Topsham Connection Grandpa

How interesting that Grandpa lived in Topsham in the early '60's I wonder where he lived... Retreat Road would be very spooky...
Another Photo for the collection ..Jonathan holding Phoebe last week

PS) Joe is still doing the Bristol Half Marathon on Sunday 9th September so not too late if anyone wants to sponser him, please click on the link Nic has put on the blog above, thanks xx

New Job!

Hello Everybody!

Glad to hear Julian had a fantastic birthday party you all look pretty 'happy' in the photos! Ha ha!! I'm amazed we all managed to keep it a secret to be honest, it wasn't easy not to let the cat out of the bag! Very sorry I couldn't attend, never one to miss a good party, but we were away in France. Had a great holiday, we stayed in Joe's parents cottage near La Rochelle in the country side, miles away from civilsation and drank lots of red wine and I ate double own body weight in croissant!! Weather was sunny for most of the time so lots of trips to the beach and BBQ's in the evening. We spent a very interesting night with Claude and Ya Ya (Joe's parents friends who speak NO English) when they kindly invited us for a 6 course meal at their house. We managed to converse in something like French for more than 5 hours, pretty amazing as neither Joe or I really speak very much French at all. Think the Bordeaux vin rouge assisted somewhat!!

Anyway, now back in Bristol and looking forward to starting a new job for the Royal British Legion as an Employment Adviser. Will start on 01/10/07 and means I will be working from home and driving out to people in their work places to try and assist them with things they need to stay in work if they have health problems or disabilities. Can't wait to start, maybe will get a dog if possible now I won't be in an office all day! Also. will need some company as Joe is off to the south coast on Sunday to start his teacher training! He will be back at weekends though, so hopefully we won't pine for eachother too much. Although I think we will!! Ah!!

Anyway, hope all is well with everybody and Sally, are you having another party this year? Nic, when are you leaving the country? Must see you before you go!!!

Big hugs to you all

Abi xxxx

F J HOUGHTON - Obituary

This is the newspaper obituary for Jonathan Frederick Houghton. Father to Adrian, Christopher, Jonathan and Annette.
He was born on 1 November 1894. He was commissioned into the Royal Leicestershire Regiment before WW1 and as a captain was severely wounded on the Somme in 1916. He lay unattended in no-man's land for three days.
He drove Lagondas at Brooklands between the wars and was a partner in a garage in Guildford.

Click to enlarge

In WW2 he was a Lieutenant in the RNVR until 1942 when he was seconded as an inspector of landing craft.
In 1947 he took a farm at Burrowcombe. His first wife died in 1954. Later he married May Gill and moved to Topsham before moving to Tiverton in 1963.

‏

JULIAN'S SURPRISE 40TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

Well it certainly seemed to be a surprise to Julian when he was directed not to Clare's house, but to the Bude Band Hall last night. And aren't we all relieved that it is out in the open and we don't have to keep it secret anymore.
Well done to everyone that was involved in the organisation, but especially to Tania who was the leading light behind the whole thing.
Graham, Sally and Nic were delighted to be a part of the celebrations. It was good to see you all as ever and to meet the newest addition to the family.

HBP GATHERING CANCELLED

The HBP gathering for 21 July in Devon has been cancelled.
No attendances from Portsmouth were expected and the new mother and child in Bude would not be able to travel easily Jonathan is also away in Greece.
Nic suggested that the gathering might be rescheduled for September before his departure on 25th

BURNOUT PARADISE

Jonathan has been working on EA's Burnout Paradise game. If you are into that sort of thing click on the link to watch the trailer.

NEW ADDITION!

ESS+STOP PRESS+STOP PRESS+STOP

SAM

had a

BABY GIRL

at

3.20 am this morning

Sunday 15 July 2007.

8lb 8oz

No name yet, but all doing well

EMIGRATING

I booked my flight last night
and leave UK on 25 September.

NIC IS MOVING

I don't suppose anyone will read this, but don't say I did not tell you.

I am moving to The Philippines in September. This may be for a few months or it could be more permanent.

So now you know.

I hope I will get the chance to see as many of you as I can before I go so you can buy me a farewell drink.

Visit this link for photographs of where I am heading:

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/nicknight2000/album?.dir=218bre2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

Nic

ANOTHER DATE FOR THE DIARY

Sally, clever though she is, has still not grasped the skill of posting to the Blog. She has gone off to Corsica for two weeks and asked me to Post the following:

HBP GATHERING

SATURDAY

21 JULY 2007

Noon

Sally's Place

Woodbury Salterton

[Phone for directions: 01392 879225]

If you cannot make Saturday, you are welcome on Sunday

NEW PARTY DATE!

Hello All!

havent checked in lately so a few new posts since last! Gosh Joe, well done you for commiting to doin the half marathon. We most definalty will be sponsoring you. You're going to have to sleep a week before and after surely?!
I know I posted a message a little while ago about a surprise party for Julin - well hopefully its still happening but now on a different date. its actually going to be Saturday 11th August. I have an absolutly brilliant funky live band booked so it should be worth the trip down for a good knees up! It would be handy if I could have anybody postal address as I will send out some invites nearer the time.

Alls well here in Bude. Hope everyone is well. Take Care Ju Tan & Amber x

BRISTOL HALF MARATHON

Hi folks,
Just a quick note to let you all know that me and my mate Dave are running the Bristol half marathon on Sunday 9th September 2007.
Dave's god-daughter is deaf and has had loads of help from The Ear Foundation, so we thought it would be a good idea to get together and see how much we can raise, so that they can continue to help people with hearing problems and add to the tremendous work which they have done so far.
If you want to sponsor us (any amount will be gratefully received) then please go to the following website:
http://www.justgiving.com/DaveandJoe
I know that you lot are all lovely people and that the cause is a good one, so I've no doubt that we'll raise quite a tidy sum!
Thanks for your support and if you want to come and laugh at us on race-day, I'll be the one in the ambulance.
Thanks,
Joe

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

4 MAY

THE HOUGHTON BEACH PARTY

CONGRATULATES

TIM & MARIA

ON

ONE WHOLE YEAR

OF

MARRIAGE

Psst! It's also Maria's birthday

I moved to Belfast

Hello everyone. Just a quick post to let you all know that I have moved to Belfast. I hope everyone is well, and I apologise in advance that it may not be easy in future for me to attend family gatherings.

Love Karla x

VISIT TO PORTSMOUTH

Following a routine call on a Bridgecraft stockist I found time to pay a visit to Aunt Margaret. Once I had got by the vicious guard dog (Milo), Aunty M put the kettle on and made me a welcoming mug of tea and got out the cake. It was not long before the house was thronging with Denny, Jenny and the children. The adults sat around chatting about this and that, until it was time to leave.

Aunty M showed me her new lap top computer. Soon she expects to be wired up to the internet and blogging with the rest of us (such as we are).

I mentioned my visit to Dad's (Jonathan F.K.) grave and how the Rowan tree is doing. I have posted pictures of my visit last Tuesday in the Album (link in the Blog margin).

Nic

party in bude

hi everyone.

i also want to thank abi for all her hard work to do with the family tree (even though its not my blood family!) I know Julian is very grateful and seeings as he has no idea how to get online i shall thank you abi on behalf of him!! hopefully we will see you sometime over the weekend anyway.

This is just a quick message to do with julians party. I have now had to change the date to the SUNDAY 19th AUG not the saturday 18th as the town band are using their hall that day as Bude Carnival is all happening on saturday (even more of a reason for people to come down for the weekend and celebrate!). Thats all i can tell you for now but I do so hope that as many of you will be able to come down for it. Its not going to be a big affair but just something to enjoy and celebrate with Julian and myself. we will have our lifegurad lodger in our upstairs room but we do have a small spare room and big back garden if anone wants to stay or camp!! Ideally though it would be nice to make it a surprise but if that doesnt happen so be it.
Hope everyone is well. Ju, Amber and I are all off for our holiday to Egypy in a coupld of weeks so we are looking forward to that. We havent been abroad all three of us together ever!! The last time Ju and I went abroad Amber was just a little bump in my tummy!!
Love to everone take acer all Tani x

FAMILY HISTORY

Nic,

I don't have a copy that can be emailed as I typed it on my ancient computer at home. However, there is a lot more information on my genes reunited site along with a family tree that dates back to the 1400's from both Houghton and Knight sides of the family. Once you have registered (costs about £8) you can send me a message requesting me to open my tree and then I can give you and whoever else wants to view it, access to it. The photos are a lovely idea and a nice tribute to Dad for his b'day. I have thought lots about him this week and lit a candle in the cathedral for him yesterday. I bet those daffodils that we planted for him have appeared by now, hopefully I'll get to go and have a look next weekend on our way to Bude. We are going to stay for the weekend in Claire's house while her and Keith are in Lanzarote. Can't wait!

Would it be ok for you to send me back the originals of the photos I gave you last year? I wondered why there were lots of gaps in my album and had forgotton I gave all my photos of Dad to you for the booklet you made for the funeral. Thanks Nic.
PS) hope the new job is going well! x

I have created a link as promised to an album containing photographs of Jonathan Frederick Knight to mark his birthday (11 March 1931). Watch it in 'slideshow' mode.
I have also made Tania an Administrator for the Blog along with Jonathan.
Well done Clare for posting a Comment; but how about becoming a full-blown member? Ask Tania to email you an invitation.

ABI ' S FAMILY HISTORY WORK

Abi,
I received my bundle of family history. Its a very good effort on your part and you are to be commended for it.
I had not known that Dad had won a scholarship to one of our most prestigious hall of learning.
You might have saved the postage and a few forests by emailing the material (or at least printing double-sided) though.

I suggest you retain the master copy which will in time be added to I hope. I would welcome an emailed copy. If the attachments are not in electronic form then I can scan the ones you sent me.
Well done again.
I think perhaps that you, me and Tania are the only people that read this Blog. Such a pity.

PS Its rather poignant to observe that today would have been Dad's 76th birthday and that Tuesday will mark the first anniversary of his death. As a tribute I shall add some photographs of him that I recently came across to the Blog's Album later today.