Doablogaweek!

Trouble is, I can't remember to do a blog a week!!  Now that dementia has taken me over, anything that I say or do is now definitely outside my control.  Worse still, someone keeps moving my stuff about in the house!
In the past week I've lost my passport and the crime festival tickets that were with it, 2 black printer cartridges, magazines that I've never received, and just about everything including my mind.  The passport turned up eventually, but it didn't have the tickets that it was supposed to be looking after.  Somebody had put them somewhere else.  They know who they are!!

However, I did manage to make a 70th birthday card for a friend.  So when I remember how to do it, I shall post it on here.

Back in England - and the rain!!

Arrived home from Ireland last night.  The break has been delightful, and I love Ireland.  We had wonderful weather, an opulent hotel complex  (out of this world), yummy food, great company, and not a single craft fair in sight.  Didn't think I could cope without the papercrafting, but managed just fine.  Not sure that we found any ancestors though, but I'll check it out later.  The 'we' by the way is youngest daughter Rachel and I.  That girl is like a   whirlwind on holiday.  She comes to life and is off like a rocket, whilst I just flounder.  She does look after me very well, though, and is patience personified when I'm stupid!  Back to the grindstone now, though, and to housework again.  Such a shame.

Shamrock Blogger: ** Chocolate Baroque ** NEW*NEW*NEW*

Visit Chocolate Baroque

3 LATEST ITEMS

Photo frame made from a chipboard frame with embossing powders melted on it, then stamped all round to add texture, finished with mica powders to add colour and a rose in corner.  The little girl is my grand-daughter aged c15 months

This card was made with 6x6 square card base, with a slightly smaller piece of design paper adhered.  I cut a Cricut emblem from the Paper Lace cartridge out of bazzill card and attavched it to a mirri board mat and place these centrally on the card.

Handmade journal for family history stories.  Double strength covers with holes punched for wires to go through. Edges of covers are inked inside and out.  Tree emblem cut from Cricut cartridge and layered 3 deep.  Large cut-out lace emblem slightly smaller than book cover adhered centrally with tree placed on top.  Ribbon tied round trunk of tree.  Large letter K cut from Cricut cartridge, embossed with Art from the Heart and placed on larger unembossed K.  Flower set into top of K.    Journal word cut from Cricut cartridge, embossed with clear embossing powder and placed at bottom edge of cover.

3 ITEMS TO POST

Having just posted photos of my 3 latest items to the Chocolate Baroque site, I've had to remove them as they are not made with CB stamps etc.  So will have to post them here instead.  When I've sorted out how to post them here, I'll open a gallery.  She says!  How do I do that?????????????????????

** Chocolate Baroque ** NEW*NEW*NEW*

Graphicus owner, Glenda Waterworth, has - together with husband Adrian - launched a new company on the 1st April 2011.  The new website is terrific, with lots to interest crafters, groups to join, forums to chat on.  Highly recommended, take a look!

For those of you who follow my  family history research adventures, that intrepid traveller - my daughter Rachel - and I are off to Ireland at the end of this week to have a look where our 'olds' lived and worked.  We are basing ourselves in Dublin, but will spend some of the time having a look at County Tipperary.  Here's hoping that the weather is good, the Irish hospitable, and the Irish pubs live up to expectations!  Will report back upon our return.

Only just made it!!!!!!!!!

No, not an arty item, but just managed to squeeze a post in for March.  Its the last-day syndrome again!  After several photos taken by OH and a few - minus bottom third of face - taken by self,  I decided that I just daren't scare anybody with my own face on my new page at Chocolate Baroque.  Decided Holly the Hound was a much safer bet.  So I prepared the photo to send, and I don't know what's happened, but the photo has gone to PLACE UNKNOWN.  I don't know where to go to retrieve it even!  Definitely 'wearing purple with a red hat' today.  When I've sorted myself out I'll post again.  Now where did I ..... ?

Rob's Card 2011

A card to post at last, but I still have no talent for photography!  I thought this card - for my son-in-law Rob didn't look too bad for a quickie-make.  My photo makes it look horrific!  The cutting room floor doesn't help much, either!

I was actually going to post 2 cards tonight, this and a card for my youngest daughter Rachel.  I took 2 days over it and   

... now I can't find it anywhere.  I shall have to  start from scratch and do it all again.  Will try to post a photo of the Journal that I've made.  Tomorrow.  When I'm less fragile.

And They're Off!!

Well, not quite this minute, but won't be long.  That intrepid traveller - my daughter Rachel - and I are off to look for clues in Ireland to where our Olds lived.

I started researching our family history  roughly 6 years ago.  I never expected the research of the Irish lot to be easy at all.  It wasn't.  I still tear my hair out sometimes when I'm not sure if one body belongs to the family or not.  Dad's side of the family were easy in comparison.  No lies,  nothing way out of normal, and they only left one mystery that I doubt will ever be solved - the name of my Gx3 Grandfather's father.  His mother died  when he was 3 years old, and never parted with  that information

Whether it was the difficulty of researching the Kennedy line, or the challenge perhaps, but they have grabbed my attention and won't let go.  Once upon a time I was the most organised of folk, but now I have box upon box of notes on the back of envelopes, in my craft room, falling out of books that I'm just about to give away,  etc.  I do the same research over and over because I can't find that scrap of paper with the death reference on it.  They throw up questions that I can't answer at all legs of the research, and lie abominably.  AArgghh!

To go  with the family tree, I  am doing a journal.  I completed the book yesterday, and have got the first chapter ready typed to go in.  The pages will be decorated slightly.  If I can ever find out how, I shall upload the cover to the Graphicus wotsit.  At least I'll try.  I've just spent a whole afternoon trying to improve my blog in readiness.  5 years ago I would have done it in minutes.  As I get older it seems as though I 'unlearn' stuff!

Ballingarry Roman Catholic church in Co Tipperary - I have just posted a link for a photography site of this place. It is where our Kennedys lived for part of their lives.
Link: http://www.from-ireland.net/tipp/graves/bgarry1/index.htm

There is only one mention of a Kennedy grave as the photographer was researching different names, but at least the church is pictured and the main street too.

And the good news!!!

10 02 09

Whilst idly looking through the Family Search (Mormon church) site, and throwing in names of rellies (just in case) I spotted another Kennedy which I thought I might own. I was right! On checking parentage for this person I found a brother - John, b1813 - for my GGGrandfather Patrick (b1809). Now a bit tipsy on the strength of the find I searched further and discovered 2 sisters Ellen and Mary (b1805 & 1806 respectively). Totally drunk on the excitement of it all, I recalled that on the family page it had stated 5 children, but I could not find the fifth. Now that is good news!

Exciting Times

We are at a really exciting point in the family history research calendar - this week the 1911 beta census went online. Aren't I sad?? Whilst relatively expensive at present with its search free/view pricey, I just couldn't wait to see where ggrandfather Michael Kennedy had taken himself off to. I found him on the census in the workhouse! It was the last place I expected him to be, and I felt saddened by this. I consoled myself with thinking that he might have been in the hospital part. He did die there, I knew, but that was about 15 years later! Second shock followed fast. Four or so lines above Michael's entry was an entry for his brother John! Last I knew of him, he'd emigrated to New York with his wife and co. Checking my dates, I found that he had died in 1914, in England! What was going on?? Two more shocks soon reared their heads - marital status for Michael stated married!! When was this, and to whom, and where? Something else to check out! John's status was widower! When and where had this happened? Did I need all this extra work? Shall really have to get down to it. The plot thickens.

Yet More Surprises!!

13 01 09
The past 7 days have been full of surprises in the Family Tree research! I have found my GGrandfather's brother John (b1845 Ireland) who emigrated to New York. This from the message boards for Kennedy/Owen on Ancestry. I cannot yet find a way to contact Marcus Owen in US, so can't build on the information at all as I don't have the worldwide version of Ancestry. Have posted on the message boards for him to contact me. Here's hoping! Yesterday I tried to glean more information on John as I have from the Rotherham burials a Rotherham address as place of death. Did he return to England alone, or did Gertrude accompany him? The poster on the message board was quite firm in his belief that they both went to America, and the eldest daughter Hannah married an American and settled there.

I'm just reeling from another shock - whilst opening my emails this afternoon I find that the 1911 census is now officialy on line for most of the counties. Yorkshire is one of them! Just had to rush and check something out - where was Michael Kennedy in 1911? I had to buy 60 credits for almost £7 then, to check where he was, I had to pay 10 credits. This told me that he was an inmate. To see details, I had to spend another 30 credits and found that he was in the workhouse, possibly the infirmary. This didn't help a great deal, as it was left open to opinion.

A bigger shock was to follow hot on the heels of that one - on the same page with Michael was his brother John, obviously back from America. Will have to dig deep on this one, as John was recorded as 'widowed' and Michael recorded as 'married'. Transcript errors perhaps?

News ..... and a new rellie in New York!!!

04 01 09

I have just had an unexpected shock whilst looking through Ancestry! Apparently in 2002 on the message boards, a researcher by the name of OWEN had posted a question about Kennedys from Rotherham. Because he was from New York, I didn't hold out much hope of a connection, but he named 'Gertrude Elizabeth Owen who had married a guy called Kennedy'. I'm going to go back to check that I hadn't imagined it, but recall finding a piece of evidence like that just a couple of days ago, which I had dismissed because John K had been buried in England. More later!

More year-end mysteries!

Yesterday I met Margaret Eames when she and her husband Philip came for tea with us. I have been in touch with Margaret for the past couple of years or more, when she answered a letter that I had printed in the Rotherham Advertiser. We have corresponded since then, and when she and Philip stayed in York this Christmas we invited them over for a bite to eat with us. Apart from Margaret forgetting to bring all the family photos etc, we managed to swap bits of information, including details of her Gran, Eliza. I think it was beneficial to all!

I seem to be ending the year with more mysteries than I started with. I have discovered that the Kennedys were catholic at last. The mystery of Michael's death has been solved, despite the lies told at the time which led me down the wrong path. Now there are the following:
- Where and when did Sarah Jane Kennedy (Griffin) die/was buried?
- Who are the mysterious Farrar trio which are/may have been attached to the John Kennedy family in one of the census collections?
- Why was John Moran buried in the same grave as Patrick (b 1809) and his wife Margaret?
- Who was the brother of Thomas and Eliza who went to Ireland?

There are more, but I think those are enough to keep me going for the year 2009.

Very best wishes for the new year, and here's hoping that it is good to you.
June

THE NEW YEAR

It is nearly 2009 and a time for looking forwards not back. 2008 Has not been a particularly good year in general, but it did have its compensations. One of these was finding a death date for Michael Kennedy (GGrandfather). It was quite a surprise too. My Grandfather (Michael's son) stated that his father was deceased when he married Clarissa Burkinshaw in 1910, and so hindered me in my search. It was only when I bought a cd from Rotherham FHS that I found him. And I wasn't looking for him, but for any other Kennedys who I wasn't aware of. Nice surprise, though.

So what will I find in 2009? I've re-subscribed to Ancestry, which in itself means that I mean business!! My other brick wall was the death of Michael's wife, Sarah Jane Kennedy (nee Griffin), so that has to be the priority. There is though a strange feature of the family that I have found, and can't quite make up my mind what it signifies: In the grave of Patrick Kennedy (3xGGrandfather b 1809) and his wife Margaret is buried another man, John Moran. Who is he, what is he doing there? I am intrigued.

New Resolutions - Already!

13 12 08

Almost the new year, I'm only a little further forward than I was a year ago. Stay positive! One of my biggest brick walls was the date of death of Michael Kennedy, my Great Grandfather. I was led astray by my Grandfather who stated Michael was deceased at the time of his marriage in 1910. It was a long time before I realised that the bmd disk that I had bought from Rotherham fhs contained Michaels death record.

So, what hurdles are there still to overcome for next year? Well there is the the death of Michael's wife, Sarah Jane. She and Michael were living with their complete family at (address) in the 1891 census. When the 1901 census was taken, Michael was to be found in Barnsley with his youngest son Thomas in lodgings with a Mrs Grange. At first I assumed that Sarah had died and Michael had taken the youngest of the family, aged 14, to get his training as a coal miner in the best area that he could. Having searched long and hard for Sarah Jane's death, I considered that the pair may, instead, have separated. I searched then for the same name anywhere in England. Nothing jumped out at me. Maybe Sarah Jane had divorced Michael and remarried? The answer still eludes me.

Then, the most curious of all - why was a man called John Moran buried with Patrick snr and his wife Margaret. Perhaps someone else has the answer.

Great Gran Burkinshaw

I thought that I'd kick off the family history with a little information about my maternal Gt Gran.

Sarah Ann Briggs was born in 1849 to George and Elizabeth (nee Mallinson). In 1866 at the age of 17 she had her first child, a daughter named Harriet Ann. The father appears to be Samuel Burkinshaw, son of the Burkinshaw family of Gawber Hall who, at that time owned much of the land in the villages around Gawber, Higham, Redbrook and Barugh Green all in Barnsley, Yorkshire. Sarah and Samuel did not live together at that time, and she followed her first daughter with a second - Mary E. Both daughters were christened under the surname Briggs. After a third daughter - Edith - was born in 1870, the couple married in 1872. The reason why they did not marry earlier is not known, but census records for both addresses show no other adult in the property.

Sarah Ann and Samuel had 8 children and the first two were adopted by Samuel, so that they bore the same surname as the other six. Sarah lived to be 90 years old, and was killed in a road accident whilst on her way to deliver a baby.

On a lighter note ... Sarah Ann was the first person that I researched, and
I set off on her trail one Boxing Day to track her down, my research had shown that she lived in Horkstow, East Yorkshire. On this bitterly cold and frosted day I trecked all around the area to find a grave or two, all to no avail. Not until a few months later when another researcher contacted me re Sarah Ann, did I reasise that I had spent a year researching the wrong lady!!

Last day of October 2008 ...

Time really does go faster when you are retired and your time is your own . I just don't have enough hours to fit in all that I want to do. The days from Monday to Friday disappear particularly fast and the weekends are lost in a blur of "is it Saturday/Sunday?" questions. (Older folk will know what I mean)

I am going to photograph one of my latest craft makes and - hopefully - load it into the arty page for all to see. It is a thank you card for Lesley, who I often call my shrink! She's doing a fine job on me! The item is a little box, with feet, and it is decorated on the outside, and contains a miniature Little Book inside, matching the decorative box it sits in. There are ten pages to this Little Book, each with a frame which contains a word. In total it spells out an Irish blessing, something relevant to the both of us, as we have Irish blood.

As per the title of this little episode, it is indeed the last day of October, and a month that I dread. Although the autumn colours are by far my favourite of the year, October signals that winter is on its way, as well. I have to adjust and I find this very hard to do. I spend weeks huddled by the fire, still feeling cold. Eventually I settle down to the winter months but I look forward to the spring all the time, looking for signs such as the snowdrops pushing their stems up though the cold, hard ground. They are the flimsiest of plants yet can still do that. Miraculous!

Here goes with the photo...

Wish me luck!

When one door closes, another one opens!?

This week, I was delighted to find a death record for my Gt Grandfather, Michael KENNEDY. I had been searching for this piece of information for the past 4 years. Every channel of information had been checked, including a cd of Rotherham burials. I had trundled round graveyards in the Rotherham area, even a couple in Ireland in case he had returned there to live. A couple of days ago I returned to my research to check all my information out again. When I returned to the cd I found him. Plus a lot of other Kennedy people, all of which need fitting into the jigsaw!



The thing that really threw me was my Grandfather's marriage certificate. G/father was Michael's youngest child. The marriage took place in 1910, and Michael was named as deceased. Not surprisingly, I hadn't looked after that date. When the 1911 census is out I shall have pleasure in locating Michael again, but in the meantime the big question is:

WHY DID MY G/FATHER STATE THAT HIS FATHER WAS DEAD WHEN HE MARRIED?
HAD THERE BEEN A FALLING-OUT?

Michael incidently had died in 1926 in a Rotherham hospital.