Olliff Family History Book

My most recent voluntary job is helping a friend compile her research into a readable Family History book. 

Yes I do voluntary sometimes, it keeps my style of formatting up to standard for a start, it's also enjoyable looking for the odd piece of information.

Well this Olliff family were from Buckinghamshire, Great & Little Missenden to be precise, both beautiful villages that are 3 miles apart.  Both have Saxon era parish church's that are sublime when you see the photographs that are online.

The family line starts with James Olliff, born in 1765 and ends up with one of his grandsons migrating to New Zealand in 1863 where he was part owner of a brewery as well as a shareholder manager of various gold mines.

William was born in 1840 in London, was apprenticed to a corn factor where he met his future wife Martha.  They had quite a lot of children, and today their lines still flourish in and around Auckland, one descendant (Sharon) who has researched for this book.

There is a lot to tell about this family, some went to America and Canada so now there are cousins the world over.  Lets hope this will help connect more of them.

Sharon's line came to New Zealand meaning that most of the book is based on the history of the emigration, their lives here in New Zealand and how the line has grown  Below is the cover of the finished book with a picture of William & Martha.

The book has some history of the villages where Sharon's family line came from, along with photos, shipping, war information and businesses.  At the back of the book is a descendant report of all the different lines that are connected to Sharon's.

It has been enjoyable to help Sharon and I look forward to her next book.

St Mary's Churchyard, Sandbach, Cheshire, England - Headstone Transcribing

 

I had through that the church was part Saxon, however I now think I was told it was Norman, only the end bit with the roof is added on.

 

If you walk around the church, the other side is just as big and also full of headstones

 

On the left hand side of this photo are the headstones that I have been concentrating on, there are a few more that need cleaning then I will start on the oldest headstones form the 1600s that are mainly lying down on the right side of the path

I have started to transcribe the headstones in St Mary's churchyard, it is going to be a long job to say the least.  The first stint gave me approx. 65 headstones 21 of those needed cleaning.  I was to find that the 21 were more than that a few weeks later.

On Friday I transcribed 45 headstones with ease, the following day I decided I would clean some of the 21 from my first trip........OMG what a job, most were covered in moss like carpet, one took 45 minutes to clean and read.  I ended up with sore fingers, sore back and rather dirty, never seen ingrained soil on my hands for many years never mind the dirty notebook.  Oh yes I found a few extra hidden headstones too, never mind taken a day off to recover just have to hope that the rain stays away.

I will take some photos of the headstones that I have done along with some before and after photos as I progress.  My data base as over 200 names so far.  If anyone wants to help............lol.

 Most of the above headstones are the ones that I have already cleaned, the broken on in this 2nd to last photo took 45 mins to clean and transcribe.

 

My next mission...........just hoping it isn't raining tomorrow