Month: June 2014

Unique experiences

I have begun calling this whole trip our pilgrimage  journey, and for the English leg of the journey, we have following up on family links.  In London, that meant my family and in Derby that meant close friends who were “family” to us back in 1976. Here in Sheffield it is part of our Onewhero family from the past.

But overlying all that has been the explorations of the past in terms of the culture and heritage that is all around us.  The visit to the National Memorial Aboretum has been part of that, as well as the explorations of churches and graveyards where-ever we go. Yesterday was a classic.  We were in a small village called Haversage with the aim of visiting the gravesite of Little John (Robin Hood connection!). We found it and we duly impressed, but coincidentally found two headstones marking the deaths of members of the Jowle family.  We are staying with Hilary and Jon Jowle, and they had been unaware of these stones until that moment!

Also yesterday we came across a team of folk from the University of Sheffield who were working on an archaeological dig.  We stopped, as you do, and spoke to them. The leader guy (Tim) spent about 40 minutes with us explaining what they wrre doing and when we offered to help, they accepted willingly. Gay and I then spent a little time using matock and spade to help clear the backfill of the area they are currently excavating. Jon and Hilary told their girls about it and they are all keen to help and will probably go there on Sunday.

I need to add a photo of us doing that work, but have still to devise a method of getting the photos onto the tablet.  We do have a collection of over 300 photos so far but I need to transfer them. I will work on that!

Today has dawned with misty rain and poor visibility – down to about 100m. We are heading for a sculpture park before making our way to York to attend a family heritage fair tomorrow.

Alan

National Arboretum – part 2

It appears that there was an increasing concern about the way memorials from both wars were being neglected and falling into disrepair. It was determined that a centrally placed location was needed. In the 1980’s a place was found and a team set about landscaping and planting the 150 acre site.

Now in 2014 a moving and impressive experience has been created. One of the impressive sections was a circular construction mounted on a hill where there are lists of all the servicemen and women who have lost their lives since 1945.  There are thousands of names – not restricted to the results of enemy action.  For example, there are 148 names listed in 1968 – a year when Britain was not involved in any conflict at all!

The other was the tribute to the prisoners of war in the Far East. This included a section of the railway they were forced to build and a replica of the stained glass windows made in one prison camp as a symbol of strength in the face of incredible adversity.

I would strongly urge anyone making the trip to the UK to set aside a day to visit this place – not far from Derby or Stoke-on-Trent. We spent just over 6 hours there and didn’t see it all.

 

Alan

National Arboretum

Today  we drove  to the National Arboretum.      Apart from knowing it was a National  Memorial place, we didn’t know what to expect.  We arrived at about 10:30am and went into a chapel where we were joined by about 100 others (2 of whom were Australian and with whom Gay immediately struck up conversation!) and we had  formal 2 minutes  silence, after  which we had an explanation of theorigin of the place

.Will continue later …….

news from Derbyshire.

I have been struggling to add messages to this board and have written two off-site and tried to add them, but without success. So I have resorted to adding this direct.

We are coming up to our first week here now. We had a great time in London with Joss and walking the streets seeing where the relatives lived, worshipped and shared.  My great great grandmother was a tenacious woman – married in 1841, sailed in 1841, landed in 1842 and then proceeded to give birth to 10 children. She  had to put up with a husband who was a bit of a rogue!

Leaving London, we travelled to Derby after taking a side trip to Norwich (long story!)

We have been to church here today and have been in what is arguably the smallest church in England – that was yesterday! But today’s service was in a church that is abiut a thousand years old!

We have spent time with friends and “family” here, in between lots of football. I did find it difficult to find the result of the All Blacks latest game but have that now!

Will be in touch again tomorrow.

Alan

 

Another first!!

Having tried to do this twice already, this time I hope I have it right.

We are gearing up for our awesome adventure overseas with just 4 more sleeps!!  If I can get this blog thingy to work, then I will feel that we are that much closer to actually going.  After that comes the feeling when the aircraft lifts off fro the runway!!

I had hope to be doing this walk to financially support the eye hospital in Jerusalem.  If the blog proves to be successful – that is, I can get it to work – then that will be an underlying theme!!

Have to sign off for now – and wait for the feedback!

Alan