LONDON, DAY Two, Part Two: VE 80th Celebration

Posted on June 3, 2025     Leave a Comment

As mentioned in my last post I made a spur of the moment decision to head over to Westminster Cathedral where private ceremonies were to be held with King Charles, dignitaries and veterans in celebration of the 80th anniversary of VE [Victory in Europe, during WWII] at Noon. I had no expectations. It was a way to hit this area and free up more time on Friday. Arriving at the Westminster Underground Station I headed for Westminster Bridge because it was one of those picture perfect days. Remember I had started my day with a view of the London Eye [Ferris Wheel] far to the east up the Thames, looking West. And here I am in the opposite position looking East. Like so many cities built near a major River, London is no exception—on a gray day nothing can look more dismal or depressing —but on a bright sunny day punctuated by soft cumulus clouds, it’s beautiful.

The River Thames from Westminster Bridge looking East, London Eye on Right

Now I know the God’s have a sense of humor but come on. The advertisement on the bus is for the Tom Cruise movie “Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning.” Now I couldn’t quite be sure whether this was an oblique reference to the current state of the United States or the fact that at this angle the Elizabeth Tower was doing its best impression of the leaning Tower of Pisa. On my two previous visits to London with my cousin Dale, the tower had been wrapped in cloth coverings and scaffolding. The renovation took 5 years! Here at last I get to see it and it’s going to fall over?

Not to worry the bus passed and The Elizabeth Tower along with the bell inside which is called Big Ben were righted. Whew! Alls right with the world. BTW Dale this one is for you!

Were there crowds yes, but nothing like during BREXIT. There was a large area all around Westminster Cathedral that was cordoned off with Police every where. I arrived just before one when the ceremony started at noon. When the ceremony ended the bells chimed 80 times, which was lovely to hear.

I wandered up Parliament Street to the Cenotaph which is a War Memorial unveiled in 1920 and is the site of the annual National Service of Remembrance. As you can see it was draped in the Union Jack. Then I watched as several dignitaries passed by after exiting the ceremonies at Westminster. There was a women and her husband that caught my eye and I captured this scene. Note in the background is King Charles Street Arch and the Cabinet War Rooms. I don’t know whether she or her husband were vets but she certainly enjoyed taking her photo with this British officer. And she was just too cute—red coat, blue dress and those sling back red Mary Janes with white socks. Her husband had a photo on the back of his coat which I think was of him as a boy during the original VE day. It made the day special. I have often heard my friend Jean (who lives in England) recounting the days during the War.

Going forward in my trip I was to see VE reminders everywhere.

I did not stay long making my way back to 20 Nevern Square. These photos are also for Dale, a Dr Who fan. This is outside the main entrance to the Earl’s Court Underground station. And another Dale pic of our friend Willie.

My walk to the hotel. Can you smell the jasmine? And isn’t that little house so lovely? I was only there a total of 3 nights but I found the walk very enjoyable each day on my comings and goings.

I picked up a meal at Marks & Spence and arrived back at a reasonable hour. In my next post you’ll hear how this day all came together.



Kelly Wheaton © 2025 – All Rights Reserved

LONDON Day Two, Part One: Temple

Posted on June 1, 2025     Leave a Comment

Temple: from the Latin templum meaning an ‘open or consecrated space’.

I had an itinerary and a plan, but that was based on traveling with someone who had not been to London before. Upon getting back last night and finding my feet and back complaining more loudly than expected I decided to revamp my plans and downsize my expectations. This was my view of the patio while eating breakfast.

I did not “have to” go or be anywhere. I reduced my goal to traveling to the Temple District. The Temple District is the main legal area in London and home to the Royal Courts of Justice, London’s 4 Inns of the Court, with their adjacent gardens and the Temple Church, built in 1185 by the military order of the Knights Templar. I like to travel with a plan, but not necessarily stick to it, leaving openings for serendipity.

After breakfast I made my way to the Earl’s Court Underground Station and looked to catch the District Line to Temple Station. On exiting Temple Station I happened upon a Women’s art installation beside the River Thames with a fanciful pumpkin carriage with Chain, and a cupcake with the London Eye in the distance.

I had visited the remains of the White Friars Monastery on Carmelite Street [see map below] on a previous visit to London. The Temple district is loosely bounded by the River Thames to the south, Surrey Street to the west, the Strand and Fleet Street to the north, and Carmelite Street and Whitefriars to the east.

Part of the Adapted Agas Map c. 1633 showing the Temple area

I became more interested in the Temple area when reading Nancy Maude Peters, “Was Shakespeare a Hydden Man? An Elizabethean Jigsaw Puzzle”  This book builds a case for the author of Shakespeare’s works being Ralph SHELDON rather than William SHAKESPEARE. The same Ralph who was responsible for the SHELDON tapestries I saw at the Albert & Victoria Museum yesterday. Her book is available on Amazon and is well researched, albeit controversial. Interestingly, Ralph SHELDON is not among the 88 listed on Wikipedia’s Shakespeare Authorship Candidates list and she builds a better case than most of them.  My interest in Ralph has to do with my working theory that my grandmother SHELDON’s line is connected to the SHELDON’s of Warwickshire of which Ralph SHELDON was a prominent member. Ralph SHELDON was admitted to the Middle Temple to study law 12th of November 1556 and had chambers there through May of 1560. About this same time Ralph’s sister Katherine SHELDON married Edmund PLOWDEN. Edmund was Treasurer of the Middle Temple and oversaw its design and construction in the 1560’s.  The Middle Temple hosted the first recorded performance of Shakespeare’s play “Twelfth Night” in the hall on 2 February 1602. It is also of note that William Shakespeare set the scene for “Henry VI.” Pt. I. Act 2, sc. iv. at the beginning addressing the Wars of the Roses in the Temple Garden:

Warwick: “And here I prophesy: this brawl today,

Grown to this faction in the Temple garden,
Shall send, between the Red Rose and the White,
A thousand souls to death and deadly night.” SHAKESPEARE

Much of the Middle Temple was destroyed in a fire in January 1679, which caused more damage to the Inn, than the Great Fire of London in 1666. Peters goes into great detail about Edmund’s published law tracts and their influence on a number of Shakespeare’s plays. So there were several reasons for spending my first full day in London visiting the Temple District. Edmund PLOWDEN is interred at the Temple Church [below is his memorial and effigy]. I had not remembered this, but when I read his name I knew it was familiar so I took a couple of photos, even though I had forgotten his connection. But I jump ahead of myself.

As I was at the Temple church more than a hour before it opened, I made my way up from the Thames to the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand. This building dates to the 1870s and were opened by Queen Victoria in 1882. A statue honors her nearby. The Royal Courts of Justice, commonly called the Law Courts, house the High Court and Court of Appeal for England and Wales.

Then I wandered back to the Temple Church and still had about an hour so I wandered around the Temple buildings visiting their gardens as I went. The courtyard outside of the Temple Church is that of the Inner Temple and has this lovely statue to the Knights Templar. Someone had laid a single foxglove stalk at its base and I loved the way it hugged the statue. To whomever left it there thank you! It made me smile.

The first garden I discovered was that of Hare Court. This garden was envisioned by the Inner Temple’s Head Gardener, Andrea Brusendorf. Her vision was quite successful. I spent some time exploring this garden and enjoying the benches here and viewing the sculpture ‘Justice’ by Tanya Russell. Viewed from different angles giving very different impressions.

My next garden was that of Pump Court which is more of a courtyard than a garden. In each court building is a list of occupants. Note the Pump in the foreground.

ELM COURT GARDEN

My Next Garden was Elm Court Garden. It was this garden that stole my heart. This was originally part of Fig Tree Court which is memorialized here. [As with all my photos click on them to see the whole photo.] As the plaque denotes it was destroyed in the great fire of 1666 and then rebuilt in 1679 and then destroyed in 1940. It is now part of Elm court. The official listing for the buttery Listed entry #100206 In this case the term come from the French but and was not a place to store butter but rather a place of storage in general.

“The Inner Temple Hall Buttery [is] located 53m south of Temple Church.

It is the under croft and service end of a 14th century hall. Domestic under crofts of the medieval period could comprise three or more vaulted bays depending upon the wealth of the owner. They were constructed of stone, fireproof and used for the storage of provisions or items of special value. Although under crofts are sometimes referred to as cellars, they were not necessarily built entirely below ground level. Despite alterations and additions, Inner Temple Hall Buttery survives well. It is a rare example of a surviving 14th century secular building in Greater London. The building retains some significant 14th and 15th century architectural features and will contain archaeological information relating to the use and history of the site.”

The Buttery forms the (slightly north) eastern boundary of Elm Court. The brick buildings as the stand today are from the rebuilding after WWII except for this wall of the Buttery. To the West is the Lamb Building and to the North and south Elm Court Buildings. This charming space that I fell in love with was originally part of the Middle Temple!!! The same temple where Ralph SHELDON and Edmund PLOWDEN belonged.

Since Gardening is a passion I want you to read about this garden designer Master Kate Jenrick the Middle Temple’s Master Gardener. “For planting inspiration, Kate looks to the dynamic duo of Christopher Lloyd and Beth Chatto,” both favorites of mine. But let me tell you what I noticed in this garden. There is an incredible attention to detail and the planting of color echoes. Color echoes are plants that share some of the same colors. Look at the photos above do you see how the color of the benches is echoed in the climbing rose and in the brick below. Look closely at the photos below and you will see colors repeated. I think this might be the David Austin Rose “Crown Princess Margareta.”

Maybe the David Austin Rose “Crown Princess Margareta”

I love the inscription on the bench which reads “IN MEMORY OF TAHERA LADAK 1962 – 2014. SHE WAS A BRAVE ADVOCATE FOR FAMILIES FACING INJUSTICE.” And the Armillary sphere reads:

◆ Make Time Save Time ◆ While Time Lasts ◆ Time is No Time

◆ When Time Has Past ◆

I came back to this garden several times. Such was its impact on me.

MIDDLE TEMPLE GARDENS

However, Master Kate Jenrick is also in charge of the garden that nearly took my breath away. I was coming down the steps onto the Garden court of the Middle Temple Garden and stopped in my tracks. Wisteria dripping off the balustrades and banksea roses climbing the brick walls of Middle Court. A man, the only other soul there saw my admiration and said, “Stunning isn’t it?”

That was the start of a remarkable twenty minute conversation that ranged from gardens to American politics to who would be the next Pope. He said he worked with people not two blocks away who have never seen these gardens. It turned out he was a barrister with the Court of Appeals [photos earlier in this post]. And he was a gay, Catholic who had dreamt the night before about our American President, with whom he admitted he was mildly obsessed. [Who isn’t concerned for democracy in the world?] I did not get his name but a kindred spirit he was and I thank hi for taking the time to engage with me. I will forever remember him.

A few more photos of the Middle Temple and gardens. This arch of the Middle Temple

INNER TEMPLE GARDEN

I had planned to come back for the opening of the Inner Temple Garden but it wasn’t until 12:30 PM and I felt my garden fix was satiated. I did take this one of the Inner Temple from outside, as well as the familiar Dragon along the Thames.

Now it was time to make it back to Temple church and of course another walk through of Elm Court.

TEMPLE CHURCH

By the time I made it back to the Temple Church it was open and there were maybe a dozen people exploring it. Please google the church to find out more. This particular photo I took by laying on my back in the middle of the rotunda and shooting straight up [or the best that I could].

Some good information from the panels within the church.

There were several Americans here as I was visiting and I suspect it is a draw, particularly now as our United States Bill of Rights are under attack. Our Bill of rights takes some of its ideas from the Magna Carta which came to fruition in 1215 under the Reign of King John. A copy of his effigy is on loan here from the Victoria & Albert Museum. [Original is in Worcester Cathedral].

This church remains a Catholic church and its chancel dome was fashioned in 1162 as a replica of that in Jerusalem of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The priest gave us a blessing of PEACE while were there.

Outside the Temple church.

I had my lunch on the porch of Temple church before making my way back up to the Strand. Where I just happened upon a Twinging store and was able to fulfill a request from my friend, Denise’s daughter. Although I had thought we could get the same Earl Grey in the United States I was informed that this particular blend of Earl Grey was only found in London.

LINCOLN’s COURT GARDENS

Next I made my way to Lincoln’s Court on my way to the Chancery Lane Underground Station.

And then a couple of things happened. I knew that today, May 8th, was the 80th Anniversary of VE Day or Victory in Europe, commemorating the end of WWII for Europe. Celebrations were everywhere. These presented themselves. And note the building called “The Last Judgement.” So in an impulsive decision I decided to head over to Westminster. I had been to Trafalgar Square during the BREXIT Vote….how busy could it be?

In my next post I will reflect on the Celebrations for VE Day. It was a bit ironic to know that my father, uncle and grandfather were at this time 80 years ago stationed in the Pacific Theatre. My father and grandfather on Tinian Island, where the Enola Gay and Bockscar would leave from to drop their deadly cargo. My father would be among the first troops to occupy Nagasakai in September 1945. So the War in Europe ended in May, but for my family it did not end for another 6 months.

Kelly Wheaton © 2025 – All Rights Reserved

LONDON Day One: Part 2 The Fukishima Garden

Posted on May 31, 2025     1 Comment

Well its been some three plus weeks since I started my travelogue and I am back to putting it down on paper. As I finished up at The Victoria and Albert Museum and traveled via the Kensington Park Flower Walk and passing the modest (compared to her husband) memorial to Queen Victoria I skirted the edge of Kensington Palace. Where I took a photo through the fence. And admired the gate.

Walking through some very posh neighborhoods to Holland Park, I stopped at a lovely upscale market, Bayley & Sage, where I picked up a fancy salad for an evening picnic at the so called Kyoto Garden, correctly called the Fukishima Garden. I had originally scheduled the garden on arrival in London, but then I read how it is a very busy destination, especially for proposals and engagement photos, so I put this at the end of my day instead. Unlike reasonable people who use their phone for walking directions I had several google maps I had printed out in advance, perhaps out of a fear of technology leaving me high and dry, if it failed… And to be honest I am a lover of maps, aka a cartophile. There’s something about studying a map that imprints the image and helps my sense of direction. Occasionally when my internal compass goes awry, its like losing my equilibrium. I have to keep spinning the map in my head until it is aligned with reality. As if a map is as real, as what it is supposed to represent. Some of you will know what I mean.

Why this garden? It isn’t as if I hadn’t seen Japanese Gardens before, but something made me want to see this one. Maybe it was because it seemed out of place.Growing up, I was very familiar with the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park and I have my own pseudo Japanese style garden in my front garden. Perhaps a beacon of serenity in an otherwise bustling city? Perhaps the use of Azaleas, Rhododendrons, water and stone, all things I love. On my way I passed this sweet dog waiting oh so patiently amidst the flowers. It reminded me of my son’s dog Booker…long ago…in a galaxy far away…when you travel there are always touch stones.

I had not made it to all that I had planned today, but I had made it to the Japanese garden. My feet and back hurt but I was in London and felt surprisingly at home in spite of exploring areas I had not been to before. I had walked and traveled a long way in a relatively short time. I was alone in a large city, which I had done before but this time it hadn’t been planned that way.

The plaque at the entrance to the garden. I was surprised that the garden was so young, less than 8 years old. My own home garden is 35! Motomiya is a city of about 30,000, about 10 miles south of Fukishima in Japan. Following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in collaboration with Motomiya City, built the Fukushima Garden in Holland Park, London, as a symbol of unity and solidarity. Surprisingly the Japanese sister city to San Francisco, Osaka severed ties after 60 years in 2018 after a private group of citizens erected a statue in San Francisco memorializing the “Comfort Women” who were forced to work in Brothels from the early 1930s until Japan’s defeat in 1945. My home town does not have a sister city in Japan, but I do like these connections, between countries especially when they don’t become politicized.

I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

The last photo amused me as while the woman is stooping to feed and photograph the squirrels, she is unknowingly overseen by a crow, perched on a post right behind her, ready to swoop in. Parks are interesting places where people and nature interact, often in amusing ways.

I walked back to my home base for the next 3 nights at 20 Nevern Square in Earl’s Court. A neighborhood of Georgian Homes only a short walk from the Earl’s Court Tube station. I was happy with this as a quiet location to return to each night.

And thus ends the first day in London.

Previous posts on this trip:

Kelly Wheaton © 2025 – All Rights Reserved

TRAVELING FOR GENEALOGY: Expectation vs Reality

Posted on May 30, 2025     3 Comments

Back in December I wrote Traveling for Genealogy: Virtual and In person in which I note all the things I have experienced in planning for a genealogy related trip. Because the trip I was taking in May was NOT ostensibly for genealogy and I was not to have any control over dates, times etc, I went with a “whatever happens, happens attitude.” I did not want to encourage expectations which were not possible to full-fill. I did not reach out in advance to places I might have occasion to visit, simply because I wasn’t even sure of I would have the opportunity to visit them.

As I have recounted this trip was partly to allow my friend Denise to visit Canterbury where her direct ancestor Robert CUSHMAN lived and was instrumental in organizing the sailing of the Mayflower. As luck had it Denise was not able to go, but I was able to wander around Canterbury the evening we arrived and the next morning and find all of the places I had mapped out in advance related to Robert CUSHMAN.

Annotated Map of Canterbury, England Showing places associated with Robert CUSHMAN

So in this case I was quite successful. [I will take up the CUSHMAN story in another Blog post.]

The other possible opportunities were to happen upon leaving Leed’s Castle on our way south to Tenterden. I had asked our tour guide, Ben SIMS and driver, Tony GILBERT, if it might be possible to exit Leeds Castle via Chegworth Road that led to Ulcombe Road, then turns into Tilden Road, rather than taking the B2163. The advantage of going with a tour company like Blue Roads /Back Roads Touring is that it is at their discretion to accommodate such requests. They checked it out via Google Maps and agreed. I had shown them a couple of screen shots of what I was looking for as well as my blog post about the TILDENs.

Now this was a true English country lane, replete with hedgerows and our ride was an 18 passenger Mercedes Coach. However, with an experienced driver it was easily managed. Giving true meaning to back roads touring as we did go off the beaten track. Here’s a view from the coach. Thank you Ben and Tony and my tour group for allowing me this opportunity.

It maybe added an extra 10-15 minutes to our journey but this was the reward. Seeing the Old half timber frame 15th- 16th century TILDEN Houses first hand.

Tilden Lane Near Headcorn, Kent

We made our way to the town of Tenterden and the spire of St Mildred’s Church could be seen from quite a distance, as seen in this old postcard looking north from Six Fields Lane.

The 15th century tower was built from funds from the wealthy citizens (wool merchants?) of Tenterden and is constructed of local Bethersden marble. It stands at 200 feet above sea level and is itself 125 feet high. The coast of France can be seen from the top of the tower on a clear day. The tower is visible to ships in the Channel and previously had a beacon at its top. Local tradition has it that it was lit during the arrival of the Spanish Armada and perhaps to guide ships to Tenterden when it was one of the “limbs” (additions) of the original Cinque Ports. The Cinque Ports, prounouced “sink” were a confederation of originally five ports, during the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042–1066). These ports were granted the local profits and certain autonomous privileges in exchange for providing ships and protection. They are mentioned in the Magna Carta of 1297. [More on the Magna Carta when I post about my visit to Temple Church in London.]

We proceeded into town of Tenterden and parked in the car park on Station Road and St Mildred’s was a short walk away. Here are my first close-up views of St Mildred.

Upon reaching the front door I was met with this, “St. Mildred’s Church is temporarily closed. This is because work is taking place which will improve the building for both the church and the community of Tenterden…” I laughed out loud. This was not the first time this had happened to me when visiting an old church in England.

So I wandered around the building to see if there was another opening. And of course there was, and this one had some young workmen there and I asked permission to have a look see, since I had come all the way from America and they kindly obliged. Having done the other part of my research, I knew this church had a unique 15th century barrel vaulted ceiling with hand carved bosses. Even though, said ceiling it is not even mentioned in the write-up about it in England’s Thousand Best Churches. Tenterden church is dedicated to St Mildred and this dedication is an uncommon one in england with only a handful of ST Mildred chrches. St Mildred was a very pious and revered lady who became Abbess of the Abbey at Minster on the island of Thanet, Kent. She died the 13th of July 734 and was originally buried in her beloved abbey on Thanet. Her relics were later transferred to a shrine at St Augustine’s Abbey at Canterbury, which was one of the most important monasteries in medieval England. St Augustine’s was plundered under Henry VIII’s “Suppression of the Monasteries.” More can be read about St Mildred here. What happened to her remains I have not ascertained. St Mildred was the great-great-granddaughter of the King of Kent, Ethelbert. The one thing you find is historical connections everywhere in England. And of course a slightly more personal connection was my grandmother was named Helen “Mildred” an uncommon name on my mother’s side or anywhere in my tree. There is no record of why she was given the middle name Mildred. My TILDEN connection is on my father’s side through Judith TILDEN who married William PABODIE the 27th of June 1693 at Little Compton, Newport, Rhode Island. Judith’s mother in Law was Elizabeth ALDEN born 31st of MAY 1624 at Plymouth, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Mayflower voyagers: John ALDEN and Priscilla MULLINS.

Looking at the outside doors of the tower, into the Nave and up at the barrel vaulted ceiling. I looked for the baptismal font but could not find it ( the workman did not know where it was either although I looked under canvases and tarps.) However, as I gazed up at the ceiling I thought of my ancestors Stephen TILDEN baptized here in 1629, my 9th great grandfather back to his grandfather Thomas born in 1551 and married here in 1576 to Alice BIGGE. The ceiling reminded me of a ships hull or the woodworking on an ornate chest and I speculated that some of the ship builders who were active just south of Tenterden at the hamlet of Small Hythe had been responsible for its construction. Small Hythe stood on a branch of the Rother estuary and was a busy shipbuilding port in the 15th century. The Rother estuary led out to Rye Harbor. Small Hythe silted up and ceased as a shipbuilding place.

Above are assorted views inside. Outside I saw one old monument to a BIGGE (Stephan TILDEN married Alice BIGGE), but did not have time to explore at length. English Daisies appearing through cracks at front of St Mildred’s. The old tombs of a BIGGE, the sundial above the porch, long view of St Mildreds, a mermaid rose which was a surprise [The Mermaid Rose is a hybrid climber bred in 1906 by English horticulturist William Paul and son. Parentage is Rosa bracteata x unnamed tea. William Paul (1822–1905) was an English horticulturalist and writer, known for his book “The Rose Garden.” Not to mention we were to spend the night at the Mermaid Inn at Rye] and a final view of the tower.

Then a quick dash down the lane to the Tenterden Town Hall where I hoped to pop in for a look at the plaque listing the mayors of Tenterden which included my immigrant , Stephen TILDEN. But in what I considered an absurd sense of humor of the gods this is what I found. The Town Hall was also undergoing renovation ” We make Plans, god laughs”. [It took me 3rd trips to London to see the Elizabeth Tower where it was not shrouded in scaffolding and cloth. Known to most as Big Ben—The bell inside the tower, known as the Great Bell, is the one that is actually named “Big Ben”.]

A broader view of the Town Hall. No entrance at all.

Across the street was the Lemon Tree Pub. Housed in the 14th century “Wealden Hall House” building, reportedly visited by King Henry VIII. So giving me an idea of what things might have looked like back at the time the TILDENs lived here. Obviously the Town Hall has been updated and modernized over time.

And finally on the way back to the car park I threw a coin in the Tenterden Wishing Well which benefits the Savannah Trust. It was previously the The Brewery Well on Coombe Lane dug in 1893 and originally powered by a wind pump now re-envisioned as a wishing well. My wish is that if I make it back to Tenterden the renovations are complete. Anyone happening upon this who may have photos of the plaque or the baptismal font willing to share drop me a line.

Thus the adventures of traveling for genealogy. Sometimes what you don’t have access to—becomes as much the story, as what you do. And cast your eyes about—no telling what you might find. Finding a familiar rose was certainly a surprise. And the ceiling was still as visible as ever.

Kelly Wheaton ©2025 – All Rights Reserved

LONDON Day One: Arrival

Posted on May 10, 2025     5 Comments

Wednesday May 7th

Deplaning at Heathrow was not at all as expected. The reason for the long delay became evident when finally reaching the door. There was no mechanized causeway. What greeted me was two flights of stairs with a landing at half point. Now ordinarily this would not seem that daunting however carrying my 20 pound bag while clutching the handrail was not welcome. The extra weight on my 70 year old knees caused them to groan in disapproval. I was shocked that this was not announced before exiting and there were no offers by crew to help. For once I wanted to look older and more unfit. I have deplaned via stairs before, but not one so far off the ground. A new experience indeed. Nod to the Outlander scene where Claire and Frank are deplanning in New York City. I know that my photo makes the steps look flat but I assure you this was steeper than it looks.

Deplaning at Heathrow

Well that was just the start of my misadventures. “Chin up buttercup!”

Once on the tarmac we were shuttled into buses which took us through the bowels of Heathrow airport including a section signed “Extremely Dangerous Traffic Area.” Having survived that serapentine travel and made it quickly through the automated customs (all done biometricly without human contact) and then successfully navigating to the correct area to catch the train to London. Stopped off to top of my Oyster Card only to be told the green District Line was experiencing “Extreme Delays.” So back up to where I came from to take the Piccadly line going East and then transfer backtracking going west to make it to my destination at Earl’s Court.

Two hours later than expected I arrived at my final destination for the next 3 nights. 20 Nevern Place. The staff remade the twins into a queen and let me check in early. Yay!

View from Room

Off on foot to the Victoria & Albert Museum. By the time I got to The Natural History Museum I could feel the day’s travel hitting me. Rather than pop in I just strode right by. However I did love the title of this exhibit.

And also spotted this delightful pair of old phone booths.

On to the Victoria & Albert where I wanted to view more of the SHELDON tapestries having seen the largest intact one in Warwick and an exhibit of others at the Oxford Bodliean Library.

SHELDON TAPESTRIES

The museum is a gem of life and joy set in an inspiring architecture.  As I had planned to eat in the Cafe there and did so I marvelked at its beauty in a city of beautiful things.  Not to be missed.

Inside the Victoria & Albert Museum

And the courtyard is just as lovely. Caught two youngsters playing in the water which delighted me.

Finally Albert Hall.

I thought of the BBC series Victoria and Albert. It may be a romanticized view but it was a golden age in England. Intricate and opulent but not heavy or morose. Interesting juxtaposition of monuments. The first Victoria’s Tribute to her husband and the second a memorial after her death.

As often happens as one wanders about there are delightful moments like these two faithful servants exhibiting patience. I used to say “the English love their gardens, their tea their Queen and their dogs, not necessarily in that order.”

Rather than walk to the Diana monument I happened upon “The Flower Walk” which turned out to be magical. Greeted by very friendly squirrels and a robin greeter posed perfectly for photos in front of a matching bed of wallflowers. Three green parrots squalked loudly. Drawing my eyes overhead, as they flew off. They reminded me of San Francisco’s parrots of Telegraph Hill.  Guessing they were once domestic gone wild and looking them up they are known as Ring-necked parakeets native to Africa.

The trees and flower display were stunning in this quarter of a mile walk.

The day was not yet done. But that will wait for a new post as I fall farther and farther behind. Perhaps it was a good thing that I was delayed in arriving as I jammed so much into this first day. As you will note, this diary is both in words and photos. 

More to come.

Kelly Wheaton © 2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Recording one’s own History: Off to London

Posted on May 9, 2025     Leave a Comment

This is a travel diary meant to record my trip. I have an old letter from my great aunt about her travels to Europe, along with the diary of my great grandmother so apologies to those who are looking strictly for genealogy.

Tuesday May 6th, 2025
Woke at 3 AM PST. That was appropriate as I had been going to bed early and waking early to prepare for my trip to England. Trying to trick my body into jumping ahead 8 hours. Fairly succesful at this as the jet lag exhaustion was front ended, by the time I landed about 10:30 AM London time I felt quite refreshed. 

This was supposed to be my travel mate’s first trip to England. I lost track of how many times I have been. When my son was getting his doctorate at University of Southampton I began coming and had kept it up after his return to the states 5 years later. That was twenty years ago when my first trip was to meet my first grandchild.

As an avid gardener, genealogist and history buff England has many magnets pulling me towards her. I do feel quite at home here, for a foreigner. And over the twenty years I have learned the English language from the English. “Well done. Right you are, ” said the British reservationist on my first trip.

I have had some trepidation upon setting out solo, as my travel companion and friend from kindergarten, who was to travel with me took ill. I have traveled alone before, but always meeting up with some family or friends for at least part of the journey. So part of the trip was familiar, but I was also to have the experience of traveling alone as a 70 year old woman.

As usual I had begun my planning nearly a year ahead and researching minute details of places to go and things to see. I never do EVERYTHING on my Itinerary but instead it gives me a buffet of things to choose from.

Last minute brisk walk and watering of my garden and was ready ahead of schedule. Driving to the airport is 1-2 hours plus 3 hoyrs early for International flight. Target was 11 AM. I was ready by 10 so off we went. Over the years I travel with just a carry-on and a pursue. (Still manage to pack more than I need!)

Arrived at the airport about 4 hours ahead of schedule only to tack on another 20 minutes for a flight delay.

Photo at San Francisco Airport

Flew through security and arrived at gate just after the previous departure. So had the area largely to myself. Plenty of available USB ports to keep my phone juiced. The lounge was one of those downstairs and this was the art to which I faced.

Paper boats art piece

Boarding was quick and well organized with Virgin using two doors to admit passengers (Priority and normal). Didn’t need to check ticket or passport as they check you in via biometrics. The UK began with that many years ago. The plane was fairly full in First Class and Business Class. We had paid $37 extra for priority seats: one window and one aisle. So as it worked out I had the whole row to sleep on!

The Virgin Glow in the Clouds

Awoke about 7:30 AM local time and had an opportunity to watch a movie, “Across the River and Into the Trees” which seemed apropriate.

Clouds lined up like Crop Rows over England

I had expected an overcast day so was delighted with some sunshine. To my delight I caught a glimpse of  Windsor Castle lit by the morning sun as we were coming into Heathrow Airport.

Windsor Castle

To be continued…

Kelly Wheaton copyright All Rights Reserved

Fleshing out the Story: Context Matters

Posted on January 26, 2025     1 Comment

How do we go from avid genealogist to storyteller? How do we bring a single ancestor back to life? How do we take a set of facts, essential the bones of our ancestors life, and tell their story as a three dimensional ancestor that you want others to know more about?

Research of course! There’s lots to be gleaned from what you already have. Whoever the ancestor you chose, they arrived into this world of two parents who have stories of their own. For our purposes we will only tell parts of the parents story that enhances the ancestor’s story. We will select and imaginary ancestor Rebecka. Let’s say Rebecka spelled with a “K” was the daughter of a coal miner in Pennsylvania. That will be quite a different story than Rebecka born to an aristocratic plantation owner in Virginia. Context matters. [See my earlier post: Reformed Genealogists: Turning Trees into Stories.]

We also need to look at the time frame and what was happening when Rebecka was born. Did she live during the American Revolution, or Civil War. Did she have brothers or a father who fought in a war? Did her mother survive many childbirths or died giving birth to Rebecka? How did she get her name? How many siblings did she have? Was there a step parent? What was her birth order? The last of 6 girls. The oldest child and the rest sons? How do these things affect her life? Did she marry young, typical or late in life? Did she have an occupation, go to school or perhaps University? Did her family move often? Why? [For more on this topic see Katherine Scott Sturdevant’s “Bringing you Family History to Life through social history.]

1) At this point you may wish to write a list of questions you would like to ask or answer about Rebecka.

The next thing, is to find material based in the time frame and place she lived. Look for diaries, historical novels, histories, letters anything you can find that will put you “in the mood” to think about Rebecka.

2) You can do a google search or find an archive that would be relevant and do some scratching around. You can do a library search for a place and see what pops up.

Once you feel familiar with the place and era you can do some digging. Things you might want to include in your story.

  • Maps
  • Letters
  • Photos
  • Illustrations

You can find these through Google searches or on Ebay or from your own collection. You might search for postcards of a place. Etching of a place or occupation. If you are publishing your piece you should look for “out of copyright material” that you can use freely. As of 2025:

©

  • Works from 1929 and sound recordings from 1924 are now open to all in the U.S.
  • For works created after 1978, copyright lasts for the author’s life plus 70 years.
  • Even with copyright extensions, the maximum copyright term in the US, for works published before 1978, is 95 years from publication.

I recently told my class: a few well told stories of your ancestors have a much better chance of survival than thousands of names, dates and places in your family tree. Stories have more life in them, and are likely to be the gift that keeps on giving. Of course, it is impossible to write stories of all your ancestors. So concentrate on the ones that speak to you. It could be because you know part of a family legend about them or something piques your interest.

Examples of Ancestor stories on my blog Wheatonwood.com/blog for reference.

How far you go with your story is up to you. A few paragraphs or a story with several chapters. Whatever you write is going to tell not only your ancestors story—but a bit about you, and what you cared about. If you are looking for inspiration try one of the Family History Writing blog Posts. Remember this is supposed to be an adventure, not a chore. Have fun! Happy digging.

Kelly Wheaton © 2025 – All Rights Reserved

TILDEN’s of Kent, England

Posted on January 2, 2025     5 Comments

In my last blog post Traveling for Genealogy I chronicled my research into the TILDEN family of Benenden, Kent. I decided to do a deeper dive and as usual found some interesting connections. One of the places we are to stay and visit is Leeds Castle. So let’s dive in to a bit of ancient history.

LEEDS CASTLE

Leeds Castle near Maidstone Tuck postcard

From about the year 857, Leeds Castle, near Broomfield, Maidstone, Kent, was a Saxon castle built of wood on 2 islands, in the middle of the River Len. It was owned by the Saxon chief, Led or Leed, and was known as the Manor of Esledes. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, it was rebuilt in stone in 1119 by Robert de Crevecoeur as a Norman Castle. Robert de Crevecouer was the son of Hamo de Creveqouer. Leeds Castle descended through the de Crevecoeur family until the 1260s. In 1278, the castle was bought by King Edward I’s Queen, Eleanor of Castile [Both interred at Westminster Abbey]. The Norman Leed’s Castle was held by Odo Bishop of Bayeux, who was the half brother of WILLIAM I, aka William the Conqueror. All roads lead to William the Conqueror!

King Edward I tomb [stairs] at Westminster Abbey Brayley 1823 pg 276
Eleanor of Castile © Alex David Baldi Creative Commons

It is the assumption of John Tilden in his 1968 manuscript “The Tilden Family: our English Ancestors 1235-1635” that the TILDENs were originally from East Sutton or Hollingbourne which lay about 4 miles apart, with Leeds Castle in between. The earliest record he found is of a Henr’ de TILDENN who was born about 1235 and died after 1311. Henry appears as a witness in 1293, in a legal controversy between EDWARD I of England, and the Pryor of the Hospital of St. John, of Sutton de la Hone [Sutton-at-Hone], Kent, England [ Placita de Quo Warranto , pages 352-353]. Also Henry TILDEN appears as a witness in a controversy between said EDWARD I and Adam MARTEL, of the Manor of East Sutton, County Kent, [Placita de Quo Warranto , pages 358-359]. At that time he is mentioned as of East Sutton or Holyngbourne, County Kent. East Sutton would make sense. However I have discovered an earlier record, a grant from Nicholas of TILDEN (‘Teldenne’), son of Ordmeus de Hethezeherst to Hamo de Crevecquer, son of Robert de Crevequer . I cannot find Ordmeus as a given name so this may be a mistaken transcription. Perhaps Ordmær, Ordmer? meaning “famous-spear.”

Grant From : Nicholas of Tilden (‘Teldenne’), son of Ordmeus de Hethezeherst To: Hamo de Crevecquer, son of Robert de Crevequer. An annual payment of 18¼d, payable by Vincent de herdesfeld, Michael de hethezeherst and Martin de hethezeherst. Payable as specified for 4 acres of land called ‘hopeland’, lying in ‘hethezeherst’ [possibly in or near Marden], 4 acres of land called ‘hope’, lying in ‘hethezeherst’ and the capital messuage of Martin de hethezeherst. For an annual payament of ½d, payable at the court of Bockingfold (‘Bokingefold’). Dated 42HenIII, no month. Witnesses: Henry of Cheveney [in Marden]; Michael de helherst; John de Sipherst [Sheephurst], brother of Giles; Giles de Sipherst, brother of John; William Salomun; Hugh the clerk; Gilbert de bades’elle; Nicholas de Tetesden, brother of Ralph; Ralph de Tetesden [Teterden?], brother of Nicholas; William the clerk.

Dated 28 Oct 1257 – 27 Oct 1258.

My best guess is Hethezherst is Heather Hurst or Heather Hill, very possibly on the lands that are now adjacent Tilden Lane. At the terminus of Tilden Lane if you were to go straight East, crossing Stilbridge Lane, you would run right into a hummock or hill. Here you will find a present day Hertsfield [as in Vincent de Herdsfeld] and a Hurst Green. So my best guess would put Hethezeherst where Tilden Lane in north Marden.

The original Hamo Crevequer aka de Crevequer was born about in Calvados, Normandy, France and his son Robert Crevequer founded the priory and stronghold of Leeds in Kent. Further grants establish a bit more certainty of the proximity of the people mentioned in the deed above. In this case the court was held at Bockingfold. Bockinfold is south of Marden and about 5.6 miles from the TILDEN estates. The other names are from properties in the parish of Marden, so fairly safe to assume in the vicinity.

SURNAME TILDEN

The surname TILDEN is a habitational name that is literally “from Tila’s pasture.” The name Tila means heritage, fortune, or wealth. Another possibility is from the word “Till” as in “to cultivate.” Kent manor houses had dens or pig pastures often distant from a manor’s arable holdings. Kent Wealden Weal meaning well-being or wealth and pig pastures. Manors may have had several dens which were an important part of the local economy. Each fall, pigs were driven by the swineherds to the manorial dens, where they were fattened foraging on, fungi, nuts, roots beetles, etc, before being butchered in November or December. Many place names arise from these dens, such as Tenterden, Tilden, Beneden etc.

TILDEN PLACES

Early places in Kent, England, are: Great and Little TILDEN in Marden, TILDEN in Headcorn and TILEDN Farm in Benenden. I have marked Leeds Castle, Hollingbourne and East Sutton, as well as two Roads named Tilden and the location of TILDEN Farm in Benenden on Water Lane. We will take up the TILDEN Listed buildings in Kent, from the suspected oldest to more recent. It is bit of a tossup which is the oldest. Because the oldest standing might not be the same as the oldest named TILDEN. The map below has Leeds Castle circled, places mentioned in the deed underlined and the location of the 2 TILDEN Road and Lanes in orange, which are about 6 miles apart as the crow flies. It would not be surprising if two of the early TILDENs settled in the area. Below we take up each TILDEN place. Please note that all 3 of these places fell under the ownership of Bishop Odo of Bayeux who also owned Leed’s Castle. From Leed’s castle to TILDEN Farm near Benenden is about 13 miles as the crow flies

1787 John Cary map –Part of Kent annotated.

MARDEN

13 C. St Michael and All Angels Church Marden ©Chris Whippet Creative Commons

Marden does not appear in the Domesday book. The name Maere dene or Maera dene, derives from “forest clearing for horses.” There was a church, probably built of timber, in Marden by 1085, which is mentioned in the Domesday Monachorum of Canturbury. EDWARD I gave the village of Marden to his mother, Queen Eleanor of Provence in the 13th century, and she was granted the right to hold a weekly market and an annual fair. Edward III in 1336 invited continental cloth weavers to England. Below is perhaps our earliest TILDEN place contender. It is the earliest deed for a place TILDEN:

Grant, in free, pure and perpetual alms From: Margery of Pattenden [in Marden], widow of Samson of Pattenden To: ‘Dominus’ Hamo de Crevequer 4 acres of land in Murzie [in Marden] which Godholte?, her mother, gave her, lying with the land of Richard? la farne? to south, the street which leads to Tilden [in Marden] to north, … Hamo’s land to west. For an annual payment of a root of ginger? For this Hamo has also paid 40s as a gersum fine. Dated 41 Henry III, no month. Witnesses: Henry of Cheveney [in Marden]; …de Heherst; John de Sipherst; Giles, brother of John de Sipherst; … Solmon; Hugh the clerk (partially damaged)

28 Oct 1256 – 27 Oct 1257

It is followed by a deed in 31 July 1303 which mentions Henry TILDEN and his three sons: Walter, Henry and John TILDEN. This is probably the same Henry TILDEN in the earlier records cited by John Tilden in his manuscript. It would likely be on the same property as we find the Great TILDEN Farmhouse at a later date.

A LEASE from: William of Borden, prior of Leeds Priory To: Stephen of Reed, of Marden parish 3 pieces of land lying in Marden parish on the denns of ‘Hyedenne’ and Reed, which land Stephen held at farm of William’s predecessors. For the term of Stephen’s life. For an annual payment of 5s, payable as specified. Right of distraint if payment in arrears. Priory’s part of indenture. Witnesses: Henry of Tilden; Walter, son of Henry of Tilden; Henry, son of Henry of Tilden; John, son of Henry of Tilden; Adam de Hertesfeld’; Walter Finch; Richard of Reed [in Marden]; John Kyr Endorsed with description in early 14th cent hands. 31 July 1303 [Document damaged.]

Great Tilden barn near Marden on Tilden Lane

GREAT TILDEN FARMHOUSE TQ 74 NW TILDEN LANE (north side), MARDEN Farmhouse. C15 or early C16, and late C16 or early C17, C18 and mid C19. Left wing red brick in Flemish bond. Ground floor of central section red brick in stretcher bond, first floor pebbledashed, with applied studding. Listing NGR: TQ7486247664

In 1452 there is a lawsuit that refers to a tenement called Tylden, in Marden, Kent . Between 1454 Sept 1-1455 Aug 31 there is a deed with the Grantor: William Brook. Recipient: Thomas Elys, the younger, William Tyldenne, Robert Mayhewe, John Tyldenne and John Lynche.

BENENDEN

St George Church Benenden C14, damaged storm of 1672 © David M Clark Creative Commons

This appears to be the second oldest place named TILDEN. The Domesday Book of Benindene was one of only four places in the Weald of Kent to have a church. 4 villagers. 9 smallholders; 2 ploughlands. 1 lord’s plough teams. 2 men’s plough teams; Woodland 5 swine render. 1 church. Annual value to lord: 2 pounds 10 shillings in 1086; 2 pounds when acquired by the 1086 owner; 2 pounds in 1066. Tenant-in-chief in 1086: Bishop Odo of Bayeux. From the 14th century places such as Benenden became of industrial importance. The Wealden ironmasters continued what the Romans had done; and the other major industry, cloth-making, also helped to make the village prosperous.

“Clothiers were the entrepreneurs at the heart of the cloth trade which became England’s leading industry in the late Middle Ages. No other industry created more employment or generated more wealth. As many as 1 in 7 of the country’s workforce were probably making cloth and 1 in 4 households were involved in spinning.”

Working in the Middle Ages: The Medieval Clothier. John S. Lee

The earliest record of TELDEN [TILDEN] in Beneden is dated 24 Dec 1418 , a Grant by Thomas Goldyng [Golding] of Benenden, Kent, to Thomas Morleyn and Beatrice his wife, of Benenden, of a messuage and 14 pieces of land, meadow and wood, upon the denes of Backtilt and Maplesden in Benenden, Kent, 32 acres. Witnesses: Robert Stace, James Telden, Thomas Wylard, John Bygge, Richard Moore, Stephan Heanden, William Dokelynden, and many others. Grantor: William Brook. Recipient: Thomas Elys, the younger, William Tyldenne, Robert Mayhewe, John Tyldenne and John Lynche. Place or Subject: Maidstone. County: [Kent]. Date: 33 Hen VI 1454 Sept 1-1455 Aug 31. The TILDENs and BYGGE [Bigge] become clothiers in Benenden and surrounds.

TILDEN FARM, WATER LANE, HAWKHURST [BENENDEN] TQ 73 SE (east side) House. C16. timber framed and tile hung, with part exposed small panel frame to right return and English bond brick base with plain tiled roof. Listing NGR: TQ7760431961

Tilden Farm, Benenden © Nick Smith Creative Commons

EAST SUTTON / HEADCORN

13 C or earlier church of Saints Peter & Paul East Sutton © Julian P Guffogg Creative Commons

In the Domesday book the closest listed place to Headcorn is [East] SUTTON which had 15 villagers. 9 smallholders. 10 slaves; 8 ploughlands; 2 lord’s plough teams; 4 men’s plough teams; 8 acres Meadow. 50 acre Woodland swine render. 1 church. Annual value to lord: 12 pounds in 1086; 10 pounds when acquired by the 1086 owner; 10 pounds in 1066. Tenant-in-chief in 1086: Bishop Odo of Bayeux who also held Leed’s Castle. Curiously I can find no record referring to TILDEN people or places near Headcorn in the 12-16 centuries, so it is unclear when the road and buildings adopted their name.

Tilden Headcorn © Marathon Creative Commons

TILDEN, HEADCORN ULCOMBE ROAD TQ 84 NW (East side) Farmhouse. C15 or early C16, with C16 alterations. Timber framed with plaster infilling. Listing NGR: TQ8361145374

Little Tilden Headcorn © by Oast House Archives Creative Commons

LITTLE TILDEN HEADCORN ULCOMBE ROAD TQ 84 NW (East side) Farmhouse. [On the map the Tilden Road from East Sutton to Headcorn] Mid C15 or earlier, with C19 or C20 addition. Timber framed with plaster infilling. Ground floor of right end bay underbuilt in red and grey brick, ground floor of added left bay red brick in stretcher bond. Plain tile roof. Wealden Hall Houses were timber framed farmhouses built by wealthy Yeoman farmers from the late 1300’s to the mid 1500’s Listing NGR: TQ8371645591

SUMMARY

So summing it up we have the surname TILDEN [or its variants] appearing in the mid 13 century [1258-59] near Marden, Kent and by 1452 we have a place referred to in a deed as Tylden, Marden, Kent. In 1418 the surname appears on a deed in Benenden. Best guess is it was adopted from a dene of a Saxon named Til in the area that is now TILDEN Lane in north Marden. From there it spread as a surname to Benenden and other areas of Kent and eventually across the ocean via Nathaniel TILDEN to Scituate, Massachusetts. I cannot fail to mention two other TILDENs. First is TILDEN Park in the San Francisco Bay Area, a very special place of my childhood named in honor of Charles Lee TILDEN. I believe he traces back to Nathaniel TILDEN of Tenterden. And another place we shall visit on our upcoming trip is Chartwell, home of Sir Winston Churchill. It was designed by Philip TILDEN, architect, who I have traced back to a William TYLDEN born about 1585 and died in 1669 Rainham, Kent. And most likely tracing back to the same Marden roots.

Corrections, suggestions and comments are welcome.

Kelly Wheaton ©2025 – All Rights Reserved

TRAVELING for GENEALOGY: Virtual & In Person

Posted on December 8, 2024     7 Comments

Me in May of 2018 at the entrance to St Martin’s Kirche in Wörnitz, Bavaria, Germany

There are many types of travel and just as many of interest to Genealogists. For the purposes of this blog post I am concentrating on travel to the homeland of an ancestor or ancestors for the purpose of experiencing something of their time upon this earth. Remember our principal reason to do genealogy, besides the fun (or frustration of it), is to be able to tell the stories of our ancestors. I do not advocate the collection of names dates and places. Your job, sometimes a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, is to recreate the past and tell your ancestors stories, to the best of your ability. There’s nothing like getting to stand in the place they lived, to help you tell the story with more authenticity and enthusiasm. If you are reading this and age, health or finances prevent you from traveling, there is still a lot you can do virtually and it is an important part of the travel planning process. So do not lose heart.

PLANNING: Avoiding Pitfalls

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” — Benjamin Franklin

A successful trip is most often months or years in the planning. Yes, you can grab your carry-on at a moment’s notice and have a good trip, but it can also be an unmitigated disaster. Some examples of what happens without planning:

  • The archive you wanted to visit is closed on Tuesdays.
  • The courthouse is being renovated and the documents you wished to peruse are in storage.
  • The Church documents you wished to review are now in the Nat’l church archives and not available locally.
  • The Historical or Genealogical Society won’t be open during your visit.
  • You have a map but cannot locate the Family Cemetery but you’ve seen it on Find a Grave.
  • It’s a lot farther from point A to point B than you thought. You are running out of time.

All of the above could have been avoided through proper planning. I mention them because it tells you something about the planning process. You want to research all places ahead of time. Even a phone call, email or visit to the announcements page of their website can save you a lot of grief.

GOALS & PURPOSE

From an old postcard view of Wörnitz

You really can’t begin your planning if you have not defined your purpose. And unless you will have weeks or months in the place you are traveling to, you really want to focus on what’s most important during your visit. As time goes on more and more records are available on line. You don’t want to waste time on things you can do from home. Often what’s most important, will be photos you want to take of headstones, homes churches, or documents related to your ancestors life. Sometimes it will be the opportunity to peruse original records. And if you are lucky you may have the opportunity to meet relatives. So you will want to compile as much information as you can ahead of time. Then organize that information so you can take it with you. You aren’t going to be lugging binders around and even if files are digitized there are times when having something printed is helpful. You will want to develop a list of places you want to visit and what you want to look at once there.

In the case of my trip to Germany in May of 2018, I had about 1/2 day to visit the 3 parish churches that my MOSER family had lived from about 1620, until their immigration to America in 1728. A very kind relative of my friend Denise, offered to drive us to each of them and he even made arrangements with the minister in the one church which is generally closed. I was able to visit the hamlet where the family farm was located although it was not clear which exact one. The landscapes of a place helps to set the context of the story. It is about 1.3 miles on foot from the cluster of farms in Ulrichshausen to St Martin’s Church, in Wörnitz. So on this trip my goal was to visit the churches and take photographs so that I could put together their story. The story can be found in the multipart Blog posts of MOSERS from Germany to Pennsylvania.

Ulrichshausen near Wörnitz , Bavaria Germany
St Martins Wörnitz

TRIP PLANNING: An Example

I am going to use an upcoming trip I am taking in May, as an example. Half the trip I will be in London where I can go anywhere public transport and my own two feet will take me, and the other part is a small group tour of Kent. This will be with my best friend from kindergarten, Denise, mentioned above. It is her first trip to England and it was her desire to go to Canterbury where her ancestor Robert CUSHMAN (sometimes spelled Couchemen or Coachmen) was instrumental in planning the voyage of the Mayflower (although he did not sail with the original passengers). So that is part of the reason for Kent. Another is Sissinghurst Castle Gardens which have been on my bucket list for decades. And Hever Castle, the White Cliffs of Dover etc. Mind you this was not planned as a “Genealogy Trip” but that is no deterrent as you will see. Note: I am using this rather than a larger trip so I can concentrate on specifics. If your trip is strictly for genealogy this would be repeated many times for each place you re visiting.

So in this case any Genealogy will be not the focus of the trip, but the icing on the cake, if it happens. So the very first thing I do when I am going somewhere is to check and see if I might have any ancestors from the area. This is true whether I am traveling in the United States or abroad.

This is where I find having a genealogy Program like Family Tree Maker quite helpful. I go to the PLACES tab, in this case I am looking for ancestors who lived in Kent, England. On the left are all locations for which I have family entries and on the far right are the individuals. Those SURNAMES in capitals are direct line ancestors. In this case it shows the surnames BIGGE, HINCKLEY, HUCKSTEP, and TILDEN. As a child a favorite park was Tilden Park in the hills above Berkeley so that name immediately attracts my attention. Tilden Park was named after Charles Lee TILDEN 1857 – 1950, probably a distant cousin. So far I have his line back to a William TYLDEN bc 1585 who died in Rainham, Kent in 1669.

Screen Shot of FTM Locations in Kent, England; Specifically Tenterden

So then I click on each and start to organize the events that took place in Tenterden. So we have my 11th Great Grandmother Alice BIGGE bc 1548 at nearby Benenden, who marries at the St Mildred’s Church, Tenterden to Thomas TILDEN 10th March 1576. She dies there the 13th of May 1593. Furthermore their son my 10th Great Grandfather, Nathaniel TILDEN was born and baptized in Tenterden 28th of July 1583. He served as mayor of Teneterden and Justice of the Peace and is listed at the Townhall. He immigrated on the ‘Hercules’ in 1634-5 with his wife Lydia, and their seven children and with seven servants. He was an elder of the first church in Scituate and among Scituate’s wealthiest residents. He died in 1641 and is buried in the Men of Kent Cemetery. Furthermore his son, Stephen TILDEN , my 9th Great Grandfather was also baptized in Tenterden. Since the itinerary of the tour includes a visit to Tenterden, so with a little luck I will have time to pop into St Mildred’s Church and the Townhall.

Of course I compile a list. This list includes the TILDENS I mentioned and a CUSHMAN of my friend. So organizing your ancestors and making a cheat sheet like this really helps. Note the first column is for the place then the date of event the name the events that occurred there and the relationship to me.

Part of my chart for Ancestors in Kent

Then this is the time to do more research and there’s even a Wikipedia page on the TYLDEN family. How far you decide to research the family of interest is up to you. But a cursory glance on Ebay turns up some lovely postcards of St Mildred’s Church in Tenterden. (click on images to see full view)

Then a look at an old 1787 John Cary Map from the David Rumsey Collection. This is part of a map of Kent showing Tenterden and nearby Benenden and Rolvenden.

Then if you are looking at places in the UK I like to hop over to GEOGRAPH and see what photos are available. This lovely photo by Gerald England of the town coat of arms. I hope you are starting to see that long before you step one foot outside your door. There’s a lot to find.

© Copyright Gerald England and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

On GEOGRAPH I found photos of High Street, of St Mildred’s Church inside and out and all the surrounding area. These photos maybe used for personal use with proper citation. They can help to orient you and suggest things you’ll want to see. So here is a photo of the ceiling of St Mildred’s Church. The roof of St Mildred’s Church, Tenterden. It says The aisled nave dates from the 14th century. The carved wagon roof probably dates from the 15th century, possibly earlier. I won’t want to miss this!

Carved Wagon roof of St Mildred’s Teneterden © Copyright Marathon and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

So a lot of the research and pre-planning is what I would do for any line I am researching. And that is what is meant by Virtual travel. You can spend days, weeks and months digging deep into your ancestors surroundings, documents, maps etc.

Now I turn to a book I very much recommend if you like old churches and have ancestry in England. Published in 1999 and usually copies are available on Ebay. I go to the chapter on Kent to see if St Mildred’s Tenterden might be listed. And it is with 3 nice paragraphs of information. [Hint: Always bring a a bit of cash when visiting churches as they often have a guide for purchase. Usually well worth the price, and hard to get anywhere else.] These will often date things like the baptismal font or altar or various important features. If you are telling the story of your ancestors life, you don’t want to claim they were baptized in 1583 when the font is really from the 17th century.

“Tenterden church gets a poor write-up from church guides. Yet its mighty 15th century tower is worthy of any in the Cotswolds. “

Simon Jenkins

One of the many reasons I love old churches, are in many cases, they may be the only thing left standing from when your ancestors lived there. The pews, the baptismal font maybe the very same ones your ancestors knew. So churches rank at the top of my list in Genealogy related travel places to visit, aside from records repositories. Churches were often the hub of community life. They often hold a wealth of information and although many churches have gone through many restorations many have original features.

So for each of the places I anticipate I may be able to visit I compile a list of events of ancestors and bring an abbreviated Genealogy with me. Please note that unlike New England, most gravestones in the UK or in Mainland Europe, are no longer extant or legible for ancestors buried before 1700. In many places in Scandinavia the graves of the recently departed replace the graves of those who die centuries ago. The exception is if your ancestors were interned inside the church. You will want to research this BEFORE you visit. If you are visiting large graveyards or cemeteries you will want to contact a local historical or genealogical society for finding aids or sometimes Find a Grave can be helpful.

THE SURPRISE

So I spent quite a few days researching the TILDEN family and the CUSHMANs and then things got interesting. Remember Nathaniel TILDENs is my 10th Great Grandfather and Robert CUSHMAN is Denise’s 9th Great Grandfather. Robert was born February 9th, 1577 in Rolvenden. Nathaniel TILDEN born at Tenterden 28th of July 1583 Scroll back up to the map. Rolvenden is a mere 3 miles from Tenterden. And it get’s better. The Rolvenden History Group has a Mayflower Project. This leads to many resources one an article from NEGHS that I had given to Denise. From that article:

“Robert Cushman served as the chief agent of the Pilgrims and
worked on their behalf in London from 1619 until his death
from an unknown cause in 1625. He was born in Rolvenden,
Kent, in 1577/8, son of Thomas and Elynour (Hubbarde)
“Cutchman” [Cushman] and lived his early life in Canterbury,
Kent. In 1606 he married Sara Reader, a daughter of Paul
Reader, of Lenham, Kent. Their only surviving child, Thomas
Cushman, was born in Canterbury in 1607/8.”

American Ancestors Spring 2017:

Pilgrim Robert Cushman by Robert C. Cushman

In a 1619 letter from Robert CUSHMAN to William BRADFORD, of Plymouth Plantation, Cushman is writing a book whilst living in London. Although arranging for the ‘Mayflower’ and ‘Speedwell’ he abandons traveling when the ‘Speedwell’ was not seaworthy and he was ill during the sailing of the ‘Mayflower.’ Robert CUSHMAN arrives in America in 1621, a year later than the Mayflower, with his son Thomas, on the ‘Fortune.’ He gave the first sermon preached in America on December 6, 1621, on “Sin and Danger of Self-Love”. Robert returns to England on the Fortune on December 13, 1621. The vessel is captured by the French and Robert is take to France and released two weeks later, where he acts as a financial agent for the Pilgrims. A 1624 deposition record gave an address of “Rosemary Lane, London.” This is now called Royal Mint Street and was earlier called Hog Lane, or Hoggestrete very near to the Tower of London (Coincidentally, very near to where we are staying in London). The “Agas Map of London 1561” shows exactly where this was. We are staying about where the two Cows are depicted toward the middle of the map. Hogge Lane is on the far right and the Tower of London, Middle bottom towards the Thames River. I delight in finding local connections in my travels. Also note just below the cows, is the still extant Roman Wall remains from when London was called Londinium. This wall was built between 190 and 225CE by the Romans.

Agas Map of London in 1561 produced about 1633

In 1622 Nathaniel TILDEN is mayor of Tenterden. He is succeeded by his cousin John TILDEN in in 1623-4. Nathaniel TILDEN is ‘Jurat ‘ of Tenterden (Justice of the Peace) in 1624, 1625, 1627, and 1629 [L. Vernon Briggs, History and Genealogy of the Briggs Family, 1254-1937, 1938, Three volume]. Robert CUSHMAN dies 6th of May 1625 in Beneden, Kent while visiting relatives said to be the EVERDENs. It is said he dies of the plague. In this year an estimated 70,000 people died of the plague in England . So the year Robert CUSHMAN dies in Beneden, Nathaniel is Justice of the Peace just 5 miles away in Tenterden.

Now we must take a slight detour. Robert CUSHMAN’s father was Thomas Henry CUSHMAN who married Elinor HUBBARDE 18 Jul 1568 in Rolvenden. Thomas Henry dies 14 February 1586 at Rolvenden. Then Elinor marries second at St Alphege, Canterbury to Emmauel EVERDEN, he dies 3 December 1589. [Remember above Robert CUSHMAN is visiting the EVERDENs in Beneden when he dies.] His mother, Elinor, married for the third time 6 November 1593 to Thomas TILDEN at Teneterden. Thomas TILDEN is the father of my Nathaniel TILDEN!!! So Robert CUSHMAN and Nathaniel TILDEN were step brothers. Elinor dies 22 July 1601. Thomas TILDEN marries a third time to Alyce BOURNE. He dies in Wye in 1617. When his son, Nathaniel TILDEN immigrates to America on the ‘Hercules’ in 1634 leaving from Sandwich, Kent, England with master, John Witherley. Also on board are members of the HATCH and HINCKLEY families. Nathaniel brings his wife and 7 children AND 7 servants. Among them is a Sara COUCHMAN (CUSHMAN) who it is speculated, may be Robert CUSHMAN’s daughter. This would make sense as once her mother and father and grandparents are gone she may have been taken in by her father’s stepbrother, Nathaniel (step uncle). So my childhood friend and I share common ancestors John HOWLAND and Elizabeth ALDEN of the Mayflower and a surprise step brother relationship! This not only illustrates how you do research to a place you plan to visit. It also brings up surprising connections.

There is a large monument to Robert CUSHMAN in Plymouth, MA however he is buried in Benenden, Kent ENGLAND.

Robert CUSHMAN Memorial in Plymouth, MA

Another couple of surprises on the trip. We will be visiting Chartwell which was a hunting lodge that King Henry VIII visited when courting his future wife Anne Boleyn. But what caught my eye is his architect was Philip TILDEN (1887-1956) son of William Augustus TILDEN born 15 August 1842. I have traced him back to a Matthew TILDEN bc 1615 of Northfleet, Kent so I think part of the same clan!

GENEALOGY FOCUSED TRAVEL

There are many things to keep in mind if the sole focus of your travel is genealogy. You will want to first make a list on ancestors by place and date. Then you want to sketch out a possible itinerary. Then you want to research, research, research. You will want to include exact locations, hours and special needs. Check for hours, whether you must make arrangements in advance and who you may want to meet with :

  • Churches, cemeteries, graveyards.
  • Historical, Genealogy or Special interest groups. Can you arrange to have records pulled in advance.
  • Archives, University libraries and other document repositories. Same as above.
  • Courthouses, Town Hall offices and other Government Offices.
  • Historic Houses, farms or estates. Are they open to the public? Can you contact the owners or trustees to arrange a visit?

The time frame you are interested in can matter a lot. For instance many local history societies abroad are focused in the last couple of hundred years, whereas your interest may be more distant. Denise and I had a lovely visit with the minister of a village outside of Heildelburg: Dossenheim where my RIEMENSBERGER (now RAMSBURG or REMSBURG) emigrated from in 1748 to Maryland.

Evangelical Lutheran Church Dossenheim
Denise and Rev Joerg Hirsch visiting the old rectory

There is no limit to what you can achieve from the comfort of your home or by reaching out and making arrangements to visit places across the county or abroad. Careful planning is key.

SPECIAL HINTS

  • Do bring small thank you gifts for people you will meet with. Remember you are an ambassador of sorts.
  • Do research the history of a place, not just that of your ancestor. Context matters.
  • Do look at old maps and Gazetteers . Names of places often change, as in my example above.
  • Don’t just rely on a website, contact the archive or church directly.
  • Don’t hesitate to go into a bakery, post office or library and ask for help. Ask if there is anyone who knows whether there are any “MCFADDENS’s” still living there.
  • Change your perspective. Take Photos not just of things directly related to your ancestors. Take broad views of the cemetery, not just gravestones. Look up! Lie on the ground. Record the smells or sounds.
  • Look for the oldest buildings in a place you will be visiting.
  • Listen to your intuition. Take photos even if you don’t know exactly why you are taking them.
  • Ask for help.
  • Don’t forget to ask about large maps or Family Trees that may not be filed where you would easily find them.

FOLLOW-UP: On Current Trip Planning to Kent

Places in Canterbury, Kent, England from Google Maps

So to give you an idea of the level of detail you may want to pursue. The following map shows places of interest in Canterbury including those related to Robert CUSHMAN. I like to print out or screen shot these on my phone. You’ll note they are all in easy walking distance of our hotel, no more than a couple of blocks. We will be visiting the Cathedral and Chapter House. It shows the location of the church where he was married, now an Instant Teller of Nat West. Bank and where he was briefly imprisoned at Westgate, which has Museum and rumored the best views of the city [£4 Adults, £3 Student/Concession]. And in case you don’t know concession is for Seniors! Also note that the Westgate gardens are lovely and the Gatehouse is lovely at night. beautiful at night. Which reminds me night photographs are often stunning, especially in cities. Here’s one of the steeple of Holy Trinity Church, William Shakespeare’s final resting place, at Stratford on Avon, taken on our way to a talk there. I didn’t know that Westgate was lit at night so I make a mental checklist to try to get a picture. Also Canterbury Cathedral at night is likely to be lovely and Evensong is at 5:30 Mon-Sun. One of my favorite experiences was a happy accident when we arrived at Beoley St Leonard’s Church as the services were beginning so we stayed. Another was at St Martin in the Fields, London where they were practicing for an evening concert of Vivaldi’s the Four Seasons.

Holy Trinity Church, Stratford on Avon

Always be open to serendipity! It leads to unusual and unique experiences.

RESOURCES

BOOKS

VIDEOS

Kelly Wheaton ©2024 – All Rights Reserved

NEWSPAPER RESOURCES FOR GENEALOGISTS

Posted on December 7, 2024     4 Comments

Note: this will also be posted as a static Page under the RESOURCES TAB to make it easy to find.

If you haven’t availed yourself of Newspapers to fill in tidbits of you ancestors lives you could be in for a real treat. Everything from recitals to accidents to winning prizes in the County Fair. This is an announcement of the death of my 3rd great grandmother Sarah Milton RUTAN BENJAMIN MOSIER 8 Jun 1891 Near, North Bend, Dodge, Nebraska, USA.

Or here is another of my 3rd great grandparents in this case Daniel Coates, whose prize winning Ice cream melon weighing in at 49 pounds and 13 1/2 ounces, appeared in the Daily Nebraska Press October 13 1875

Or my 2nd great grandfather takes a tumble:

And finally my 2nd great Grandmother Catherine Adeline STEWART MURPHY MOSIER the proprietress of the City Hotel in North Bend, Nebraska.

In addition to articles about your ancestors, or mentions in passing, newspaper articles can tell stories about what was happening locally during their lifetimes. Articles about plagues, famines, wars and local happenings are rich with local detail.

The biggest sources are usually available through subscriptions. Many offer a free trial period and by the month or longer subscriptions.

HOW TO SEARCH

This is much art as science. To find a collection, not listed: try Search Terms: __________ digital newspaper archive. So if you are looking for Military Newspapers try “Military Digital Newspaper Archive” that will yield this library of Congress page https://guides.loc.gov/stars-and-stripes-us-military-newspapers/digital-resources

Here are some actual some hints to searching within a collection:

  • All variations of a name may be used. Including nicknames, Mrs —-, Granny —-, Initials ie: CJ Jones
  • Be careful on restricting your search to places you know your ancestor lived.
  • Use quotations marks “James L. PADEN” to restrict your search. Try alternatives “J. L. PADEN”, “James PADEN” and in this case I knew his nickname “Louie PADEN”
  • Be careful with time frames for your search. Maybe your ancestor died in 1875. But is mentioned 25 years later in the obituary of his daughter.
  • Unusual surnames help. Locales help.
  • But you want to try every different combination. I found wonderful fairly recent articles on my ancestors, like Stephen RAMSBURG, because he is mentioned in the history of a tract of Land in Maryland. SO just because your ancestor lived a hundred years ago or more he still may be mentioned more recently.

SUBSCRIPTIONS $$$$

FREE

Some of the larger National sites

SELECTED STATE NEWSPAPER LINKS

More are available in the links above. This is to give you an idea. You can also search collections in major universities in States or communities that you might be interested.

WORLD

SPECIFIC SUBJECT

The same general principals can be used for searching magazines and other periodicals.

Kelly Wheaton © 2024 All Rights Reserved

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