Click/tap to view more posts from the series Two more Mayflower owners to go, firstly Thomas Short, who was directly involved with the original vessel, then Miles White, a merchant invested in her descendant. To Short we go. Like Nicholls, Thomas Short was a part-owner in 1609 and 1612, and appeared to be out of … Continue reading Beyond The Mayflower – Part 8: Other Owners II
Loose Ends: Anne Sparrow
Recently, Ancestry have added several million parish register records from Suffolk to their database, including images of the original pages themselves, allowing us to tidy up our knowledge of Anne Sparrow, the second wife of Sir Anthony Deane. Anne has been discussed previously on the blog, but now not only are primary sources available for … Continue reading Loose Ends: Anne Sparrow
Beyond The Mayflower – Part 7: Other Owners I
Click/tap to view more posts from the series We have four more Mayflower owners to discuss, so let us start with two contrasting figures. Robert Child's life can be determined with some confidence (with thanks again to Winifred Cooper for an important fact, which will be discussed imminently), while that of Christopher Nicholls is still … Continue reading Beyond The Mayflower – Part 7: Other Owners I
Beyond The Mayflower – Part 6: John Totton
Click/tap to view more posts from the series A man whose legacy extends beyond the Mayflower, John Totton nevertheless played his own role in the story of the famous ship. In 1624, when the Mayflower was said to be in ruins and ready to be broken up, it was decided a new ship was to … Continue reading Beyond The Mayflower – Part 6: John Totton
Beyond The Mayflower – Part 5: Robert Bonner
Click/tap to view more posts from the series With the primary Harwich-related chapters out of the way, we turn to the original beginning of the book, and to Robert Bonner. Firstly, a metaphor: Historical research can often be compared to the most complex of jigsaw puzzles: Instead of a picture on the box, there is … Continue reading Beyond The Mayflower – Part 5: Robert Bonner
Beyond The Mayflower – Part 4: Thomas Thompson The Younger
Click/tap to view more posts from the series Last time, we looked at Thomas Thompson sr, Elizabethan mariner. This time we will be looking at his son, Thomas Thompson jr, and immediately finding that his connection to the Mayflower is far greater than that of his storied father. Thomas Thompson the younger was never likely … Continue reading Beyond The Mayflower – Part 4: Thomas Thompson The Younger
A Brief History of Incontinence
"Harwich for the Continent, Frinton for the incontinent". A phrase embedded in the brain of every local, and one that has persisted for a long time. Just how long, though? I was curious to discover the origin, and the slightly surprising results are laid out below. Harwich for the Continent In order to find the … Continue reading A Brief History of Incontinence
Beyond The Mayflower – Part 3: Thomas Thompson The Elder
Click/tap to view more posts from the series Firstly: In the previous part, I introduced wills from Appendix I, but I did not introduce the Appendix section itself, so here is the intro: This appendix contains the wills of many of the people referenced in the book. They are transcribed here using modern spellings and … Continue reading Beyond The Mayflower – Part 3: Thomas Thompson The Elder
Beyond The Mayflower – Part 2: John Moore
Click/tap to view more posts from the series Since this is a Harwich-focused blog, I have decided to start things off properly with the chapter on John Moore. At this point my thanks must go to the late Winifred Cooper and her book Harwich, the Mayflower, and Christopher Jones, which kickstarted this whole adventure. The … Continue reading Beyond The Mayflower – Part 2: John Moore
Beyond The Mayflower – Part 1: Intro
Several years ago, while volunteering for the Harwich Mayflower Project, I wrote a rough draft for a book that was to be entitled "Beyond The Mayflower", with the intention of it being sold alongside other merchandise to help raise funds for the Project. I even sent a copy of the draft to the late Richard … Continue reading Beyond The Mayflower – Part 1: Intro
Harwicensis 