Samuel Richardson must have visited my family’s tavern when he wrote his famous novel Clarissa. He may have written his opinion through her eyes, so what did he think?
Family History 1900-present
Dark terrorism part 2: a tale from Changi Jail
Inside Changi: the story of how my uncle Teddy, a merchant seaman was captured by the Germans in WW2.
Family History 1900-present
Dark terrorism part 1: an unexpected prisoner of war
Teddy was a prisoner of war in Singapore and Malaysia, here is how he became a survivor of one of the great mysteries of World War Two.
Family History 1900-present
Voices from fleeting lives
On an August afternoon in 1950 everything changed during a single moment in time.
The West Family 1700-1800, Uncategorized
‘Miss Haverfield’: Gainsborough at Kew
Who was Elizabeth Ann Haverfield, the subject of Thomas Gainsborough’s famous portrait? The Haverfields were gardeners who lived at Kew Green…
The West Family 1700-1800
Dining in Brentford: visiting the Swan Tavern
The tavern landlord during this period was often a man of substance, ranking above the tradesmen of the town. What was it like to dine an C18 tavern?
The West Family 1700-1800
The Abduction of Frances Mercer
The extraordinary story of an 18th century child kidnapping case.
The West Family 1700-1800, Uncategorized
‘The Trial of the Century’: the victim
Before the Warren Hastings trial, Captain Robert Jones and his assault of Francis Henry Hay caused a public outcry… who was Francis Henry Hay?
The West Family 1801-1900, Uncategorized
The end of an era: George III’s Jubilee at Kew
Celebrations of the Royal Jubilee of George III took place on Kew Green in 1809…
Family History Methodology
Origins and Ripples
I looked towards family history for answers to my question: why did I get to be here, in this place, in these circumstances?