I was born in Cornwall and have completed a considerable family tree, going back to 1510 on my mother's family. The Neal family, going back to 1630, was at St Wenn and I give talks raising funds for our local hospice, in Portsmouth, which includes funny family stories and also about my ancestor, Mary Broad, who was sent out on the First Fleet
My wife Sheila was born in Yorkshire. Her father was badly injured in WW1 at the 2nd Battle of the Somme and she lost a brother in the Merchant Navy at the age of 17. His memorial, as well as at Tower Hill, is a tree at the National Memorial Arboretum at Litchfield. Her family has a tradition of service in the Merchant Navy. Her Great Great Great Grandfther's ship Thames was captured by the famous Yankee in 1813, whilst bringing Cotton from Brazil to Liverpool.