Page 5 - It's a Rum Life Book One "In the Beginning 1947 to 1960"

what was once called Great Britain!
My wise old grandmother had always said that our family
history was a bit different and began before the Norman
Conquest. It was not until I needed her help to enable my
marriage to take place that much of the family history came to
light. The marriage bit and all the intrigue will come to later, in
the meantime sufficient to say that she gave me two volumes of
a family history created by her great Uncle in the 1800’s.
He was a wealthy business man living in the County town of
Ripon in North Yorkshire and had been Lord Mayor of that
esteemed Burgh for several years. Consequently he had the time
and money to research and produce the total family history in
three volumes. This began with the Norman Conquest or rather
a little before, going into the various branches of the family and
who their original Norman Ancestors actually were.
Mine was ‘Odo’ Bishop of Bayeux and half brother to
William. So it is fair to say that my ancestors came over on their
own ship!
These three volumes were produced in limited numbers so
that the head member of each branch of the family alive at the
time of printing received one copy of each of the three volumes.
My Grandmother’s grandfather was the recipient in our case
and she being the last surviving member passed on to me the
two volumes she had. Like many families there are disputes and
one of these three volumes was lost to another family member
at some time. Now, no doubt lost forever and due to exist on a
lonely shelf of some dusty bookstore until anyone interested in
the “History of the Family of Bayne of Nidderdale” should
discover its intriguing writings.

The official “Bayne” coat of arms.

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