You may or may not be watching the new series of Who Do You Think You Are on the BBC. If not, watch it, but if you are then you have probably been thinking about the possibility of starting your own family research… that’s if you haven’t all ready. I have been researching my own family history for a few years now, and the search is ongoing because, believe it or not, we all have thousands, if not millions, of ancestors just waiting for us to discover them. I was amazed to find that Jane Austin, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and P.G Wodehouse are among my cousins; that my Uncles include Geoffrey Chaucer, and that my 31st grandfather was William the Conqueror himself. All very mind boggling stuff, if you ask me. Some people would be happy with the prospect of famous ancestors, it might be the very reason they started to look in to their genealogy, but not me. I’m more interested to discover information about those that are closest to me. I come from a family which is pretty useless when it comes to saving photographs and documents. I never knew either of my Grandfathers, and those family members that are still alive live so far away from each other that contact has been lost altogether. My aunt, cousins, and my paternal grandmother all live just around the corner, but I haven’t seen or spoken to them for years. I don’t even see my father much any more. So, you can imagine, i’m quite eager to learn about those relatives who aren’t so far back in history that they feel like characters in a genetic story.
So, i’m doing something about it. I’ve recently made contact with my great uncle Alvin, and I feel that his correspondance is going to be incredibly valuable to my research. You may or may not know that Harland is not my real surname. My real surname is Hartley, but you try saying that in a Northern accent over the phone to a call center and you’ll see just how difficult it is for people to understand what you’re saying (if I had a penny for every time I was asked if i said Harvey or Hardy I’d be a rich woman). So, to make things simple for everyone I write under the name of my great-grandmother’s family, Harland. It’s not so different. Anyway, I’ve gotten in touch with my great Uncle Alvin Hartley, and he has just this morning revealed something i was not expecting.
My great-great grandfather Joseph Henry Hartley was a senior member of the Ancient Order of Druids.
Yes. As in the secret society, much like the Freemasons, founded in 1791. From Wikipedia: “By the early twentieth century it had become a more open, general society with aims “convivial, fraternal and philanthropic”. The group was the first to practise rituals at Stonehenge in the historic period and adopted the site for ordination of its members on 25th August 1905 when around 700 modern druids gathered at the monument to take oaths and welcome new acolytes.”
I don’t know whether to be intrigued or appalled. I’ve contacted the Order to find out if they have any records of his membership but, to be honest, the idea of him being ordaned in to an Ancient Order of Druids at Stonehenge isn’t really something I had expected to find from any of my relatives.
Joseph Henry Hartley had only two children, both sons: my great-grandfather, Wilfrid Hartley, and Edward Hartley. Uncle Alvin told me that Edward had been killed in September 1944 at Arnhem in the Netherlands, and I was surprised to discover that only just two years ago my great-great uncle Edward was highly publicised in the news. From the MOD website:
World War II soldier honoured in The Netherlands
Sixty years after he was killed in action, Leeds soldier Lance Sergeant Edward Hartley of The Border Regiment, has been remembered in a re-dedication service at Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery in The Netherlands today, Thursday 15 June 2006.
LSgt Hartley joined the Border Regiment in 1940 and served in North Africa in 1943. He was reported missing, killed in action, on 20 September 1944, aged 31. He was buried as an unknown soldier in Oosterbeek Cemetery and was identified by the Dutch Army Recovery Team in 2005, using regimental dental records.
Today’s service was attended by LSgt Hartley’s daughter, Patricia Summers, and her family. The Honour Guard and Buglers were formed by The 1st Battalion, the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment (KORBR), who accorded LSgt Hartley full military honours. The Band of the Royal Netherlands Air Force provided the music at the ceremony.
In July 2006 The King’s Own Royal Border Regiment (KORBR) will amalgamate with The King’s Regiment and The Queen’s Lancashire Regiment to form the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment. Also today 192 members of KORBR will travel in small groups to the sites of 44 Battle Honours borne on their Regimental Colours (Exercise GLOBAL DRAGON). The visits will take place concurrently, with a small Battlefield Tour and ceremony held at each site.
Following the ceremony at Oosterbeek Cemetery LSgt Hartley’s daughter Patricia was presented with a cygnet ring, which was found with her father’s remains. She said: “I felt really honoured that so many people went to so much trouble to make this happen. It’s a day I shall never forget.”
I’m actually quite sad that I knew nothing about this, but I also feel a mixture of pride and relief that his body was identified and he was able to have a proper burial ceremony. I understand that the majority of soldiers weren’t so lucky.
