This Is Where The Story Starts

What this writing is not is a formal genealogy of the Cudmore Clan. What it is is an informal story of the part of the family known as the Bronte Cudmores. A history of all the descendants of my great-grandfather George, with the myriad of uncles, aunts, and cousins involved would no doubt be fascinating to produce and to read, but would require more dedicated research than I am willing to undertake, as great- grandfather George produced twelve offspring and grandfather John produced seven. I am therefore limiting my story to the direct line of descent of the seven generations beginning with the aforesaid George, the earliest root of whom we have a record. I'm telling this story from the vantage point of myself and of my generation, which falls conveniently in the middle. It looks back the three generations to good old George and moves forward the three generations to the current latest addition, my great-great niece, Jennifer Cudmore, twelve month old great-granddaughter of my brother Russell. I make no claim to either completeness or accuracy, and I hereby apologize for any toes I may have stepped upon in my ramblings down memory lane.

Acknowledgements

But now to the acknowledgements, which must accompany any self-respecting piece of writing. We should first thank our cousins Ralph and Lois Cudmore for planting the seed of interest in our family's history, with their broader and less subjective genealogy circulated a few years ago. Thanks also to the public school system, which a few years ago started the fad of having kids research their family histories, I have used the family tree and notes Christopher Cudmore made and the material Cheryl Cudmore presented for class projects. I am indebted to Jaap for having the family portrait reproduced and to George for making the genealogical charts. Special thanks must go to Anne Baines for "bugging" me, as the last repository of knowledge of the family's past, and the one with time on my hands, to get going on this project. Her frequent nudges and constant encouragement along the way have kept me going. I am also grateful to all of you for your enthusiastic reception of the idea. Lastly, those of you who gave so willingly of your time to provide for me, by way of interviews and letters, the necessary in- formation about your respective families have made it possible for me to put this together.

While writing our story I have come to the conclusion that we have reason to be proud of the high percentage of our family members who have been and are "solid citizen" with significant contributions to our society. We can be proud also of the absence of significant skeletons in our collective closet. I can remember my mother's saying that we ought to leave the world a better place because we have been in it, I think our family can lay claim to following that precept. But enough moralizing! I hope you will find this a good read.

by Marjorie (Cudmore) Tyrrell 1982