Winchester and the Burgons - another favorite day

We attended church at the ward closest to the airport. It was nice to hear english again. It is a large ward with very devoted members. They had stake conference the week before so it was testimony meeting again. The ward was dealing with a serious problem with one of the men. The testimonies were strong. The Sunday School teacher is a small, young woman who taught a tremendous lesson. We really enjoyed the experience.

We left before Relief Society so I could perpare for our trip to Winchester. I had studied Heber Burgon's missionary journal as well as the diary from Emma and Willards visit to the area. They listed addresses! I was so determined to find them! I mapquested and researched, trying to make the trip as easy for our "angel guides" as possible.

James and Matilda lived in Winchester from 1855 to 1880. James and Willard worked at the bakery in the Winchester Prison. In his later years, James had serious financial problems. The Trinity Church provided money for him and several times he applied to live in the Alms House (Poor House) On those applications he listed his addresses!

"Willard was born on November 5, 1853. Two years later the family moved to Winchester, where Willard spent his childhood. His parents joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1850 and when Willard reached the age of eight years, he was baptized, 4 September 1861. Willard was the fourth of six children in the family. It is said that Willard and Heber were named after Willard Richards and Heber C. Kimball who stayed in the Burgon home when they were visiting in England."

Grandpa Heber Burgon visited Edith, Ebb's daughter on his way home from his mission in Ireland.

"March 28, 1905
I bid all good-bye at 75 Desborough Road at 9 o’clock and took train to Winchester the birthplace of my father. Arriving there I hunted up my cousin Edith (uncle Ebb’s daughter) and found her at 48 Hyde Abby Road. She was pleased to see me, and talked me in the notion of stopping over until the next morning. After dinner her husband, a postman, Mr. Pearce, took me for a walk about the town. We went to Winchester Cathedral and the old college, which are several hundred years old. We then went up on top of the hill and had a good view of the city. I also saw, in the distance, the old jail where my father’s father used to be a baker. From there we went to the “West gate” of the city, where we saw lots of old relics. I spent the evening in with Edith and had a good talk with her on the Gospel and bore my testimony to her concerning the restoration of the same. I retired about 10:30 o’clock."

I had planned to follow his walk through the city. But that was not possible.

However, our dear freinds, the Manuels, drove us first to the Winchester Cathedral. It was great to walk around, knowing that Grandpa Burgon had visited 103 years earlier and that James and Willard lived near buy 130 years earlier.

The Cathedral is beautiful and has a great amount of history. Jane Austin is buried there. There was a service going on. I made everyone wait till the choir sang, expecting something wonderful. The acoustics were terrible - I was expecting something like the Tabernacle!

Next we tried to find the house James and Willard lived in. I had the address - 53 Middle Brook Street.

I should have realized. Everything I was looking for was within a 1.5 mile radius. They must have walked to work, to church, to their cousins house - even to the Alms House.

The most logical thing to do was to park and let me run around discovering the footprints of my favorite ancester, James Burgon.

First we found the address Heber visited in 1903 - Edith's home at that time. (48 Hyde Abbey Road)

Down one street, turn left, walk a little ways and there is Upper Brook Street, which is the back entrance to the Holy Trinity Church.

Another small block and there it was, the street James lived on.

As I was taking photos of the buildings and frantically trying to find #53, a couple arrived at

their home. They were so helpful. Their unit was built in 1850. They bought it because they love old building and they had just finished renovating it. The ones James lived in were across the street and had recently been torn down and replaced by

new townhomes.

Down that street and turn right, and there is the Alms House.

And 1 mile to the west is the Prison which housed the bakery where James and Willard worked - and it was there that 12 year old Willard developed health problems from the flour in the air, which was the primary reason James and Matilda sent him ahead to Zion.

This was a good day.

Why is it important to me to find these places. I can't really explain. But having walked the streets these people walked, I sometimes sense them, feel their presence, understand them a little better - which in turn helps me understand myself a little better.