My father, Edgar Smithson, was speaking of Richard (Dick) today (21 Jan 2014) and has many happy memories of him.

Catching up. Diane and I have now met up with my cousin Rita McIver (nee Calver) and we have been able to visit Ivy Farmhouse in Burnham Thorpe and Dairy Farm, Burnham Overy with her.

It was interesting to learn from other readers of their connection to Great Aunt Bessie and her husband Vet Charles William Heinemann also of her subsequent marriage in Ceylon, returning to Southend and eventually The Isle of Wight. (One of my mother's (Miggie's photos is of The Waldrens in the IOW where incidentally Miggie and my father William Branch stayed at Ventnor on honeymoon in 1932. The name of the bungalow called "Neuralia" there may enable us to locate it! We have some friends in Great Barford who have property in the IOW and a helicopter to get them over there with little hassle.

Reverting to the image above, we now believe the tall man on the left to be Blacksmith James Bennett and the woman standing, to be his wife Madelene Bennett, (nee Calver). They lived in Docking and on our visit with cousin Rita in 2012 we met the current owner of the Blacksmith's forge (a Mr Riches) who showed us inside, permitting us to take some photos of the interior. He mentioned that the ties hanging on the wall were kept there so that when a funeral was occurring (next door at Docking Church), a tie could be put on, so that respect could be paid as work ceased while the funeral took place. Photos to be added in Calver Descendants.

Great Uncle Harcourt Calver and Bessie did live at Roughton and the name "Holly Farm" was useful to learn. The story I heard was that Great Uncle Harcourt wished to marry his employer's daughter but this was not countenanced by the farmer for whom he worked. Although in the middle of harvest, he left the farm and went to Borneo where he was involved with a rubber plantation. Clarence Calver we understand took off for Canada.

Station Farm (the old house) was sold in 2013 but it seems the new owners have plans to demolish it to make way for a plush Holiday house on its paddock. It is early days but meeting them sometime might well discover if the oil paintings survived.

The Communion Cup is one of the church treasures and will be safely stored in the Bank I think.

Was he my great-great-grandfather?

A lovely picture of my great grandparents and my mum and auntie