Clovelly Community Archive Project now has a committee and some supporters who are keen to collect and synthesise data. It is an enormous project and will need a great deal of work but we are underway.

Lovely to see old friends and meet everyone at Isle of Wight FHS conference today. Sold several copies of ‘Coffers, Clysters, Comfrey and Coifs’. Thanks for the election as President for the next 3 years.

Second day of the week in the seventeenth century today, taking Year 8s through the streets of Torrington during the Civil War Battle and talking of the food of the time.  Brilliant feedback from our days in a Cornish School last week.

Coffers, Clysters, Comfrey and Coifs is selling well – two initial customers have come back for second copies to give to friends.

Good day at the book launch. First copy on its way to Greece.

Today’s the day I sit at 1646 in the Castle Hill Building (by the library) in Torrington, selling and signing copies of ‘Coffers, Clysters, Comfrey and Coifs: the lives of our seventeenth century ancestors.’  Price reduced to £10 (from £12.95) if purchased at the launch + bring a child and they can enter the Torrington 1646 experience free if accompanied by a full paying adult.

Thanks to North Devon Journal for the mention – even if I only live in Torrington 3 days a week!

An afternoon in Buckland Brewer yesterday, showing round a lovely lady from New Zealand, whose ancestors lived in the house next to mine in 1841. A lovely example for my emigrants’  study too.

Another potential emigrant for the list from a new enquirer – very elusive in the UK records though.

Now to prepare for tomorrow’s book launch.

Not seen it yet but I hear Western Morning News have reported that I will be launching  ‘Coffers, Clysters, Comfrey and Coifs’ at 1646 (Torrington Library Building) on Monday 7th May 10-2. Hoping for a good turn out.

3 days in the seventeenth century now. Today, leading 13 year olds round the streets of Torrington during the civil war battle @ 1646 Then 2 days of ‘what not to wear’ in the C17th, along with a little Jacobean ‘master chef’ and what to look for in a good suit of armour. Oh and then I have a job as a drummer ‘boy’ to the king’s army – they couldn’t get the staff.

The latest Braund Society publication, about the very earliest references to the name, has just arrived on my doorstep.

Professor Robert Tombs claiming children find history ‘repetitive and boring’ on BBC this morning and in the Daily Mail yesterday. Good teachers are prevented from providing good history by the nature of the disjointed curriculum. I am with him when he says the school history curriculum lacks chronology and the vox pop lack of knowledge was dire. What did come over was that those who loved history had enthusiastic teachers – as one lady said ‘who lived it’. So well done Mrs Goodrich – who was my own inspirational teacher.

We can do this – help inspire the next generation.