The Risdons of Somerset
June 2003

Hello everyone

I hope you all arrived home safely from Risdon Descendant’s Day (RDD) after enjoying the day as much as I did. My only regret was that I did not have time to speak to all of you about your branch of the family and, of course, to get to know you. To those of you who stayed on in west Somerset for a few days, did you have a good time and isn’t it a lovely part of our beautiful country?

I’ve received many lovely letters of appreciation, for which thank-you to those concerned. I’d also like to say another huge thank-you for all the lovely gifts. The certificate was a lovely idea, and will go into one of my memorabilla files so, hopefully, future generations will be able to admire it.

Many thanks to everyone who entered family details on their respective pages in the files or on pieces of paper - all this has been entered up and put on the family tree. Incidentally, this might be a good place to mention that the software I use for the family tree, does not allow for the printing out of previous/subsequent marriages of spouses (sp = special people), so their omission is not necessarily a mistake made by me.

Somebody gave to me at RDD, a copy of Walter RISDON’s election papers to the Stogumber Parish Council in 1897 and 1898. Thank you very much for this, as it not only had Walter’s signature but also that of Caleb Giles THORNE which I also did not have. Caleb was the father-in-law of Mary Lee THORNE nee WHITE who was the widow for 53 years! If Walter appears on your section of the family tree, I am sure the donor of the above will not mind if I pass on copies especially as there are excellent signatures for Walter (born Escott 1841 died Monkton Heathfield 1919).