Penniedarling

I was speaking to my Aunt Pam the other day and we were talking about the 'Cobcroft Family', the 225 year celebrations are happening next month, then I remembered a competition I'd entered a few years ago and won!

The competition was through my Lilliput Lane Cottages Club, and we were asked to write a story about our favourite Cottage.   I knew this competition was held before we had the internet so I searched out my Lilliput Lane folder in the filing cabinet and found what I'd written way back in 1993!

I already knew a lot about my 4th Great Grandfather John Cobcroft, a convict sent to Australia in 1790 and on reading this copy I'm surprised at how much is true with only a little garnish here and there...
The large cottage is 'Hopcroft Cottage' and the smaller one is the Prize I won... called 'Golden years'.
                                                                                                   Wilberforce. N.S.W. Australia. April 1802

Mr. & Mrs. Joshua Hopcroft,
'Hopcroft Cottage'
Old Warden
Sussex. England.

 To my Dear Mother and Father,

      I know this will be a shock for you hearing from your son John so many years since you may have thought I had been dead.  All this time I have often had you in my dreams and thoughts, and especially our beautiful home.  I dream I am walking up the pebble path and pause to breathe in all the beauty and smells around me, the Yew Hedge so prettily trimmed around the fence on my right and on my left the rambling ivy falling over the brick wall, the foxgloves are in flower and so are the poppies.  The smell of flowers, vines and fresh mown lawns is so strong.  The front door is open onto the hall with the fire blazing and the horse brasses gleaming, I can hear cook bustling away in the kitchen shooing away my younger brothers and sisters from the freshly baked muffins cooling on a rack, the sound of chopping wood comes from the yard, I know this is my father.  I leave now and as I glance up at the windows upstairs with their lattice lead light panes I imagine I see mother searching out from the lace curtains and this is where I stop, the look on your face is so sad, is it because you have lost me, your son?

      How do I explain what I did on that wild afternoon with the friends you told me were no good.  I have paid for that now mother and I want to tell you that your son has done well since being transported to Australia.  I married a lovely girl, Sarah, who was nurse to Governor Lachlan Macquarie's children and we have nine living children all of whom we are very proud.  I was pardoned after only four years and given a grant of 30 acres which I have built up with hard work to 485 acres.  We have a comfortable home and I act as the local policeman. 

     Dear Mother and Father I changed my name on that fateful day so as to save you any embarrassment, I am known in Australia as John Cobcroft but my heart still remains in the home and the name of my birth 'Hopcroft'.                       

                                                      Your ever loving son, John.

I have since learned that John was an only child and his mother died giving birth to him, his fathers name was John but his Grandfather's name was Joshua.  Their home was in Keighley... but all the rest is true  :-)

Labels: Lilliput Lane