Feed Back on Notable Blencowe: Jill Dudbridge
The article on Jill Dudbridge nee Blencowe in the last newsletter sent bells ringing. Sure enough in the pile of letters sent to my mother from her Aunts in England was one from my Great Aunt Florence Franks nee Blencowe (B. 1904) with reference to Jill. The letter was written in 1987 when Flo was 83 —hence her reluctance to continue on with "ancestry" bit. It is quite humorous if you can decipher it.
Carol Buswell
Australia.
'If Sandy can translate this lot into Australian I wish her joy.
I am in hospital again with Angina. The doctor ordered me here for a few days but it has drifted on to 2 weeks now so I am whiling away the time. I'd rather be home watching tele.
Quite out of the blue, Jim forwarded me a letter some time ago from a Blencowe living in West London, Jill Dudbridge. APARENTLY she spends her time tracing the ancestors of her family. Between us we went back to the 16th century and she was very keen to trace US but her enthusiasm wore me out. She got down to the Nitty Gritty of Heraldry and really got me going. Jim's son Leonard is a very keen investigator and studied it all earnestly. Eventually I turned it all in. I just couldn't see myself going to cemeteries, museums so I just forgot to let her know when I moved.
I could just see us all Stalking about in Shining Armour, which is just what her imagination was leading to!
I'll write a proper letter when I get home.
Tut Tar for now,
Aunt Flo 3 June 1987'
Thanks Carol. So many migrants kept the letters from "home". It seems to have been the following generation that cut the apron strings. Such letters are a wonderful source of a family's social history. I am sure readers will identify with either Aunt Flo or Jill and see the funny side of it. Anne