Wednesday 15 September 2010

Climbing the Brabyn family tree

Following our trip to scatter my father's ashes, there has been plenty of activity on Facebook and the Gigrower website as Brabyns from all over the world have got in touch.  Several people are compiling family trees and asking me how the family fits together - and someone has even produced a family coat of arms.

I'm very happy to host the discussion here so we don't have to rely on the Gigrower moderators to put us in touch with each other - please feel free to leave your comments here and we can piece the family history together!

There's talk of a gathering later in the year too, so spread the word if you would like to get everyone together...

4 comments:

  1. Hi again. It's nice that you've put this on your blog, Gigrower must get fed up sometimes lol.

    I'd love to have a look at your sisters family tree.
    Here is mine:
    http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/21106895/family/pedigree?fpid=1029808912

    (obviously press the arrows to get to the next generation), but I'm not sure if I've done it right, there is a lot of conflicting on that site.

    I would appreciate any help or feedback about it.

    I think that you are second cousins with my mother Alison Kipping (was Brabyn), who was Vernons grand-daughter....
    Rachel

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  2. This Brabyn web site is a wonderful idea! We must try to get the whole family involved!

    Being so far removed for so long (my Grandfather William John Brabyn came to the US in 1900 at the age of 15) I have many more questions than information about our family history. But I do have a copy of a newspaper article about our G-G-Grandfather, William Henry, that I transcribed. The beginning is not on my copy of the document. Maybe someone can add to it? It starts:

    Transferring later to the “Stag” Captain Wil_ _ns and the “Caroline” Capt. W.H. Philp. William quitted the sea to become apprentice at the shipyard if Mr. Tredwen, and it was while serving his time that, with Thomas Elliot, he painted the new lifeboat “Albert Edward”. After a period, years later, as coxswain of the six-oared gig “Hero” at Cowl’s shipyard, Mr. Brabyn was given command of the gig “Teazer” at Capt. Rawl’s yard. In this craft, which would answer the cry “Lower the gig” and go swiftly down the harbour, no matter how heavy the gale or how ominous the sweeping sea, when a ship was making the harbour - with timber, perhaps, from Canada or sugar and rum from Jamaica – Mr. Brabyn had some thrilling adventures and hairbreadth escapes. I must resist the temptation to recount these, for this is the story of the life-boat station and not (fascinating though that would be) the story of Padstow’s ship-yards and the daring ventures of their six-oared gigs.

    The entire article will not fit here; e-mail me for the rest at: krbmallen@gmail.com

    Karen Brabyn Mallen

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  3. Hello Ben,

    This is a great idea. Thanks for setting it up. Karen told me about it. It is great to see Rachel posting too. Her mother and I are first cousins. It really is very cool that we are all coming out of the woodwork, so to speak. My husband's name is Jones and I don't think such a site would work well for finding his distant relatives!

    I am coming over to the UK (from Canada) in a month. My sister, brother and I ...and various children and spouses, are going to Padstow for a long weekend. We are going to meet up with Julie Cruddace and also visit the gig. I will probably make a day-trip to London too. Will you be around?

    Cheers,

    Caroline Brabyn

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  4. Hi All
    Just to pass on some information. A Brabyn gathering at the gig shed in Padstow, Cornwall will be taking place on the 24th October if anyone needs any information please contact me at paulwillis850@hotmail.com
    Thank you.
    Paul Willis
    Chairman
    Padstow Gig Club

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