At the age of 87 years and one day, my father passed away earlier this year. Writing and doing the eulogy was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. There was an incredible turn-out for the funeral and a few people asked me to share what I said. In one sense, it seems… Continue reading Geoffrey (Jack) Spurrett 1934-2021
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Stalking Strangers
Sometimes it is surprising just what can be found on-line, and at other times its pretty frustrating what cannot. For example, try to find a living person of voting age and its pretty easy to find most people’s address from the electoral role (available on subscription from Find My Past, 192.com, etc.) But try to find their… Continue reading Stalking Strangers
DNA here, there and everywhere
It was careless of me to be in Canada for St George’s Day when I should have at home doing English things like drinking beer and eating a curry. Of course it took some explaining how and why a Greek or Turk came to be our patron saint and that he never came to England… Continue reading DNA here, there and everywhere
Grandfather’s steps
For the next few days I am in France with my parents and we retracing the steps of my Grandfather in the First World War. He volunteered for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry late in 1915, aged 19. After a short training period on Salisbury plane he was deployed to France and Flanders. Yesterday… Continue reading Grandfather’s steps
Spring shoots
Well its been a busy few weeks in the world of Spurrett-ology. I have been wrestling with a little mystery of a certain Robert Spurrett who was a member of the 30th Cambridge Regiment of Foot and fought in Wellington’s army in the Peninsular Wars in the early 1800’s. The mystery arises because some other… Continue reading Spring shoots