Tuesday, March 27, 2018

When fiction mixes with fact

I mentioned a few posts ago that my cousin, Jimmy, whose funeral we attended last week, was following in the footsteps of his ancestor, Thomas Chegwidden, who was also a teacher who played rugby for Swansea. When I wrote that on my Facebook page one of my friends commented that he sounded like a character out of Poldark and he should have a daughter named Alice. 

Well, he was Cornish and his sister was called Alice. But Husband unearthed much more of interest just a little further back up the tree.

Chegwidden was one of the derivatives of the Chenowyth - spelling in parish registers wasn't a particularly strong point - family name and, in fact, my 5th great-grandmother was Elizabeth Chenowyth.

Now if you're a fan of Poldark that name will ring a bell. Here she is, Elizabeth Chenowyth. Can you see the family likeness?
No? Well, maybe here in the family matriarch.
Yes, that's more like it!

6 comments:

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

My mother's always used to say on these occasions, "Ah yes, got the good bone structure."
She said that no one ever wanted to deny it.

PipeTobacco said...

This is about the plastic post... that is an amazing and wonderful goal!!!! I hope you will frequently update is on his progress. It will be very challenging but worthwhile!!!

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Hi liz. .I haveto read some of your posts two or three times to get it 😁😂😃 I dint see any family lines ..but hey maybe you aren't Welsh ..maybe Cornish 😍😍😍

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Oops I don't see any family likeness sorry.

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Do people still use the term Matriarch what exactly does it mean ?

Liz Hinds said...

Matriarch - strong woman, leading the family. I came from a matriarchal family starting with my great-gran and going on to my grandmother. And many of my ancestors came from Cornwall it's true. But I am welsh back several generations now.