Tracing Our Family History
This is the ancestral website of Dave and Nikki Hunt. The site contains the results of our ongoing research into our family history and the research of Jolyon and Vera Jesty who have kindly allowed for their research to be republished here. Hunt, Greenham, Lockyer, Painter, Jesty, Johnson, Butcher, Willis, Reeman are but a few of the families covered here. Feel free to browse the site, search for people in our research and so on. Features include: Advanced Searching, Pedigree Charts, Descendancy Charts, Timelines, Relationship Calculator, GEDCOM downloads of up to 8 generations for an individual, Locations of events plotted on integrated OpenStreetMap, Reports, etc. So why not take a look or just start browsing our family tree now! To gain further access and see all published research and the ability to download GEDCOM files please register as a user. If you spot something not quite right then please let us know by clicking on the Suggest tab for the relevant person. Any feedback you may have on the site is greatly appreciated.
Benjamin Jesty, born in 1736 in the quaint village of Yetminster, Dorset, is a name that deserves recognition alongside the likes of Edward Jenner. While Jenner is widely celebrated for his groundbreaking work in vaccination, Jesty's contributions predate Jenner's by over two decades, making him a true pioneer in the fight against smallpox.
Jesty was born into a farming family and spent much of his life as a yeoman farmer in Yetminster. He married Elizabeth Notley in 1770, and together they raised a family at Upbury Farm, nestled near Yetminster Church. His life was typical of rural England in the 18th century, but his curiosity and courage set him apart.
During the 18th century, smallpox was a devastating disease, claiming countless lives across England. In 1774, when an epidemic struck Yetminster, Jesty made a bold decision. He had observed that milkmaids who contracted cowpox—a mild disease—were immune to smallpox. Acting on this folk knowledge, Jesty decided to inoculate his wife and two eldest sons with cowpox to protect them from the deadly smallpox.
The SS Loradore, a British cargo ship, met its tragic end on August 13, 1955, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence near the Magdalen Islands, Canada. The vessel, under the command of Captain George W. H. Berry, was en route from Sydney, Nova Scotia, to Montreal, carrying a cargo of coal. Dense fog and treacherous waters led the ship to strike a reef, causing significant damage to its hull.
The Gulf of St. Lawrence, notorious for its hazardous navigation conditions, played a critical role in the ship's demise. The region is characterized by strong currents, unpredictable weather, and frequent fog, making it a perilous area for maritime travel. The Magdalen Islands, in particular, have been the site of numerous shipwrecks over the centuries, earning a reputation as a "perfectly dangerous place" for sailors.
Despite the challenging conditions, the crew of the SS Loradore was fortunate to escape with their lives. A Canadian tug, the Foundation Josephine II, braved high seas to rescue all 32 crew members as the ship began to break apart on the reef. Heavy seas prevented salvage efforts, and the 5,200-ton vessel was ultimately lost.
The sinking of the SS Loradore serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers faced by mariners and the importance of advancements in navigation and safety measures. The incident also highlights the bravery and dedication of rescue teams who risk their lives to save others in perilous situations.
Dave's Ancestors
Browse the ancestors of D J HUNT. Hunt, Greenham, Lockyer, Painter, Jesty are but a few of the families covered here.
Nikki's Ancestors
Browse the ancestors of N J JOHNSON. Johnson, Butcher, Willis, Reeman are but a few of the families covered here.
Descendants of John Justy
Browse the descendants for John JUSTY (died 1700) of Yetminister, Dorest
Source Citation Index
While carrying out research on my family history, I've realised that my citation of sources was not easily searchable. Key information that you may want to search on was just in a large text field. I wanted to be able to search by individual elements of a citation like a name and/or source type, etc. So I created a searchable source citation index.
We've been researching our family history for many years and have been publishing our research on the internet since 2006. We continue to hunt for our ancesters and delve deeper in to our family history.
If you have something you would like to add or if you would like to submit documents for inclusion on this website, please let me know.
If you have any questions or comments about the information on this site, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.
