Hi David
It's a long story and the Russells are not connected to my family (yet
)
It all began because I asked for a volunteer to take a photo of "Buckles" formerly "Hollyhurst" and someone found my post and volunteered to do so as he lived across the Common.My Grandmother was in service there in the early 1900's.He offered to deliver a note to the present owners for me if I'd like him to.How could I refuse
Following that,he asked me how he would go about finding out who lived in his house in the 1800s.The family were named Pankhurst,and I was happy to help in return for the favour.
That is when it got really interesting.He mentioned casually that the previous owner had given him some old documents that were found in the attic 40 years ago!!........................and that is where the Russell family come in.There were several documents,some of them bills ,a lease for Kingsdown Farm and other papers referring to the Russell family.
As you can imagine I was green with envy.There were over 100 papers,and over the next few months I managed to puzzle out some of the families mentioned.
I have since got a new computer and some of my notes are still on a disk somewhere ....................if I have kept them.
It would be unlike me not to have,but he moved house in 2006 and said his interest in the documents fizzled out after that.
I did my very best to persuade him to donate the documents to the Record office in Lewes,so that everyone could benefit,but he said that he left them with the new owner,who had an Antiquarian bookshop.
So I guess they could be sold by now
Anyway,I will send you a PM with my email address and see what I can find that may be of interest.
I
do have family in the Burwash area,so there may still be a connection.
Will be in touch
Barbara
