A Plot

The struggle for the minds and hearts of individuals has been an activity since the beginning of time as we know it. [Present day included!]  Since Henry VIII separated the Church of England from the Papacy of Rome, this struggle continued as a major issue between the Catholics and Protestants of  the day.  During the reign of James I, a plot was designed to continue the struggle.

The Gunpowder Plot it has been named.  The book by Alan Haynes [cover shown above] is a comprehensive account of this exploit.  First published 1994 it gives a broad coverage of this topic.  My own Jones family was Catholic during this historical period, and were involved heart and soul in many of these struggles.  My many years of genealogical research involved exploring and trying to understand these issues as branches of my family tree were exposed.   The book shown above was very helpful.

Printed in Great Britain by WBC Limited, Bridgend, it is in both hard cover and paperback.  Struggling with my own brick walls, understanding this religious conflict helped get around a few.

Elizabethan Age

Various political, social, and religious issues faced our ancestors.  These were often dramatically different than anything that we [our generation] have faced.  For my own family, growing up Protestant, Republican, and bleeding "blue" [Go Big Blue] in the Bluegrass of Kentucky, only to find out that my ancestors were Catholic, Monarchist, and literally bled their own blood, was a surprise. 

The Tudor family [Welsh] brought my Y-chromosome to the eastern side of Offa's Dyke.  Trying to understand this migration presented a number of brick walls.  The book by Norman Jones [cover shown above] provided many insights to this period of my family tree.  A focus on the issues that consumed the lives of my ancestors are given around the 1560's England.  Family values and making a living are presented.  How one did this as a Catholic family from Wales took some time to sort through.  What a deal.  A good read for those who share the same family tree branches.

"The Birth of the Elizabethan Age England In The 1560's" by Norman Jones [A good Welsh surname!] First published 1993, Blackwell Publishers Ltd., Cambridge, MA.

England's First Anointed Queen

No monuments exist remember this first anointed Queen of England.  To some, her anointing was a miracle in answer to their prayers.  To most, she became a symbol of dread. 

Her story is told in the text shown above.   Written by Carolly Erickson, and first published in 1978, it presents the period of English history that reflects conflict between the Church of Rome and a recently separated Protestant nation.  The complexity of this conflict present the genealogist with a bundle of "brick walls".   My own Jones family participated in a number of ways during this reign.  Understanding this context removed several brick walls for my own tree climbing.   Her reign [1553 - 1558] would make her " a symbol of tyranny".  Which side of the fence did your family reside?  Understanding this reign helped me connect all kinds of branches on my own family tree.  This book provides a window into this period of time.

Published by Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City, NY, 1978

Edward VI

The Celtic chromosome saw its last days during the six year reign of Edward VI.  His young life [died at age 15 years] intertwined with a number religious, social, and economic concerns.  He was a pawn between a group of individuals seeking to advance their own goals.  The book by Jennifer Loach is a good example, and broad discussion of this period in time.

To be raised a protestant, he became a instrument of many to achieve these ends.  However, his half-sister Mary was to follow him, and attempt to return things back to the Catholic faith.

The book is published by Yale University Press, New Haven and London in 1999. The social and religious transition is an important issue in many among the branches of my own family tree.  Understanding this important period in history helped me around a number of brick walls.