Hello Group one and all, Have you ever wodered what family projects actually write about when they do decide to record for posterity the history of the clan ? I have given some thought and argued the case that perhaps it may assist someone who has often wish to begin writing, but for whatever reason such a task has not quite begun. Well, no, I am unable to post all 30 chapters writen to date of our clan, but I did manage to entice cousin JP, the Huguenot researcher of our lot, to allow some of his notes for publication. He has asked not to ridicule. Now I assume that he is historically correct however if you find that he is not, then now is your chance to correct another family's history. The "notes" as best as I can translate, are found below :- Leroy-Huguenot Years "Our Huguenot ancestors of the early 14th century and 15th century, had by now decided that money, land and legal study was all very fine, but as some of their ancestors had been busy studying theology with some success, it was time to try that line of occupation one more time. Jacques, who had been a cardinal over in Bourges for sometime, came to visit his cousins in St Malo. Cousin Pierre was not one to mince words and was often known to make comment regarding the need for the Catholic church to become a little more flexible with doctrine. As Pierre pointed out, the family had contributed greatly to the church lands and wealth over the last 300 years, maybe it was time for the church to send a few trinkets our way. Whatever the conversation with cousin Jacques, Pierre was not impressed and had already decided to head off to the Sorbonne to study theology. Hearing Cauvin (Calvin) rant and rave there, gave Pierre some new thoughts as he actually agreed with this young lawyer from Geneva. With Pierre Leroy now very much a supporter of the new Reform movement and the also new 'Calvinist' movement, he became a member of one of the 2000 Calvinist churches that dotted northern France by 1561. There came a time to decide what the future of his immediate family was to be. The Huguenots were by now a very strong political faction and were beginning to influence the court of the King, which was not appreciated by the Catholic church one little bit. Persecution and some very heavy means were brought to bear on these new Reformers. So much so, that Pierre, after discussion with his extended family, took to the English channel with all that could be loaded on a small boat. He and his family made their way to London and found suitable lodgings and took up the religion with purpose, worshipping in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral which had earlier been assigned for these new 'Protesters". The remainder of the family stood firm in Bretagne and Normandie and would take part in the eight civil wars against the Catholics until 1598. Henry IV signed the Edict of Nantes and all seemed to settle for a time. Across the channel while these wars were happening, Pierre and his children were not having it all their own way. The Walloons who had arrived from the region east of Calais actually spoke a slightly different language (Romand), had slightly differing views on Calvinism and were mostly canal diggers. The Huguenots, from Haute Normandie in general, were merchants, silk weavers, linen and velvet manufacturers and so the areas of Southampton, Kent and Wiltshire were settled. Some will have you believe that these Huguenots were always godly folk. Pirating of the Spanish fleet off Southampton was not considered evil, they were Catholics after all. Queen Elizabeth was not so happy with this pirating of her baubles as she had her own pirates to take care of that. And so with the plague of 1583 thinning the French Church of numbers, the Queen wanting them to move away from the coast and then a second round of plague in 1604, the Huguenots began to move en masse to the midland counties, only to come up against the local 'Fens" who didn't want more French folks taking their jobs and also the Walloons who were doing very nicely in this area. Those Huguenots who remained in Southampton after 1604 did manage to prosper and develop larger congregations although this expansion was slow. Our little family had divided and either married to a very comfortable family in Wiltshire or moved on up to Cambridgeshire. The move north by these ancestors was worthwhile, supported by the French Church of London all seemed wonderful until 1685, when the London Church decided to move even more Huguenots north to increase the numbers of Reformers in the area. The Walloons, who were by now well established, were not happy. They spoke a different language, their pastors were from the Netherlands and took offense to these new French speaking pastors trying to give orders. So much turmoil that eventually it turned into a heated conflict at Norwich. All of this was too much for our ancestors who had longed for far off France, it was "home" afterall. And so in 1690 the long trek by way of Belgium and Basse Normandie began. It had been 140 years since this line had been in Normandie and it was time to return" J-P Leroy - Manche (50), Normandie No he does not write as a historian but does tell ya good yarn which is based on fact. Kind Regards, Peter Leroy