2008 Percy reply

Garter Principal King of Arms
Mr Peter Gwynn-Jones
London College of Arms

 

Dear Garter,

I am sorry for my delay in writing but I have been awaiting assessments and advice from England regarding your decision and our options after you advised that “Edward (son of John Purse), baptized 8th May 1670, is not in my view proven”.  While I was disappointed by your decision and the two years it took to arrive at it, we are comforted that my genealogist's factual research in Dorset and Somerset has not been found to be incorrect.  While we sincerely believe her proven family tree has been well recorded and substantiated I find it troubling that you have quoted the repetition of Christian names in an unconnected town in support of our Edwards b.1670 rejection, yet the College of Arms have not applied the same genealogical tenet to one of England’s leading (now retired) genealogists “tree” which is so much better supported by :
         

          Same Taunton town
          Same Taunton Parish registers. St. Mary Magdalene (T.S.M.)
          Same repeated Christian names for over 9 generations.
          (T.S.M.) your “disputed” Edward  b 1670.  Thomas  b.1672.  Joseph b.1682. others.
          (T.S.M.) Edward  b.1692  (base born no proven siblings)
          (T.S.M.) Edward  b.1720.  Thomas b.1725.  Joseph b.1732.  Rebecca
          (Sherborne)  -                 Thomas b.          Joseph b.1759   Rebecca

Surely the above binds the 3 Edwards genealogically together?

Garter, while we may not always have agreed during the two years we have been at the College of Arms, we have always been respectful to each other and that is to our credit.

As we now push forward to our first and hopefully only application for the exhumation and yDNA analyses process I will ensure that you are kept informed of our progress.  It is my sincere hope that when that time arrives that you and/or the College of Arms will consent to bear witness to the process that will resolve this historic conundrum absolutely, as well as our over 200 year old Taunton and Sherborne provenances and our families long search for identity.

 Shirley (Kevin) Percy