Hi there,
The following is just a little bit “About” me so that you’ll know who is behind not only the Powditch History Blog (on WordPress), but also the old Group (powditch-family-history) on GoogleGroups, plus the webmaster/creator of the website (www.powditch.plus.com).
My name is John C Algar (I tend to use the pseudonym of jayseeay) and I have been interested in, and have researched, both Local and Family History since my mid-teens (I’m now in my mid-60s).
Born in England, where I enjoyed a private education, I later worked in London as an Architectural and Industrial Photographer.
In 1967 I moved to the Swansea area, and then moved to Southgate, Gower, in 1969 (the year my wife - Angela - and I married).
Although since my mid-teens I’ve had a fascination and interest in the topics of both Local and Family History (both of which are sometimes so intertwined it’s difficult to separate the two) my main research since the early 1980s had been the History of the Powditch Family, from c1196 to 2007 - the year of ’2007′ having been the year after the Second Worldwide Powditch Family Gathering, and also the year my health suffered another setback.
During the last 30 years, subjects I have researched, include;-
- a. Powditch – A Norfolk family c1196-2007
- b. William Powditch – An Early Trader/Politician in Australasia
- c. Seventeenth Century Puritanism in Swansea and Gower (q.v. my Research Notes Research into the life and career of Marmaduke Matthews of Llangyfelach (b.1606), vicar of Penmaen and St John?Juxta?Swansea, relative of Philip Jones and Bussy Mansel. n.d. 1990′s [2 files];
- d. Bible College of Wales [unpublished];
- e. John Kittridge Powditch and The c19 Copper trade in Chile;
- f. History of Oystermouth [unpublished];
- g. History of Pennard & Area (Gower) – website;
- h. History of Pennard & Area (Gower) – WordPress Blog
- i. Genealogical history of Morgan Morgans (1832-1906) and his descendants (N.B. access to this is only available to descendants of Morgan Morgans, and then via NING);
- j. Richard Harvey - Seventeenth Century Benefactor
….. whilst at the moment (2012) I am trying to recreate the (missing) Day Books of a leading Swansea (UK) Photographer - H[enry] [A[lfred] Chapman - by compiling on a database, the Negative Numbers written on the reverse of HAC’s photos, together with any known information about his Sitters, and thus reconciling Names to (currently unknown) Faces. As H A Chapman is alleged to have built up a library of 350,000 glass negatives by 1908, I just wonder whether I’ll live long enough to see the project be completed!!!
Besides the abovementioned interests and research, I have also written and self-published the book “Peerless Powditch’s”; Vol.3, ‘Norfolk Vacated’ (1989) – ISBN 1 872353 01 0 , have a Diploma in Local History (and written an [unpublished] dissertation for same relating to the History of a c17 Charity in Chard, Somerset), undertaken research actually in Australia and New Zealand (as well as in England and Wales), and have created and run several Websites and Groups, as well as been involved on the design of other websites.
Before being taken ill (1994) I also used to (in my ‘spare’ time) teach others “How to Trace your Family History” in local Colleges and Schools throughout the old West Glamorgan area.
As to what Research means to me, two particular items stick out in my mind. One relates to what a seventeenth-century Powditch wrote in a Parish Register, which was “Seek and ye shall find“, to which someone in a later hand had written, “and you will find it on page 25“, whilst the other relates to a kind helper who had invited me to look through part of her Library. When I called on her, she said that “to save me time [she] had looked through the books, but [that she] couldn’t find anything to help“. Undaunted, I too looked through all of the books, but whereas she hadn’t found anything, I found lots of information! Rather amazed by my discoveries, she said “but I did look” to which I replied, “yes, but whereas you looked out of kindness, I looked out of desperation!“
Whilst illness (including memory and concentration problems) don’t allow for me to do everything I would so much love to take on board (I often think that my middle name should begin with a ‘P’ - for ‘Procrastination’), I do hope that not only will you become involved with all of the Powditch Blog, but that you will also forgive me for the times when I don’t have any input on any of the existing subjects, or inclusion of new topics.
jayseeay
