated between the house and garage, on some unexciting tarmac. The next stage is to put some battening by the back gate and cover the mossy tarmac with chippings to match another part of the garden.
I am still waiting for temperature, health and strength and lack of rain to all align, so that I can get outside and start tidying up after winter. Most things are now showing signs of sprouting and the garden is fulfilling it’s promise from last year, with something in flower all year round. Things do however seem to be later than they were last year. The quince is barely budding but was in full flower this time last year. The camellias have been lovely and two that were behind the now moved shed can be seen this year. The snowdrops seem to have disappeared but miniature daffodils, a solitary crocus, hyacinths and grape hyacinths are all showing colour. The standard sized daffodils have flowered but are providing a meal for something. Hellebores and pansies are flowering with some wallflowers and forget-me-nots showing colour.
I am sad that the bluetits and great-tits have deserted the garden but I am hoping they may return. Robins, sparrows and blackbirds look likely to nest and I can usually spot woodpigeons, magpies, jackdaws and herring gulls. I leave you with some signs that spring is round the corner.
Life has been full of presentations, both online and in person. Every routeway in Devon seems to be fraught with road closures at the moment, so some of the in person ones have involved ‘interesting’ journeys. On one occasion, we were foiled in both directions by signs that said ‘Road closed follow the diversion’. This on a road that had had no turnings for a mile or so and not a diversion arrow in sight. We are used to narrow twisty lanes but I swear some of the places we ended up weren’t roads – no visible signs of tarmac at any rate. Then, about a mile up a road that was barely wide enough for the car, a sign that said ‘Danger no Entry’ and a firmly barred farm gate. Cue a million point turn. The joys of presenting in out of the way areas.
I have just started delivering a monthly ‘Biography Club’ for the Society of Genealogists. The first session was met with plenty of enthusiasm and yet again, I have vowed to keep up with the attendees and fill in the gaps in my own biography. I’ve made a good start but some sections still need to be tackled. I am also coming to the end of a full Pharos course for those wanting to find out more about their agricultural labouring ancestors. As one course closes another begins and it will soon be time for the first presentation of my online course for Pharos about putting female ancestors into context. I am really looking forward to this and have deluded myself that I might keep up with the students for this one too, looking at my mother’s story. The course is full to capacity and beyond but it will run again later in the year and if you are interested, you can book a place now.
Next on the horizon is Rootstech from 6-9 March and I look forward to learning from colleagues across the world. I just have one short recorded presentation this time. ‘Where am I? Are you searching in the right place?’ My pre-recorded sessions from last year are also available.
8 March is International Women’s Day and I am presenting for the Alfred Gillett Trust. My own presentation is to be followed by telling the stories of working women, with my A Few Forgotten Women friends. You can book for this free event here. Then March is crowded with the Three Counties Fair at Malvern, which is just for fun and then the Really Useful Show in Kinson near Poole, where I am speaking.
Advance notice too that I will be giving two presentations at theSecrets and Lies conference in Peterborough in September, organised by the Halstead Trust. Early bird bookings are now being taken.
On the writing front, I have done a couple of articles for Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine. The first, on researching female ancestors, should be in the next issue. My next book, ‘A History of Women’s Work‘, due for publication in May, is now available to pre-order if you want a hardback. Paperbacks and ebooks will also be available.
The History Interpreter - Janet Few 