All about us...including things you don’t really want to know

Right...like we said - this is a page about us.

 

Hi. We’re Jim & Rosie Wall and we live in Staffordshire, which is in the middle of England. In

ancient times our area would have been known as Offlow Hundred, that being a subdivision of the then shire. We’re also just about as far from the sea as it’s possible to be, here in England. See diagram for exact details:

 

 

 

Actually, we’re on the edge of Cannock Chase, a medieval hunting forest that has since been home to a mining industry, prisoner-of-war camps, stately homes (Shugborough) and more.

 

We live around five miles from the city of Lichfield. This is a very ancient place also, with its roots back in early medieval times, and a cathedral that has 3 spires, one of only two such

edifices in England. Staffordshire is also known as the Canal County, owing to its plethora of...well, canals actually. While on the subject of waterways, we are about 12 miles north of

Birmingham, which is alleged to have more miles of canals than Venice. That may be so, but we don’t get their ice cream or sunshine, although there is now a genuine Italian gondola plying its trade along the city centre waters.

So back to the background. We’ve both lived in Staffordshire all of our lives,

we’ve got no kids and we have a cat and a mortgage.  My wife’s maiden name was CHESHIRE.

 

If you happen to be researching your own family tree and you’re a Cheshire also, please feel free to get in touch in case we can fill in any blanks.

 

We are now both WALL family, so the same applies to this. Also, my original surname was DOWNS ( changed by parental remarriage ) and my paternal side is Scottish, many relatives being around the Glasgow area.

 

I also believe that my mother’s family originally came from County Mayo in Ireland, and the family name was COWEN or COWAN, depending on whether or not there was anybody around who could spell or who was sober, or preferably both (a highly unlikely scenario).

 

So, should you think you might be related in some way, and actually want to admit to it, then don’t be shy about asking. If we can fill in any gaps in your research, it may help us as well.

That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for a ferret.

    Neil Armstrong

            

         

          Us                                  A Long Way                                    The Sea