This one is complicated. Rebecca and Bethany have found a distant Burrow relative and I played a small part in it.
Last summer while looking for something else I found the photo above. It was taken by my grandfather’s uncle, J C Burrow, exactly 100 years ago and is of of an ancient church in Cornwall. J C Burrow was an early photographer and was one of the first to take photos in mines.
On the back is some information about the site. I emailed it to Rebecca who was in York with an offer to fund a trip for her down to Cornwall to find the church and whatever else she could about J C Burrow. Before she went my brothers Tom and Matt contributed more information and many more scanned photos. And it turned out that Bethany, Tom’s daughter, had made a previous expedition to Cornwall and had lots of information. Armed with all of this data, a rented car and a few friends she headed to Cornwall. She couldn’t find the site of the church but did visit the Royal Cornish Museum and one of the docents told her about a woman named Rosemary Richards. She is a granddaughter of J C Burrow and sometimes worked as a volunteer at the Museum.
Pretty cool but it gets better. A few weeks later Rosemary showed up in York to visit Rebecca. She wrote down her mailing address on a piece of paper along with a sketch of the family burial plot in Truro. I’m going to send her a postcard and perhaps sponsor another expedition. Any volunteers? You may have to go soon because Rosemary is quite old.
I can’t explain why, but it is very nice to have found a distant relative.
It is great to hear some of the history or our family. I didn’t hear many stories growing up. Reading them here makes me feel not so alone in the world.
My 2nd Wayfarers walk was in Cornwall and it started in Truro. That’s “Rebecca” country. Go, Simon & Nurit, Go!
Kollin
I agree. The feeling of being connected is very real.
Josie
I’d like to walk in Cornwall but Nurit is worried about the weather.
Awesome to hear we have more relatives & I’d volunteer to go.
We have several relatives in Cornwall. Granma Burrow, The original Rebecca, Had a brother Charles who has two children, Also I will volunteer.
If you want some fun feeling connected, try loosemore.co.uk Luzmore was granma Burrow’s maiden name.
I was interested to read your blog. J C was my great grandfather and I was named after him. My dad George Burrow was J C grandson and brother to Rosé Curtis nee Burrow who is was the mother of Rosemary Richards who I know as Hazel Richards my cousin. 🙂
John
What a pleasure to hear from you. Is Hazel Richards well? She spoke to Rebecca about a collection at the Royal Mining Museum and a book. Do you know if anything is going on with either of those? It turns out that writing a blog for many years has finally paid off.
Simon
Simon. I have just spoken to Hazel, Rosemary and we are going to meet up soon. I will keep in contact with you. We live in West Cornwall and will let you know the information you asked
JC was my great grandfather. My father was C. K. Burrow
We met Hazel in South Africa some years ago. We are now resident in Australia.
Ann,
Nice to hear from you. My father’s brother John emigrated to Australia in the late 1950’s and his son Chris lives in Emilinyt. We are in loose touch.
Hi
I have been researching J C Burrow for a number of years, particuarly his underground photography with Herbert Hughes. I have quiet a lot of information on his work but not much about the man himself and would be interested to fid out more
Regards
David
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