GenealogyPosted by John Tue, September 07, 2010 12:18PMIt has come home recently to me whilst revising the story about
Louise Masset, just how much genealogists need to keep an open mind on events of decades and centuries ago, which is quite difficult due to our reliance mostly upon contemporary accounts of the time.
In this case on the surface, and as was widely reported at the time, Louise was seen as a cold-hearted mother who took the life of her only child Manfred. Newspaper accounts relished the circumstances and made great play on the apparent indifference and lack of emotions that she displayed at her trial at the Old Bailey.
However, personal family documentation held in the National Archives tell a different side of the story. There will be found emotional hand-written letters which talk of the anguish and stress she felt as the whole family appeared to be against her. Who knows now what state of mind she was in?
One would hope that such a situation today would not lead to such a tragic event, and that hopefully in a more enlightened society, appropriate support would be provided. Nonetheless, it is not for today's genealogists to pass judgement upon our ancestors, nor to attempt to superimpose today's values on previous generations. Accordingly I hope that the revised article presents an unbiased account of such a tragic story.
Truly, the past is a different country.
The Reffell FamilyPosted by John Tue, August 10, 2010 12:29PMCompletely out of the blue (as often happens with genealogy) there was a totally unexpected development in the Reffell Family researches - a man who built a robot!
Eric Robot was built in the Reffell Motor works in Gomshal by AH Reffell in association with WH Richards during 1928. Extremely advanced for its time, it was used to open the exhibition of the Society of Model Engineers in London on 20 September 1928.
For the full story see the website for
Eric Robot...
VisitsPosted by John Sun, July 25, 2010 08:20AMLast week Frances and myself had a very interesting and informative visit to the Normandy area arranged by Colonel Christopher Newbould CBE and
Poppy Travel.
We were honoured to have in our party two veterans of that conflict; Wilf Vernon & George Chamberlain, who can be seen with Christopher and the French owner of one of the sites that we visited below.
VisitsPosted by John Fri, July 09, 2010 02:57PMYesterday we had the great pleasure of being taken on a trail of the life of Amelia Reffell, nee Phipps (1785-1825), visiting the churches of St Giles Ashtead, St Martin of Tours Epsom & St Mary Ewell.
It was a wonderful day and we greatly appreciated the hospitality of Valerie (and the cats)...
1911 censusPosted by John Fri, June 11, 2010 01:04PMFrom:
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The websitePosted by John Fri, May 28, 2010 03:36PMYes and other amazing year has flown past and the Reffell Family History website is four years old today!
In the last year thanks to those contacting me through the website I have met many wonderful people, both closely and distantly related; but all part of the extended Reffell family!
I have also discoved many more Reffell ancestors and descendents, some of whom were quite famous in their time and others who were not; but again all very important to me.
The most notable event on the website during the last year has been the launch of the
Reffells Bexley Brewery Ltd mini-website. Notable for being very image-based, I hope that I have suceeded in bringing Uncle Ref once more back to life!
This is also the third computer that I have used to manage the website during this last year. I have certainly learnt the importance of having a proper backup regime, and have just invested in an external hard drive that automatically saves each webpage revision as it happens, and also keeps a copy of the original one.
I wonder what the coming year will bring???
The Reffell FamilyPosted by John Sun, May 23, 2010 07:02AMWith regret, I have to announce the death of Kathleen Reffell on 2 May 2010.
She was the eldest daughter of Arthur Edward Reffell
and Elizabeth Hannah Rattle.
A service is to be held at the Holy Trinty, Eversfield Gardens, Burnt Oak at 1:00 on 3 June, followed by cremation at Golders Green Crematorium at 2:00.
VisitsPosted by John Tue, April 20, 2010 07:18AMLast Sunday it was my pleasure to meet with three of my sixth Reffell cousins (that is our common ancestor was six generations ago - Joseph & Sarah Reffell).
It was wonderful to see Greta, Ruth & Douglas at very short notice, as they do not get the chance to get together often due to the travelling distances involved.
There were lovely memories there of Manor Farm Horton and its inhabitants...
I would like to give a special thank you to Ruth for her hospitality.
