Tuesday, January 13, 2015

The Story Of James and Ann Bird nee Viner

This is the Story of James and Ann Bird nee Viner.
 
 
The family name Bird comes from Middle English bird, brid ‘nestling’, ‘young bird’ (Old English bridd), applied as a nickname or perhaps occasionally as a metonymic occupational name for a bird catcher. The metathesized form is first found in the Northumbrian dialect of Middle English, but the surname is more common in central and southern England. It may possibly also be derived from Old English burde ‘maiden’, ‘girl’, applied as a derisory nickname. (Ancestry.com)
 
James Bird was my four times great grandfather on my mothers paternal side. He was supposedly born in France in 1820. His father Peter Bird is estimated to have been born around 1800.
 
I say supposedly as James led a colorful life, and possibly fibbed on census records as to where he was born, as most records of his life are from the coast of Somerset, England.
 
At the tender age of sixteen, James was tried for larceny on April 2nd 1836. He was dismissed with no bill.

 
At the age of twenty-five, on October 14th 1845 he was tried and got three months imprisonment for assaulting a police officer. His record on Ancestry is oftentimes confused for a younger namesake who is listed under him.
 

But within a year of being released, James married his sweetheart Ann Viner on March 17th 1846. She is quite a remarkable women, you'll have to keep reading to find out why. Ann was the daughter of Robert 1801-1848 and Mary Viner nee Emery 1801-1866.
 
 
But James hadn't quite learn't the error of his ways and was imprisoned yet again, but for the last time on record on January 5th 1847 for six months for larceny.
 
 
Sometime into James and Ann's marriage was the 1851 census which shows his occupation as a laborer, and their three children Henry, James and Mary Ann living at 29 Silver Street in Bridgewater, Somerset.
 
 
In the 1861 census, it no longer shows their son James. The couple now have Alfred, William (our direct ancestor), Charles and Edward. James' profession is a drover and they live at 157 Monmouth Street in Bridgewater, Somerset.
 
 
In the last decade of his life, in 1871 James was a laborer and had also taken in his one year old grandson Henry.
 
 
After twenty-seven years of marriage, at the age of fifty-three James passed away on December 9th 1873.
 
The twist however, is his commendable wife Ann brought the family circumstances up. She learned to do accounts and her children had respectable occupations as a pension officer, a police officer (ironic) and our direct ancestor William joined the Navy and served on  HMS Royal Adelaide.
 
 V574 - HMS Royal Adelaide
 
V575 - HMS Royal Adelaide
 
Some history on HMS The Royal Adelaide 
 
The Royal Adelaide was a First Rate ship of the line. Along with her sister, the Princess Charlotte, they were ordered in 1812 being an enlarged version of the Victory. The design was altered after being ordered, to include a round bow and stern. She was built at Plymouth Dockyard, the keel being laid in May 1819 and launched on 28 July 1828 by the Duchess Adelaide of Clarence. She measured 197.11feet x 53.11feet 2466 tons (4122 tons by displacement). The rated armament when built was 104 guns, on three decks, mainly 32 pounders but also 8in shell guns and carronades; she never actually carried this armament, as she never saw active service. After launch she went into reserve at Plymouth, not being commissioned until December 1835. She did not go far however, being employed as the local harbour guardship and flagship of the port Admiral, and was moored in the Hamoaze. In May 1839 she paid off back into reserve. She then lay quietly swinging around her anchor until April 1859 when she was again commissioned to serve as the local receiving ship (accommodation for new recruits) / depot ship / port Admiral's flagship at Plymouth. There she remained until 1891 when she went to sea for the first time in her life, when she was towed to Chatham. There she was used as a receiving ship (i.e. accommodation) and depot ship. She finally paid off in 1904 and she was sold for scrap in April 1905, being broken up in Dunkirk.
 
 
After her husband died, Ann went to live with her daughter Mary Ann Holman at 6 Barclay, in Bridgewater Somerset. She passed away a few years later in January 1894.
 

Update: January 16th 2015

I found out why James Wright was born in France. There was me thinking he was hiding a past, when all along he was born during his father Peter's service in the French Napoleonic War.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Whatever Is Lovely

I recently got a book, several copies actually of the book Whatever Is Lovely by Tina Krause. The book asks us to celebrate the good gifts and loving promises through thoughtful devotions, inspiring quotations and scripture with encouragement from Philippians 4:8.
 
 
I see life as a path. We all start at different points; depending on who our parents are, our circumstances and our health. Our end is imminent, and could happen at any time during our life's path. During our walk up the path, we all have choices, purpose and a legacy we leave behind.
 
Choices
 
Whatever consumes your mind, consumes your life. Whatever is lovely, is encouraging. Being an encourager is a choice. It is choosing not to be the critical of yourself and others in your life.
whatever is lovely / free printable
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." - Philippians 4:8
 
Purpose
 
Some days it's hard to think a clear thought, let alone finding and creating a purpose. Some of us find purpose in our professions, our hobbies or a talent.

"The Purpose of Life Is to Discover Your Gift. The Meaning of Life Is to Give Your Gift Away" -William Shakespeare.


While others biggest purpose is their home and family.
 
 
Legacy
 
Legacy is the memory you leave behind in other peoples minds. Personally, I never thought much about legacy until a year or two ago. Last year was kind to us, but the previous five years before that I lost two grandparents in '09, another in '10 and in '11 my dad got diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and fought until his death in '13. One day you'll be a memory, so do your best to be a good one!  
 
 
 
Whatever circumstances you face, be encouraged. Whatever is lovely is achievable. Focus on your purpose and legacy and take time to be at peace with your soul. These are my goals for time and eternity.


Monday, January 5, 2015

And A Happy New Year

 Happy new year darlings, are you ready for 2015? I am, but first a little recap of our New Years.
 
Two days before new years eve we drove through North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia to Florida to stay at The Carillion Beach Resort Inn. The Resort is along route 30A near Panama City Beach in Florida.
 
 
The next morning we started with brunch at The Great Southern in Seaside, Florida. The small coastal town where the movie The Truman Show was filmed,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
We had shrimp rolls from the Shrimp Shack before watching the sunset on the gulf in Seaside, Florida.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rosemary Beach, Florida
 
 
We had breakfast alfresco at the Summer Kitchen, and some birds joined us. Hubby took this picture of this precious bird just before it flew a-w-a-y.
 
 
 
 
 
That evening we had a romantic new years eve 'picnic' style dinner on our balcony while we watched the sun setting on the last day of the year. We talked about the past year, and how kind it was to us, and our hopes for this year and many years to come.
 
 
 
 
On new years day we drove back through Florida, Alabama (first time for both of us), Georgia, South Carolina back home to North Carolina.

Linking up with: The Dedicated House #123 Coastal Charm #243 Boogieboard Cottage #209
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