BUNKER-L Archives

From: "Bette Richards" <>
Subject: The Normans
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 08:33:36 -0700

Susie is talking about the area where the Bedfordshire Bunkers come from.
The descendants of the American George's from Nantucket and Charlestown come
from this area. I thought the rest of the list would be interested. Thanks
Susie. I was certainly interested. Bette

-----Original Message-----
From: susie morley [mailto:]
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 4:32 AM
To: Bette Richards; Gil Bunker
Subject: The Normans



I've always wondered about a possible French/Norman connection in the area
of Bedford that the Bunkers generate from.

Some of the localplace names have a very un-English sound; There's Marston
Moretaine, Houghton Conquest, Apsley Guise, Barton-le-Clay, all within a few
miles of Tingrith.

Lace making was very popular in the area, and I found a reference in one of
my books of children's rhymes that explained 'Jack be nimble, Jack be quick,
Jack jump over the Candlestick'.

Apparently the lace making was taken into the area by the banished French
wife (Henry VIII? I can't remember) and her court. The ladies whiled away
the hours making lace and then passed their skills on. Eventually a cottage
industry grew up and on a certain feast day, which may have been St
Catherine's, the girls played a game whereby they had to leap over a lighted
candle without extinguishing it with their long skirts. I'm just recalling
this from memory from over two years ago. I can remember that 'Cut Off Day'
comes from the day that the lace was cut from the pillow and taken into town
to be measured up and sold. The girls were paid by the length and on
certain days the merchants would be there to purchase their lace.

I don't know if the French souinding names come from settlements made by the
Court not returning to France or by Normans receiving grants of land after
the Conquest. I've been reading up on Conquest of 1066, as we live in the
area. Our car is serviced at Senlac motors and there are various places
with the name Senlac. It turns out that 'Senlac' means 'Lake of Blood'
which is how the Normans named the area after the Battle of Hastings. 'Lake
of Blood Motors' Hmmm.

Regards

Susie

This thread:

• The Normans by "Bette Richards" <>