Next year will mark the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower to the ‘New World’ of the Americas – and a Shropshire village will be marking four of its young inhabitants who sailed with the Pilgrim Fathers on the ship.
Mike Brogden, secretary of Shropshire Mayflower Children committee, explains, “For over 300 years a bitter battle between the parents of four poor mites from the Corvedale remained under wraps, until Sir Jasper More, MP for Ludlow 1960 to 1979, began to explore the contents of a trunk in his attic.”
It seems Samuel More, of Larden Hall, Shipton, in the Corvedale valley, had sent his four children aged from four to eight on the ship, because of a quarrel with his wife Katharine. Only one of them survived the first dreadful winter, six-year-old Richard, who went on to take part in a maritime operation against the French in what was to become Nova Scotia.
There will be a programme of events to mark the events. Mike says, “Our varied programme includes guided walks, a seminar, a 17th century choral concert and a day conference. With the right promotion, the moving story of the More children of Shropshire will play its full part in events to mark the anniversary of the Mayflower’s sailing.”
For the full story, visit shropshiresmayflowerchildren.com.
