Church of England Records Centre, Bermondsey, London

Copyright: Clare McMurtrie, 2015

Days Out With The Dead | Knole House, Sevenoaks

Clare McMurtrie, 2015

Clare McMurtrie, 2015

Clare McMurtrie, 2015

Clare McMurtrie, 2015

Clare McMurtrie, 2015

A couple of weeks ago we went on a day trip to explore Knole House, some parts of which date back to the 15th century. Knole is set within 1,000 acres of stunning parkland - Knole Park. The effect is that of a national park in the deepest countryside, not the grounds of a house just miles outside of London. 

Despite being battered by strong winds and cold weather, Knole proved a winner. My personal highlight was the perfectly preserved bedroom that was designed and fitted out for a visit by King James I. He never stayed in it! This place is magical and transports you to the time of Wolf Hall and Henry VIII - a truly memorable day out with the dead!

The Suffolk Connection: A Family History Holiday

Through an odd turn of events I ended up staying in the village where my 5th great grand aunt Mary Freeman is buried. We uncovered her memorial stone under the altar at the village church, which describes her unusually as having died after 'a life of purity, piety and benevolence, and after having borne a long and painfull illnefs with truely Christian resignation and fortitude'. She had a brother John and sister Sarah and, confusingly, her parents were also John and Mary Freeman.

The link to my paternal grandparents is through Mary's sister Sarah, who married Edmund Lincoln, governor of the South Caribbean and St Vincent 1783-87. The mystery continues!

Secret Millionaire: In The Family!

So, I don't live in a mansion or take tea with the queen, but the other day I made a very interesting discovery about one of my ancestors. As far as I was aware none of my ancestors have every been particularly rich. That was until I found the 'England and Wales National Probate Calender', which records how much money people left in their will when they died, and discovered that one of them had left a lot of money. My three times paternal great-grandfather William Albert Stratton (1824-1893), who  was born and lived in Sussex, England, was a landowner and left £91,295 19s 2d (the equivalent of £5,467,714.94 in today's money) to his family in his will. I was pretty amazed as it seems he wins the prize for my richest ancestor. I wonder where my share is?!