Monday, 17 August 2020

2020 UK Meeting - Cancelled

The 2020 UK meeting of researchers (which is often held in September) has been cancelled. In 2021, we will revisit the pandemic situation and decide on the best way forward for our next meeting.

Thursday, 14 February 2019

2019 Gathering in North Carolina

I'm planning for the subject event for the first full week August, 6-8, 2019.

This event encompasses all Davenports who have participated in the triennial Davenport Gatherings of prior years. This doesn't limit other Davenport Lines that haven't participated in the past and may want to attend this year's event.

I'm planning the event for August 6-7th for meeting and presentations as a group in Edenton North Carolina, and 8th for a cookout at our Silas Davenport Family Farm on the Scuppernong River, Columbia, North Carolina.

I have the 5th of August available in case we need a third day for meetings in Edenton. I welcome your immediate inputs for recommended agenda topics in determining if we need a third day in Edenton. That will help me in solidifying any additional reservations at the hotels and the meeting facility as well as the meals. Please bear in mind we are limited to Monday through Wednesday for the meeting facility.

I have arranged for limited hotels rooms for check in on the evening of the 5th of August and check out on the morning of the 8th of August. These reservations are at a reduced rate and are based on a first come first served basis. You will be responsible for making your own hotel arrangements.

I have reserved a meeting facility for two days that can handle 200 people. If I need three days, I will need to know soonest.

Also, I'm planning on a light breakfast snack, lunch and dinner for everyone for 6th-7th, and I'm still in the infancy planning stage for the picnic. I will make the arrangements for the third day (meaning the 5th of August) for additional meals, meeting facility and hotel accommodations if required.

Please provide me with your agenda recommendations and the number of recommended days you want to meet in Edenton. It's important that I get back with the hotel managers if I need to arrange for everyone to check in at the hotel on Sunday evening the 4th of August versus Monday evening the 5th of August.

If you do plan to attend, please let me know ASAP:

1. The names of those in your family planning to attend (I will need to know how many people in your family are children under 10 years old and under 5 years old. I have negotiated a reduced price for children's meals).

2. Your Davenport Family Line.

For example:
Michael L. Davenport, Barbara Davenport (wife) and Jessie Davenport (mother) no children under 10 years old or under 5 years old; Richard Davenport of Albemarle North Carolina and Kilby Parish Leicestershire England.

If you intend to participate in the picnic at our farm, please bring two old style metal coat hangers with you. More to come about this subject.

Hope you will attend this special event and enjoy your stay in North Carolina.

Respectfully your cousin,
Michael L. Davenport
(Michael.ldavenport344@yahoo.com)

Sunday, 12 August 2018

2018 Lunch

UK Davenport FH Society annual meeting 08 September 2018 at
The Shires Inn, Peatling Parva, Leicestershire
Post code LE17 5PU
Tel. 01162478271

The lunch is planned to be served at 1300, and we suggest we meet up at 1200.

After lunch we transfer to the function room at the village hall to hold our meeting, where there are tea/coffee facilities.  The village hall is some three hundred metres from The Shires Inn, and the Inn confirms we can leave our vehicles parked there whilst we are in the village hall.

For more information or to RSVP please contact:
Ian Davenport
ibdavenport@lineone.net

Monday, 18 September 2017

2017 Gathering

2017 Gathering in Peatling Parva, Leicestershire

Thursday, 21 January 2016

2016 Lunch

Would you like to join us just for lunch at the Manor House Hotel on Saturday 10 September?

If so, please send a cheque for £20.00 per person to the address below to book your place.

Ian Davenport
18 The Grove, Parkfield
Latimer, Buckinghamshire
HP5 1UE
United Kingdom

On the day, Davenports should assemble at 12:15 in the area adjacent to the Dining Room at the Manor House Hotel.  The meal will be served at 1300, with vacation of the room at 1530. This should allow sufficient time for a final summing up prior to disbanding.

We hope to see you there!

Sunday, 17 January 2016

Registration Form

Well, here it is, a new year. Will it be abnormally cold? Abnormally hot? Abnormally normal? Whatever, I am planning to travel with my family to Cheshire, U.K. this September for the Davenport Gathering. Many of you have already advised me that you are interested in coming along. Well, now it's time to get serious about travel planning.

As you can see from previous posts, we need your registration by June 30, 2016.  You can complete my Registration Form and return it to either of the following addresses along with your registration check ($200 or £130 per person).

Jim Davenport
PO Box 297
Buena, WA 98921
USA

Ian Davenport
18 The Grove, Parkfield
Latimer, Buckinghamshire
HP5 1UE
United Kingdom

In Cambridgshire for Christmas just past, Pam, Lara, Jonathon and I had lunch with Ian and Marjorie. They report several trips to Cheshire last Autumn making arrangements and scouting tour timelines. Anyone who knows Ian (the engineer), knows that every detail has been thought of (and there will be lots of significant bits of information to be learned). And anyone who knows Marjorie knows that you will have the most gracious and happy journey. (Pam and I spent 3 weeks with Ian and Marjorie touring Yellowstone, Glacier and the mountains of the Pacific Northwest in Spring last year. These are great people to travel with.)

I look forward to hearing from you all.

Best of health and success to all of you in the new year!

Jim Davenport
(Washington State, USA)

Saturday, 9 January 2016

2016 Gathering Update

Dear friends,

During the 2013 Davenport Gathering at Edenton NC, many family members attending expressed interest in seeing the Cheshire UK territory from which this Davenport family has evolved.

We had talked of our next family Gathering taking place in Stamford Connecticut USA, but due to the interest voiced concerning our Cheshire `roots` this has been set aside in favour of Cheshire UK. This will probably be the last Gathering in Cheshire for the foreseable future.

We have included the following within the itinerary:
  • Capesthorne hall, historic home of the Davenports and later Bromley Davenports, home to Sir William Bromley Davenport.
  • Prestbury St. Peters church, where we meet the good people of Prestbury for afternoon tea in the church. Vivian de Davenport was buried here in the 13th cent., and Davenport association with St.Peters lasted until the late eighteenth century.
  • Ancient Bramhall Hall, home to the Davenports for four hundred years.
  • Marton village and wooden church. 
  • Davenport, the `township` by the river Dane, where we have so kindly been invited to visit the privately owned Davenport Hall, one time location for our earliest ancestor Orme de Davenport. 
  • A day briefly retracing the footsteps of the 13th cent. notorious band of Davenport `sergeants of the peace` including the high moorland country along the Derbyshire border. Macclesfield forest and the Forest chapel high in the hills, a call at closeby Sutton Hall one time home of Sir Humphrey Davenport.
  • On the fourth day morning (Saturday) a visit has been arranged to the `black and white` pretty market town of Nantwich, where a guided tour of this historic town has been arranged. Alternatively, those who wish to shop in the excellent shopping areas are free to do so, with return to Alsager by coach for the final lunch.
These locations and more, and the Davenport heritage they conceal, feature in three days of sightseeing visits and discussion. Each day will be backed by hand-out notes covering the locations. Lunch time venues have all been arranged.

We hope our visitors will locate at the Best Western Hotel at Alsager near to Congleton, which as a group we have used before. Block room reservation preferential rates have been arranged, and meeting/dining room reservation has been done. Coach transport each day will depart from, and return to this location. Those who elect to make their own hotel arrangements are asked to arrive at the Manor House Hotel each day for transportation by coach. This spacious hotel provides a venue where we can relax and enjoy ourselves in the evenings.

Our final lunch on the Saturday combines with the annual meeting for UK Davenports, which we hope will include those who could not join us during the week. The Gathering will disband after this lunch.

All coach transport, and cost of guided tours is included. People will be asked to settle their own hotel bill, and costs for lunch . Lunch for Friday is included, as due to a tight travel schedule this will be a packed lunch provided from the hotel.

We do so hope you will come and make this a memorable few days amongst family members. Please bring your family tree scrolls, photographs, anything you like, the more the merrier.

God Bless you all.

Ian
(Buckinghamshire, UK)

Registration for 2016 Gathering

Hello Family Members,

Greetings – I hope you all had a good festive season and a happy, peaceful and healthy New Year to one and all.

Now we are well into the New Year my thoughts are already turning to our family gathering in Cheshire during September this year. We do hope as many of you as possible will attend what looks like being a fascinating few days. It would be good to have as many ‘definite’ numbers of those attending as soon as possible as this makes the arrangements so much easier when booking locations, meals, transport etc. I know September seems a long way ahead but time marches on so fast that it will be here before we know it.

This is the time of year when our thoughts turn to holidays and trips abroad so please look at this website – all the details are here – and see if you would like to add this to your schedule. We will need final numbers and registration fees by 30 June 2016.

This event will also be a wonderful opportunity for us all to socialise, catch up with each other’s news and family events in a relaxed, informal way. I always think this is one of the best parts of such an occasion, so we can all take away memories which will stay with us always.

I do hope I shall see you in September – if you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me or Jim Davenport.

Best wishes,
Ian
(Buckinghamshire, UK)

Saturday, 19 September 2015

2015 Lunch

Davenport researchers met for lunch at the Shires Inn in Peatling Parva, Leicestershire.

Thank you to Ian and Marjorie D. for organising!


Monday, 17 August 2015

Join Us in 2016

Itinerary

Join us for a Davenport Gathering in the United Kingdom to be held on September 7-10, 2016.  The 4 day experience will include:

Day 1.  Capesthorne and Prestbury
Day 2.  Astbury, Marton and Bramall
Day 3.  Cat ant Fiddle pub, Macclesfield Forest, Sutton Hall, Davenport by the river Dane
Day 4.  Nantwich and final lunch

More details on these sites, as well as their Davenport connections, are included in the 2016 Siteseeing page.

Registration and Fees

The registration fee for the 4 day experience will be £130 (or $200) per person. This will cover transportation, coffees and teas, charitable donations to the several churches, admissions to historic properties, guided tours and presentations. Lunch on two days (at the Davenport Arms) and hotel accommodation are not included in the package (you may not need the lunch if you have the full English breakfast).

Lunch on the final day is included in the price of £130 for all guests taking part in the four day event. Participation only in the final day’s luncheon may also be arranged. Any UK Davenports who join us just for the final day will be asked to pay for their lunch (£20) when they register.

Full 4 Day Programme - £130 (or $200) per person
Lunch on Day 4 Only - £20

For details about registration, please e-mail davenportgathering@gmail.com.

Location and Accommodation

The 4 day experience will operate out of the Manor House Hotel, to which we will return each evening. The Manor House Hotel, a Best Western hotel, is located in Alsager, Staffordshire, UK, today a suburb of Stoke-on-Trent. It is a comfortable, well-equipped, modern hotel, in which we have stayed previously. You may book a room at the Manor House Hotel by calling the reception desk directly (tel. 01270884000) (drop the 0 and insert 44 if you are calling from the US) and mentioning that you are with the "Davenport Group."

Alsager is quite near Congleton, Davenport and Nantwich. Alsager can be reached directly from London, Heathrow, by auto on the M25/M1/M6 dual carriageway (freeway) route. See also: http://www.rac.co.uk/route-planner/mobile. Rail travel is also available from London’s Euston Station to Stoke-on-Trent (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ ). You would need a taxi to travel from Stoke-on-Trent station to the Manor House Hotel.

The Manor House has reserved a block of rooms for the Gathering. The quoted rate for a standard room with double bed for two people currently on the Manor House website is £97.90 (about $150). “Double occupancy” arrangements are available at the rate of £39.50 (about $60) per person in a double room (this is bookable only by telephone). Both these rates include a full English breakfast. Rooms without breakfast can be reserved on line (£69.50/$107). If contacting the Hotel by telephone, reference should be made to the "Davenport Group" visiting in September 2016.  If traveling from afar, we recommend that you also book accommodation for the evening of September 6, as events will begin on the morning of September 7.

Friday, 26 September 2014

2014 Lunch

On Saturday 20th September, Davenports gathered at The Shires Inn, Peatling Parva, Leicestershire. After a sociable lunch at the pub, the group moved on to Wigston. Siteseeing in Wigston included the Davenport Chalice, Paten and window at All Saints Church, the exterior of the former ‘Davenport House’ and the Framework Knitters Museum. A big thank you to the organisers - Colin and Philippa Davenport.

Sunday, 16 February 2014

Help Needed From Davenports Known to Originate in Cheshire UK, and Surrounding Areas

From the early 12th century Davenport families evolved in Cheshire UK, settling in parishes such as Woodford, Wheltrough and Calveley. Each of these family groups developed its own identifiable genetic DNA profile which has been passed down through the generations even though the family groups have splintered and spread throughout the UK and overseas.

We are a small but active group of Davenport Family History researchers and seek your cooperation in widening a survey which started in 2006. Our object is to gather DNA data from males with the Davenport surname, and identify DNA matches both in UK and overseas. We require in particular, DNA data from Davenports known to originate in Cheshire UK and surrounding areas, but any Davenport male is most welcome.

DNA test results should advise as to which Davenport family group you belong, and which known family members in our total survey share your DNA. You would also be kept informed when future DNA matches are found, as the survey continues to expand.

To gain more information, including details of the test process, costs involved, and the all important security of information aspects, we welcome you to visit the following websites:
http://www.davenportdna.com/
http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nvjack/davnport/

My own genealogical experience may serve as an example of how further DNA testing would assist in the next step of Davenport family research. It is included below under the heading: ‘DNA and its effect upon traditional research.’

-Ian Davenport (Buckinghamshire, UK)

DNA and Its Effect Upon Traditional Research

The greater Davenport family held an international meeting of family members in Edenton, North Carolina in August 2013. This was a follow up to a similar meeting held at Capesthorne Hall Cheshire in August 2010. These meetings were attended by Davenports from as far afield as Europe, North America and Australia.

The meeting in 2013 brought together many American family members and a few from England each having a fascinating family history to tell. The majority of Americans there were Albermarle Davenports who were descended from Richard Davenport of Kilby, Leicestershire, England who arrived in Virginia about 1660.

We were shown family trees compiled from independently researched data by people who had not previously met. The striking feature, as you might expect, was that just by inspection, much of the data appeared to link back to common ancestry.

Three fascinating names appeared time and again, and indicated a potential link back to the Brammall family in Cheshire. (Please refer to footnote regarding the work of John Scott (Doc) Davenport.)
  • Davis Davenport b. c.1660 in King William county VA
  • Martin Davenport b.1625 in England
  • Lancelot Davenport b.1570 in Bramhall England (a lesser son of William Davenport of Bramhall and Margaret Assheton of Middleton Lancs)
I am Ian Davenport and my family originate in Burland, Nantwich, Cheshire, UK.

My earliest known ancestor is Peter Davenport born c.1642 in Acton parish, close to Nantwich, and I may have an earlier ancestor William Davenport c.1622 of Acton parish.

My DNA was tested four years ago, and identified that I did not align with the DNA profile of the traditional Davenport families of Cheshire referred to above. The analysis identified that my DNA was identical to that of five known men currently living in the United States and that the group these men belonged to was classified as ‘James River Davenports.’

This immediately gave five American Davenport men a ‘home.’ Their ancestors originated from England, specifically from Nantwich in Cheshire.

I have the well researched and precise family tree of one of them, and sure enough the earliest ancestors Davis, Martin and Lancelot appear. I asked myself whether it could

just be that my own Davenport family, which first appears in Acton parish potentially in 1622 and certainly in c.1642, be linked to a possible lesser son of the Bramhall Davenport family?

Without knowledge gained from my DNA cousins in America, I would not have been aware of the possibility of a link of my family to the Bramhall Davenports. I believe this case serves to illustrate why our group strives to promote more DNA testing. Knowledge gained can create significant unexpected changes in direction for papertrail research.

Our partner in DNA analysis is FTDNA which has a proven track record regarding DNA security. I hope that sharing my experiences may help dispel any fears other potential users may have.

For further information please refer to the following websites:
http://www.davenportdna.com/
http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nvjack/davnport/

Note: The extensive work of John Scott (Doc) Davenport in America does not identify a positive proven link between Davis through to Lancelot and this was noted during discussions at the meeting.

- Ian Davenport (Buckinghamshire, UK)

Monday, 10 February 2014

English Impressions of America

Ian and Marjorie Davenport live in the Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire, England and visited the United States in August 2013.  Marjorie is a fluid, vivid writer and lover of natural history.  Ian, a retired engineer and nuanced water colourist, is a Cheshire Davenport, raised at Barnhall, Cheshire (near Vale Royale).  Marjorie composed the attached account of their recent excursion, including the Third Davenport Gathering in Edenton, North Carolina.

Saturday, 31 August 2013

2013 Gathering Group Photos

The 2013 Davenport Gathering was held in Edenton, North Carolina, USA.  We met at the Chowan County Courthouse.


Friday, 30 August 2013

Thank You!

The 2013 Davenport Gathering was a fantastic success!  Thank you to everyone for both attending and for contributing your knowledge of all things 'Davenport.'  We all enjoyed the warm North Carolina hospitality and meeting friends both old and new.

A new section will shortly be added to the website to include presentations given at the courthouse.

Monday, 29 July 2013

The Story of Davenport Gatherings...so far

In the lead-up to our meeting in Edenton, Martin Davenport has prepared a history of several previous Davenport researchers' gatherings.  Sadly, Martin will not be able to join us in August, but he has made his Davenport story available for all to enjoy.

In 2011, British Davenports met at Sutton Hall to discuss future Gatherings.  A photo and summary of discussions at the event is available.

Monday, 15 July 2013

Sunday, 25 November 2012

Join Us!

We kindly invite those UK Davenports who have been our hosts at the 2007 (Leicestershire) and 2010 (Cheshire) meetings to join us in Edenton, North Carolina in August 2013.  We also invite any and all Davenports in the UK, the US or elsewhere who may be interested in their genealogical heritage.  It’s a chance to absorb some history and understand from where you’ve come.

We welcome all US Davenport lines that we know of from genetic studies, including descendants of:
  • Rev. John Davenport of New Haven, CT
  • Thomas Davenport of Dorchester, MA
  • Lancelot Davenport of VA and the James River Davenports
  • Captain Richard Davenport of Boston, MA
  • Humphrey Davenport of Barbados and NJ
  • Richard Davenport of NC (Albemarle Davenports)
  • Isaac Davenport of SC (Newberry Davenports)
  • Davis Davenport (Pamunkey Davenports)
  • Abraham Davenport of MD (Altona Davenports)
  • William Davenport of Fordham, NY
  • Ambrose R. Davenport (Mackinaw Davenports)
  • New Kent/Hanover Davenports
We also welcome our international cousins, including those in the Davenport DNA program from Toronto or New Brunswick (Canada), Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Mougins (France), Bentleigh, Charleville, and Frankston (Australia), or Auckland (New Zealand).

If your Davenport line is still uncertain, you are welcome as well.  All we ask is that you tell us you are coming, by registering with us via email.

We’ll have a program relevant to genealogical research, DNA signatures and Davenport family history.  If you have some discoveries you wish to present, let us know.  We’ll also leave some time for getting acquainted and networking with new friends.

Looking forward to seeing you,
Jim Davenport (Washington State) and Harold Davenport (Georgia)