Some years ago this magazine printed an article headed "Skeleton In The Cupboard" which was basically an advert. In which one of our now retired members touted for customers who were interested in tracing their ancestry. I was one of them.
Unfortunately our old mate, who didn't have the resources, or possibly enough knowledge of the job to build a family tree for an ape, let alone a human being, failed to trace my old man, although I supplied him with birth certificates of both he and my grandfather.
Much to the amusement of certain persons who doubted my legitimacy anyway. So it all fell through.
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| Edward James and Alice Pottinger. Baby Ed. |
But the curiosity about one's forebears is in everybody and I have been told of a well organized family association that has been formed by a member of the Eustace family. P.E.O. Bernie Eustace is my informant, and this will be an interesting story for all who are curious about your ancestry.
Bernie got a circular from a Mr Eric Eustace, a civil servant, inviting him and his family to a gathering of the Eustace family at Pyrton, Oxon. on September 15th this year. This chap had, in collaboration with his brother and another namesake , done an amazing amount of research in tracing the family line and proposed to form a family association with hopes of enrolling the thousand or more bearers of the name who lived in the UK.
Briefly, with the aid of Parish records from Bledlow and Chinnor, the family line had been traced back to the Norman Conquest.
Since then other branches have been traced to the USA and New Zealand.
Well, Bernie went along and had a thoroughly interesting day with over 200 bearers of the Eustace name from all parts of the UK, and even some from America and New Zealand.
They had a tour of the Oxfordshire villages associated with the family, a picnic lunch, a visit to the Church at Pyrton where they presented a stand for the historic bell there, then an evening meal catered for by the ladies of Pyrton.
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| St Marys, Pyrton |
From this exercise Bernie has found that most amongst his ancestors* were a Count of Boulogne, a Mayor of Oxford, a champion wrestler from Wakefield and a King of Jerusalem!
While I hesitate to imagine what kind of nickname may now be applied to him, knowing the inventiveness of the local talent in this respect, I don't think it will in any way upset him, as he has fulfilled an urge that is inherent in all of us.
PS. I notice that one of his ancestors was prolific enough to sire twenty-two children. No wonder Bernie has fathered eight offspring. Couldn't help it, it's in the blood.
* Notes. See:
Eustace's I, II, III and IV Wikipedia Eustace I, Wikipedia - Eustace II,
Mayor Thomas Eustace. 1639-1703. Mayor 1678/9. oxfordhistory.org - Mayors - Thomas Eustace
Wakefield, Kansas, USA, that is. Alan Eustace 1892-1972 wrestlingdata.com - Alan Eustace
Baldwin I (son of Eustace II of Boulogne) Wikipedia - Baldwin I of Jerusalem
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