A Day in Bury St. Edmunds

I am having a great time here in Bury St. Edmunds. I have begun to realize that my family roots are quite strong here and have actually been spending time in the Suffolk County Records Office more than in the Abbey Gardens on a sunny day, which I think might be a sin but.... I am glad for forgiveness. I have discovered a few more layers of family and have even connected with a second-cousin once removed or something like that in Australia. This could be very interesting.

I also talked to people in a local antique store to discover a few little tidbits about the Bright family (yes they were bright - remember I am related but they were also named Bright). I also had an interesting conversation about the practice of many English people to attend church for christenings, weddings and funerals and nothing in between. I also learned that my great great grandfather had 4 churches, not 2. Back a the Records office for a second day I think I found another layer of my Sowter family so things are going well.

Yesterday was prayer service and coffee at the Whiting Street Church here in Bury and then a walk around town on market day. This is a great market town with markets on Wednesday and Saturday year round. I was amazed at what was on sale - free range eggs, local cheese, brooms and needles, batteries and undies and you name it. I really enjoyed looking around and picking up some eggs and rhubarb for the family I am staying with.

My church work today consisted of riding through the countryside of Suffolk to four churches with a local pastor who has responsibility for all at 75% time. Some of the congregations are only 3-4 members but they are still opened. It is interesting and was great to hear his call story and how he balances all the demands on his time and continues to serve the congregations. He will retire in a year and it will be interesting to see how the denomination works with these tiny congregations. He was also very kind and drove me past the church in Stansfield that Thomas Sowter pastored for a brief time.

Tomorrow I will go to Tiptree where my great grandfather Eustace Sowter was born and see the church Thomas worked in and hopefully the manse that Eustace was born in. The folks there have been warned I am coming and I believe they will share whatever they have that might be of interest to me. I also hope to get some wonderful jam.