tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18529512306277569642024-03-17T05:49:45.373+11:00Family ConnectionsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger452125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-40558226234783634362023-04-08T17:15:00.001+10:002023-04-08T17:15:59.112+10:00Medieval Queens in the Family Tree - Saint Margaret of Scotland<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Saint Margaret of Scotland (1045-1093)</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggiiPOj_PLn5Ao42qbZk94u2LPSvg0BfzK7_4xo9R1dhg60j_vjCdkCMAThEuIZYOLgtSzY3fnBNvxPGnzBbUHEeHeKFFmIbE-kQsFrMzqs6ZsF5jMNQ23kpWfLHDb6vLZrdwJV_XKa8fO8VXN1K_iMPd6eT_koxIUt4apidjLRr4xrxalRc4bgYMt/s602/queen%20margaret%20of%20scotland%20saint.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="401" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggiiPOj_PLn5Ao42qbZk94u2LPSvg0BfzK7_4xo9R1dhg60j_vjCdkCMAThEuIZYOLgtSzY3fnBNvxPGnzBbUHEeHeKFFmIbE-kQsFrMzqs6ZsF5jMNQ23kpWfLHDb6vLZrdwJV_XKa8fO8VXN1K_iMPd6eT_koxIUt4apidjLRr4xrxalRc4bgYMt/s320/queen%20margaret%20of%20scotland%20saint.png" width="213" /></a></div>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Saint Margaret of Scotland married King Malcom III of Scotland </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Margaret was born in Hungary, possibly in 1045 or 1046. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Her father was Edward the Exile (1016 – 19 April 1057), also called Edward Ætheling, and was the son of King Edmund Ironside. Her mother was Ealdgyth. Edward spent most of his life in exile in the Kingdom of Hungary following the defeat of his father in England by the Danish king, Cnut the Great. Margaret and her family returned to England in 1057. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Following the death of King Harold II at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Margaret's brother Edgar Ætheling was elected King of England but was never crowned as the barons considered that he was too young. Harold Godwinson was appointed king instead. When the Normans arrived in England and defeated King Harold and his troops, Margaret's family again left England, this time seeking refuge in Scotland. Despite the different countries associated with Margaret's early life, her family is very much associated with the Anglo-Saxon families of Wessex.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">After she and her family fled north, Margaret married Malcolm III of Scotland by the end of 1070. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Margaret was King Malcolms second wife. Margaret and Malcolm had eight children, Edward, Edmund, Ethelred, Edgar, Alexander, David, Edith (Matilda) and Mary. Edgar, Alexander and David later became kings of Scotland. <a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/02/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-matilda_25.html" target="_blank">Edith</a> married King Henry I of England and changed her name to Matilda while Mary married Eustace III of Boulogne.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">King Malcolm's marriage to Margaret and his alliance with her English family was not considered a popular move by the Normans. Eventually, in 1072, King Malcolm signed the <i>Abernethy Agreement</i>, a peace agreement with England.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Margaret's popularity was mixed. She was considered by many in Scotland to being the instigator of many English ways into the country. In reality, Malcolm had spent much of his early life in England, not returning to Scotland until 1054. However Margaret probably introduced a number of English and European court customs, including ideas of display, art, clothing, and even hairstyles to the royal court.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">With the queen being a devoted supporter of the Catholic church, the position of the Gaelic church in Scotland was affected. Having lived her early life in Hungary and England Margaret regarded some of the practices and organisation
of the church in Scotland as rather backward. A number of English monks and priests were therefore invited to live in Scotland to spread the faith and establish monasteries.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Margaret was known for her generosity to the poor and she established endowments and funding to construct places of rest for pilgrims. She also gave grants to several churches, particulalry at Laurencekirk and Iona, the traditional burial site for Scottish monarchs.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">King Malcolm III was killed during a raid on Northumberland on 13 November
1093. Malcolm and Margaret's son Edward died in the same incident.
Queen Margaret was in Edinburgh Castle when she heard the news. She died three days later on 16 November. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Queen Margaret was
buried at Dunfermline in a small church which later became part of Dunfermline Abbey. A
shrine was built in her honour in the mid-13th century. Margaret had provided the funds for constructing the original church.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTSJMjqv8HI-kIrS0QEwFSRGv_nfn7UilnbHiWQ6QFqAmcXTA3uMqyZ1qIWakIH0EjOjisHd1tA_2OJcOG_Z-ymgCjFWFvFc1eFm4a4sGpob2efWuRsGH5FlaDdTRoD8oDNtkuNd85nPd1O8lbT4Ipl-WQ7FSq7D1fm6AhWhV__nOSxb8m3TDQYRB/s540/Chapel%20of%20Saint%20Margaret%20of%20Scotland%20Edinburgh.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="540" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTSJMjqv8HI-kIrS0QEwFSRGv_nfn7UilnbHiWQ6QFqAmcXTA3uMqyZ1qIWakIH0EjOjisHd1tA_2OJcOG_Z-ymgCjFWFvFc1eFm4a4sGpob2efWuRsGH5FlaDdTRoD8oDNtkuNd85nPd1O8lbT4Ipl-WQ7FSq7D1fm6AhWhV__nOSxb8m3TDQYRB/s320/Chapel%20of%20Saint%20Margaret%20of%20Scotland%20Edinburgh.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chapel of St Margaret at Edinburgh Castle<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
The Norman chapel at Edinburgh Castle was built to honor Margaret. Margaret's
daughter, Queen Matilda of England arranged for a Benedictine monk, Turgot of Durham (c.
1050-1115), to write a biography about her mother.
<br /></span></p></span><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In 1250 Margaret was made a saint by the Catholic Church in
recognition of her efforts to spread Roman Catholicism and her charity
work for the poor in Scotland. Since then she became known as Saint Margaret of Scotland. The feast of Saint Margaret of Scotland is remembered on 16 November, the day of her death.<br /></span></span></p></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-84958990207690771172023-04-04T15:43:00.002+10:002023-04-05T16:58:28.883+10:00Medieval Queens in the Family Tree - A costume for a school project<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqN0rdEcyvBGEL3IynX78PfJrKGwjKCRNrB4pkCAmdEmS0nNO3of4e1NVTTNXK3tYkIRPYbvfpDHU8OEgDjbHXFnJHu_7YXivRZ8LB01ETer0lACfZlqwJpTAXDFl_3JwTCxKgxg31nkq-mxn_3PuVLex0tu98bet6Jkkm6ojkxHGiuwyldriJ0K5p/s1118/Abby%20in%20her%20royal%20robes3a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="555" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqN0rdEcyvBGEL3IynX78PfJrKGwjKCRNrB4pkCAmdEmS0nNO3of4e1NVTTNXK3tYkIRPYbvfpDHU8OEgDjbHXFnJHu_7YXivRZ8LB01ETer0lACfZlqwJpTAXDFl_3JwTCxKgxg31nkq-mxn_3PuVLex0tu98bet6Jkkm6ojkxHGiuwyldriJ0K5p/s320/Abby%20in%20her%20royal%20robes3a.jpg" width="159" /></a></div><p>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">During first term the Year 8 students at the school attended by my grand-daughter learned about life in medieval England. Towards the end of term the students were taken by bus to <i><a href="https://www.montsalvat.com.au/" target="_blank">Montsalvat</a></i> where they had a dress-up day with the students dressing as different characters from medieval times. My grand-daughter was to dress as a medieval queen.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Due to her extremely busy schedule we had only one weekend to make the costume though I had previously planned how the project should be tackled. I made a list of the steps required including items we needed to purchase, items we already had that could be used plus a step by step guide as to what needed to be done.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The aim of our project was to make an outfit that might have been worn by a medieval queen or a lady of high status. Many fabrics available today were not available in medieval times when ladies in the court would have worn silk, wool,velvet and taffeta - cotton and synthetic fabrics were definitely not available. The garments were often elaborately embroidered. The colours of fabrics used in clothes were usually dark green red, dark blue, purple and gold.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">We decided to utilise fabrics that were easy to sew but still looked approriate. The costume was to be an outfit for the queen to wear when she was outside the castle. We also needed to make an outfit that was easy to put on as 'the queen' on this occasion did not have a large staff to help her dress.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Researching websites provided an idea of what costumes possibly looked like. The royal ladies would have worn many layers of clothes but I decided that a full skirt and an over garment would work.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I found a long skirt that I had worn in the 1970s. It was dark green and made of a soft cotton fabric that looked like wool. There was a printed pattern of small cream flowers and squiggles on the fabric which, with imagination, could look like embroidery. In medieval times many ladies would have spent days embroidering patterns on fabric for the queen's wardrobe. This was to be used as the over garment after I removed the zip and opened up the seam.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">We went shopping and purchased two metres of 'royal purple' poplin to make the gathered skirt. Some of the fabric was also used for the head-dress. We also purchased half a metre of white lawn for the wimple and some gold braid to decorate the head-dress. A white skivvy with cuffs removed completed the outfit.<br />
</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">There are a number of images of medieval queens on the internet but these images were usually representations made many years later of what the queens may have looked like. However they can be useful as a guide.
<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Some of the outfits have a bodice or bib which is narrow at the waist and wider at the top. This idea was used for making the outer garment for this costume using excess material from the skirt. It was also designed as something easy to put on and wear for the school project. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAEeaftlJLjOkQ9ud7SXJ1RnbanSPa8ibEUVF3DBlCFCtoYahdBfS9bfiNw2IQ7OTKZLfOu0HBB-J3IMmCueiVIctF87AiFJLnP6MpE7wHz9Cy-L6zAaANbb0NheC-5LyImjmjAynW4Dg6k_PuVd_uvT19lnHCpbZiSdYBEhanK9Bii_ua5owBQ9H/s382/Abby%20in%20her%20royal%20robes4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="382" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAEeaftlJLjOkQ9ud7SXJ1RnbanSPa8ibEUVF3DBlCFCtoYahdBfS9bfiNw2IQ7OTKZLfOu0HBB-J3IMmCueiVIctF87AiFJLnP6MpE7wHz9Cy-L6zAaANbb0NheC-5LyImjmjAynW4Dg6k_PuVd_uvT19lnHCpbZiSdYBEhanK9Bii_ua5owBQ9H/s320/Abby%20in%20her%20royal%20robes4.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The head-dress was based on some images of medieval royalty. A simple wimple was added to the head-dress – a full wimple would have extended under the neck of the wearer and would not have been as easy to put on without assistance. The head-dress itself was made from a circle of cardboard covered with layers of fabric. Another piece of fabric formed the top of the hat. Two rows of gold braid were stitched to the head-dress.<br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">My grand-daughter and I shared the sewing, both machine and by hand, in this project. With more time we would have done some things differently but the costume we made worked on the day and, more importantly, my grand-daughter enjoyed wearing it and had an enjoyable Medieval Day at school. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><u>Some online references</u>: </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href=" https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=medieval+wimple&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjGvejggeD9AhXU-DgGHcp_Bq8Q0pQJegQIDBAB&biw=1920&bih=927&dpr=1" target="_blank">Medieval wimples and head-dresses</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1248/clothes-in-medieval-england/ " target="_blank">Clothes in Medieval England </a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href=" https://hathawaysofhaworth.wordpress.com/2016/02/17/a-very-easy-medieval-headdress-a-circlet-crespine-and-crespineta-cheats-guide/ " target="_blank">A very easy medieval head-dress</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href=" https://hathawaysofhaworth.wordpress.com/2016/01/28/the-cheats-guide-to-medieval-head-dresses-part-one-choosing-a-style-a-time-and-materials-guide/ " target="_blank">The cheats guide to medieval head-dresses</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href=" https://www.medievalchronicles.com/medieval-clothing/royal-clothing/medieval-queens-clothing/ " target="_blank">Medieval queens clothing</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The medieval period covered hundreds of years and there would have been many fashion adaptions over the years.
</span></p><p></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-62342754020909462572023-04-01T15:52:00.001+11:002023-04-06T15:28:54.833+10:00Medieval Queens in the Family Tree - Philippa of Hainault<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Philippa of Hainault (1314-1369)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHkJ0ruL4u6FnH0sY1WdzrPDU3jS5QNUU-YAP1SpiygeN6uehHKbwOobHFQky02ZD2Wil959Blmog-ANiKyT8MyEwMtVHqtskk5B0jwvhs1ruiRRHFuSQrZ0wcus4xT8NdMXpdLCay7uSYvFgp1SoTToq0atBXc4N4TuxgOTJUsfTbWn-PBzkCJ7Q8/s559/PhilippaofHainault.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="428" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHkJ0ruL4u6FnH0sY1WdzrPDU3jS5QNUU-YAP1SpiygeN6uehHKbwOobHFQky02ZD2Wil959Blmog-ANiKyT8MyEwMtVHqtskk5B0jwvhs1ruiRRHFuSQrZ0wcus4xT8NdMXpdLCay7uSYvFgp1SoTToq0atBXc4N4TuxgOTJUsfTbWn-PBzkCJ7Q8/s320/PhilippaofHainault.jpg" width="245" /></a>
</span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><p>Philippa of Hainault married King Edward III. </p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><p>The actual date of the birth of Philippa of Hainault is uncertain but it is thought she was possibly born in February 1314. Her father was Willem, Count of Hainault (in modern-day Belgium), Holland, and Zeeland in the Netherlands. Her mother was Jeanne de Valois, the sister of King Philip VI, who ruled France from 1328–1589. </p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><p>When she was twelve Philippa was promised in marriage to the future Edward III of England. This was an arrangement between Philippa's father and Edward's mother, Queen Isabella of England. Isabella required both soldiers, ships and money to fund her campaign to defeat her husband, King Edward II, and remove him from power. The marriage between Philippa and Edward was arranged as part of the exchange for the Count of Hainault assisting Isabella.</p></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><p>Philippa arrived in England in 1327, 11 months after the forced abdication of Edward II. On 25 January 1328, she married Edward III in York. He was fifteen and she was almost fourteen. After Edward took control of the country from his mother in 1330, Phillipa was crowned Queen and was granted land and her own income.</p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><p>Edward and Philippa had thirteen children. Nine survived childhood - Edward (the Black Prince), Isabella, Joan, Lionel (1st Duke of Clarence), <a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/search/label/John%20of%20Gaunt%20%281340-1399%29" target="_blank">John</a> (1st Duke of Lancaster), Edmund (1st Duke of York), Mary, Margaret and Thomas (1st Duke of Gloucester).</p></span></span>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Philippa worked tirelessly for the country, maintaining balance between royal duties and family duties. However she loved clothes and jewells and spent extravagent sums of money on these items.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> Nevertheless she was widely loved and respected as a queen by her English subjects</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">As the financial demands of the Hundred Years' War were enormous, Philippa advised the King to take an interest in the nation's commercial expansion as a method for recovering expenses. She established the textile industry in Norwich by encouraging Flemish weavers to settle there and promoted coal mining in Tynedale.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Philippa accompanied Edward on expeditions to Scotland and part of Europe in the early campaigns of the Hundred Years War, where she won acclaim for her gentle nature and compassion</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In 1346 Philippa served as regent of England when her husband was overseas. During this time there was a Scottish invasion and Philippa gathered the English army to fight the Scots at the Battle of Neville's Cross near Durham. Before the battle, on horseback, she rallied the English soldiers. The English victory resulted in the Scottish King David II being taken prisoner.</span></p>
<p></p></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><p>On 15 August 1369, Queen Philippa died at Windsor Castle. She was given a state funeral six months later on 9 January 1370 and was interred at <i>Westminster Abbey</i>. Eight years later, Edward III died and was buried next to Philippa. It would appear that their forty-year marriage had been happy.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWgm6lDaipU2mQPMKYE1g0CHrHfOiAlcKOYjKDRNVAZCFT2Tr0THv0xbb5RFdWFzjVYj9S91yqmCwNHdW5o51_xo7fcCRAwniCUEC3nhPRKWYRDbPdfeOI8n6XwS4xbzC7WVFVKQXF5WuK7Nd_pthjmGqgKEBZiv0Xa65vnwic8QcTjSxptu9PEKD/s605/philippa-of-hainault-tomb-from-s-westminster-abbey.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="605" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWgm6lDaipU2mQPMKYE1g0CHrHfOiAlcKOYjKDRNVAZCFT2Tr0THv0xbb5RFdWFzjVYj9S91yqmCwNHdW5o51_xo7fcCRAwniCUEC3nhPRKWYRDbPdfeOI8n6XwS4xbzC7WVFVKQXF5WuK7Nd_pthjmGqgKEBZiv0Xa65vnwic8QcTjSxptu9PEKD/s320/philippa-of-hainault-tomb-from-s-westminster-abbey.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomb of Edward and Philippa<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p></span><p></p><p></p></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-20016363369266673402023-03-31T17:25:00.002+11:002023-03-31T17:33:10.985+11:00Medieval Queens in the Family Tree - Isabella of France<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Isabella of France (1295-1358)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVwr3lUqoBS_xN5U6SrjLb3sP5p3hDo8QeXvq1Mqold5mlMVZdYMWCI7_IDd1lAhyqgGN7lfqQj4FdChvIxI79cVCRSSuvts_UvABLr-MGuacp38gY_oUaYty1MpjXKLQ9U9cNFQWAU2-hKbMMLXAGm1JrBhKRL9gs1sTIhe_eFQJenLLoN27pWCt/s649/Isabella%20of%20France.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="649" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVwr3lUqoBS_xN5U6SrjLb3sP5p3hDo8QeXvq1Mqold5mlMVZdYMWCI7_IDd1lAhyqgGN7lfqQj4FdChvIxI79cVCRSSuvts_UvABLr-MGuacp38gY_oUaYty1MpjXKLQ9U9cNFQWAU2-hKbMMLXAGm1JrBhKRL9gs1sTIhe_eFQJenLLoN27pWCt/s320/Isabella%20of%20France.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Isabella of France married King Edward II<p></p><p>Isabella was born in Paris, probaby in 1295. Her parents were King Philip IV of France and Queen Joan I of Navarre and her brothers Louis, Philip and Charles became kings of France. Isabella was brought up in and around the Louvre Palace and the Palais de la Cité in Paris. She received a
good education and developed a love of books. </p><p>All of Philip's children were married
young for political benefit to France. When she was ten years old Isabella was promised in marriage by her
father to Edward, the son of King Edward I of England, in the hope of resolving the conflicts between France and England over England's possession of Gascony and claims to Anjou, Normandy and Aquitaine. Isabella and Edward II were married at Boulogne-sur-Mer on 25 January 1308 when Isabella was twelve and Henry II was twenty-three.</p><p>Isabella was considered to be very beautiful. She came from a wealthy family and loved beautiful objects. This included elaborate clothes and her wardrobe around the time of her marriage included dresses of silk, velvet, taffeta and other cloth, along with numerous furs. She had more than 72 head-dresses and coifs and she took to England two gold crowns, gold and silver dinnerware and 419 yards of linen.</p><p>Edward II had become King of England on 7 July 1307 when his father, Edward I, died. The coronation of Edward and Isabella was held at <i>Westminster Abbey</i> on 25 February 1308.</p><p>Isabella and Edward II had four children - the future Edward III, was born in 1312, John in 1316, Eleanor in 1318 and Joan in 1321.</p><p>The relationship between Isabella and Edward II was not a close one. Isabella faced numerous challenges during their marriage. </p><p>Edward was a handsome man, but he was unconventional as he appeared to form close romantic attachments to men: first to Piers Gaveston and then to Hugh Despenser the Younger. On the political front Edward often disagreed with the barons, in particular his first cousin Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster. He also continued the war against the Scots that he had inherited from
Edward I. </p><p>Using her own supporters at court and the patronage of her
French family, Isabella attempted to find a political path through these
challenges. She successfully formed an alliance with Gaveston, but
after his death at the hands of the barons, her position grew
increasingly precarious. Edward then began to take revenge on his enemies, forming a strong alliance with the Despenser family, in
particular his new favourite, Hugh Despenser the Younger. </p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">When Isabella had accompanied the English troops</span> in a battle against Scottish forces in 1322, Isabella and her supporters were separated from the main army and had to escape by ship. During this time Ed<span style="font-size: 11pt;">ward cut Isabella's allowances and, from 1324, when tensions with
France increased, her lands were confiscated and she was denied access to her younger children. </span>Unsurprisingly this resulted in further animosity between Isabella and Edward. By 1326 Isabella finally made her own bid for power including an invasion of
England. </p><p>In 1325 Isabella had returned to France to negotiate a peace treaty with the French king. However many of the nobles opposed Edward's reign and Isabella was able to form an army to challenge Edward, in
alliance with Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March. Isabella and Mortimer may have been in a relationship by this time.</p><p>Isabella and Mortimer returned to England with a mercenary
army and gained control of the country in a lightning campaign. Members of the Despenser family were
executed and King Edward II was forced to abdicate in favour of his son, King Edward III. <span style="font-size: 11pt;">Edward II was initially imprisoned in a castle overseen by the Duke of Lancaster. Isabella strengthened her control, particularly in London, by taking over the Tower of London. A council of nobles and church leaders in January 1327 decreed that Edward II should remain in prison for the rest of his life. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Due to fear that those opposed to the new government might make plans to free
Edward II it was decided to move him to the more secure
location of <i>Berkeley Castle</i> in Gloucestershire from approximately 5 April 1327. How well he was cared for is in dispute. As a result of threats to rescue the former king, Edward was moved to other
locations in secret before returning to permanent custody
at the castle in late summer 1327. The political situation remained unstable. New plots appear to have been planned to free him.
On 23 September Edward III was informed that his father had died at <i>Berkeley Castle</i> during the night of 21 September 1327. There are many stories about how Edward II might have died. There are even stories that he escaped. However the accepted story is that Edward II's body was buried at <i>Gloucester Cathedral</i>. Isabella continued to rule as regent until 1330, when her son, Edward III ruled in his own right.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">During the four years when Isabella and Mortimer were regents, Isabella
acquired huge sums of money and
land. In 1330 Edward III deposed Mortimer in a coup, taking
royal authority for himself. However Isabella survived the
transition of power and remained a wealthy and influential member of the
English court, though she was not directly involved in active politics.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">For some time Isabella was transferred to <i>Berkhamsted Castle</i>,and then held under house arrest at <i>Windsor Castle</i> until 1332, when she then moved back to her own <i>Castle Rising</i> in Norfolk. After losing power in 1331, Isabella remained extremely wealthy despite having to surrender
most of her lands. She was reassigned an annual income of £3000, which increased to £4000 by 1337. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Isabella lived an expensive lifestyle in Norfolk, including minstrels, huntsmen, grooms and other luxuries,
and was soon travelling around England again. In 1348, there were plans for her to visit Paris in order to take part in peace
negotiations, but this plan did not eventuate. However she was involved in the talks with Charles II of Navarre in 1358. <span style="font-size: 11pt;">Isabella became a nun at the Order of St Clare before she died on 22 August 1358 at <i>Hertford Castle</i>. Her body was taken to London for burial at the Franciscan church at Newgate. </span> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In her final years<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> Isabella became closer to members of her immediate family. When she died</span> Isabella left most of her property, including <i>Castle Rising</i>, to her
favourite grandson, the Black Prince, with some personal effects being
granted to her daughter Joan.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In later life, Isabella remained interested in Arthurian legends and jewellery and she continued to wear lavish costumes when making public appearances. For example, in 1358 she appeared at the St George's Day celebrations at Windsor wearing a dress made of silk, silver, 300 rubies, 1800 pearls and a circlet of gold.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYaQ9byE0jZtvzxZLjdgya4F_iLPHv_IOgX7BNxpA_TtdI0nNZIG7Y_VW2pSOwnM6Benj3EirUJlHys5tHFaQ2DMQkGGqEDqWdfdj76ddg1GLN6gsqbr246NuWhYCjZJI3OMlNsRH_Nc9t5-3aGfZibbEGaE5W8YWIKO2bV4KY-vcMKS9S8zWSIFk/s422/Isabella%20of%20France2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="199" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYaQ9byE0jZtvzxZLjdgya4F_iLPHv_IOgX7BNxpA_TtdI0nNZIG7Y_VW2pSOwnM6Benj3EirUJlHys5tHFaQ2DMQkGGqEDqWdfdj76ddg1GLN6gsqbr246NuWhYCjZJI3OMlNsRH_Nc9t5-3aGfZibbEGaE5W8YWIKO2bV4KY-vcMKS9S8zWSIFk/s320/Isabella%20of%20France2.png" width="151" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Isabella was Queen of England for eighteen years, then served four years as Regent. She was a complex queen who was not afraid to use her power when she thought that change, such as removing her husband from the throne, was required. However Isabella was not univerially liked by her English subjects, especially when she became involved with Roger Mortimer. After her son, Edward III, was king she remained in the background of royal life for another twenty-eight years.</span><p></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-41789207114798087832023-03-27T11:20:00.000+11:002023-03-27T11:20:07.350+11:00Medieval Queens in the Family Tree - Eleanor of Castile<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Eleanor of Castile (1241-1290)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYHeG6NEYRzbWlWEcINb0x5Srqywl3WkYBQxL4TtsEMdvKTz5JYN_sklktbW9fS7vHIjeWF2qnL8eOYx2OYJE0zDmYuK3BjmtSIEAW4VcaFIB-5gfAWtVFOfitwR3tS7y7swi8xE5MSY9fdT3y6-XX8DuKowwEXKp3CcAnlcyPkt2rz_AQoIXB4MW/s640/eleanor-castile2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="640" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYHeG6NEYRzbWlWEcINb0x5Srqywl3WkYBQxL4TtsEMdvKTz5JYN_sklktbW9fS7vHIjeWF2qnL8eOYx2OYJE0zDmYuK3BjmtSIEAW4VcaFIB-5gfAWtVFOfitwR3tS7y7swi8xE5MSY9fdT3y6-XX8DuKowwEXKp3CcAnlcyPkt2rz_AQoIXB4MW/s320/eleanor-castile2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Eleanor of Castile married King Edward I<p></p><p>Eleanor was born in 1241, the daughter of Ferdinand III of Castile and Joan, Countess of Ponthieu. Her Castilian name, Leonor, became Alienor or Alianor (later Eleanor) in England. </p><p>In November 1254 Eleanor married King Henry III's son, Edward, in Burgos in Spain. She would have been 13 and Edward was 15. This was a marriage arranged by their parents to ensure political security of Gascony in southern France claimed by the English. However over the years their marriage developed into a close relationship.<br /></p><p>Eleanor and Edward had sixteen children but only six grew to be adults including a son who became King Edward II.</p><p>Edward spent much time travelling around his kingdom and Eleanor normally accompanied him. She also went with Edward when in 1270 he travelled to Acre in Palestine for the Eighth Crusade. </p><p>On 16 November 1272 King Henry III died.Edward and Eleanor were in Sicily when they received news of the King's death some months later. Edward had been wounded during the crusade and although the actual wound was not serious he developed health problems slowing down their journey back to England. When in Gascony Edward had to suppress another uprising. A son, Alfonso, was also born in Gascony.<br /></p><p>Therefore it was two years into his reign when Edward and Eleanor returned to England on 18 August 1274. On 19 August Edward and Eleanor were crowned King and Queen of England at Westminster Abbey.</p><p>Eleanor was not actively involved in public life to the extent that Eleanor of Provence had been but she no doubt influenced some of the King's decisions in private. <span style="font-size: 11pt;">Eleanor
was well educated and exerted a
strong cultural influence on England. She was a keen patron of
literature and introduced the use of tapestries, carpets and tableware
in the Spanish style. Eleanor also had innovative garden designs
created. She was a successful businesswoman, endowed with her own
fortune as Countess of Ponthieu, but she also acquired many English
properties, making her unpopular with some of the population. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">On 28 November 1290 Eleanor died while she and Edward were on one of their journeys around England. Eleanor died at Harby in Nottinghamshire, near Lincoln. She was 49 years old and had been married to Edward for 36 years. She had been queen for sixteen years. Eleanor's body was buried at Westminster Abbey.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Edward later ordered that a series of memorial crosses should be erected at each overnight stop the procession carrying Eleanor's body back to London made. Twelve monuments known as Eleanor Crosses were erected. Three remain almost intact today including the Northampton Eleanor Cross at Geddington.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74XgsVTwB4H1GtQc2edaaNrPzj1NyC4jjJff67V5F3rbJpbZK641W69zLx61yecKvx4PGNY9mi35VFRuOFMiYFA-hp-OimAPmXN5eavsdU8a-oVnF_LsVPRo8OmSjrqxKsPryLDSgzibcu_qer3_PteB2CQKDmAety8tmv3fzaLNo8c6EyPIpGDlj/s1312/800px-QueenEleanorCross.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74XgsVTwB4H1GtQc2edaaNrPzj1NyC4jjJff67V5F3rbJpbZK641W69zLx61yecKvx4PGNY9mi35VFRuOFMiYFA-hp-OimAPmXN5eavsdU8a-oVnF_LsVPRo8OmSjrqxKsPryLDSgzibcu_qer3_PteB2CQKDmAety8tmv3fzaLNo8c6EyPIpGDlj/s320/800px-QueenEleanorCross.JPG" width="195" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eleanor Cross, Geddington<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-57233076035589008692023-03-22T17:29:00.001+11:002023-03-22T17:29:50.887+11:00Medieval Queens in the Family Tree - Eleanor of Provence<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Eleanor of Provence (1223-1291)</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPs0hBSLeJQ9Zc3Eqc0SOMhhStt4nV8h_ZVI-PCJSresSQfiqNYfzxM2owQp700SBFeg000dViOJ4jqUBeFXcjhKxtaplEnpaHGRj0zEoPmKxPoX1qtYYL-UIXLW2sXIN_Y8NSj29vxBgVbAy2_AOHOur4FBWEFS95q1HayRtUM4KdYZJvCA74B9IB/s626/Eleanorofprovence.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="469" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPs0hBSLeJQ9Zc3Eqc0SOMhhStt4nV8h_ZVI-PCJSresSQfiqNYfzxM2owQp700SBFeg000dViOJ4jqUBeFXcjhKxtaplEnpaHGRj0zEoPmKxPoX1qtYYL-UIXLW2sXIN_Y8NSj29vxBgVbAy2_AOHOur4FBWEFS95q1HayRtUM4KdYZJvCA74B9IB/s320/Eleanorofprovence.jpg" width="240" /></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Eleanor of Provence was the wife of King Henry III.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br />Born in the city of Aix-en-Provence in southern France, Eleanor (or Alienor) was the second daughter of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence (1198–1245) and Beatrice of Savoy (1198–1267). After her elder sister Margaret married Louis IX of France, their uncle William of Savoy persuaded Henry III of England to marry Eleanor. </span></div><p>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Eleanor and Henry were married at Canterbury Cathedral on 14 January 1236. This was the first time that Eleanor had met Henry. They then travelled to London where Eleanor was crowned Queen Consort at Westminster Abbey.<br /><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Eleanor and Henry had five children - Edward I of England, Margaret who married Alexander III of Scotland, Beatrice, Edmund and Katherine. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In
1253 Eleanor was regent of England when Henry III when Henry was in
France. On a number of other occasions she travelled back to France with
him.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">During Henry's reign, Eleanor remained loyal to her husband but she was not popular with many of the English people as Eleanor had brought people from Provence to England to serve her, some being given positions of power in England. In 1263 there was a dispute in London when Eleanor demanded the back payment of <i>queen gold</i> - a ten percent tax on fines in London which was to be paid to the queen. She had to be rescued by the Mayor of London.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">When King Henry died in 1272, Henry and Eleanor's eldest son became King Edward I. Eleanor remained in England as Queen Dowager and raised several of her grandchildren.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In 1286 Eleanor retired to Amesbury Priory in Wiltshire, eight miles north of Salisbury. Two of her granddaughters – Mary of Woodstock and Eleanor of Brittany – were already nuns there, each having entered the priory when they were seven years old. Eleanor died at the priory in June 1291 and was buried there.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Eleanor was known for her learning, cleverness, and skill at writing poetry, as well as her beauty. She loved the songs of the troubadours. She enjoyed reading
romantic and historical books that included stories from ancient times
to thirteenth century contemporary romances.</span><p>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Eleanor was also known as a leader of fashion, especially clothes imported from France. Her favourite clothes were made from red silk damask and she often wore parti-coloured tunics, gold or silver girdles and gilt decorations on her clothes. She favoured jaunty pillbox caps worn with a wimple.
</span></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtclbgCx2isF5WnsbXbutAzLK6EHlpVlIS7lApGwheUAaumNMnThgBjpDdOinMmng14Ya9YViRD6iOgCCci3gvl69cYqA3S28yzoHlkKlbnJLsml4JXyynkl7d_SjHmrvz9X-add-YgUE9pfmqkCFgPGkyCtSYuXFR663FOczB14yDWft_1F4wTeby/s298/Eleonor_Provence.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="200" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtclbgCx2isF5WnsbXbutAzLK6EHlpVlIS7lApGwheUAaumNMnThgBjpDdOinMmng14Ya9YViRD6iOgCCci3gvl69cYqA3S28yzoHlkKlbnJLsml4JXyynkl7d_SjHmrvz9X-add-YgUE9pfmqkCFgPGkyCtSYuXFR663FOczB14yDWft_1F4wTeby/s1600/Eleonor_Provence.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-63745018299444290712023-03-04T16:18:00.003+11:002023-03-22T17:30:51.001+11:00Medieval Queens in the Family Tree - Isabella of Angoulême<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Isabella of Angoulême (c1186 -1246)</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnrflOojiqJouB7e7HxmbobFCqElzM8SIWLmcCFSj1W61OYcO66sbolUnwB2Nub7XDVe4uRpwQwJQpUDzQALSQMXut_ZScW5uJWg2LjeyC3Apr1GRJLHfcvp5z_FoK0skavU4kcv0yT-XlBZ7vrYCaRa2LJVKvaArjdSsjzFUHaMb6E8LZrWBAfF_/s678/Isabella%20of%20Angoul%C3%AAme%20-%20Queen%20of%20England.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="678" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnrflOojiqJouB7e7HxmbobFCqElzM8SIWLmcCFSj1W61OYcO66sbolUnwB2Nub7XDVe4uRpwQwJQpUDzQALSQMXut_ZScW5uJWg2LjeyC3Apr1GRJLHfcvp5z_FoK0skavU4kcv0yT-XlBZ7vrYCaRa2LJVKvaArjdSsjzFUHaMb6E8LZrWBAfF_/s320/Isabella%20of%20Angoul%C3%AAme%20-%20Queen%20of%20England.png" width="320" /></a> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Isabella was the wife of King John.<br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">On 8 October 1200, Isabella of Angoulême was crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey. On 8 August 1200 Isabella had married King John of England in Angoulême. Isabella was born around 1188 making her twelve years old (or fourteen if another possible date for her birth is correct). Isabella was the only daughter and heir of Aymer Taillefer, Count of Angoulême, and Alice of Courtenay. Alice was a grandchild of King Louis VI of France. Isabella became Countess of Angoulême in her own right on 16 June 1202.</span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">King John had previously been married to Isabella, Countess of Gloucester. The marriage was annulled in 1199. At the time of the marriage Isabella was already engaged to Hugh IX le Brun of Lusignan. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">John took Isabella back to England in October, after a tour of Normandy,
where she accompanied him on many of his travels around the country. However Isabella never engaged in positions of power in England in her own right. John continued, from time to time, to follow the advice of his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine until her death in 1204.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Before the marriage there had been unrest in a number of French provences, especially between the English and the French who both wanted power in the region. During the remainder of King John's reign the unrest magnified. In 1206 John and Isabella returned to France as John attempted to strengthen contol
of Poitou. Angoulême and Aquitaine remained loyal to England at that
stage. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Another threat to John's power was that his nephew, Arthur, also claimed the English throne and Arthur's claim was generally supported by the French. Consequently there were many battles over part of territory claimed by England in France. Back in England John's popularilty decreased as land claimed by England in France was reclaimed by the French.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Isabella was renowned for her beauty. She was also said to have a temper which she was not afraid to use.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">During her marriage to King John, Isabella and John had five children - Henry (later King Henry III), Richard, Joan, Isabella and Eleanor.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">After John died in 1216, Isabella returned to France and in 1220 married Hugh X of Lusignan and they had nine children.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Isabella died on 6 June 1246 and was buried at Fontevraud Abbey.</span></span></p><p></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-78738884201915435812023-03-01T16:26:00.005+11:002024-03-16T16:58:07.334+11:00Medieval Queens in the Family Tree - Eleanor of Aquitaine<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <b>Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204)</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUKSbWiPGP5IHplhR-fbgk4xIj_-1JNK3MYTHS5t8ldKwc7G92B9lViyhVg49wA5Pv2Yn1BxstTD0pmemiVmNDeEDHyZ1ZX_1JDZeIECurRNEWIuhWoyDOV7AtIz1k3tfiO5x1708xKDbX7xK37mTzbUgJPu-XcLCkin3wD4ASltEG4TU5GYF24ii/s614/Eleanor%20of%20Aquitaineb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="614" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUKSbWiPGP5IHplhR-fbgk4xIj_-1JNK3MYTHS5t8ldKwc7G92B9lViyhVg49wA5Pv2Yn1BxstTD0pmemiVmNDeEDHyZ1ZX_1JDZeIECurRNEWIuhWoyDOV7AtIz1k3tfiO5x1708xKDbX7xK37mTzbUgJPu-XcLCkin3wD4ASltEG4TU5GYF24ii/s320/Eleanor%20of%20Aquitaineb.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Eleanor of Aquitaine was initially the wife of Louis VII of France. She later married King Henry II of England.<br /></span></div><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Eleanor of Aquitaine was probably born around 1122 - no definite information has been found. Her father was William X, Duke of Aquitaine, the area south of Normandy and the largest province in France. Her mother was <span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">Aénor de Châtellerault.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">Eleanor's mother and brother died in 1130. Her father ensured that she had the best possible education including learning arithmetic, the constellations, and history as well as domestic skills such as household management plus embroidery, needlepoint, sewing, spinning, and weaving. Eleanor also developed skills in conversation, dancing, games such as backgammon, checkers, and chess, playing the harp, singing and literature. Eleanor was also taught to read and speak Latin and was taught the skills of riding, hawking, and hunting. Not surprisingly, Eleanor was said to be extroverted, lively, intelligent, and strong-willed.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">When Eleanor's father died in April 1137, Eleanor became Duchess of Aquitaine. Louis VI became her guardian and three months later married the the young girl to his son. This meant that Aquitaine came under control of the French King. Later that year the French king died and his son became King Louis VII while Eleanor became Queen of France. Eleanor and Louis VII had two daughters during their marriage.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b><span class="mw-page-title-main">Crusades</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">The Crusades were a series of wars between Christians and Muslims to gain control of religious sites considered important to both groups. Between the years 1096 and 1291 there were eight crusade expeditions. European leaders often felt it was their duty to become involved in a crusade.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">On Christmas Day 1145, Louis VII announced his intention to go on a crusade to the Middle East. Eleanor of Aquitaine announced that she would go too with soldiers under her command from the duchy of Aquitaine. They left in June 1147. Louis VII proved to be an ineffectual military leader with little discipline over his troops. Eleanor and Louis spent three weeks in Constantinople where Eleanor was compared with a mythical Queen of the Amazons. As a military exercise the French involvement in the Second Crusade was not particularly successful. The French army was divided and although they reached the outskirts of Jerusalem and then went on to Damascus, little was to be achieved. The French army was disheartened and Louis returned to Jerusalem and back to France via Rome.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">While on crusade, Eleanor observed and learned about maritime conventions that later became admiralty law. She introduced these conventions on islands in Aquitaine and later in England when she became Queen of that country.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b><span class="mw-page-title-main">Anulment of the marriage<br /></span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">Before they left for the Crusade the relationship between Eleanor and Louis was fractured and the relationship worsened in the years they were absent from France. On the return journey they travelled in different ships which became separated during a storm and it was several months before they met again.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">Back in France in 1152 Louis agreed that the marriage should be annulled as he needed a male heir and he and Eleanor had only produced two daughters. On 21 March 1152 four bishops met and agreed to anul the marriage as it was decided that Louis and Eleanor should not have married as they were distant cousins with a common ancestor in Robert II of France. King Louis kept custody of his daughters while Eleanor was once again sole ruler of Aquitaine. Eleanor had been Queen of France for 15 years. She was now probably 30 years old.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b><span class="mw-page-title-main">Marriage to Henry II</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">On 18 May 1852 Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry, the son of Empress Matilda and Geoffrey of Anjou. Henry was eleven years younger than his wife. It was definitely a marriage of convenience as Eleanor needed a husband and Henry needed a wife to produce male heirs. Those arranging the marriage ignored the fact that Eleanor and Henry also shared common ancestors.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">Eleanor and Henry had eight children - William, Henry, Matilda, Richard, Geoffrey, Leonora, Joan and John. Henry also had other children outside the marriage.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">On 25 October 1854 Henry was crowned Henry II of England. Eleanor was crowned Queen of England on 19 December 1154.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">Henry hoped to take over Aquitaine but the nobles there supported only his wife as ruler of the duchy. Meanwhile the relationship between Henry and his wife deteriorated and in 1167 Eleanor decided to return to Aquitaine via Argentan in Normandy. Henry escorted her for part of the journey so did not appear to be worried about her departure. Eleanor remained in Poitiers, Aquitaine, from 1168 to 1173. While in Poitiers Eleanor is said to have refined the behaviour of palace life with the introduction of troubadors, chivalry and courtly love.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">Between 1173 and 1174 Henry and Eleanor's son, Henry, staged a revolt against his father and Richard and Geofrey, two of his younger brothers who had been living with their mother, were encouraged to join him. Eleanor did not discourage her sons in this venture and probably asisted them.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">Around April 1174, Eleanor was arrested by Henry's soldiers and taken to her husband who was at Rouen. On 8 July they left France on a ship to England where Eleanor was imprisoned in various castles throughout the country for the next 16 years. She was allowed out for special occasions such as Christmas.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">In 1183 King Henry's son, Henry, led a revolt against his father in Normanby but was unsuccessful. In June 1183 the young Henry caught dysentry. Before he died he begged his father to release his mother from imprisonment. After the death of the prince there was a dispute about Normandy which King Henry decided belonged to his wife. Eleanor was allowed supervised release to spend time in Normandy.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">After returning to England in ealry 1184 Eleanor often accompanied her husband when he travelled around England and sometimes assisted him with government business. However she remained closely supervised making it clear to her that she was not free.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b><span class="mw-page-title-main">After the death of Henry II <br /></span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">Then on 6 July 1189 Henry II died. Eleanor's son Richard became King Richard I. Richard ordered that his mother should be released from imprisonment and Eleanor initially ruled England in the name of her son. On 13 August 1189 Richard I left France to visit England. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">Richard I was absent from England between 1190 and 1194, with the Third Crusade followed by two years as a prisoner until a huge ransom could be paid to Henry VI, Emperor of Germany. The money for the release of King Richard was raised from English funds.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">During King Richard's absence, a Council of Regency with a Chief Justciar ruled England though Eleanor worked behind the scenes to raise the ranson money. She still exercised much influence over the affairs of England. She also wrote numerous letters to the Pope about Richard's imprisonment. King Richard returned to France where he died on 6 April 1199.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">When her yougest son, John, became King of England, Eleanor remained in the background of royal politics including travelling to France to select from family members a future wife for the son of Philip II of France. This proved to be a dangerous journey for Eleanor who faced ambush and spent a short time in captivity until a ransom was paid. In 1201 Eleanor supported King John when war broke out between England and the French.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="mw-page-title-main" style="font-weight: normal;">Eleanor returned to Fontevraud to join the abbey as a nun. She died at Fontevraud Abbey 1 April 1204 and was buried in the abbey next to her husband (King Henry II) and her son (KIng Richard I). Eleanor was probably 82 when she died.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_GjFOJ95J3CyNfmr2rPKMEl9w36nQVm9oKf2GNst061C66sZAkYJCSRmeDkLyBKGS0955-DxCsA-sFS5uCrVTmTPYfTPLIBe2HxoCRheX97R3AATOIdfbD7IpSCCzHuwApsbRmH152xJbzCSC1TV854LfBivsSPqbuSHFZV8Q-ygozMKjUkdgLcY/s850/Gisant_alienor_d_aquitaine_et_henri2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Tomb effigies of Eleanor and Henry II at Fontevraud Abbey" border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="850" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_GjFOJ95J3CyNfmr2rPKMEl9w36nQVm9oKf2GNst061C66sZAkYJCSRmeDkLyBKGS0955-DxCsA-sFS5uCrVTmTPYfTPLIBe2HxoCRheX97R3AATOIdfbD7IpSCCzHuwApsbRmH152xJbzCSC1TV854LfBivsSPqbuSHFZV8Q-ygozMKjUkdgLcY/w320-h213/Gisant_alienor_d_aquitaine_et_henri2.jpg" title="Tomb effigies of Eleanor and Henry II at Fontevraud Abbey" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> Tomb effigies of Eleanor and Henry II at Fontevraud Abbey</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>On Friday15 March 2024, SBS broadcast the BBC program <i>The Rebel Queen - Eleanor of Aquitaine </i>which was part of the series <i>Queens that Changed the World</i>.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-41739702895354335842023-02-25T19:21:00.002+11:002023-03-22T17:35:55.872+11:00Medieval Queens in the Family Tree - Matilda of Scotland<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b> Matilda of Scotland (1080-1118)</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHU7_1m9M1EXHLEwIWln0lIzJsdkkg3aGhiDQjOIF4lNp1Xg6ZY84BvsQrHT1N1c6ezognK2VbMEpj257Ua-CrgNZFQyDnVXxfuhEFeEnE7aOoVNbeVmxF5de6OG2PadX1uWCycK9kx7pd7ywE6k4M7iVDqKSbdofYqpwaLxMRN7o65lCkauWA6tm/s406/Matilda_sk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHU7_1m9M1EXHLEwIWln0lIzJsdkkg3aGhiDQjOIF4lNp1Xg6ZY84BvsQrHT1N1c6ezognK2VbMEpj257Ua-CrgNZFQyDnVXxfuhEFeEnE7aOoVNbeVmxF5de6OG2PadX1uWCycK9kx7pd7ywE6k4M7iVDqKSbdofYqpwaLxMRN7o65lCkauWA6tm/s320/Matilda_sk.jpg" width="315" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Matilda of Scotland married King Henry I. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Matilda, christened with the Anglo Saxon name of Edith, was born in Dunfermline in Scotland in 1080. She was the daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland and Margaret (after her death Saint Margaret) of Scotland. Edith's godfather was Robert Curthose, son of King William I of England, while her godmother was Matilda of Flanders, King William's wife. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Edith's mother was related to former Anglo Saxon kings. Margaret's brother, Edgar, would have been the successor to King Harold who was killed at the Battle of Hastings. However when William the Conqueror won the battle, Edgar's family, including Margaret, sought refuge in Scotland.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Matilda (Edith) had six brothers and one sister.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Edith and her sister Mary were sent to England to Romsey Abbey in Hampshire where their aunt was the abbess. Edith was about six years old. The girls also spent time at Wilton Abbey in Wiltshire. Subjects included English, French and some Latin. Edith left Wilton Abbey in 1093.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">At Westminster Abbey on 11 November, 1100, Edith married King Henry I who was 32 and needed a wife. Henry chose Edith because of her strong connections with the former Anglo Saxon royalty which he hoped would encourage the acceptance of the Normans in England. The Archbishop of Canterbury objected to the marriage as he argued that as Edith had been educated in an abbey she must have taken holy orders. Eventually he was convinced that this was not the case and the marrige went ahead.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">After the wedding Edith was crowned Queen Matilda using the name of Henry's mother. She is normally referred to as Matilda of Scotland.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Although Matilda and Henry had four children only two survived to adulthood. Then in November 1120, their son, William, drowned when the <i>White Ship</i> sank in the English Channel during a storm. This left their daughter, Matilda, as Henry's legitimate heir although he is said to have fathered around 25 children with other women. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">As queen, Matilda travelled with her husband throughout England and Normandy. Her many years living in abbeys no doubt influenced Matilda's life as she was always generous to the poor. Matilda had a leper hospital built in London. She also founded the Holy Trinity Priory at Aldgate. Matilda commissioned a biography about her mother to be written - <i>The Life of St Margaret</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Matilda died on 1 May 1118 when she was 38. It is not known for certain where she was buried.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">After Matilda of Scotland's death, Henry married again in the hope of fathering a legitimate son. When this did not happen he made his nobles swear that they would support his daughter, the Empress Matilda, as the next monarch. All did not go as planned, but that is <a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2015/01/52-ancestors-2015-week-3-tough-woman.html" target="_blank">another story</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">When we visited Edinburgh Castle in 2014 we took time to visit St Margaret's Chapel which King David had built in the castle grounds in honour of his and Matilda of Scotland's mother.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7v8YkadOrXoeoHMap_Xj36yi2YDowZWCLHmsJtrbrId7uWZ7aPV0y6PIuyYXCIZQXOqPFrC2tui3HpJ2Yw50X1lNv2Kh_JTilMFqSrXshBC0REcNB4UmZnm6_1yCqX6vtffbG08EPft7iE7Sm0xWm1eStQtW5SbHDW1vxTvpIdgpTYj0ld8XjUdAG/s600/StMargaretsChapelInside.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7v8YkadOrXoeoHMap_Xj36yi2YDowZWCLHmsJtrbrId7uWZ7aPV0y6PIuyYXCIZQXOqPFrC2tui3HpJ2Yw50X1lNv2Kh_JTilMFqSrXshBC0REcNB4UmZnm6_1yCqX6vtffbG08EPft7iE7Sm0xWm1eStQtW5SbHDW1vxTvpIdgpTYj0ld8XjUdAG/s320/StMargaretsChapelInside.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span><p></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-47915723242017096602023-02-25T16:49:00.005+11:002023-03-22T17:38:56.015+11:00Medieval Queens in the family tree - Matilda of Flanders<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Matilda of Flanders (1031-1083)</b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESxiGf_ZH4iYXb9OpZW8P2DM5XQZmhJR-vfcEJa7qP7OVg_iiA7bKNicd03npWtHz4LtKjrdoODmOK-eRYo6kA5efE63BQ9YWS9EiOVJ13fhU3MZsDVwpzaatDGEb_L9tHl0oVVSClrXW_32_UCFuVAWNAMHfAcs617eTcY7XWDPp-d7tgrIxORxH/s255/Matilda%20of%20FlandersB.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESxiGf_ZH4iYXb9OpZW8P2DM5XQZmhJR-vfcEJa7qP7OVg_iiA7bKNicd03npWtHz4LtKjrdoODmOK-eRYo6kA5efE63BQ9YWS9EiOVJ13fhU3MZsDVwpzaatDGEb_L9tHl0oVVSClrXW_32_UCFuVAWNAMHfAcs617eTcY7XWDPp-d7tgrIxORxH/s16000/Matilda%20of%20FlandersB.jpg" title="An artist's impression of Matilda" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Impression of what Matilda might have looked like<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Matilda of Flanders married King William the Conqueror.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Matilda was born in Flanders, France, in 1031. She was the daughter of Count Baldwin V of Flanders and Adela, daughter of King Robert II of France. Possibly in 1052 or 1053 Matilda married William, Duke of Normandy, - an alliance to secure the relationship between Flanders and Normandy. The Pope did not approve of the marriage initially but the wedding took place anyway and some years later a papal blessing on the marriage was given.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Matilda and William had four sons, including the future Henry I of England, and five daughters.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In Normandy Matilda worked with William managing the region including preciding over the courts and witnessing charters. She often travelled with her husband when he was visiting parts of his duchy. When William travelled to England for the Battle of Hastings, Matilda was left in charge.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Duke William of Normandy and Edward the Confessor, King of England, were related and William believed that as the English king had no children he was heir to the English throne. However, before his death, the English king selected Harold Godwinson, a military leader, as his successor. William and his army then headed to England to fight Harold for the right to rule England. King Harold II won a victory against an attempted Viking invasion shortly before facing William at the Battle of Hastings which William won on 14 October, 1066. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">William, Duke of Normanby, was crowned William 1 of England in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. Matilda was crowned as Queen of England in 1067.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">During the following years, much of William's time was spent securing his position as King of England. At times Matilda joined him in England but much of her time was acting as his regent in Normandy until their eldest son, Robert Curthose, was old enough to be more involved. Unfortunately William and Robert did not get along for much of the time resulting in much antagonism between the two men. For a while Matilda supported her eldest son providing him with money to support his campaign against his father. The matter was eventually resolved and when William died he left the governance of Normandy to Robert and the kingdom of England to his youngest son, Henry.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Although Matilda was usually busy keeping law and order as regent in Normandy in her husband's absence, there are reports of her spending some of her time with her husband in England. When in England she would attend to court matters as required including land disputes and travel to different parts of England with her husband. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Crossing the English Channel between Normandy and England was dangerous and reports suggest that Matilda made the two way journey five times. In total she may have spent only four years in England. Most of her life was spent in Normandy. But her role as ruler of Normandy allowed her husband to concentrate on ruling England, despite some opposition.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Matilda was also responsible for the education of her children and ensured that her daughters also had a good education. Being from France the family spoke French, not just at home but in the court. Latin was the language used for writing documents.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">During their reign William and Matilda built many Norman castles and churches. As Queen, Matilda was expected to be a benefactress of the church by making endowments to religious institutions. There are also references to her charity to the poor and sick. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">However the Queen also owned large landholdings in England, particularly in Buckinghamshire and Surrey as well as land between Cornwall and Winchester. The Queen had a large staff to run the estates as well as household staff.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Matilda died on 2 November 1883. She was buried at the Convent of the Holy Trinity at Caen in Normandy.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsMo7hVeuWt759N4Phpc7sGJSDbrbGWrNScPDrJrcnvvh043_TI9Zi_5Avi7zkIsl8-RrGT0qBp_hhGJVv_99OkT_rHUgqp8ah45suPYaM1hGagpmu62qzffxB83sHWhhy___I2O6TmO9JTCaqrwvfuyDDB2sfM7r--yRJktinzBr58bozz9iLRxf/s578/Matilda%20of%20Flanders2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsMo7hVeuWt759N4Phpc7sGJSDbrbGWrNScPDrJrcnvvh043_TI9Zi_5Avi7zkIsl8-RrGT0qBp_hhGJVv_99OkT_rHUgqp8ah45suPYaM1hGagpmu62qzffxB83sHWhhy___I2O6TmO9JTCaqrwvfuyDDB2sfM7r--yRJktinzBr58bozz9iLRxf/s320/Matilda%20of%20Flanders2.jpg" width="144" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 11pt;">This statue of Matilda of Flanders is in the gardens of the Luxembourg Palace, Paris.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Apart from her French connections, Matilda was also a direct descendant of <a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/search/label/Alfred%20the%20Great%20%28849-899%29" target="_blank">Alfred the Great</a>, the Anglo Saxon king of England.<br /></span></p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
</span><p></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-48409693602156648122023-02-25T16:48:00.020+11:002023-04-10T10:18:19.851+10:00Medieval Queens in the Family Tree<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtbe9ZCSfxmi_tB4JbeN3_GedDU4jUGQYpnCMJRhLe0UvmXJY0eaM3_yxvPmNiuMI1MK1aA5IVnCU8CzgXOLnsCXcxhW7mnwKYd2YUFtxXN4Fu26j1Xva_9wi0tnq6tLmnH1WEZhJo8YrjLsF8FpL6WhtHgX4WeiYPqYoUcjAEakATYAfNCI0bHBH/s653/Queens.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="153" data-original-width="653" height="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtbe9ZCSfxmi_tB4JbeN3_GedDU4jUGQYpnCMJRhLe0UvmXJY0eaM3_yxvPmNiuMI1MK1aA5IVnCU8CzgXOLnsCXcxhW7mnwKYd2YUFtxXN4Fu26j1Xva_9wi0tnq6tLmnH1WEZhJo8YrjLsF8FpL6WhtHgX4WeiYPqYoUcjAEakATYAfNCI0bHBH/s320/Queens.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Some years ago I decided to investigate the family story that one line of the family tree included royalty. The blog post <a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2015/01/52-ancestors-2015-king-royalty-in-family.html" target="_blank"><i>Royalty in the Family</i></a> describes the hunt to check if this was indeed true. The label, <i><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/search/label/Royal%20Connections" target="_blank">Royal Connections</a></i>, in my <i>Family Connections</i> blog provides links to some of the posts written on this topic so far.
</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Going back through time, the stories of our ancestors largely focussed on men but in many cases the women in the family played an important role - not just with involvement with the family but also in ruling the country. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In royal households, marriage was frequently the opportunity to form stronger relationships between countries or regions. In medieval times daughters of rulers were promised in marriage to the son of a ruler of another country. In some cases the daughters were very young when these arrangements were made though the actual marriage was delayed until the girl was considered of 'a marriageable age' - much younger than the mariage age today.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">As in much history, in the past and also today, the quest for Power was paramount. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Medieval queens in our family tree include:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/02/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-matilda.html" target="_blank">Matilda of Flanders (1031-1083)</a><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/02/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-matilda_25.html" target="_blank">Matilda of Scotland (1080-1118)</a><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2015/01/52-ancestors-2015-week-3-tough-woman.html" target="_blank">Empress Matilda (1102-1167)</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/03/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-eleanor.html" target="_blank">Eleanor of Aquitaine (1128-1202)</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/03/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-isabella.html" target="_blank">Isabella of Angoul</a></span><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/03/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-isabella.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>ê</b></span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/03/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-isabella.html" target="_blank">me (1188-1246)</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/03/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-eleanor_22.html" target="_blank">Eleanor of Provence (1223-1291)</a> <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/03/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-eleanor_27.html" target="_blank">Eleanor of Castile (1241-1290)</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/03/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-isabella_31.html" target="_blank">Isabella of France (1295-1358)</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/04/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-philippa.html" target="_blank">Philippa of Hainaut (1311-1369)</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> also</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/04/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-saint.html" target="_blank">Margaret of Scotland (1045-1093) </a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">A number of books have been written about medieval queens.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Alison Weir has written a series of books in the series <i>England's Medieval Queens</i>. The three that include the stories of the queens listed on this page include:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Queens of the Conquest</span></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Queens of the Crusades</span></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>Queens of The Age of Chivalry</i>.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>She-Wolves</i> by Helen Castor includes chapters on Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Isabella of France.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Links to other posts on this topic in the blog: <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2012/08/medieval-monarchs-in-family.html" target="_blank">Medieval Monarchs in the Family</a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2015/01/52-ancestors-2015-king-royalty-in-family.html" target="_blank">Royalty in the Family</a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2019/01/52ancestors-week-33-family-legend.html" target="_blank">Family Legend</a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/connection-to-scottish-royalty.html" target="_blank">Connection to Royalty?</a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Recently my grand-daughter and I made a<a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2023/04/medieval-queens-in-family-tree-costume.html" target="_blank"> costume</a> 'fit for a queen' to be worn to school for the experience of life in medieval times.<br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-33413941742289228882022-09-04T11:46:00.001+10:002022-09-04T11:48:03.490+10:00Janet Robertson (1780-1862)<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EyquFktz3IaAZ-p2i8k2c1UtA74nIxv8cpuWAf2MKIOmpl0LTrjLD2ierGGAeQsF4fs7k6sl3tY5iY_I11kbntILK8cRB9RI5eiuiN79QEbRfrN4MF9wulRhlDF_6_6x3VcZQWBsAXfkvbfERq04NQZCZCthGhyB6sCHJpvqK0Zc1aJtbH03XOS0/s400/00abf0d7-c0aa-467a-ba40-288aa9545dc3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="307" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EyquFktz3IaAZ-p2i8k2c1UtA74nIxv8cpuWAf2MKIOmpl0LTrjLD2ierGGAeQsF4fs7k6sl3tY5iY_I11kbntILK8cRB9RI5eiuiN79QEbRfrN4MF9wulRhlDF_6_6x3VcZQWBsAXfkvbfERq04NQZCZCthGhyB6sCHJpvqK0Zc1aJtbH03XOS0/s320/00abf0d7-c0aa-467a-ba40-288aa9545dc3.jpg" width="246" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Janet Robertson was born 4 October 1780 at Aldergate, Middlesex in England. Her parents were William Robertson (1763-1788) and Jean Urquhart.(b. 1760). In his will, William describes his occupation as mate of the ship, <i>Walpole</i>, of the East India Company.<p></p><p>On 28 October1780 Janet (in some records Jennet) was baptised at St Botolph Without Aldersgate, London.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhyBVEJMawcYpI8JfFVWcEo1lxUp3XLHP8975HtSzbQtgIoVLpchSqkL4M_pCjT4jYvdbQIC_g-Hs4WYPHIbwV06WulOtMpL-gakP_hORGf_nJVa2XxyX-9vujdX9m1ZXBIn5a5ghEBlqoy52YvFCH6p4vNRhyqmgWQ4yw3H9F8-brsWr-D7npO-B/s350/StBoldolphWithoutAldersgateb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="350" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhyBVEJMawcYpI8JfFVWcEo1lxUp3XLHP8975HtSzbQtgIoVLpchSqkL4M_pCjT4jYvdbQIC_g-Hs4WYPHIbwV06WulOtMpL-gakP_hORGf_nJVa2XxyX-9vujdX9m1ZXBIn5a5ghEBlqoy52YvFCH6p4vNRhyqmgWQ4yw3H9F8-brsWr-D7npO-B/s320/StBoldolphWithoutAldersgateb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Janet's father died when she was eight years old.<br /><p></p><p>On 22 July 1802, at the age of 21, Janet married Thomas Hutton (1772-1856) in Calcutta, Bengal, India. So far I have found no information explaining why Janet was in India at this time.<br /></p><p>Thomas and Janet lived in Penang from 1802-1808 where Thomas Hutton was employed by the local government as a Malay translator. When Thomas' brother, William Charles Hutton, wrote his will he mentioned that his brother Thomas
was living at Prince of Wales Island. At the time PWI was under the
jurisdiction of the East India Company.</p><p>Thomas and Janet had ten children - some born in Penang or Calcutta while the others were born in England.</p><p>Jean Lidderdale Hutton (1803-1805) was born and died in Penang</p><p>Thomas Hutton (1807-1874) was born in Penang and died in India</p><p>Eleanora Hutton (1808-1876) was born in England and died in England</p><p>Jane Hutton (1810-1893) was born in England and died in England</p><p>Elizabeth Hutton (1811-1876) was born in England and died in England</p><p>Katherine Hutton (1813-1893) was born in England and died in England</p><p>William Forbes Hutton (1816-1893) was born in England and died in Australia but also spent many years in India</p><p>James Hutton (1818-1893) was born in Calcutta, India and died in England</p><p>Arthur Hutton (1820-1902) was born in Calcutta, India and died in England</p><p>Mary Hutton (1822-1900) was born in Calcutta, India and died in England</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Thomas probably travelled back to Penang from time to time as in 1812 he is listed as being a Police Magistrate in Penang but the rest of the family probably remained in England for a number of years.<br /></p><p>Then on 26 February 1815 Mrs Janet Hutton and Jane Hutton were listed as passengers on a ship to Bengal. One record shows that Thomas was in Penang at the time but was finalising his affairs on Prince of Wales Island to relocate to Calcutta. Looking at the birth records Janet probably remained in India until 9 November 1824 when Janet Hutton and Anna Robertson are reported to be returning to England from Calcutta. </p><p>It was quite usual for families working in India and parts of Asia to return to England taking the children born overseas to live with family in England and to be educated in England.</p><p>Once Janet and Thomas eventually retired to England they lived in Bath where Janet died in June 1862 aged 81. Thomas died in Bath in 1856 aged 84. </p><p>Janet was very interested in the plants that she found on her travels and spent time recording as much information as she could about each species and making illustrations of the botanical specimens as she found them.</p><p>The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London have a book of her work in their collection - <i>Alphabetical listing and descriptive notes by Janet Hutton of Indian, Burmese and Malayan plants, with reference to some of her paintings held in the Royal Botanic Gardens</i>. (169pp) - view on <a href="https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2691426349/view" target="_blank">Trove</a><br /></p><p>Janet also collected illustrations of plants by Chinese artists. One of the paintings is included in the book, <i>Raffles Art Redrawn: natural history drawings from the collection of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles</i> by Henry Noltie. The paintings is a picture of Ramatan painted by a Chinese artist for Janet Hutton in Penang in 1805. <span style="font-size: 11pt;">It has been suggested that Janet's collection may have encouraged Sir Thomas Raffles to start his collection of paintings.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR_Dd2A17z6w8Y611Ct0AAK49K0lOV9DfFXYsg3he51Z1ujiNXsDPtFQS71044bmoybS9i8lOqdPUz-5Qv_d8SSJWNAIW00qyWw5c10WOukI5RkO0bki1NsU21cEd3WNRSH57G_8mokkxrmAGSUem0DrgMagrbSjrOsjAfxpCXmS_ZZFEIdx5K50I7/s805/Art-RafflesArtRedrawn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="805" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR_Dd2A17z6w8Y611Ct0AAK49K0lOV9DfFXYsg3he51Z1ujiNXsDPtFQS71044bmoybS9i8lOqdPUz-5Qv_d8SSJWNAIW00qyWw5c10WOukI5RkO0bki1NsU21cEd3WNRSH57G_8mokkxrmAGSUem0DrgMagrbSjrOsjAfxpCXmS_ZZFEIdx5K50I7/s320/Art-RafflesArtRedrawn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The Janet Hutton Collection is currently located in <a href="https://www.masterart.com/artworks/6310/a-study-of-a-rambutan-nephelium-lappaceum" target="_blank">Edinburgh</a>.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Note:Some years ago I found the following reference - '</span>The ship Janet Hutton was wrecked in 1825, on the edge of the sands, on the western side of the channel (India Directory)' - so maybe there was a ship named after Janet? Obviously more research is required.<span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Janet Robertson and Thomas Hutton are my 3 x great grandparents.<br /></span></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-55743690566360223762022-04-15T12:53:00.001+10:002023-09-06T16:15:47.417+10:00Prison Hulks<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRf7Zrsp2slhiFZXuA-tA3moPAtNAvuzo4Xl5DaFzDWXwDGxhqlw19KflGQE3kLiJiThEiWG6ROw6rDbyzc9c0GqV2ATeGNoil4EREoLXLEbfuJ5y7ZcqoG82aoxCZhxXpUrgzMSQ_BkEio_hNafmPbHTWxOqT6cfz3lPU678RdKx2bYCkCQZM1r5/s752/Prison%20Hulks.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="752" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRf7Zrsp2slhiFZXuA-tA3moPAtNAvuzo4Xl5DaFzDWXwDGxhqlw19KflGQE3kLiJiThEiWG6ROw6rDbyzc9c0GqV2ATeGNoil4EREoLXLEbfuJ5y7ZcqoG82aoxCZhxXpUrgzMSQ_BkEio_hNafmPbHTWxOqT6cfz3lPU678RdKx2bYCkCQZM1r5/s320/Prison%20Hulks.png" width="320" /></a></div>Transportation to America ended with the American War of Independence. This resulted in additional overcrowding of English prisons so a new solution needed to be put in place. In 1776 the Criminal Law Act (the Hulk Act) was passed allowing for prisoners to be housed in old ships, initially on the Thames at Woolwich. The convicts would be put to work to work on projects <i>for the benefit of the navigation of the Thames</i>.<p></p><p>Duncan Campbell was given permission to initially use two of his ships, the <i>Justitia </i>and the <i>Censor</i> to house the first prisoners. The <i>Justitia</i>, former convict ship, was the first ship used and when it was full the <i>Censor</i> also became a prison hulk. George Guest was transferred from Gloucester Gaol to the <i>Censor</i> to await transportation to Australia.</p><p>Initially there was little government supervision of the hulks.Campbell employed deputies and overseers to patrol the decks of the hulks and guard the prisoners. Food was scarce and of poor quality. This was a deliberate ploy as it was considered inappropriate that the prisoners appeared to be better treated than free people living in poverty. Conditions on the hulks were crowded and dirty. There was poor sanitation and diseases such as cholera, dysentery and typhus spread quickly. There was a high death rate on the hulks.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnGv-1knLK1yeLefwviPrVGELdILptKIUu8KeQ0uho6o59RZLAUnrW_46HIuJgc5YU06vMvi7DJhTevTXxPNtU7HOtEpg3ipv5Sos6rnYc2MgE2s91AEWtyAtz4DgRJFY7VnYUgWAKMq2P47OVlf7UgG6UFEt6molCsZCY9bqkzXHTnPELOTgehFV/s552/View%20of%20the%20Justitia%20Hulk%20with%20the%20Convicts%20at%20Work%20near%20Woolwich.%20New%20Newgate%20Calendar%20or%20Malefactor's%20Register%20Royal%20Museums%20Greenwich.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="552" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnGv-1knLK1yeLefwviPrVGELdILptKIUu8KeQ0uho6o59RZLAUnrW_46HIuJgc5YU06vMvi7DJhTevTXxPNtU7HOtEpg3ipv5Sos6rnYc2MgE2s91AEWtyAtz4DgRJFY7VnYUgWAKMq2P47OVlf7UgG6UFEt6molCsZCY9bqkzXHTnPELOTgehFV/s320/View%20of%20the%20Justitia%20Hulk%20with%20the%20Convicts%20at%20Work%20near%20Woolwich.%20New%20Newgate%20Calendar%20or%20Malefactor's%20Register%20Royal%20Museums%20Greenwich.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 200px; text-align: left;"><a align="center" href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-156989" target="_blank">Image</a> from Royal Museums Greenwich</div><p></p><p>The convicts on the hulks at Woolwich worked in chain gangs on projects relating to the Thames either in the dock yards or on the river banks. One of the tasks was to remove gravel and excess soil from the banks of the river.</p><p>The number of hulks increased and eventually were located at Deptford, Chatham, Gosport, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sheerness and Cork as well as Woolwich. Duncan Campbell's contract to maintain his hulks was not renewed in 1802, but the hulk system continued until 1857. </p><p>Fortunately George Guest remained on the hulk, <i>Censor,</i> only until February 1787 when he was transferred to the convict ship, <i>Alexander</i>, part of the First Fleet that arrived in New South Wales in January 1788.<br /></p><p>Useful websites:<br /></p><p>Duncan Campbell: the private contractor and the prison hulk - British Library Untold Lives <a href="https://blogs.bl.uk/untoldlives/2017/08/duncan-campbell-the-private-contractor-and-the-prison-hulk.html" target="_blank">blog</a></p><p><a href="https://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/stories/convict-hulks" target="_blank">Convict hulks</a> - Sydney Living Museum </p><p><a href="https://www.digitalpanopticon.org/Convict_Hulks" target="_blank">Convict hulks</a> - The Digital Panopticon</p><p><a href="https://www.royal-arsenal-history.com/prison-hulks.html" target="_blank">Prison hulks</a> - Royal Arsenal History <br /></p><p><a href="https://www.nla.gov.au/research-guides/convicts/convict-hulks" target="_blank">Prison hulks</a> ( research guide) - National Library of Australia</p><p><a href="https://guides.sl.nsw.gov.au/convicts-bound-for-australia/prisons_hulks" target="_blank">Prisons & hulks</a> (resources) - State Library of New South Wales</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-25357894169413719272022-04-14T19:48:00.007+10:002022-04-15T10:01:54.715+10:00The Old Gloucester Gaol<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXtv34mXKecu25wVHQGSblIsOvbzly2xlRLDzIJlUWsp-a1HJH1-TTj1UgqSBhDr4BDM3Gx1jpHqJf9agRpL2s77IYKWD9AYU61kB8IlpY-nm8u0HxUPtxdZDltzUSYgEjQUxIhHQb3jwoqbN2rAzJeVlfzi9Xxbe-NjmmAVva3e_ljBdsnmviEnF/s676/Prisons%20%E2%80%93%20Gloucestershire%20Crime%20History.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="676" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXtv34mXKecu25wVHQGSblIsOvbzly2xlRLDzIJlUWsp-a1HJH1-TTj1UgqSBhDr4BDM3Gx1jpHqJf9agRpL2s77IYKWD9AYU61kB8IlpY-nm8u0HxUPtxdZDltzUSYgEjQUxIhHQb3jwoqbN2rAzJeVlfzi9Xxbe-NjmmAVva3e_ljBdsnmviEnF/w400-h254/Prisons%20%E2%80%93%20Gloucestershire%20Crime%20History.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>[Gloucester Castle keep: the old county gaol. Based on an 1819 work, from W. Andrew, ‘Old English Towns’, published 1909. Via Wikimedia Commons - Gloucester Crime History <a href="https://gloscrimehistory.wordpress.com/2019/05/15/four-condemned-prisoners-escape-from-gloucester-gaol-1765/" target="_blank">blog</a>]</p><p>Brief history of the old gaol<br /></p><p>The first gaol in Gloucester was in part of Gloucester Castle. The castle had been constructed early in the 12th century and part of it was in use as a gaol by 1185.</p><p></p><p>During the 17th century most of the castle was demolished but in 1672 the Sheriff of Gloucestershire insisted that the keep should be kept as the County Gaol.</p><p>By the late 18th century when George was a prisoner in the gaol, the building had become overcrowded and was in desperate need of repair. Some repairs were made between 1780 and 1782. The building was even fumigated in 1874.</p><p>In 1783 The Sheriff of Gloucestershire visited the gaol at the former castle keep and recommended the building of a new gaol.</p><p>In 1784 an act was passed in parliament to make changes to the prison system including providing county magistrates the power to build their own prisons. William Blackburn drew up the plans for the new prison at Gloucester.</p><p>When plans for the new gaol were approved in 1785 the new building was to hold 207 prisoners.<br /></p><p>In 1791 the first prisoners were transferred to the new building.</p><p>When George Guest (Gess) was an inmate of the prison between 1783 and 1786 the prison buildings were dilapidated and conditions for the prisoners were overcrowded, cramped, filthy, unhygienic and cold. The prisoners had straw for beds which was rarely replaced. Food usually consisted of stale bread and pottage - a form of vegetable soup or stew which, on occasion, may contain small pieces of meat. </p><p>There was one open sewer for the entire prison. Fleas, mites, lice and rats frequented the gaol. Disease was common in the gaol including typhus, also known as gaol fever. </p><p>During the day the prisoners were usually put to work breaking rocks, picking oakum, beating flax or spinning yarn, making nails, mouse and rat traps, stools or garden tools. Groups of seven prisoners at a time could work the treadmill to grind corn and other cereals.</p><p>When considered necessary by gaolers, prisoners could be made to wear fetters and chains.</p><p>When the new prison opened in 1791 it was designed to hold 207 prisoners with separate sections for men and women. It also had exercise yards and a chapel. The prison was now under the jurisdiction of the Quarter Sessions. Prisoners were now issued with prison clothes and even soap. The quality and quantity of food improved. Prisoners were also grouped according to their sentence rather than everyone being together. However by this time George Guest was in Australia.</p><p>Useful websites:</p><p>History of 1792 Old Gloucester Gaol - City and Country <a href="https://www.cityandcountry.co.uk/history-of-1792-the-old-gloucester-gaol/" target="_blank">website</a><br /></p><p>Gloucester Crime History - Prisons - <a href="https://gloscrimehistory.wordpress.com/category/prisons/" target="_blank">blog</a> (Jill Evans)<br /></p><p>Conditions in Gloucester prisons - Gloucester Archives (<a href="https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/1955/in_prison-56100.pdf" target="_blank">article-</a> pdf) <br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-82381600165731740412022-03-29T17:07:00.002+11:002022-03-29T17:13:41.541+11:00The Olympic Choir - Melbourne Olympic Games (part 1)<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><p>Recently I received an enquiry as to whether I had any additional information on the Olympic Choir that performed at the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956. Some years ago I gave a series of talks about my father's involvement as a sports journalist at the Olympic Games and at each talk people attending often provided additional information about involvement of their family members. At one of the <a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2019/11/i-recently-gave-two-more-talks-about.html" target="_blank">talks</a> I was given information about the Choir that sang at the Opening and Closing ceremonies.</p><p><i>The Official Report of the Organising Committee for the Games of the XVI Olympiad Melbourne 1956 </i>provides come information about the Choir:</p><p>The Choir comprised members of the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Society, City of Brighton Philharmonic Society, City of Camberwell Philharmonic Society, Royal Victorian Liedertafel, Myer Choral Society, Choral Association of Victoria and Melbourne University Choir, totalling 1,200 - sopranos, 600; altos, 200; tenors, 200, bases, 200. (page 226)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFg-rwpD6of-PAHWs6vBXN7i4DB5zjp4gkMVwaOMa_NOrgf3CtgNYnZx0XR44YlhnGb2YJa2QP2BtZrb3SjmtRjWBRfAwkoGNLOj2BIA9HQxOS4E01y-d2i7_Ggizsc_Th7okhC0NxySpgxuydsrR2RMq9Dt6iuWUIqyep04uYpKUtl89ssdtPZa1/s516/Opening%20Ceremony3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="516" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFg-rwpD6of-PAHWs6vBXN7i4DB5zjp4gkMVwaOMa_NOrgf3CtgNYnZx0XR44YlhnGb2YJa2QP2BtZrb3SjmtRjWBRfAwkoGNLOj2BIA9HQxOS4E01y-d2i7_Ggizsc_Th7okhC0NxySpgxuydsrR2RMq9Dt6iuWUIqyep04uYpKUtl89ssdtPZa1/s320/Opening%20Ceremony3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Opening Ceremony </b><br /></p><p>The choir was placed in the main outer stand opposite the Royal Box and the rostrum. Immediately in front of the stand was a platform which accommodated the band of the Royal Australian Airforce under its Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader L H Hicks. The choir and band were conducted by Sir Bernard Heinze, Ormond Professor of Music, Melbourne University. The trumpeters of the Royal Australian Air Force band played also the Olympic fanfare for the raising of the Olympic flag. The fanfare was composed for the occasion by Squadron Leader Hicks. (page 226)</p><p>After the athletes from all the competing countries had entered the MCG during the Opening Ceremony, the Olympic Hymn was sung by the choir, accompanied by the band. The Dedication Address followed before the choir sang the <i>Hallelujah Chorus</i>. The flag bearers from competing countries formed a semi-circle around the rostrum where the oath was taken by John Landy. The National Anthem was played by the RAAF band and sung by the choir before the teams left the ground. (summary from pages 235-236) </p><p><b>Closing Ceremony </b>(pages 716 - 727)<br /><b></b></p><p>An Australian Rules Football match was held on the MCG before the commencement of the Closing Ceremony. Before the football began the choir and the RAAF band were placed in the position they had occupied for the Opening Ceremony.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQTpQyEADa9HNAekAOjqQ4kAbjY7_zA-O3SUQqYFuX7QDhlo1KEFisF2OQjWxYJYJpVLvV8CIf3mOf3eiY1Jxc6Jn7e04VISZKgMkIU4P4eghWfBX7Uh3SHvBt-oloeQ8g2TO7QIEts9ztnWE75AYu6ftFe_xbJuTmqzXcyWKeTGsV4rCXYrdC3MW/s1280/1956-melbourne-og-farewell-scaled2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1280" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQTpQyEADa9HNAekAOjqQ4kAbjY7_zA-O3SUQqYFuX7QDhlo1KEFisF2OQjWxYJYJpVLvV8CIf3mOf3eiY1Jxc6Jn7e04VISZKgMkIU4P4eghWfBX7Uh3SHvBt-oloeQ8g2TO7QIEts9ztnWE75AYu6ftFe_xbJuTmqzXcyWKeTGsV4rCXYrdC3MW/s320/1956-melbourne-og-farewell-scaled2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> During the Closing Ceremony the Olympic Hymn was sung by the choir while the Olympic flag was lowered. As the athletes left the ground the choir sang the <i>Song of Farewell</i>. Athletes from all nations inter-mingled, some of them walking rather than marching out of the vast Stadium to the lingering lilt of the old bush air and its cry of <i>Good-bye Olympians </i>followed by <i>Will ye no' come back again?</i>, taken up, still with emotional tremor in their voices, by the scores of thousands of spectators. <p></p><p>Sir Bernard Heinze had suggested that the words of<i> Waltzing Matilda</i> should be adapted for the <i>Song of Farewell</i> (page 716).</p><p>Homeward, homeward, soon you will be going now;<br />Momok wonargo ora go-yai,<br />Joy of our meeting, pain of our parting,<br />Shine in our eyes as we bid you good-bye.</p><p>Good-bye, Olympians; good-bye Olympians,<br />(On comes the evening, west goes the day.)<br />Roll up your swags and pack them full of memories,<br />Fair be the wind as you speed on your way.</p><p>Blessings attend you, Fortune befriend you,<br />All good go with you over the sea.<br />May the song of our fathers - 'Will ye no' come back again?'<br />Sing in your hearts thro' the years yet to be.</p><p>Come to Australia, back to Australia,<br />(Mist on the hills and the sun breaking through)<br />With the sliprails down and the billy boiling merrily,<br />Wide open arms will be waiting for you.</p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">A digital copy of <i>The Official Report of the Organising Committee for the Games of the XVI Olympiad Melbourne 1956 </i></span>is available <a href="https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll8/id/16472/rec/23" target="_blank">online</a></p><p> The Olympic Choir - Melbourne Olympic Games (<a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-olympic-choir-melbourne-olympic.html" target="_blank">part 2</a>)</p><p><a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-olympic-choir-melbourne-olympic_29.html" target="_blank">Olympic Games, Melbourne, </a>1956<br /></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-32997093497483169762022-03-29T17:04:00.003+11:002022-03-29T18:23:19.315+11:00The Olympic Choir - Melbourne Olympic Games (part 2)<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><p>In June 2013 Lloyd Jenkins wrote an account of his memories of his experiences of being in the Melbourne Olympic Choir in 1956. Lloyd gave me a copy of his notes in 2019. Below is a summary of Lloyd's experiences with the choir.</p><p>Twenty-four year old Lloyd Jenkins was one of the ten members of the Ballarat Choral Society selected to take part in the 1,200 member Melbourne Olympic Choir. Lloyd was one of the younger choir members. Choir members were expected to attend the four rehearsals held in Melbourne over several weeks before the Games began. Lloyd travelled from Ballarat to Melbourne on a 1952 BSA 250 motor cycle.</p><p>The first rehearsal was at Wilson Hall, Melbourne University. The choristers sat in blocks - 600 sopranos, 200 contraltos, 200 tenors and 200 bass. On arrival they were told the pieces that would sing at the Opening and Closing ceremonies and eventually the appropriate sheet music was distributed. The choristers were also told that attendance at rehearsals was compulsory and a cardboard choir pass was issued with holes to be punched in it at each rehearsal. Squadron Leader Laurie Hicks was the rehearsal leader. Eventually the choir would sing with the RAAF band but for this rehearsal they were accompanied by a pipe organ. At the first rehearsal the choir learned the Olympic Hymn.</p><p>Rehearsal number two was held at the Royal Exhibition Building where the choir members were seated on raked seating and were accompanied by an electronic organ. At this rehearsal the choir rehearsed the five items to be sung at the Olympic Games - <i>God Save the Queen</i>, the <i>Halleluja Chorus</i>, the <i>Olympic Hymn</i>, <i>Waltzing Matilda</i> (with new words) and <i>Will Ye No Come Back Again?</i>.</p><p>Back to the Exhibition Building on 9th November for rehearsal number three and this time the choir was able to practise with the RAAF band.To quote Lloyd, 'A choir of that size with a full sized Concert Band performing indoors makes an amazing sound.' For Lloyd, this rehearsal 'was the high point of the whole Olympic Choir experience... The sound within that building was unforgettable.'</p><p>On Sunday 18th November the fourth and final rehearsal was held at the MCG. This time 'Sir Bernard Heinze took the podium, a small platform there on the grass, facing the Band and the Choir.' As Lloyd noted, 'the singers needed the experience of performing in that particular setting, mainly to build up confidence at pressing on against their own amplified sound from around the whole complex'. This rehearsal was not just for the band and the choir - 'the sound
engineers and radio broadcast teams needed the experience as well'.</p><p>Thursday 22nd November 1956 was a warm sunny day in Melbourne - perfect for the Opening Ceremony. For Lloyd, 'perhaps the biggest moment was to see Australian Junior Mile Champion, Ron Clarke, enter the arena carrying the Olympic torch.' In summing up the day he concluded that the '110,000 spectators, and athletes, and the various officials and performers all had a day to remember forever.' <br /></p><p>However it was the Closing Ceremony that created the greatest impression on Lloyd. 'If the Opening Ceremony was memorable, what about the amazing Closing Ceremony. The word amazing is not used lightly. Something happened at the Closing Ceremony that was not predicted. How could it have been predicted!. Neither could it have been orchestrated. It was spontaneous, a product of mass emotion.'</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkmGz4_3hINa7YN2t3G5o5AA_IE6ptorVibRTO8lJyTND4c_bOYbYZDx7rtcZhrbUVj5CXGqkDce1L7ZW9MisLOUvSyo2k3_Kr_lmbd5rBGu1yRma6f0WNAeO_YV0l8u6zElMG3u8p9nr1F9NN-z2xqJPy2PiZp2VowafWJBcssllV2A1wODrDkNg/s520/ClosingCeremony1956b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="520" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkmGz4_3hINa7YN2t3G5o5AA_IE6ptorVibRTO8lJyTND4c_bOYbYZDx7rtcZhrbUVj5CXGqkDce1L7ZW9MisLOUvSyo2k3_Kr_lmbd5rBGu1yRma6f0WNAeO_YV0l8u6zElMG3u8p9nr1F9NN-z2xqJPy2PiZp2VowafWJBcssllV2A1wODrDkNg/s320/ClosingCeremony1956b.png" width="320" /></a></div>Traditionally at opening and closing ceremonies, teams entered and left the arena as separate nations however in Melbourne at the Closing Ceremony the athletes entered the stadium mixed together. They left in the same manner, walking, not marching. 'As the athletes left, the choir was singing its way through <i>Waltzing Matilda</i> and <i>Will Ye No come Back Again?</i>, two songs of farewell. <p></p><p>We went straight from one into another, no break at all. Not all the athletes had left the Arena when the two songs were completed.' The conductor signalled for the songs to be repeated. As the words to the songs were printed in the programme, 110,000 spectators gave full voice to their emotions as they sang with the Choir and the Band. 'A huge wave of emotion swept across the Stadium as the people sang and waved, and as the athletes marched and sang and waved.' </p><p>'Magic moments like that take on a life of their own and any person who was there that day will understand what I am trying to describe' concluded Lloyd.<br /></p><p>This account by Lloyd Jenkins of his experience of being a member of the Melbourne Olympic Choir at the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956 demonstates the ability of the power of music to add to the atmosphere of an event.</p><p>The Olympic Choir - Melbourne Olympic Games (<a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-olympic-choir-melbourne-olympic_29.html" target="_blank">part 2</a>)</p><p><a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-olympic-choir-melbourne-olympic_29.html" target="_blank">Olympic Games, Melbourne</a>, 1956<br /></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-69690087326900512902020-04-11T18:30:00.002+10:002020-04-11T18:34:26.898+10:00The First Fleet leaves Portsmouth<span style="font-size: 11pt;">One of the projects during this period of social / physical isolation is to begin compiling information about the family history. Last term my seven year old grandson was asking questions about the convicts when he discovered that we have twelve convicts in our family including two who came on the First Fleet.
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Today I decided to revisit the database, <i>British Library Newspapers</i>, which can be accessed from the website of the State Library of Victoria by those with a library card. Other major libraries will probably provide a similar service. The database provides access to digitised copies of articles published in Britain from the 1700s.<br />
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I used the advanced search option allowing me to search for a variety of terms such as "Botany Bay" and "Portsmouth" or "Botany Bay" and "Convicts" or just "Botany Bay" and restricting the time period of the search using the dates between option. I experimented with a number of options.</span><br />
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On the surface the departure of the First Fleet for Botany Bay did not create much interest in the local press but aspects of the story can be discovered by exploring references to the departure of the ships during 1787.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The First Fleet left the Motherbank, Portsmouth, on 13 May 1787. From the beginning of the year convicts had left the gaols in which they had been imprisoned and loaded into wagons for the journey to Portsmouth. The <i>Chelmsford Chronicle</i> March 2 1787 carries a short report from the House of Commons, 26 February 1787.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">On 7 May 1787 the <i>Hampshire Chronicle</i> added the following information about new convict arrivals aboard ships.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The following information about the ships at Portsmouth was provided on March 19 1787 in the <i>Hampshire Chronicle</i>.
The paragraph in Home News listed the names of the ships that would be
sailing to Botany Bay and also noted the captains of each ship and
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The <i>Norfolk Chronicle</i> reported on May 12 1787 that the fleet was ready to sail the next day.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">A report dated 13 May appeared in the <i>Northampton Mercury</i> May 19 1787 that the ships had sailed that morning. The frigate, <i>Hyaena</i>, was to accompany them for the first part of the journey.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The <i>Hereford Journal</i> May 17 1787 announced that the ships had sailed for Botany Bay.
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">A report on the initial progress of the fleet appeared in the <i>Norfolk Chronicle</i> May 26 1787 providing a quote forom a letter from Plymouth dated May 16.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OiIRLNs8vw4/XpFlFWwvm9I/AAAAAAAAMTQ/GNP7kaRi_-UbeSvXToeshI8G-qSQSxa5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Norfolk%2BChronicle%2BMay%2B26%2B1787-%2BSunday%2Band%2BMonday%2527s%2BPost.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="625" height="107" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OiIRLNs8vw4/XpFlFWwvm9I/AAAAAAAAMTQ/GNP7kaRi_-UbeSvXToeshI8G-qSQSxa5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Norfolk%2BChronicle%2BMay%2B26%2B1787-%2BSunday%2Band%2BMonday%2527s%2BPost.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Another short report in the<i> Leeds Intelligencer</i> May 22 1787 provided the coordinates of the ships when last sighted.
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Over the ensuing months the newspapers provided information about the progress of the fleet either when a ship arriving in England reported a sighting of the ships or carried letters from First Fleet ships' officers.<br />
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The <i>Hyaena</i> brought a letter from an officer of the <i>Friendship</i> dated 20 May. A summary appeared in the <i>Northampton Mercury</i> 9 June 1787.
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Another report appeared in the <i>Northampton Mercury</i> June 30 1787.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The <i>Hampshire Chronicle</i> 30 July 1787 published part of a letter dated June 5 from Teneriffe written by an officer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The ships of the First Fleet arrived in Rio de Janeiro in August to restock the food supply. This information appeared in the <i>Stamford Mercury</i> November 30 1787.</span>
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These snippets of information provide useful information on the commencement of the First Fleet voyage.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-45223245986116708812020-01-11T21:56:00.000+11:002020-04-11T17:12:16.040+10:002019 in review<span style="font-size: 11pt;">2019 was a quieter year for family history research and resulted in only nineteen <a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2019/" target="_blank">posts</a> in my blog however quite some time was spent doing background reading and online courses on <i>Future Learn</i> which should help when writing family stories.<br />
<br />
My <a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2018/12/52ancestors-week-52-resolution.html" target="_blank">Resolutions</a> blog post at the end of 2018 listed a number of aims for the year - some of which I completed, some I started and some will have to go on the To Do List for 2020.<br />
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In 2018 I undertook the #52Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge but left undone topics for eight weeks in the middle of the year as we were overseas. I did write those posts in 2019 so that is one tick.<br />
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I also wrote that I was going to concentrate on organising my collection starting with purchasing new storage boxes from Archival Survival. Ten boxes have been assembled and await my attention near my desk. This is a definite project for the new year combined with plans for reorganising the computer room now that the cot that has been in the room for nine years is no longer required for grandchildren. There will also be more space when boxes of toys are stored in another room. The plan is to have new shelves to hold my boxes, books relating to my family history plus folders. Having the material in one place should make finding material more efficient, especially as this would be the perfect excuse to sort items properly.<br />
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One aim was to write posts about musicians in the family and I wrote a two on that topic (although one was published on New Year's Eve 2018). I also wrote several posts on sport - one on the Stawell Gift which my father attended annually. Towards the end of the year, on two occasions, I repeated a talk that I first made three years previously about my father's involvement reporting on the Melbourne Olympic Games. Discussion at these talks resulted in the compilation of two more posts on this <a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/search/label/Olympic%20Games%201956" target="_blank">topic</a>.<br />
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A number of history based television shows during the year provided background material on ancestors who lived many centuries ago. The SBS series, <i>The Rise of the Clans</i>, hosted by Neil Oliver had two episodes on Robert the Bruce and his family. <i>The End of Empire: the Rise and Fall of Dynasties</i> on the History Channel was about the Saxon king, Edgar, who is credited with being the first King of All England. Another episode in this series was about Charlemagne - a topic for another occasion. The <a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2019/01/52ancestors-week-33-family-legend.html" target="_blank">Family Legend</a> prompt in the #52Ancestors challenge allowed for a post on the branch of the family tree with the royal connections.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Events relating to 50 year anniversaries <a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/search/label/In%20our%20lifetime" target="_blank">in our lifetime</a> formed two more posts plus a post on significant <a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2019/05/memories-of-trees.html" target="_blank">trees</a> in family gardens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">I have also read a number of books during the year, many of them relating to events in my family history. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <img alt="" src="data:image/png;base64,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" /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">In 2019 I took out an unlimited subscription to <a href="https://www.futurelearn.com/" target="_blank"><i>Future Learn</i></a> online courses for a year and had a wonderful time exploring courses primarily relating to history and archaeology but also literature, health and even science. I also spent some time exploring the Italian language as two of my grandchildren learn Italian at school.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>The University of Strathclyde</b> ran three excellent online courses towards the end of the year </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Working lives in the Factories and Mills: Textile History and Heritage</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Working Lives in the Coalmines: Mining History and Heritage</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Working Lives on Britain's Railways: Railway History and Heritage. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">(With family who worked in the textile industry and in the railways, these will be very useful).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Lancaster University</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Lancaster Castle and Northern English history - more family connections. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Humphry Davy (invention of the miners' lamp and other scientific discoveries).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>University of Glasgow</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The Scottish Highland Clans: Origins, Decline and Transformation. This course complemented <i>The Rise of the Clans</i> television series. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Early Modern Scottish Paleography</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The History of Royal Fashion (the last 500 years).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>University of Edinburgh</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">How to Read a Novel (a look at modern fiction) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>British Film Institute</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The Living Picture Craze: an Introduction to Victorian Film</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>University of Aberdeen</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Walter Scott: the Man behind the Monument</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Royal Holloway, University of London</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Beyond the Ballot (the campaign for women's right to vote in Britain). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Peterloo to the Pankhursts: Radicalism and Reform in the Nineteenth Century.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Trinity College, Dublin</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The History of the Book in the Early Modern period: 1450 to 1800. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The Book of Kells.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>University of Groningen</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The Scientific Revolution (how seventeenth century science shaped the modern world)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>University of Exeter</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Empire (debate about the British Empire)</span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>University of Newcastle (Australia)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b> </b>Great Southern Land: Introducing Australian History</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>National Maritime Museum</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Confronting Captain Cook - Memorialisation in Museums and Public Spaces</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>University of Reading</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rome (exploring the ancient city using 3D models)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Archaeology (this was one of the first courses that I did some years ago) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Durham University</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Archaeology and the Battle of Dunbar 1650: From the Scottish Battlefield to the New World. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Griffith University</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Written in Bone: an Introduction to Forensic and Bioarchaeology. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">A Question of Time (what dating fossils can tell about evolution).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Music Psychology: Why does <i>Bohemian Rhapsody</i> feel so good?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Monash University</b> - Food as Medicine</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Other Future Learn history related courses that I have done in other years include:</span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Lancaster University</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Radical Spirituality (new seventeenth century religions including Quakers)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">University of Southampton</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Agincourt 1415</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Newcastle University (UK)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Hadrian's Wall: Life on the Roman Frontier</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">University of Leicester</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">England in the Time of King Richard III</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Monash University</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">World War I: A History in 100 Stories</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">UNSW Canberra</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">World War 1: Lessons and Legacy of the Great War</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Trinity College, Dublin</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Irish Lives in War and Revolution</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>Future Learn</i> has courses on many topics so it is well worth exploring to see if there is anything of interest. If you just want to do a course and don't want access to the material after the conclusion of the course, there is no charge. This year I decided to pay the annual fee for additional access to the material, allowing me to refer to some of the topics as required.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Last year I was asked why I didn't join U3A. My reply was that I didn't need to as I have <i>Future Learn</i>. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">It has been an interesting year exploring a wide variety of topics, however this year my resolution is to concentrate on writing at least part of the family story for my family.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-74420662152707841222019-11-16T18:45:00.001+11:002022-03-30T11:50:24.580+11:00Melbourne Olympic Games - 1956<span style="font-size: 11pt;">I recently gave two more talks about the Melbourne Olympic Games where I have met many people with memories and family involvement with the games.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CrN_l9nNUTg/Xc-ZScuToPI/AAAAAAAAL9c/rEcQa5KKsCc3DJ1ZsHBBE0nlUqV1BYOfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Opening%2BCeremony%2Boriginal.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="602" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CrN_l9nNUTg/Xc-ZScuToPI/AAAAAAAAL9c/rEcQa5KKsCc3DJ1ZsHBBE0nlUqV1BYOfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Opening%2BCeremony%2Boriginal.JPG" width="321" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">When
I showed a slide of a picture of the Opening Ceremony on the cover of
the Australian Women's Weekly a gentleman at one talk asked me to stop
at the picture and pointed out two white squares in the picture.
The two white squares are the Melbourne Olympic Choir.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pBRshLtMZ1U/Xc-Zh9e7AhI/AAAAAAAAL9g/puv8aWtCp_IJjLp4k49hTPZs7jrVoU4KgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Opening%2BCeremony3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="516" height="178" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pBRshLtMZ1U/Xc-Zh9e7AhI/AAAAAAAAL9g/puv8aWtCp_IJjLp4k49hTPZs7jrVoU4KgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Opening%2BCeremony3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">He was a member of a combined community choir - the <a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/search/label/Choirs" target="_blank">Melbourne Olympic Choir</a> - that sang at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. Lloyd gave me notes that he had written about his experiences with the choir which consisted members of community choirs throughout Victoria. As well as singing at the Opening Ceremony the choir performed at a number of events including the Closing Ceremony.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Other people at the meeting were Betty who, as a member of the St John's Ambulance Brigade, attended many of the events working with that organisation.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-stRyku0Poz8/Xc-arlJEcjI/AAAAAAAAL9s/WwnGFp0EQLcuUJOHRAfjmHqMBpU3xjmcQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/StJohnsAmbulance2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="474" height="243" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-stRyku0Poz8/Xc-arlJEcjI/AAAAAAAAL9s/WwnGFp0EQLcuUJOHRAfjmHqMBpU3xjmcQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/StJohnsAmbulance2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://collection.maas. museum/object/302754" target="_blank">Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Presentation books showing pictures of Melbourne and surrounding areas were presented to members of the Olympic Committee who would eventually vote for the city to host the 1956 Olympic Games. Three special invitation books with lambs’ wool covers decorated with jewels were presented to three people including the King of England and the President of the OIC. Other copies were also covered with lambs’ wool and decorated with an enamelled emblem. Copies were also covered with suede plus enamelled emblems. The books were presented to member of the International Olympic Committee in 1948 and also to local supporters of the project. The company that printed the books was Spicers & Detmold in Coburg and one of the ladies present at the meeting was a daughter of one of the printers who made the books.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oQTXRItthtI/Xc-blPthCYI/AAAAAAAAL90/9wZsmgrtjygTDJniArvT7cQJZCUkeiqQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Olympic%2BInvitation%2Bbook.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="532" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oQTXRItthtI/Xc-blPthCYI/AAAAAAAAL90/9wZsmgrtjygTDJniArvT7cQJZCUkeiqQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Olympic%2BInvitation%2Bbook.JPG" width="321" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A copy of the book with the invitation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The
Melbourne Invitation Committee extends a most cordial invitation to the
esteemed International Olympic Committee to celebrate the XVI Olympiad
in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">A
second book, published as a supplement to the first book, was published
in January 1949 and was posted to all delegates of the Olympic
Committee who would decide who would host the Games in 1956.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Another lady told us that her mother helped make the presentation cushions used for medal presentations at the Melbourne Olympic Games.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e7-KzjccFD0/Xc-lbVsv59I/AAAAAAAAL-o/yks-L2HicT0VzsPjyQpVDmNkP7ACtWswQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cushion.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="541" height="330" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e7-KzjccFD0/Xc-lbVsv59I/AAAAAAAAL-o/yks-L2HicT0VzsPjyQpVDmNkP7ACtWswQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/cushion.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Official Report of the Organising Committee for the Games of the XVI Olympiad Melbourne 1956</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">When we were discussing who attended any events at the Olympic Games one couple laughed and the husband said that he went to the Closing Ceremony because the soccer final was played before the ceremony and he is a soccer fan. Meanwhile his wife stayed home and looked after the baby.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GWZKBbS-qX4/Xc-ecPG-kLI/AAAAAAAAL-A/aeMTRxPTU4cZXep4u38Tl-9QYCCY6fUxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/closing%2Bceremony2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="743" height="263" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GWZKBbS-qX4/Xc-ecPG-kLI/AAAAAAAAL-A/aeMTRxPTU4cZXep4u38Tl-9QYCCY6fUxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/closing%2Bceremony2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Program for the Closing Ceremony</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Another connection to the Melbourne Olympic Games was one lady who said that she trained in athletics with Betty Cuthbert. At the Melbourne Olympic Games Betty Cuthbert won the 100m and 200m and was in the Australian 4 x 100m relay team which also won gold.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_pPizRiMbOE/Xc-fUZ8O8aI/AAAAAAAAL-I/XxmxeevMHKgNaYvZTYVVVitAvBLR-p0wwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/GoldenGirls.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="969" data-original-width="633" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_pPizRiMbOE/Xc-fUZ8O8aI/AAAAAAAAL-I/XxmxeevMHKgNaYvZTYVVVitAvBLR-p0wwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/GoldenGirls.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marlene Matthews with Betty Cuthbert</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The water polo incident in the Hungary and Russia match was also mentioned in the game. The book by Harry Blutstein, <i>Cold War Games</i>, covers this unfortunate incident. This incident was later referred to as 'blood in the water'.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ECBM4jrU4MA/Xc-i9MosGEI/AAAAAAAAL-c/0b_iuBlPZck4OCntQ7bsZLnPp3h6UnCwwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/water%2Bpolo2a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="298" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ECBM4jrU4MA/Xc-i9MosGEI/AAAAAAAAL-c/0b_iuBlPZck4OCntQ7bsZLnPp3h6UnCwwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/water%2Bpolo2a.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blood in the Water</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">At the second talk the father of one lady was involved in the printing of the tickets for the Melbourne Olympic Games. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qeAKgnZrACA/Xc-h0lz2API/AAAAAAAAL-U/epfRP2zdCAEctJz5NwsVkVL-6odlA2luQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Ticket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="373" height="189" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qeAKgnZrACA/Xc-h0lz2API/AAAAAAAAL-U/epfRP2zdCAEctJz5NwsVkVL-6odlA2luQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Ticket.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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The three talks that I have given have provided additional information about the Melbourne Olympic Games.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-90277812799587795122019-09-28T13:31:00.000+10:002019-09-28T13:31:07.897+10:00Olympic Games 1956 - more memorabilia<span style="font-size: 11pt;">In preparation for another talk about the Olympic Games held in Melbourne in 1956 I now have some more memorabilia relating to the Melbourne Games and to my father.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t9TEbx7y6b4/XY6u16HywBI/AAAAAAAAL68/2DMpVXseiQY3K9SOpOuITov-RBlBqg3YACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/OlympicPass2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1052" height="251" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t9TEbx7y6b4/XY6u16HywBI/AAAAAAAAL68/2DMpVXseiQY3K9SOpOuITov-RBlBqg3YACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/OlympicPass2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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Journalists reporting on the Melbourne Olympic Games were issued with a pass allowing them entrance to all venues during the period of the Games.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kCZuOY1gOgo/XY604NMDmjI/AAAAAAAAL7I/KNqcSG2_A8gy3kMvixKDNaLZsHEn9ckHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/OlympicVillage1a2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="615" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kCZuOY1gOgo/XY604NMDmjI/AAAAAAAAL7I/KNqcSG2_A8gy3kMvixKDNaLZsHEn9ckHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/OlympicVillage1a2.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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The <i>Olympic Village Official Information Book</i> provides basic information about the accommodation for those those staying at the Olympic Village in Heidelberg. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TPdvPcuzLcY/XY6soGQrhSI/AAAAAAAAL6w/9bAn3fJ0LXQdWdNLkqqouXt2YVr_jhz7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/OlympicVillage2ed2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="877" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TPdvPcuzLcY/XY6soGQrhSI/AAAAAAAAL6w/9bAn3fJ0LXQdWdNLkqqouXt2YVr_jhz7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/OlympicVillage2ed2.jpg" width="362" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click on image to enlarge</td></tr>
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The information in this booklet provides examples of living in the 1950s with instructions for the use of bath heaters, gas coppers and other appliances. I also thought that it was interesting that steam irons and washing machines were only available in the Women's Quarters.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N2zIYqyOSVM/XY65np36PmI/AAAAAAAAL7U/FMDxYPZWOqkN_jV1eH8wB-XTCjxQLzgDACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/OlympicGuidea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="724" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N2zIYqyOSVM/XY65np36PmI/AAAAAAAAL7U/FMDxYPZWOqkN_jV1eH8wB-XTCjxQLzgDACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/OlympicGuidea.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
The <i>Official Guide to the Olympic Games</i> was published by the Organising Committee for the Melbourne Games. The guide contained a brief history of the Olympic Games, information about the Modern Games , venues, a programme of events, ticket prices, maps of venues plus information for tourists including information about transport, restaurants, sights to see, banking, postage etc.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UisydAyO8F8/XY6_eayGPWI/AAAAAAAAL7g/hjl3URhOXEIDCGk71OlsJxBqoBDZgqczwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/OlympicHandbooka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="772" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UisydAyO8F8/XY6_eayGPWI/AAAAAAAAL7g/hjl3URhOXEIDCGk71OlsJxBqoBDZgqczwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/OlympicHandbooka.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
The 1956 edition of <i>The A T F S Olympic Handbook</i> produced by the Association of Track and Field Statisticians was the third edition of this publication. It contains the official world track and field records for events from 1896 until 1952 as well as an all time world list for athletic events stating name,time, place and date event occurred. There is also list if the world's best performances of all time.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-am5A99PQ2K0/XY7CdB8wpnI/AAAAAAAAL7s/_TvAvXKf37MgPUxTWhMtmPwG9m4cEXy9ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/GeneralRulesa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="753" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-am5A99PQ2K0/XY7CdB8wpnI/AAAAAAAAL7s/_TvAvXKf37MgPUxTWhMtmPwG9m4cEXy9ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/GeneralRulesa.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
The <i>General Rules and Special Sports Regulations</i> for the XVI Olympiad is a well used publication in my father's collection. It contains a detailed program for all events, maps (including gradients) for events held outside stadiums, general rules relating to the staging of the Games plus detailed regulations for individual sports.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O0nVp_O4hrA/XY7OQfKvgVI/AAAAAAAAL74/FF8fVwtkzEALnDxWB1KJteiDlwc7JKh_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/SwimProga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="836" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O0nVp_O4hrA/XY7OQfKvgVI/AAAAAAAAL74/FF8fVwtkzEALnDxWB1KJteiDlwc7JKh_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/SwimProga.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
The Melbourne Olympic Games were held from Thursday 22 November to Saturday 8 December. No events were held in Sundays. Programs were produced for each event for each day of competition. So far we have found programs for swimming, cycling and boxing among Dad's collection. I am still looking for the Dad's copy of the program for the Opening Ceremony.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7pnyKBI2_Nw/XY7PtD_bQwI/AAAAAAAAL8E/cRxKaDzzYcgSTAI3r2lyrJWu62NrisR-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/AustTeamReportsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="708" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7pnyKBI2_Nw/XY7PtD_bQwI/AAAAAAAAL8E/cRxKaDzzYcgSTAI3r2lyrJWu62NrisR-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/AustTeamReportsa.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
In 1957 a booklet containing <i>Australian Team Reports of the Olympic Games Melbourne 1956</i> was published. As well as lists of officials there was a general summary report followed by more detailed reports, often with photographs, for individual sports. There was a list of all the Olympic champions for the Games plus a list of Olympic placings by Australian representatives since the first Olympic Games in 1896.<br /><br />
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These items, together with information on other posts on the <a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/search/label/Olympic%20Games%201956" target="_blank">Melbourne Olympic Games</a> in this blog, help tell part of the story of an important sporting event in Melbourne's history.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-8002343272681372412019-09-26T20:54:00.001+10:002019-11-16T17:35:44.471+11:00Abbey Road Beatles Album - 50 years on<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Fifty years ago <i>Abbey Road</i>, the famous album by the Beatles, was released. This eleventh studio album by the Beatles was released on 26 September 1969. The album took six months to record and was final album that the Beatles recorded together.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Tracks on the album include:</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Come together</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Something</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Maxwell's silver hammer</span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Oh! Darling</span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Octopus's garden</div>
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I want you (She's so heavy)</div>
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Here comes the sun</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Because</div>
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You never give me your money</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sun King</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mean Mr Mustard</div>
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Polythene Pam</div>
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She came in through the bathroom window</div>
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Golden slumbers</div>
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Carry that weight</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The end</div>
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Her Majesty (a hidden track)</div>
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The record studio, Abbey Road Studios, where many of the tracks were recorded located at 3 Abbey Road, may have contributed to the naming of this album but the photo of the four Beatles crossing Abbey Road on the zebra crossing has become an iconic image always associated with the album.<br />
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Visitors to the area have their photo taken crossing the Abbey Road crossing. Hopefully local traffic has become accustomed to this activity. Last year when the Australian Over 70s Cricket Team visited <a href="http://courtadventures.blogspot.com/2018/09/lords-cricket-ground.html" target="_blank">Lord's Cricket Ground</a> many members of the team had a go at crossing Abbey Road.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="819" height="298" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4LeReNze98A/W7BaaBFiGAI/AAAAAAAAK9Y/F_aYbUBv6LoxA8xBgllD7QX7SmHzQaacgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1783c.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John and Robin crossing Abbey Road</td></tr>
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The photo used on the cover of the <i>Abbey Road</i> album.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vcaCA_rZwM4/XYyUTyGZmhI/AAAAAAAAL6Q/6IZJvxXqDgQ0XDNK-ERFia8ZswZznXKugCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/AbbeyRoadb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="575" height="244" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vcaCA_rZwM4/XYyUTyGZmhI/AAAAAAAAL6Q/6IZJvxXqDgQ0XDNK-ERFia8ZswZznXKugCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/AbbeyRoadb.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/four-beatles-one-zebra-crossing-london-nw8/" target="_blank">udiscovermusic</a></td></tr>
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The music of the Beatles recorded in the 1960s continues to be popular, particularly among those of us who were teenagers at that time. The group holds an important place in the history of modern music.The record album, <i>Abbey Road</i>, remains a featured album in many music collections throughout the world.</span>
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<br />
Why the Beatles <i>Abbey Road</i> album was streets ahead of its time - <a href="https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/beatles-abbey-road-streets-ahead-time/" target="_blank">udiscovermusic</a> (includes links to music tracks on Spotify - need to log in)<br />
<i>Abbey Road</i> Album Cover: Behind the Beatles most famous photograph - <a href="https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/four-beatles-one-zebra-crossing-london-nw8/" target="_blank">udiscovermusic</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-12969203400826463062019-07-21T09:54:00.001+10:002019-09-28T10:17:09.893+10:00Where were you during the first moon walk?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image result for moon landing 1969" class="irc_mi" data-iml="1563590728170" height="218" src="https://natgeo.imgix.net/factsheets/thumbnails/HEADER_MoonLanding.jpg?auto=compress,format&w=1024&h=560&fit=crop" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Man walks on the Moon July 1969 - <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/space/one-giant-leap-for-mankind-anniversary-of-the-moon-landing.aspx" target="_blank">National Geographic</a> (July 2016)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Lunchtime on July 21 1969 (Australian time) Neil Armstrong was the first person to step on to the surface of the moon. This event was televised and watched by millions of people throughout the world.<br />
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NASA had three tracking stations prepared to monitor and record images of the moon walk - at Goldstone in California, Madrid in Spain and Honeysuckle Creek in New South Wales. These Apollo tracking stations were spaced at equal distances around the globe and between them could cover what was occurring on the moon. Also in New South Wales was the Tidbinbilla tracking station which had the role of tracking the lunar module while Honeysuckle Creek tracked the command module when they were being operated separately. Later the radio telescope at Parkes was added to the Australian network by NASA. Although the radio telescope could not transmit information it had a much larger dish - 61 metres compared with 26 metres - making it useful for receiving information from space.<br />
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There had been much discussion as to whether the moon walk would be televised, particularly as cameras were heavy, but in June it was decided that the event should be filmed. A lighter camera had been produced and was stored in an external tool locker. The position of the camera meant that images were filmed upside down, however NASA had an inexpensive device that allowed them to invert the images before transmitting them to the world.<br />
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Just before 1 pm (AEST) Neil Armstong made his way to the capsule door and began the slow descent to the surface of the moon. At this time the camera began to film the historic event. Honeysuckle Creek began relaying images to Houston and Goldstone also had images. NASA wanted to transmit the images from Goldstone but there was a problem so they had to use the images from Honesuckle Creek. There was an initial delay but then the world received images of Neil Armstrong nearing the final rungs of the ladder before stepping on the moon and making the famous statement - <i>One small step for man. One giant leap for mankind</i>. Shortly afterwards the clearer images from Parkes were used for the remainder of the moon walk.<br />
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Meanwhile people throughout Australia (and the rest of the world) were watching the events on television. I was working at Civic Branch Library in Canberra in Civic Square. We did not have access to television but a shop in a nearby street had put a television set in its front window allowing people passing by to view what was happening on the moon. Needless to say there was quite a crowd watching. Fortunately it was quiet in the library so staff took it turns (usually two at a time) to join the crowd watching the moonwalk. We could therefore say, 50 years later, that we had seen Neil Armstrong walk on the moon.<br />
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Last week I asked my husband where he was during the moonwalk. He was a science student at Melbourne University and the university had organised screenings of the event in several lecture theatres so that students and staff could watch .<br />
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<i>National Geographic</i> article 19 July 2016 - <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/space/one-giant-leap-for-mankind-anniversary-of-the-moon-landing.aspx" target="_blank">One giant leap for mankind</a><br />
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'The real dish story' in <i>The Age</i> 20 July 2019</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-40193222986789049072019-07-17T10:59:00.003+10:002019-07-21T09:53:09.664+10:00Brothers at War<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The second episode of the Neil Oliver series, <i>The Rise of the Clans</i>, on SBS dealt largely with a family feud to determine who should be King of Scotland. This time the focus was on the Stewart family.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Plu_3SiInNY/XSRT7qQgKEI/AAAAAAAALvQ/RZidG3lvt2YMrvAuXuf9F5uavoe8Q37qQCLcBGAs/s1600/2862_rise-of-the-clans-sml.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Plu_3SiInNY/XSRT7qQgKEI/AAAAAAAALvQ/RZidG3lvt2YMrvAuXuf9F5uavoe8Q37qQCLcBGAs/s1600/2862_rise-of-the-clans-sml.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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Background<br />
Robert I of Scotland (Robert the Bruce) married Isabella of Mar possibly in 1296 and they had a daughter Marjorie (1296-1316). Isabella died in the same year. In 1302 he married Elizabeth de Burgh and they had four children - Matilda (1310-1353), Margaret (1315-1346), David (1324-1371) and John (1325-1346). There were also a number of illegitimate children.<br />
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When King Robert I died in 1329 he was succeeded by his son David - David II of Scotland. David was five years old. When David died in 1371 he had no children so the succession went to his nephew, who became Robert II of Scotland (1316-1390), a grandson of Robert the Bruce. <br />
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One of Robert the Bruce's trusted supporters, especially during the Battle of Banockburn in June 1314, was Walter Stewart, High Steward of Scotland. In 1315 Walter married Marjorie, daughter of the king. On 2 March 1316, their son, Robert, was born. Unfortunately shortly before the birth, Marjorie had been thrown from a horse and died when her son was born. Robert became Robert II of Scotland, the first King of the House of Stewart.<br />
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In 1336 Robert married Elizabeth Mure (1320-1355) and they had four sons and six daughters. The eldest son was John (1337-1406) who took the name Robert III when he became king in 1327 as it was believed that the name, John, had been tarnished by a previous leader, John Balloil. The three other sons were Walter, Earl of Cathress (1338-1362), Robert, Duke of Albany (1340-1420) and Alexander, Earl of Buchan (1343-1405).<br />
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Robert II had given each of the sons part of his kingdom to rule while he was king. After his death tensions increased between the brothers leading to a power struggle over several generations resulting in the assent of the Stewarts as kings of Scotland. The power struggle forms the basis of this episode of <i>The Rise of the Clans</i>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YOtBhJU1bKI/XSXC2lsW-VI/AAAAAAAALvc/PCgNGE1bSQcP0yR45IDLv9Jsc6lZ-B8aQCLcBGAs/s1600/Robert%2BDuke%2Bof%2BAlbany.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="463" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YOtBhJU1bKI/XSXC2lsW-VI/AAAAAAAALvc/PCgNGE1bSQcP0yR45IDLv9Jsc6lZ-B8aQCLcBGAs/s320/Robert%2BDuke%2Bof%2BAlbany.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actor playing Robert Duke of Albany</td></tr>
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In 1388, before he became king, (John) Robert III had been kicked by a horse and was severely injured - an accident from which he never recovered. He was crowned at Scone on 14 August 1390 and remained king for nine years until it was decided that he was too ill to reign effectively and he was replaced by his son, David, as Lieutenant of Scotland assisted by King Robert's younger brother, Robert, Duke of Albany.<br />
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Shortly before Robert III was removed from power, his son, David assisted by the Duke of Albany had been involved in a campaign against the Macdonald clan who wnated to expand their territory. Although Donal Macdonald had an army of 10,000 men actual battle was averted with Donal Macdonald submitting to the rule of the Stewarts.<br />
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In 1400 Henry IV decided to invade Scotland and took a large army to Edinburgh to insist on David paying homage to him. David remains in the castle at Edinburgh and refuses to see the King of England. Meanwhile, Robert III's youngest brother, Walter has decided that he wants additional land and has also brought his army to Edinburgh. Walter does not come to David's aid but instead camps with his army outside the city. David remains inside the castle and after two weeks the English army is low on food and other supplies and returns south to England.<br />
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To the other Scottish leaders, David was considered a coward and Walter and the Duke of Albany decided to conspire together to remove him from power. In 1401 David was arrested on trumped up charges and imprisoned in the castle of his Uncle Robert where, in 1402, he eventually died of starvation, aged twenty-four. David's father was distraught. The heir to the throne was now his second son, James, aged eleven. To protect James, Robert III arranged to send James to France. However the ship was seized by English pirates who returned their prisoner to England where he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Another prisoner in the Tower of London was Murdoc, the eldest son and heir of Robert, Duke of Albany.<br />
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Robert III died in 1406 and was buried at Paisley Abbey. The heir to the throne was imprisoned in England. Robert, Duke of Albany and his brother Walter, now promoted to Earl of Athol, had control of Scotland. Their other brother, Alexander, had died. But not everyone was happy with this arrangement. Donal Macdonald made an arrangement with James that if he could arrange for his release from England, Macdonald would have the land he wanted including the Earldom of Ross. In1411 battle ensued between the Macdonalds and the Stewarts - the Battle of Harlow. The Macdonald challenge failed and they retreated back to their homelands. James remained in prison.<br />
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By 1415 James was living at Windsor Castle. He was still a prisoner but had some freedom with access to women, tennis, gardening and poetry. It was at the castle that he met his future wife, Joan Beaufort. Meanwhile, the Duke of Albany eventually paid his son's ransom. The Duke was now an elderly man and needed an heir. But no-one in Scotland was prepared to pay for the release of James. In 1420 Robert, Duke of Albany, died Murdoc became Guardian of Scotland.<br />
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Walter continued to expand his land taking over the land that had belonged to his brother, Alexander, and obtaining the loyalty of the clan chiefs. But he wanted more. He decided to make a deal with James to assist in James' return to Scotland with the hope of obtaining the lands of Strathearn. The English agreed to return James to Scotland for ransom of £40,000 in instalments and also promised seven years peace.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HF2lk7E7nmc/XS5ym0044PI/AAAAAAAALvo/Z69PgW6ntnMII_zEVAgbhZj1quqk64EZQCLcBGAs/s1600/BrothersAtWar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="554" height="220" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HF2lk7E7nmc/XS5ym0044PI/AAAAAAAALvo/Z69PgW6ntnMII_zEVAgbhZj1quqk64EZQCLcBGAs/s320/BrothersAtWar.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scene from <i>Brothers at War</i>, Joan, James and Walter</td></tr>
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In February 1424 James married Joan Beaufort and they then travelled north to Scotland. James had now spent half his life in England and wanted to have the same power in Scotland that kings had in England. James' royal authority was challenged by some of the clan chiefs and initially James sought assistance from his Uncle Walter. To have this power and image required money which the kingdom could not really afford. James also needed to avenge the death of his brother, David. He waited for a year and then he had Murdoc tried as his family was responsible for the death of his brother. Murdoc's execution upset a number of people including a man named Robert Graham, head of the Graham Clan.<br />
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Concern about the spending of the new king causes unrest among the Clan chiefs. James has built new castles and priories and improved the armoury of the country. His ransom has only been partly paid. James decides that taking control of some of his uncle's land, including Strathearn, will bring in some of the required revenue. This, of course, further antagonises Walter.<br />
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Robert Graham and Walter began to plot the demise of James. Walter's grandson, Robert of Atholl, befriended James and became Chamberlain of the Royal Household. This position provided him with information as to all the movements of the king. The plan is hatched to kill both King James and his queen.<br />
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On 21 February 1437, Robert of Atholl allows a party of assassins, led by Robert Graham, to enter the royal bedchamber. James hears them coming and escapes into the sewers. The men attack and injure some of the women, including the queen, however they decide not to kill them. Once James is located, Robert Graham kills him. Walter was not pleased when he learned that the queen was still alive and she would protect her son, the new king. She would also demand revenge.<br />
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Joan proved to be ruthless when ordering the brutal execution of all those involved in the death of her husband including Robert Graham, Robert Atholl and Walter Atholl. The civil war within the Stewart Clan was now over leaving James II of Scotland, with the support of his mother, as ruler of Scotland.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-59582493301084152612019-06-24T09:30:00.000+10:002019-07-17T11:03:04.460+10:00The Bruce Supremacy<span style="font-size: 11pt;">SBS is currently showing the three part series, <i>The Rise of the Clans</i>, narrated by Neil Oliver. The first program, sub-titled <i>The Bruce Supremacy</i> and aired Sunday 16 June, told the story of the role of Scottish clans in helping Robert I (Robert the Bruce) become King of Scotland.<br />
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<tr><td 11pt="" font-size:="" style="text-align: cen<span style=;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L_K9pjAzDoI/XQ8FEJ7U00I/AAAAAAAALuk/xsXpCAMuzE8WwtrC2USrBNBZkbT8k1uhQCLcBGAs/s1600/Bruce%2BSupremacy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="463" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L_K9pjAzDoI/XQ8FEJ7U00I/AAAAAAAALuk/xsXpCAMuzE8WwtrC2USrBNBZkbT8k1uhQCLcBGAs/s400/Bruce%2BSupremacy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scene from The Bruce Supremacy</td></tr>
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Background<br />
When Alexander II of Scotland died in 1286 six Guardians were appointed to rule Scotland. The membership and number of Guardians changed frequently until November 1292 when John Balliol was crowned King of Scotland and duly paid homage to the English King. However Edward I invaded Scotland again in April 1296 defeating the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar. John Balliol was exiled later that year. New Guardians were appointed at different times including William Wallace in February 1298. He resigned in September of that year with Robert the Bruce and John (Red) Comyn becoming joint Guardians.<br />
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1306<br />
On 10 February 1306 Robert the Bruce arranged to meet John Comyn at Greyfriars Kirk in Dumfries. Robert the Bruce was accompanied by his brother, Edward, and leader of the Clan Campbell, Neil Campbell. Bruce informed Comyn that the Kirk had withdrawn support for Balliol (Comyn's cousin) and therefore Bruce should be King. Although the men had left their swords at the door of the Kirk, when an argument broke out Comyn was stabbed with a knife and murdered. There is some discussion as to what really happened but one account was that Comyn was killed by Bruce though the murder was probably not planned. Not surprisingly, this event started a feud between clans in Scotland.<br />
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Robert the Bruce with his supporters headed to Scone where he was hurriedly crowned King of Scotland on 26 March by Isobel of Buchan.<br />
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Edward I, also known as Hammer of the Scots, immediately moved his troops north and at a battle near Perth the Scots were defeated by Edward's army. Robert the Bruce and his small remaining band of supporters retreated to the west of Scotland to regroup and plan what to do next.<br />
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Initially Robert the Bruce and his supporters headed south towards the west coast but had to travel through MacDougall territory. The Clan MacDougall supported the Clan Comyn and did not get along with the Clan Campbell whose land bordered their land. Battle ensued with many men killed. Bruce now had only about 200 men supporting his cause.<br />
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Back on Clan Campbell land the party made it to the coast where Neil Campbell was able to organise boats to take the men to the island of Islay, home of the Clan MacDonald who agreed to support Bruce. In October Bruce's party once again took to the sea where they found refuge in the Hebrides and gained the support of Christina of the Isles, a member of Clan Ruaidhri. She allowed them to stay over the winter months until they were ready to resume the battle.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google Maps</td></tr>
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Clans <br />
The Clan Bruce occupied part of the Lowlands of Scotland including the area around Annandale, south of Glasgow. One of the family titles was Lord of Annandale. The land of the Bruce Clan was therefore in the south west of Scotland.<br />
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The Clan Campbell had lands on the peninsula on the south west of Scotland as well as land north of the peninsula.<br />
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The Clan MacDonald occupied the Isle of Islay as well as on other Western islands.<br />
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The Clan Ruaidhri resided in the Hebrides.<br />
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The Clan MacDougall had land near the Campell territory.<br />
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The Clan Comyn had land in the north of Scotland.<br />
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1307 - 1308<br />
In the Spring of 1307 Robert the Bruce and his men returned to the south west of Scotland. Bruce knew that his men would be outnumbered in open warfare against the English so the plan was to now use Clan Warfare (small scale guerrilla warfare) to achieve their aims. The campaign began in April and May of 1307 and immediately met with success. As well as the element of surprise Bruce's men were able to use their knowledge of the land to achieve success. As time went by Bruce's support and popularity increased and more clans pledged their support. 'God is on his side' and 'Merlin is on his side' were comments repeated by the Scots.<br />
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Edward I decided to travel north to Scotland with additional English forces but died, en route, on 7 July 1307. For a time the English tried to keep his death a secret from the Scots. He was succeeded by his son, Edward II.<br />
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As well as fighting the English, Robert the Bruce, with the support of the Campbells and the MacDonalds, also made attacks on his old foes - the Clan Comyn and the Clan MacDougall. The climax came in the summer of 1308 at the Battle of the Pass of Bander. After this battle Bruce was declared 'Master of the Highlands'.<br />
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The Lowlands<br />
Fighting in the Lowlands was more difficult as the English had access to many castles. The Scots had no access to siege artillery so Bruce's men continued the campaign of only attacking small groups of soldiers. The castles themselves were attacked only when the Scots knew that they were vulnerable. However, over time, the Scots had captured most of the castles in the Lowlands.<br />
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1314<br />
The support for Robert the Bruce had greatly increased but he knew that before he would be completely accepted as King of Scotland he needed to win an open battle against the English.<br />
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By 1314 Stirling Castle was the only castle still held by the English. Bruce made an agreement with the garrison that if the English did not bring troops to support the castle by a certain date, then they would surrender the castle.<br />
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Edward II moved his troops north - 15,000 foot soldiers plus 2,500 cavalry. Bruce currently had 6,000 foot soldiers. Still the leaders of the Scots knew the terrain. The Scottish forces had been trained to form a schiltron where they stood in a group with their spears pointing outwards in all directions. The group moved together towards the enemy when fighting. This made them a formidable group.<br />
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Battle of Bannockburn<br />
The climax came on 23 June 1314 outside Stirling Castle and completed the next day near the river. This encounter is known as the Battle of Bannockburn.<br />
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When the English first saw the Scottish soldiers lined up they just saw lines of men with spears. However as they advanced the Scots moved into their schilitron formations. The advancing English cavalry was also unaware that the Scots had dug a trench across their path. Pointed sticks had been placed pointing upwards in the pit which had been camouflaged. The Scots won the first encounter.<br />
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The English moved to a campsite near the Bannockburn river. Robert the Bruce received a report that the confidence of the English soldiers was low and the decision was made to attack the English camp early in the morning, taking the English by surprise. As the wall of spears approached the English army emerging from sleep, the English soldiers retreated to the river where many were slaughtered or drowned.<br />
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After this victory Robert the Bruce was accepted as the legitimate King of Scotland - Robert I - by his subjects. The Scots received large ransoms for the captured English nobles and much of this money was used to provide land and gifts to the clan leaders who had supported Bruce. Robert the Bruce also negotiated the return of his wife, daughter and sister who had been captives of the English in England.<br />
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Other posts in this blog on the Battle of Bannockburn<br />
<a href="https://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/search?q=bannockburn" target="_blank">Battle of Bannockburn</a><br />
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A number of my family members featured in the story portrayed in the program, <i>The Bruce Supremacy</i>:<br />
Robert I of Scotland (1274-1329) was my 21st great grandfather<br />
Edward I of England (1239-1307) was my 22nd great grandfather<br />
Edward II of England (1284 -1327) was my 21st great grandfather</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852951230627756964.post-20865204176038649872019-06-21T18:05:00.002+10:002019-06-23T19:25:30.574+10:00The Ancestor Plates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4FMqHYLRJG0/XQxsXmND2-I/AAAAAAAALuE/RwBqbO3sYWcgPT7ll5QGk-m5JifqML2JgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3375c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="724" height="302" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4FMqHYLRJG0/XQxsXmND2-I/AAAAAAAALuE/RwBqbO3sYWcgPT7ll5QGk-m5JifqML2JgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_3375c.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">With the Winter Solstice upon us indicating that we are almost half way through 2019 it may be time to look at the <a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2018/12/52ancestors-week-52-resolution.html" target="_blank">Resolution</a> blog post written as part of the #52Ancestor challenge 2018 at the end of last year in order to check the progress so far.<br />
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This was prompted by a conversation that I had with my seven year old grandson about our <i>Ancestor Plates</i>. He and his sister were having dinner with us so instead of the Peppa Pig and George Pig plates usually used we decided that they could have 'big' plates. Hence their introduction to the <i>Ancestor Plates</i>.<br />
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In 1988 the primary school had a fundraiser selling melamine plates based on designs prepared by family members. As it was the Bicentenary and the Bicentenary logo was to be on each item I decided to order a plate decorated with information about family convicts. The names, ships and dates of arrival in Australia were provided for each of nine convicts. This resulted in <i>Ancestor Plate</i> no. 1.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4JhI72mkJVY/XQxyKH-sEqI/AAAAAAAALuQ/ZNnOeziCudMYPeWNgXDVoEryVGcHe4SjgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3374c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="778" height="276" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4JhI72mkJVY/XQxyKH-sEqI/AAAAAAAALuQ/ZNnOeziCudMYPeWNgXDVoEryVGcHe4SjgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_3374c.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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However I later discovered another three convicts in the family so when a similar fundraiser was held a few years later I arranged for <i>Ancestor Plate</i> no. 2, this time with the names, ships and dates for twelve convicts to be made.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaxpzGLLJ-o/XQxySgUTyxI/AAAAAAAALuU/WYBvUvffD-w3K5AEAW8ZQ9AnFo_p0zMmQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3372c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="779" height="278" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaxpzGLLJ-o/XQxySgUTyxI/AAAAAAAALuU/WYBvUvffD-w3K5AEAW8ZQ9AnFo_p0zMmQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_3372c.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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Aiden was most impressed with his <i>Ancestor Plate</i> and wanted to know about the names on the plate. I explained that they were convicts, the first members of our family to come to Australia more than 200 years ago. My husband asked Aiden if he knew what a convict was so we then explained that a convict was a prisoner. Aiden's immediate question was had they been in gaol. What followed was a conversation about why these people had been in gaol, why they had left England and Ireland to come to Australia and how long did it take for the ships to make the journey. Obviously the time has arrived to make some of the family history available to the grandchildren.<br />
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Resolution number 3 in my December blog post was to collect all the stories in my blog relating to specific families to start compiling histories of those families. Obviously the time has come to start this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Resolution number 1 was to complete the eight posts for the #52Ancestors challenge 2018 which I did not do last year when we were away on veterans cricket tours. I have now completed these posts so one tick.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Resolution number 2 was to organise my family history research collection more effectively. This has now been started. A few months ago I ordered ten polypropylene boxes from <a href="http://www.archivalsurvival.com.au/" target="_blank">Archival Survival</a> and have just finished assembling them. (partial tick) Now I can put papers and other items relating to specific families in one box making it easier to locate information. When working on a box I will put some of the material into polypropylene enclosures. [Looking after special <a href="http://connectingthefamily.blogspot.com/2017/02/looking-after-special-items-in.html" target="_blank">items in collections</a>]</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">My other resolutions to locate additional information, including background information, on projects such as family living in the Hawkesbury region of NSW, family in India during the Raj, and answer remaining questions about George Guest's land in Hobart will no doubt be investigated as I piece together the various family stories.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Consquently some progress has been made in carrying out the research resolutions for 2019 - however there is still much to be done. </span><br />
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0