My least well known corner of my family I suppose are Henry Smith born 1827 and his sisters. He was from a large family of ten or so and I know nothing of how they were raised. Only he is catapulted into our family when Miss Mary Flowers, 32 and in trouble, makes the brave decision to marry him on paupers' favourite, Christmas Day, 1850. Three children are quickly rushed out: 1851, 1852, 1853 and Mary is not in the workhouse but still in her uncle's favour at the place he has by right of his wife, Mulbarton Hall. Until the larded owners make their way back from empire construction in India that is.
Mary vanishes in 1869 into death and we must kiss Mulbarton Hall goodbye never to be seen again.
Now we have leisure 200 years later to look at Henry's sisters. I cannot care about all of them but two stand out from the motley crew: Sarah 1818 and Harriet 1831.
Sarah edged past the precipice of being an unwed mother and at thirty in Lakenham secured her groom Ephraim Goodrum or "good 'un" I should think himself knowing all about being born out of wedlock. They settle as blacksmith and wife at St Margaret Ilketshall and looked after Henry on his becoming a widower.
Harriet produced the very loyal W. R. Bowgen, obliterated by death but a nexus point around whom these folks collected. They must surely have nearly 300 descendants between them by now.
And for me the locations are rather wonderful not to mention the romantic inlets of the Waveney and the stories we can hopefully weave.
Harriet had only two other children, Richard (!!!?) who is extraordinary married three times left six thousand pounds businessmen and three of his children left their spouses another became Mrs Austen (yes that family). And Sophia who died at 26 in Toronto: her family today reside in Lincoln which I knew but also Wigston Leicester and Melton Mowbray which was a real surprise just lately.
Sarah had a tiny family of four but they solidly took on the north Suffolk area, running large families, smithys and a post office public house or two. A few have DNA tested and match myself. This week we learnt the blacksmith had an extra child in World War Two. So one of Sarah's great grandchildren has actually DNA tested despite as I say this being 200 years ago really.
Letters exchanged in the 1990s are still on file and every so often a name known from that time appears as genetic match how lovely. Though it hasn't always been easy in the intervening years. A great niece raised in poverty or adopted out, the original contact would never have known.
It's hard to know what personally I've inherited from Henry Smith: hopefully not too much going on his character and some questionable unions in the vicinity. It's a treat having Sarah, Harriet and the strong ties to Halesworth, Beccles, M. Mowbray and all showing you can't change the canvas but you can for sure choose how you look at it.
Posts
