Couch Family

8 Comments Posted on by dapperdaveanddinkydi Family history

The COUCH family from Port Isaac

It’s taken me months and months to write the story of my Port Isaac family because I’ve been sidetracked by so many deviations. It has been a lot of fun and has kept me occupied through Covid but I was determined to complete the story in 2020. The family connections are quite complicated but I’ve loved discovering and documenting so much information about the COUCH family. There is much more that I have not included here. I could have written a whole book, I reckon but I’ve focussed on the occupations of this intrepid family of seafarers. I hope you find it interesting!

It is now July 4 and I have made a couple of corrections to my story, thanks to my cousin Beryl and to Geoff Provis so I will attach the updated document.

couch-family-seafarers-july-2021Download

So here it is:

the-seafaring-couch-family-of-port-isaac-1Download

4 Comments Posted on by dapperdaveanddinkydi Books I’ve enjoyed this month, Family history, Genealogy

“The Things We Cannot Say”

I’ve been very lax with my blogging lately but I’ve just read this great novel by Kelly Rimmer, an Australian author & I want to spread the word about what a great read it was. The story begins with childhood sweethearts, Alina & Tomasz, in rural Poland just before WWII. We then meet Alice, in America in 2019. Alice & her husband have two children, Pascale, a brilliant 10 year old, & Eddie who is on the Autism Spectrum.. Alice loves her grandmother, Hanna, a great deal but Hannah is not expected to live long.

This is a mystery, a love story, a family history story……. it was just a great read. I didn’t want to put it down and I won’t tell you anymore as I don’t want to spoil it for you.

Another book I’ve really enjoyed lately was “Foreign Correspondence” by Geraldine Brooks, another Australian author. This is a memoir and begins with Geraldine sharing the joy she received from having international pen friends when she was young. I know just what she means as I corresponded with teenagers in England, Brazil, South Africa and Vietnam & I loved receiving those letters. Geraldine then went on to become a foreign correspondent and the memoir lets us see what life was like. It was a very enjoyable read.

I’ve been busy for some time now researching my Couch ancestors from Port Isaac in Cornwall so I can write their stories. My GG Grandparents, Elizabeth Couch & her husband, Isaac Hawker migrated to Melbourne Australia in 1862. It’s an interesting journey I’m on. I think I’m related to nearly every one of the original families from Port Isaac, at least by marriage. I’ve read a couple of books as part of my research & they include photos of and stories about my relatives. Both of these books are by Geoff Provis (I’m even related to Geoff by marriage). The books are “The Fishermen of Port Isaac” and “The Seafarers of Port Isaac”.

It’s a very strange world at the moment. I’m very lucky that I can fill my days with reading wonderful stories, researching the story of my family and playing bridge online. It was very difficult when we couldn’t see the grandkids but the easing of restrictions has made life more pleasant.