It occurred to me that an occasional Family History Newsletter may be
welcomed by some. As I already spend much time on family history
correspondence I don't fancy expending much more, or expense, on planning
layout or printing. However, now so many of the family are "on the net" I
thought a plain text Email sent to multiple recipients would be the simplest
solution with this copy attached to the family history web page for
the benefit of those who may access it via a friend, internet cafe, public
library etc. and you may wish to send paper copies to relatives without
Email addresses. If you know of a relative who did not receive a copy of
this and has an Email facility please let me have their details. Your
thoughts, comments and contributions for a future edition are welcome.

Do we need a title? How about "The Three Bears" or "The Bears and
Chevron" (sounds like a pub?) after the WIRDNAM's arms of the 1400s?


WEB PAGE

Many of you will have received my last general message announcing the WRNM
family web page address at
http://flexibase.freeserve.co.uk. There have been some additions since then
and I hope to soon include a photo or two from the "Northants. branch"
re-union (see later). Your comments and suggestions on the Web page are
welcome.


FAMILY DATABASE GOES INTERNATIONAL

Those with known Email addresses should have received an automated
invitation to access an abbreviated copy of my entire family history
database
(currently 4730 names) via the international database "My Family" (MF) at
http://www/myfamily.com Read only access is restricted to those invited by
me,
using allocated (but changeable by the user) passwords to members of the
WRNM family and relatives requesting access. Although the "Pedigree"
database I keep at home includes addresses, telephone numbers, Email
address and various comments, the MF database is confined to just names,
dates and places of birth, marriage and death. There are some inevitable
shortcomings, as expected when transferring data from one software package
to another. Those I have noticed so far in my brief dabblings are:

1. Christening and burials dates are often recorded on my database before
Civil Registration took over from Church records in 1837 with dates of birth
and death. Unfortunately, as MF only shows dates of birth and death, these
are shown in these cases as "unknown".

2. MF shows the selected person on the left of the screen as the "home
person" (hp) with parents in boxes and children listed. This does not
indicate if the hp has any siblings. This is only shown by "clicking to the
right" until the original home person appears on the right hand side. As
this is probably as clear as mud, just try and "all may be revealed"!

There is also a facility for MF to allow free "read only" access to anyone
via the Internet. I am not sure I wish to take this option and again
welcome your comments on this possibility.

I would be grateful if you would check your family's details and let me know
if you notice any required amendments or additions.

If you have not received your Emailed invitation to MF please let me know,
with your current Email address and I will try (again).

As I am registered under the Data Protection Act I am not required by Law to
seek consent but I welcome your views on these options. Anyone requesting a
copy of the information kept on my full Pedigree database has the right to
receive a copy of their personal record and I do not intend to charge for
this service in acknowledgement to the assistance you have all given in
compiling the details.


NORTHAMPTONSHIRE BRANCH FAMILY REUNION

On the weekend of 24-25th July 2000, many of the Northamptonshire WORNHAM
descendants held a reunion in Nottingham kindly and efficiently organised by
my cousin Angela BROWN.

My wife Brenda and I travelled up on the Saturday afternoon and visited my
Aunt Vi in her new flat where we were pleased to find Uncle Les WORNHAM and
Aunt Vida who were staying there for a few days. We then spent a most
enjoyable evening at Ken and Angelas' nearby house where we were treated to
a curry expertly cooked by Ken then superbly entertained in folk-style by
cousin John [Kit] CARSON who sang with guitar, banjo and mandolin; Ken and
Angela's son Martin (song and guitar); Kit's daughter Jane on flute, tin
whistle and guitar and her partner Dave Mullin (song, guitar and banjo).

The Sunday midday dinner at the Bestwood Lodge Hotel was in grand style in a
former chapel with wooden arched roof, giving the feel of a medieval
banqueting hall. More relatives arrived there making a total of 41. On
display were family photographs, a copy of the WRNM Family History Internet
Web pages, an abbreviated "Northamptonshire Branch" family tree and a rolled
up full length family tree with all known relatives. Apologies were made
then, and again now, to Daniel DUNKLEY for having somehow omitted him from
the records (but he now appears in his rightful place). Also on show was an
embroidered tapestry of the arms of the WIRDNAMs from Grove near Wantage in
the 1400's by my mother Evelyn (nee RUDKIN) who felt unable to travel from
her home in Somerset.

I expect most of us tried to talk to as many people as possible but I know
that I didn't manage to get around to everyone so look forward to the next
event - perhaps alternate people should change places after every course of
the meal?

Whilst no formal speech was made, thanks were given to Angela for organising
the event and Les acknowledged our debt to his parents Stephen Henry WORNHAM
and wife Helen Elizabeth (nee EARL), whose photograph was present and from
whom we were all descended or related. Angela later said: "It was a very
exciting thing to do - not as much hard work as people would imagine and I
think we should have another session sometime. Our homes (Mum's and ours)
are open to visitors at anytime". Thanks again from us all to Angela and
Ken.

Those present were:

From Baldock, Herts. John HUGHES and wife Margaret (nee WORNHAM)
and her sons, from Coventry Viv SHADBOLT and wife Charlotte (nee LEA)
and from Milton, Cambs. son Martin SHADBOLT and wife Carol (nee KELLY)

From Droitwich, Worcs. David WORNHAM and wife Brenda (nee ROBINSON)

From Cockermouth in Cumbria, Les WORNHAM and wife Vida (nee LENTON)

From Duston, Northampton: sisters (nee McCONVILLE, late mother Mollie nee
WORNHAM)
Rosemarie KING and daughter Josie ROSS with her son Luke and daughter Amy
and Rosemarie's sister Estelle CANUTI and her daughter Adele
with husband Alan LOCKHART and daughter Sophia.

From Dundee in Scotland, Paul CARSON and wife Mary (nee DOW)

From Nottingham: Vi CARSON (nee WORNHAM),
her daughter Angela with husband Ken BROWN,
their sons Tony and Martin with friend Sinead.

From London: their daughter Susan (stage name EARL) and friend Rachel with
son Luke

From Totnes, Devon: Trevor DUNKLEY (late Mother Joyce nee WORNHAM) and wife
Eunice (nee JONES)

From Dallington, Northants, Trevor's son Nic with wife Michelle (nee
HALLETT) with children David and Emily

From Penpont, Scotland: John (Kit) CARSON and wife Ingrid, (nee RODRIGUEZ)
their daughter Jane and partner David MULLIN with children Darcy, Rose,
Maria and Hamish.

I think that's the full list but, if you were there and not listed, please
let me know.

Messages were received from the following who were unfortunately not able to come:
From Peterborough, Eric DUNKLEY
From Droman, Highlands of Scotland, Helen ROSE (nee WORNHAM)
From Somerset, Evelyn and Bert WORNHAM
From Duston, Peiro CANUTI, Estelle's husband
From London, Ed BYRNE, Susan CARSON's partner
From Perth, Andrew and Stewart CARSON, Paul's sons.

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