WHILST DOING MY FAMILY HISTORY
I CAME ACROSS A LINK TO THE AMERICAN LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
IN CONNECTION WITH MY GREAT GRANDFATHER
WILLIAM GRAINGER S.G.M.
THE LIBRARY HAVE A LARGE COLLECTION FROM AN AMERICAN CALLED
JAMES MADISON CARPENTER.
HE TOURED AND COLLECTED FOLK SONGS, PLAYS AND THE LIKE.
IT APPEARS HE MET WILLIAM
AND OBTAINED
THE ROAD RHYME FOR HARTLEPOOL
ALTHOUGH IT DOES SEEM TO END UP AT THE RIVER TYNE.
ALTHOUGH IT IS CALLED ROAD , THIS JUST MEANT THE ROUTE THE SHIPS TOOK..
THERE IS A GRAET DEAL ABOUT THE INTERNET ABOUT THE COLLECTION.
IT SEEMS CARPENTER WOULD SIT AND TYPE WHAT HE HE WAS TOLD.
THERE ARE MISTAKES; STRANGE NAMES TO AMERICAN EARS AND HE JUST TYPED WHAT HE HEARD.
I THINK I HAVE SORTED THEM OUT.
THE ROAD RHYME IS THE SITES TO LOOK OUT FOR ON LAND AS THEY SAILED BACK TO THE NORTH FROM LONDON.
THE FOLKLIFE CENTER AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS KINDLY GAVE ME PERMISSION TO USE THE IMAGE IN THE PAST FOR MY FAMILY TREE SITE.
I HAVE INCLUDED IT HERE
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| LINE 2...SWIN.(AT THE MOUTH OF THE THAMES;WEST SWIN,EAST SWIN AND SWIN SPITWAY. LINE 4.. LINN COULD BE KING'S LYNN. LINE 5 ...DUDGEON ; THERE WAS A DUDGEON LIGHTSHIP. ALSO SPURN COULD BE SPURN HEAD. LINE 8...FAR OR NIGH , COULD BE FAR ON HIGH, LINE 10... NOR THE LEA COULD BE NORTHERLY. LINE 11... HENTCLIFF COULD BE HUNTCLIFF. LINE 13... HARTLEY POOL IS HARTLEPOOL .. A BITE IS A BAY. LINE 14... SEHAM IS SEAHAM. LINE 15... SOULER IS SOUTER LIGHTHOUSE. IN MY FAMILY RESEARCH I MADE CONTACT WITH A RELATIVE WHO LIVED WITH WILLIAM AS A CHILD. THE RELATIVE,S MIDDLE NAME WAS WILLIAM ; NAMED AFTER WILLIAM GRAINGER ; HIS GRANDFATHER. I ASKED IF HE EVER REMEMBERED AN AMERICAN COMING TO THE HOUSE IN A LITTLE CAR; WHICH BACK THEN WOULD HAVE BEEN ODD. HE SAID HE DID REMEMBER AND WENT ON TO SAY HIS GRANDFATHER TOOK CARE OF A BOAT FOR THE AMERICAN WHILST HE WAS AWAY ON HIS TRAVELS COLLECTING FOLK HISTORY. THE BOAT WASN'T PAINTED BUT VARNISHED HE TOLD ME. IT WAS SIMILAR TO A COBLE BUT WITH A MUCH SQUARER AFT. HE SAID IT WAS SOLD TO ONE OF THE PORT'S PILOTS WHEN CARPENTER RETURNED TO AMERICA. I TOLD THE LIBRAY OF CONGRESS THE STORY OF THE BOAT AND I DON'T THINK IT WENT DOWN TOO WELL , I THINK IT IS TOUGHT HE TRAVELLED WIDELY RATHER THAN STAY ANYWHERE LONG ENOUGH TO GO TO THE EXPENSE OF BUYING A BOAT. I SUPPOSE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER AMERICAN WITH A BOAT AT THAT TIME WHO PAID MY GREAT GRANDFATHER TO LOOK AAFTER IT FOR HIM WHILST HE WAS ON HIS TRAVELS? BUT IT SEEMS ODD THE ONLY RECORD OF HIS STAY IN HARTLEPOOL IS A ROAD RHYME FROM MY GREAT GRANDAD; WILLIAM GRAINGER S.G.M.1864- 1946 HERE'S WILLIAM RINGING THE FOG BELL ON HARTLEPOOL PIER IN THE 1930'S. |
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| BEACH BUOY. |
