I’ve been amused and interested by some plaques I’ve seen in various places during the last few weeks, and wanted to share them. Part of my amusement stems from my frequent confusion regarding personages of England over the centuries, and how they are related. Chris patiently will explain the history of some of these people to me, as this is her country and she has an amazing memory of English royal history. My confusion displays large and persistent gaps in understanding titles and their relative importance (duke, earl, prince, consort, etc) and the history of offspring of this king or queen or whatever. These signs let me relax a bit about my lack of erudition in these matters, since they illustrate some amusing ways of creating and naming offspring.
The first sign is from Blenheim Palace, where this educational sign was prominently displayed. It tells me that sometimes offspring had a less than straight path in terms of family trees. I would have probably used another word instead of “Behind” in the below sign if I had written it.
The below sign we found in Winchester Cathedral. It made me feel less like an idiot when it comes to understanding the family trees of some English families. Copy and paste had not been invented yet, but might have been helpful in creating this family tree.
A Union of two Brothers from Avingion, the Clerks Family were Grandfather,
Father, & Son, successively Clerks of the Privy Seal. William the Grandfather had but two Sons, both Thomas’, their Wives both Amys, their Heirs
both Henrys & the Heirs of Henry both Thomas’s both their Wives Inheretrixres & both had two Sons & one Daughter, and both their Daughters issueless, both of Oxford, both of the Temple, both Officers to Queen Elizabeth & our Noble King James, both Justices of Peace, both agree in Arms, the one a knight, the other a Captain.
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