Happy New Year

Hallo my friends, just a few photos to post and to wish you all a Happy New Year/Bon Annee!

We had a nice quiet Christmas and are just pottering along, this Summer has been mild so far compared to some we've experienced.

My old barbecue looked quite charming in the early morning light after I'd watered all the pot plants...I spray painted it this bright blue last year, inside the hood behind the front pots is a great space for storing tools and pots. My chandelier and birdcage were rescued from the verge where they'd been out discarded as rubbish...(grrr)

the silverbeet is still going well although I have given up on growing tomatoes as the little green caterpillars are relentless and I won't use pesticides...

Have also become as obsessive knitter these days...lots of socks...these are Winwick Mum's free pattern, I have used Bendigo Woolen Mills 4ply Merino and Nylon yarn for these socks for Joe...Christine has blocked hers but I don't feel it's necessary...

I made a second Feather and Fan stitch scarf with the Jennet wool from Northern Yarns in Lancaster , the first one was posted back to Lancaster to my cousins who sent me the wool...

and Spotlight had that gorgeous Jeans yarn on special again so Charlie will have two posh jumpers this Winter lol...it has some nice wooden buttons on it now...it's such a soft acrylic and a delight to knit with...pattern is free of course from ravelry, Meabh's Cardigan (isn't she a cutie, Charlie wouldn't wear the hat so I'm not making that...am also making a complicated French pattern for him and am knitting the collar for the third time as I watch tennis on telly...

Dad is doing quite well but now I'm making him 7 meals a week, it's a challenge as he needs small meals of soft foods and is rather fussy, I plate it up on a bread and butter plate and write what it is, when to eat it and hot or cold otherwise he will just eat rubbish and then have indigestion again! Cue really bad photo...

In other news our dear Rhonda has been unwell but is in great spirits and has started her blog again, just if and when she feels like writing, I can't tell you how much influence her simple lifestyle has had on me and many thousands of others, do have a look if you haven't already...

Down To Earth blog

Always leave them laughing...Charlie is now just the right height for his ole Nana to lean on lol

Christmas Day <3 My tablecloth is a length of Christmas fabric from last January when it was 75% off the original price. I forgot to get the crackers/bonbons out so that's one thing less we'll need to buy this year lol

Keep well and be happy,

Love Sue

xx

John Kelsall, Grandson of Jennett

I have 'found' another second cousin who is also following the history of the Kelsall side of the family, hi to Pete and Family. He has kindly shared this extract from the diary of Jennet's son John Kelsall who was the only brother of our ancestor, Joseph. Remember it was John and Joseph's grandmother who rode to London to collect them as toddlers when both parents had died?

1737 Chester, when his children had smallpox.
He was a Quaker, teacher and merchant for Abraham Darby.

18 Our daughter Sally very ill, wch proved to be the Small Pox wch appear'd next day.

19 This morn. I went for Salop, baited at Whitchurch, and got there abt. 7ho.

20 Met with young Mr Lloyd, could not finish the Commission today. Son Benj. came to see me, as also son Amos. Rec'd a letter by him from Cous. James Gough of Bristol.

21 This day finish'd our busness and left the Town abt. noon. Before I reach'd Whitchurch had a sore Fit of my old Pain, and the weather being very hot & sultry had a great Hardship to reach the Plume of Feathers, Thorn-Hill 21 miles where I stay'd that night.

22:3mo.1737 Being pretty well this morn. set out abt. 7ho and got home abt. 9ho. Went to the meets. fore & afternoon.

23 Met this morn with Jos. Gill, Saml. Watson and several other Friends from Ireland who were going to the Y. Meet at London.

25 Great thunder and rain P.M. Our daughter Sally very ill of ye Small Pox.

26 Some thunder at a distance, the weather still very hot.

27 Rec'd a letter from son Thos. & Hugh Rowland.

28 Wrote to son Thos. at Dolegelley. Was in the evening wth R.W & M. Oaks. This day our Sally's eyes were opened having been blind 9 days.

29 Went to meets. Last night our daughter Suzy was taken ill.

31 Wrote to Bro. Jos. Kelsall. The children very bad so yt I was oblig'd to be up all night.

1:4mo. The Small Pox appear on Suzy, Molly very bad and raving. Was up again all last night.

2 Small Pox appear on Molly.

3 The children very ill especially Molly. Was up all night.

4 Great rain this morn. and last night, met with Cous. R.M. The children as before, both of them blind.

5 Went to meet P.M. Was up all night with the children.

6 The children much as before.

7 Saw this morn. Dr. Saml. Reploe Bp. of Chester. Wrote to son Amos. Rec'd a letter from Ow. Lewis. Daughter Betty came here, the children very indifferent.

8 Wrote to son Thos.

9 Suzy much better, Molly very badly.

12 Went to meets. where were Saml. Watson & Jos. Gill from Dublin and Gerrard from Hertford, a Dutch-man formerly of Utrecht convinced abt. 5 years ago. Jos. had a brave opportunity among ye people there being a burial of a GrandChild of Nathn. Ashbrook.

13 J. Gill & Gerrard called at our house to see us. The children somewhat better.

16 Was this evening with Cous. Abrm. Merrick at the Castle he being a Prisoner there for Debt.

17 Not much material, the children now beginning to sit up a little.

18 Had last night a sore Fit of my old Pain &c., not much material this day.

23 This day a ship of abt. 150 Tuns, but empty, came up the New-Cutt: it had been . . .ing, [torn] and they were obliged to dam and pound up the water below it before they could bring it. Spent sometime with Cous. Abm. Merrick at ye Castle &c. Son Thos. came home.

24 The Fair begins in this City. Met with many of my Acquaintances & Relations &c.

25 Spent some time wth Abrm. Darby, Serjeant Harvey, Jos. Fothergill, old Ed. Hall, J.H. &c. Met wth Dr. Parry Attorney near Carnarvon & agreed wth him for two Girls to come to school.

26 Went to meets. Spent the Evening wth Jno. Toft & Joshua Toft [who] were kind to me and presented me with a Guinea.

27 Wrote to Cous. Jno. Dilworth.

28 Spent the evening with D. Evans, Jos. Chamberlain &c.

29 Wrote to Ellis Humphs. and Owen Lewis.

30 Was at the Ship at the Crane with all my Family, the weather still very fine & fair.

1:5mo. Wrote to Cous. J. Merrick.

3 Went to meets. and afterwards with my Family to Barrel Well, the Cherry Orchard and Jno. Lambs.

4 Was let Blood yesterday and my wife today. Was with R.W & M.O in ye evening.

Jennett Cragg and Lancashire Wool

So excited to read this blog post today from a lady producing and selling wool in Lancaster and the surrounding area.

Her new wool is named after our ancestor Jennett and Kate tells the story of how she went on horseback in 1687 to London to collect her baby grandsons after their parents died of typhoid fever...

have a look at Kate's wool and the beautiful scenery around Lancaster

A Lancastrian Legend

I wrote about this story in one of my earlier posts too Jennett Cragg

Here are a couple of our photos of Littledale and one of the lovely sheep farms in the area

Noumea Photos

So Twitch is a million times better now but still wobbly and will need the panacur for another 2 weeks...it's a miracle to us as we were sure he was not going to recover...he's been out of his box and is able to sit up to groom himself which is great. Thanks for all the love and support this last fortnight xxx

Now here are the few pics I took from the ship of Nouméa in New Caledonia. The reason there are no photos from off the ship is that on the first night I stood up in the dark at 2am to go to the bathroom, my knee gave way and slammed into the hard beading around a full length mirror. The pain was appalling and I spent much of the next two weeks in bed...more anon.
Joe went ashore as he was keen to buy a bottle of French wine, Gaillac, which we first had in Paris in 2007. Mission accomplished he also came back with a large square of beautiful fabric for me...it was called a coupon in French! Next to the docks is a large nickel mining plant which doesn't enhance the view but provides work for the local people.

My photos...


the first is my curry and chips...obviously comfort eating that lunchtime..

view from the table at the back of the ship

the nickel plant is a blot on the landscape, I would have loved to get up into those mountains on a tour...

Now this is Joe queuing to get back on board taken from Deck 12...it really is a massive ship...he's in the middle about level with the back of the right-hand bus...

Our steward was most attentive and enjoyed surprising us with animal created from the towels...this bunny was our favourite of course...

  Monkey was cute too lol

The next stop was Fiji and the photos are pretty similar but will share one or two, then we visited 3 ports in New Zealand.

Love from Sue
xx

PS have recently bought this book about our ancestor Jennet Cragg, most enchanting story telling from 1877!