Hi Colin, Sounds like we may have hit the jackpot!!! Please, please take your camera with tons of film with you. I can help cover film costs. See if he has Odard's sword!! Are you still on the List? If not, resubscribe and post your findings to all of us at the same time. I sent parts of your message from yesterday and am sending your message today. I'm getting excited NOW! Also, I have been redocumenting the PA John line and have primary sources from Hugh Dutton IX down to Hugh Dutton of Hatton. And from PA John back to Hugh Dutton of Woodhouses. There is a big undocumented emptiness of 5 generations between these two lines (see Lawson's chart). I hope that he can help for these 5 generations (but probably not--but maybe!!) I just wonder what all he has!! Thanks, Colin, for all your help, Carole ________________________ colin.dutton@bt.com wrote: > > Hi Carole, > > Well, I made contact last night with the young man who sent you the e-mail, > we spoke for over an hour and I can now give you an update of our > conversation. > > Eldorado!! I think that this may be our Eldorado as young Byron Hadley > (aged 16 years) has been entrusted with a wealth of Dutton information, let > me try to explain. > > As you already know, the main line of the Dutton family came to an abrupt > end in the 18th Century and the title of 'Lord Dutton' passed over to the > Sherborne branch of the family who were cousins and rightfully descended > from Sir Piers Dutton. Young Byron's grandfather worked for and was a close > confidant of the last Baron Sherborne and Byron's mother also worked on the > Sherborne estate. Byron took a close interest in the Dutton family and > although he never met the late Baron, he became quite close with the late > Baron's daughter and it was she who took young Byron under her wing and > talked for hours on end about the history of the family. Byron was smitten > and his interest has grown and grown and this was recognised by his > contemporary and he was rewarded by being entrusted with all of the family > artefacts. > > Artefacts, what artefacts I asked. Well, sit down Carole for here it comes. > > The family home of Sherborne Hall was handed over to the National Trust as > few years ago, but the contents of the Hall, family portraits going back to > Sir Piers Dutton, documentation spanning many years, family trees, yes > trees, Dutton pottery and other interesting items. He has many photographs > of Duttons and Dutton memorabilia, some of which he is sending to me. > > We discussed the whereabout of Dutton Hall, he only knew that it had been > demolished, he didn't know of its actual move to East Grinstead, Surrey and > was quite excited at learning this. He hadn't a copy of the 'Chart', which > I am now going to send him as he may be able to authenticate it from his > collection of family trees. His knowledge of the Sherborne side of the > family is quite extensive, all the way back to Sir Piers, so much so that he > has written a book which he hopes to publish in January that gives a brief > history on each family member, watch this space for an update. I am hoping > that when I have vision of these chronicles that it may help shed light on > the matter which has baffled you all over in the States and that is where > does John Dutton fit into the Dutton line. > > Byron tells me that the collection of portraits and other artefacts are to > go on public view at Sherborne Hall, hopefully next Easter but as he is the > custodian, I could visit him before them for a private viewing, wow!! > > He is adamant that the National Trust doesn't get its hands on everything > and that everything remains accessible to Duttons, what a man. He says that > the local library has copies of earlier versions of the Dutton's of > Sherborne, dated 1891 and previous and is happy that they are held there to > stop the N.T. from obtaining them. > > Well, I will be giving him another call real soon and hope to make > arrangements to visit him in a few weeks time as I will take time off work > during my partners (Liz) school half term holiday so that we can both go > down to Sherborne. Liz shares an interest in history which is a pleasant > change as my wife never really showed any interest at all. > > Regards for now > > Colin