The Blyton Writing Gene

[bavers]

My mother’s death (Gillian Baverstock) in 2007 spurred me, like I suspect such deaths do for many, into “Who Do You Think You Are” mode. My aim was to discover the illusive link to the House of Hamilton my mother had told me, she, through her mother, was descended from. In short order I found my way to the Hanly household 1861 at 22 Dunston Street, Shoreditch, where, living with Michael Hanly b.1794 Sligo was my 2x gr grandmother Mary Ann Hanly b.1839 Ballyfatton, Co. Tyrone. The addition of the birth certificate for Mary Ann’s sister, Naomi Hanly which gave the maiden name of their mother as Martha Hamilton seemed to establish a connection. Searching the internet revealed the further link of Ballyfatton House in County Tyrone Ireland to the Hamiltons, albeit the relationship appeared very distant indeed to the Duke of Hamilton’s family.

Through further searching I found the marriage of widower Michael Hanly to Martha Hamilton 18 December 1837 at Church of Urney, Ballyfatton Co. Tyrone. Martha was the youngest daughter of Charles Hamilton Esq MD Ballyfatton Strabane. Understandably there was no mention of her mother but the newspaper announcement of Charles Hamilton’s death in 1843 sent my research into Co Donegal and to the most surprising discovery of all.

Charles Hamilton came from Ramelton, he was the eldest son of James Hamilton of Fortstewart and he married in January 1805 Mary Ann Cary, the eldest daughter of Micah Cary of Tiernaleague, Carndonagh, Co. Donegal. By the marriage settlement signed 19 January 1805 she brought her undivided share of certain leases which probably amounted to about £75 per annum to the marriage. She also possibly brought within her the writing gene which was to flower in her 2 x gr granddaughter 100 years later.

How do I come to this conclusion? Because of a man called John Norris Thompson b.1827 d.1906. He is my 2nd cousin 4x removed ie Mary Ann Hanly’s 2nd cousin and he set himself the task of collecting and copying letters, deeds, wills, poetry etc of, among others, the Cary family, He put it into what he called his “Nondescript Book”. In his preface he writes:

“My intention is to write a sort of nondescript book, which may amuse me while I write during some of my too many leisure hours; which I may like to read in my old age, if I should live to old age; and which may perhaps be read by some yet unborn with something of the interest with which I would read such a book written in Inishowen during the last century, were such a book in existence.”

Clearly from a genealogical point of view the papers have been fascinating and provide a narrative for this family through the 19th century. However, the large amount of poetry written by the various members of the family, in particular by John Norris Thompson’s mother, Mary Ann Rankin, Martha Hamilton’s 1st cousin is surprising. The earliest poem was written when she was around 20 and describes a church picnic, there are some 12 pages of letter poems written to a friend in the 1840s, a very touching poem, written to Micah Cary Hamilton, Martha’s brother, when his daughter and 5 grandchildren were lost on RMS Gothenburg in 1875 and another concerning the loss of the paddle steamer “Princess Alice” in the Thames in 1878. She was irreverent and not politically correct having no problems in mocking the church, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, and by some lines in one particular poem she clearly did not feel women were or should be obedient to men:

“Her slippers white satin – her gloves were white kid
And she solemnly promised to do as she’s bid:
Most clearly pronouncing that horrid obey
Which all of us know should be changed to go gay:
For with Windsor before us, the thing is quite plain,
That these times are the times for the ladies to reign.”

From M.A. Thompson’s letter to S.A.B. McNeile 9 July 1846

It was not only cousin Mary Ann Rankin who put pen to paper, although clearly, as she was John Norris Thompson’s mother, he had access to more of her writing than anyone else’s. There are poems by other cousins, a Thomas Rankin, son of another sister of Mary Ann Cary, who wrote an amusing poem to two other cousins, Caroline & Jane Metcalfe. 3 very sad poems on death by Jane Metcalfe who died of TB aged 19 as well as some of John Norris Thompson’s own poetry.

If anyone is interested in these families there is a short explanation at:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.anc ... rankin.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is clear from other biographical sources my great grandfather Thomas Carey Blyton wrote poetry, although sadly I have never seen any - even if they are still in existence which is probably unlikely.

However, it is not only the evidence from this “Nondescript Book” which indicates a possible writer’s gene passing to Enid through the Cary family. If one goes another 3 generations back to Mary Ann Cary’s great grandfather, Tristram Cary, we find a link to the acknowledged great Inishowen novelist and writer Joyce Cary, who was descended from this same man. Tristram Cary married twice, by his first wife he had a son George Cary, grandfather of Mary Ann Cary and by his second marriage to Margaret Cunningham he had a son Tristram Cary who was Joyce Cary 3 x gr grandfather. Finally the abstract of Tristram Cary’s Will dated 1726 gives the tantalising possibility he too wrote. By his will he leaves his M.S. to his son Tristram Cary,

Although it was my mother’s death which spurred me into action, I am so sad she never knew of this Irish link because I know how fascinated she would have been. I also know she would have been the first to leap on the plane with me in the, I hope not too distant future, to visit this beautiful part of Ireland.

I finish by enclosing three of Mary Ann Thompson many poems. Two are written to her nephew William Rankin, son of her brother Samuel Rankin. William Rankin never married and was as a great grandson of Micah Cary, the last of the Cary family to live at Tiernaleague, on his death the estate passed to a cousin of his mother’s. William Rankin is a second cousin twice removed of Enid Blyton and died 19 February 1897, 6 months before Enid Blyton was born. The third is written to another distant relation on her father’s side.

To Willie on his birthday

Dear Willie – Believe me I gladly remember,
That this is your Birthday the 8th of December.
And earnestly, fondly, and truly I pray,
You may see many happy returns of the day.
With sunshine unclouded to brighten for you,
The rest of your years like the past thirty two.
‘Tis just thirty two years since first you and I met:
But that merry meeting perhaps you forget.
You then sported no trousers, no books, no moustache,
But you cut in the buckskin’s an Irishman’s dash.
And that love warm and true, which that meeting did fix,
In this heart, on that night in the year thirty six
Has lasted unchanged from that far distant date
To December the Eighth in the year Sixty Eight.

To Willie …. With a book

Dear Willie – Pray accept this book,
And as you through its pages look,
I trust you always there may find,
Some story to improve your mind
That pleasure in the gift you’ll take,
And keep it for an old friend’s sake.

To Ella at Moneyglass

Ella my darling, take care of your bones,
When you ride steeple chases with Bumper Squire Jones.
For by smashing your bones you would pay rather dear,
To be in at the death of eight thousand a year.
So take my advice and go easy and slow,
In the old jog trot fashion you rode at Raphoe,
Let the gay belles of Antrim dash onto the front
While you slyly slip in at the tail end of the hunt.
Ring a clear tally ho in your musical tones,
And you’ll finish the bachelor life of Tom Jones.

[Anita Bensoussane]

How lovely that that Nondescript Book has come down through the family, Bavers. Fascinating - and I hope you manage to get to Ireland soon.

[Daisy]

What an interesting account Bavers - and I love the poems!
Coincidentally, I was watching Songs of Praise earlier and as it is celebrating 50 years on air, some clips of yesteryear were shown, and these included one of an interview with Donald(?) Baverstock, whom I believe is your father.

[Katharine]

Thanks for sharing this information and the poems with us. I'm sorry it took the loss of your mother to spur you to start your quest, however I hope you've enjoyed your discoveries.

[Aussie Sue]

Bavers,

Thank you so much for sharing this information with us. This is one of the real gaps, in the information that has been gathered about your Grandmother and her writing. When you consider how driven Enid was to write it's not surprising there is this path of writers in the family.

What an amazing investigation and very sad you were unable to share it with your mother. But once again thanks for sharing it with us. Your family has added so much to our lives.

I hope you do get to Ireland in the near future and I look forward to hearing about your trip.

Regards
Aussie Sue

[Moonraker]

Most interesting, bavers. Family history research can be most rewarding, and it was fascinating to read your post. I too would be most interested to hear about your future trip to Ireland.

[Wayne Pyer]

Lovely to hear from you again Bavers.
Very interesting to read about your quest and look forward to hearing about the next step to Ireland when it comes about.