Bye Rod

Way back in March 2000 Rod NEEP had a bright idea; now that the technology was available why not scan in rare books, directories and census returns and put then onto CD; before Rod knew where he was the CDs were being produced in the UK and soon in USA, Canada, Australia, Holland and Ireland. There are now over 2,500
old and rare books on CD for sale to historians and genealogists. Sadly as Rod NEEP has decided to retire – again - Archive CD Books will cease taking new orders and the company will be closed down. The company is not being sold. I mentioned in this column recently that the company had a closing down sale and the profits from this are being used in the Archive CD Books Kenyan project; as Rod says "I am donating £20,000.00 from the proceeds of the GB closing down sale to the funds to build another new school in Kenya. (Would I like to keep that as profit? Sure! But there are others who can gain immense benefit from it). Everyone who has purchased our CDs can take some pleasure in that too". I for one shall really miss this resource but we will still be able to get disks from the other countries still working and Ireland is not so far away. Looking at one set of disks that I recently bought I notice that the Isle Wight census of 1861 is available for €17.17 plus €2.25 postage etc instead of £12.93 plus £2 p&p which at today's exchange rate looks like a bargain to me.

While on the subject of the Archive CD Books there are a series of indexes that you can download from the site. Along with Lincolnshire 1841 Pigots Directory and a number of other counties directories, there are seven 1841 censuses place indexes, numerous Visitation books, but not Lincolnshire. You will have to buy one from the Lincolnshire Family History Society who has indexed all the censuses plus just about everything else.

We have just rung a quarter peal at Elsham and wandering around the churchyard I came across the Yorkshire name ETTY. This one occurred mostly in the East Riding but by 1998 the highest concentration moves from York to Lincoln. The Lincolnshire families seem to come from the Sleaford area in 1881. A very similar name is that of ATTY and where ETTY came from the Old English word eata and Yorkshire, ATTY is from further north and from Old English teag, an enclosure.

Bits and Bobs THE BRITISH FREEHOLDER & SATURDAY EVENING JOURNAL - 18th January 1823 - DEPLORABLE OCCURRENCE - On Friday last, 10th inst., a melancholy circumstance occurred in the neighbourhood of Broadholme near Lincoln. Mr. COCKING, a respectable farmer of that place, in company with a visitor went out for the purpose of shooting rabbits. Whilst in pursuit of their game, a rabbit offered a good opportunity for a shot, by passing in a direction which, however, was obstructed by Mr. COCKING´S friend standing in that quarter. Mr. COCKING presented his piece over the head of his friend, who accordingly crouched down a few paces off - the trigger was pulled - the powder flashed in the pan, - and as the gun did not instantly go off, the young man who stooped conceived that the piece had missed fire, and arose from his bended position, when, shocking to relate, the contents of the gun were exploded within a few yards of his head, which was so dreadfully shattered, as to cause his immediate death.