Incidentals along the way

One thing about doing research is that you never know what else you might learn along the way - for example, looking at letters to Ursula from Harry Williamson in 1898 and 1899 I am also learning about British troops being sent to India, then to Cairo, and concerns about the situation in South Africa, and, from Clare Woolner's letters, about the building of the Lower Aswan Dam on the Nile River.  Every life is lived in a social and political context ...

Richard Bethell - Ursula's father

I got quite excited the other night, when I was just surfing the web, as they say, and found an Australian publication, "Eyes to the Future," which contains diary entries from William Bethell, Richard's nephew, giving a glimpse into the life of Richard Bethell here in Canterbury until he married Isabel Lillie in 1873.

It's the thrill of the chase, you know!

Upwards and onwards!

Ursula's parents almost married!

Who would have thought it would take this long to get to the point in the story where Mrs Lillie and children have returned to England following the death of the Rev Dr John Lillie and now Richard Bethell is putting his affairs in order to also return to England, where he and Isabel Lillie were married in 1873?

Yes! I am gradually getting there - and, hopefully, as I become more disciplined in my study habits (one paper per semester by distance through Otago University) perhaps I will also become more disciplined regarding work on this biography!

Victorian England

Gradually coming to the end of the background information stuff I have, and now looking at the history of Britain and Ireland during the Victorian era. There is also some stuff here about women in Victorian England. Then, when this section is done, I can either put all the background stuff into one chronological sequence or get right into the data I have regarding Ursula Bethell's maternal and paternal ancestors in Christchurch.

So, after all this time, things are finally moving along a bit!