Today is the Day! – cover and title reveal

Ladies and Gentlemen – I give you Sins as Red as Scarlet.

3d and Kindle

This amazing cover has been designed by Devon artist, Robin Paul of The Branch Line.

Now some of you will want to know more about the novel. Details can be found on it’s dedicated page on this website, along with information about the special offers that are available to those who pre-order. I am pleased to announce that there will be an accompanying CD thanks to Dan Britton. You can come along and listen to me reading short extracts on Facebook Live at 11am (technology permitting). You can also book to attend the free Zoom talk about the research behind the book, that I will be giving on launch day, 29 August, at 2,00pm BST. Please contact me for details of how to register. If this email address bounces, or if you do not get a reply within 48 hours, please keep trying, or use an alternative email address.

Book & Kindle publicity (2)

Mostly about going Virtual – Isolation day 93

Jun14 by thehistoryinterpreter

With all the awfulness that is going on at the moment, I am sure this should be a deep and meaningful commentary on current affairs. It isn’t. Not because I don’t feel strongly about things. Not because I don’t care. I am an historian. I should have something to say. Not least about what some claim is the erasing of our history. Indeed I do have thoughts and opinions, it is just that they are not yet fully formed and putting them into words requires more emotional energy that I have at the moment. So I am sorry if this seems a bit like I am burying my head in the sand and ignoring world events but just for now, I am retreating back into the everyday, whilst I process everything.

There haven’t been many posts lately because, to be honest, most things are just jogging along in much the same way as they have for the past few weeks. The weather has turned a bit and the garden has reached a plateau. Plenty of baby blue tits to watch but not much else to report. So far, the relaxing of lockdown restrictions has not made any difference to my life, so I remain here in my own little world, making contact online. I have been invited to do several online presentations and have attended a lovely school reunion and several Devon Family History Society meetings. I took part in Crediton Literary Festival, talking about Remember Then, which was fun and there is also a YouTube video of me, with a very croaky hay fever voice, reading from Barefoot on the Cobbles. I will be reading for Exeter Authors’ Coffee Time Sessions on Thursday at 12. I have decided to run my own series of family/social/local history lectures, as well as provide a four week continuation of the family history course that I ran for Crediton library. There are still spaces if anyone is interested in any of these.

Tomorrow is the cover/title reveal for novel #2; so anyone who has been waiting for more news will learn more of what it contains. I am attempting to read some extracts from the book at 11am via Facebook Live. That’s another whole new learning curve. Now to create my ‘set’, which so far involves some red material, a sprig of bay and a noose …….hmmmm.

Capture

Historical Pot Pourri

Dec13 by thehistoryinterpreter

As promised, we are back to the history. Another Hangout on Air for the Society for One-Place Studies. This time I was guiding people through choosing your ‘one place’. If you are thinking about taking on this kind of research do listen in. I was just thinking I was getting the idea of all this hanging out when, half way through, I realised I had my printer plugged in instead of my snazzy headphones. It seems you can still hear me though.

Whilst delving into the delights of YouTube, take a look at this amazing video of Buckland Brewer thanks to Burn the Curtain Theatre Company. I can’t believe I am lucky enough to live somewhere so beautiful. The History Group is thriving, with some exciting new projects in the wings. We have had two requests for assistance just this week.

I have been following up on the descendants of those who lost their lives in the Clovelly fishing fleet in 1838. I have managed to find two more with Braund connections. Philip Cowel of Hartland led me a bit of a dance, until I discovered that he was also called Curtis. His daughter married a Braund. James Kelly of Appledore had a son James Kelly Cook who married a Braund – they just get everywhere.

Two talks for Mistress Agnes this week and a lovely time with the ladies of Christchurch, Barnstaple and the history society in Chulmleigh, although Mistress Agnes was very wary in the latter as she heard that the Parliamentarian army was passing through.

At last, a publication date for Family Historians’ Enquire Within January I’m afraid so too late for Santa this year but always an option for spending your Christmas money! Ok, ok, I know I said it would be ready for Christmas but be fair, I didn’t say which Christmas. The typeset proofs for Putting Your Ancestors in their Place have arrived, which is very exciting but not looking forward to spending Christmas indexing.

For those who have brains to tax and minutes to fill over the holiday season do try the charity Christmas Puzzle. I have managed page one with Martha’s help – now for the rest.

The Clovelly Storm of 1838, One Place Hanging Out, C17th London and Other Matters

Oct26 by thehistoryinterpreter

With hurricanes forecast for the night of 27th/28th October, it is a good time to ask for help with one of my (many) research projects. Exactly 175 years ago there was a bad storm off Clovelly. In a direct response to the loss of life in this tragedy, in 1839, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society, better known as the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society was founded. This was set up by Charles Gee Jones and John Rye, in order to raise funds to assist the fishermen’s widows, orphans and parents. I am attempting to identify those involved, both victims and survivors and trace living descendants of any of these men. There is plenty of information available about the storm of 1821 but much less about that of 1838. Newspaper reports are inconsistent about the number of boats and men who were caught in the storm and the number of victims.

One version of the list of those who were lost includes the following:-

From Clovelly:- James Britton senior; James Britton junior son of the above; John Britton, son of James senior; John Shersel, a married man; William Shersel, brother of the above, a married man; John Lewis who left a widow and family; Thomas Jenn and Richard Lane.

From Bucks Mills:- John Braund, left a widow and 3 children; James Veale; John Bagelhole, left a widow and child.

From Hartland:- Hugh Bayley; Thomas Trick, left a widow and 2 children; Philip Cowell, left a widow and family.

Also:- James Radford from Ilfracombe, left a widow and family; Mr Carpenter from Ilfracombe, left a widow and family. James Kelly from Appledore, left a widow and 6 children; Richard Lock from Appledore, left a widow and 3 children; Henry Pooley from Bideford, left a widow, his body was recovered; Richard Parker from Bude; An unknown Cornishman.

Unfortunately, for those whose bodies were not recovered, there can be no death or burial records. So tracing these men and their descendants is difficult.

Last night I had my first experience of participating in a Google+ Hangout on air, on the topic of One Place Studies. The result is now available on YouTube. I have no idea why I sound so out of breath and hesitant – it was past my bedtime – that’s my excuse and I am sticking to it! Good fun though and a very productive discussion.

Not too sure about the variations on ‘Scarborough Fair’ as a musical accompaniment but as someone who lives in the seventeenth century, this new game (at least I think it is going to be a game) was of interest. All about the Streets of London – now wouldn’t that have been a better track? – great fan of Ralph McTell me. Do play the video. It could even persuade me to start computer gaming. Mistress Agnes would have put it on her Christmas list but I have pointed out that not only have computers not yet been invented but Cromwell is about to ban Christmas.

Some very interesting documents have been loaned to me lately. I am currently guarding with my life some old school registers and the archive for the local WI. The latter includes a wonderful survey of the village in 1965 and contains a very unusual picture of my house.

This is particularly strange as my house was thought to be make of cob, as the walls are two feet thick. This clearly suggests that there are bricks involved.

Anyone worried about Halloween needs this seventeenth century preventative:- The thumb of a hanged man in your left shoe wards off witchcraft.

Maimed Soldiers, Photographs, Freeholders and Pains in the Mumblepins

Oct7 by thehistoryinterpreter

Excitement on the One Place Study front as I receive a photograph of someone who was born in my house in the 1860s. Nice to meet you Henry Ley.

Saturday was spent at the One Day Conference for Devon Family History Society. Very interesting talk from Jan Wood about Quarter Sessions’ Records. Amongst other things she mentioned the Devon Freeholders’ Lists on Genuki – transcribed from Quarter Sessions Records. These are in addition to those accessible via the Friends of Devon Archives – those for my One Place Studies now duly extracted thank you. I am also eager to get to Exeter to look at QS128 – petitions from maimed Civil War soldiers.

After lunch was Mistress Agnes’ slot – plenty of positive feedback and a quantity of Coffers, Clysters, Comfrey and Coifs sold. Just a bit of a shame that a large percentage of the sales money found its way into the pocket of the man selling postcards. Two of Buckland Brewer, three of Clovelly equals small fortune but worth it.

The day finished with Rebecca Probert talking about Marriage Law for Genealogists – this kind of background information helps to make it clear why we can’t locate our ancestors’ marriages.

The calendar for next year is also filling up rapidly, with more engagements for Mistress A and myself – book early to avoid disappointment. Excited that I shall be presenting at Who Do You Think You Are? Live at Olympia again next year.

Nagging pain in the mumblepins and a lack of handy cloves, has finally driven me to make an emergency dental appointment. Unlike my seventeenth century ancestors, I know it is not a worm in my tooth that is causing the problem. This is just as well, as the cure would have been inserting a red hot brass probe to kill the worm. Having suffered all weekend, I then go through the ‘our receptionists are all busy at present’ routine. Finally, a real person on the other end. ‘Do I mind seeing someone who is not my regular dentist?’ by this stage I’d be willing to see the cleaner, the receptionist, anyone with a barrel load of painkillers or strong tweezers. All set for this afternoon. ‘All set’ is probably a relative term.

The History Interpreter – Janet Few

Presenting and Preserving the Past

Tag Archives: C17th