ROBERT
JACK EARDLEY, M.D.
3366 Commodore Drive
Lexington, Kentucky 40502-3602
(859) 269-3686
Fax #: (859) 266-7317
E MAIL: robertjack@eardley.org
Web Site: http://www.eardley.org
August 2000
Dear Eardley Family Member,
Those of us privileged to have been in Audley, England on Saturday, the15th July 2000 will never forget it. It was one of the most highly charged emotional encounters that one could experience, and judging from meeting and talking with what seemed like hundreds of Eardleys from the four corners of the earth, it was an amazing day - a wonderful day - a perfect day for all of us, ending with the songs 'We'll Meet Again' and 'Auld Lang Syne'. There were family members from all five continents - surely a world record for a family get-together. Countries represented (unless you know more) were England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Germany, China, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, South Africa, Canada and USA. No other family has so far exerted such an intense feeling of identity and unity. Certainly Audley has never seen its like before. As you all are aware the atmosphere inside the church was electric - the singing ecstatic - and the sermon hit exactly the right note. New friendships were made and many discovered new relatives on their own branch of their family tree. Visits have been arranged - phone numbers, email and home addresses exchanged and suggestions of mini-reunions in home countries are likely to receive serious consideration. The unofficial Eardley count that day was between 1100 and 1400.
Our get-together was widely covered by national and local media. Articles appeared in the 'Evening Sentinel' and 'The Daily Mail' - one of Britain's leading national newspapers. BBC Radio Stoke and BBC Television also featured the event. Eardley Beer was consumed in copious quantity. Sissy's tee-shirts and Eardley jewelry were also available for those wanting a souvenir of the event. I hasten to add, however, that these were made ready by others. You may have tales to tell of evenings spent in your particular hotel. I can only say that the Hilton in Hanley was thronged with Eardleys speaking to each other in a multitude of English accents from around the globe. Yet all of us were originally sons and daughters of Audley, Eardley families. Amazing!
Vicar Peter Davies and Curate Roger Woods were delighted at the initial response we Eardleys made to the Prestigious East Stained Glass Window Restoration Fund. The exact figure is not known to me - but the church now has about six thousand pounds in the account. Although the ultimate target is 25,000 pounds the Vicar indicated that work would commence when the relatively modest figure of 10,000 pounds has been attained. This Audley PCC Eardley window account will continue to be open for all who wish to see the project succeed. In two hundred years from now the restored stained glass window will still stand as a lasting testament to our huge gathering together in the year of The Millennium. Many of you were perceptive enough to deduce that organizing this event was expensive - both hours worked and finances spent. Indeed finances invested in the entire project would have restored the window several times over. The point of issue (from my personal perspective) is that the Prestigious East Stained Glass Window Restoration Project should be something for all Eardleys to share. Then it becomes 'our' window. The entire Eardley Project was begun with 'togetherness' in mind, rather than to illustrate 'the cult of personality'
The web-site 'http://www.eardley.org' will continue for the foreseeable future. Now that many of us have met each other - contacts can continue via the Eardley Family Message Bulletin Board - e-mail - phone - for and even, dare I say, by arranged 'home visits'. Should you find a 'new' relative let us know on the Board. Swap your Family Tree - be creative! Just make sure the efforts of the last five years continue to grow and thrive. We are now all aware of the extent to which we have spread throughout the world. We will now grow even stronger. It was interesting to hear many of you say that you thought you had few relatives. After the 15th July 2000 one will never feel lonely or isolated ever again! Congratulate yourselves on being part of this truly stellar event. We can never repeat it - nor can we ever forget it.
At this point I now propose to say thank you to a number of people without whom this entire project would not have been possible. This is always fraught with danger because I'm sure to leave someone out. I've spoken to hundreds of you on the telephone - from Glasgow, Scotland to Hong Kong, China and Perth, Australia. There have been fifteen original letters written to 2500 Eardleys throughout the world. Many journeys have been undertaken, particularly to Stoke-on-Trent, England. In addition there have been many visits to London and Washington, DC in search of Eardley Records. Stafford Record Office has also featured strongly in our searches. No stone was left unturned in the quest for the authentic history of our family story, but, as they say - to begin at the beginning. I had always been curious about my family background. Being brought up in East Liverpool, Ohio, it was impossible not to be aware of our English background. The Riverview Cemetery contained few headstones which were not 'English'. The reason was, of course, we were nearly all from the Stoke-on-Trent area of England- the world's largest manufacturer of pottery. Five thousand families had left that area and settled on the Ohio River - founding the U.S. ceramic industry as a consequence. However, my curiosity waited until my career in the military and the U.S. Department of Justice concluded with retirement. I was fortunate by then to have the time and resources to embark on what turned out to be a very formidable task- that of researching the family name and its history. Just how formidable, I was about to discover.
I decided to begin by tracing my own family tree. So after 'acquiring' the social security rolls and telephone books a short letter was dispatched to each Eardley telling them the little I knew about my grandparents, Elijah and Annie Hilditch Eardley. To further my inquiries I decided to visit England and look for myself. Cyril Eardley had contacted me and offered me his assistance. Cyril met me at the Manchester Airport and we went to Stoke-on-Trent. Some progress was made during that trip. A special thank you to John Eardley of Cornwall for the brass rubbing from the church. His enthusiasm was infectious. A little later I began a five year close association with Robert Francis Eardley - an early retired schoolmaster with a high interest in the genealogy. Together we scoured records - put together numerous Eardley Families - answered hundreds of inquiries and used up hundreds of hours in putting the jigsaw together. It was Robert Francis Eardley who came up with the idea for the Millennium get together, since the Millennium was on everyone's mind and what they would be doing that year 2000. He has since told me it was almost a 'throw away' idea and did not seriously believe I would take it up, but I did- and with everyone's help, including Julian Eardley, and cooperation it really happened. As I got further into this project, I was overwhelmed by the support of Eardleys everywhere, which encouraged me even further. The fourteen letters many of you received describe the progress of the Eardley sage in some detail and it would not be useful here to merely repeat what you can all read for yourselves. All roads eventually led to Audley, England and those who gathered there on that Saturday, the 15th July 2000 represented the high point of five years endeavors by all of us working together. I cannot thank you enough. It will remain in all our thoughts and memories for the rest of our lives.
Along the way, we were able to forge a special 'heritage link' between Stoke-on-Trent, England and East Liverpool, Ohio. Exchange visits have taken place between our young people and in addition there is the prospect of trade links. As I write a soccer team from East Liverpool, Ohio is taking part in the Gordon Banks Youth International Tournament in Stoke-on-Trent. A special thanks are due to former Lord Mayors Doug Brown and Alan Edwards for their assistance in promoting the Heritage Link, as well as Syd Bailey and Alan Mountford of the Twinning Association. Also, I thank noted 'Evening Sentinel' journalist John Abberley for his unswerving support in all our endeavors. Thanks are also due to Vicar Peter Davies and Curate Roger Woods who cooperated fully in arranging our family get-together. Bernard Whittle, organist, put the finishing touches with his superb playing of the organ. Grateful thanks to Philip Broadhurst, musical director of the Audley and District Male Vocal Choir, and special recognition of the songs 'Take Me Home', 'Dixie', 'Battle Hymn of the Republic', and 'The Lost Chord'. Everyone that I've spoken to has praised the choir to high heaven!
In the later stages of the project a very special debt of thanks and gratitude is directed towards David W. Eardley of Audley and Margaret Eardley Beaumont and Alan Beaumont of Eccleshall. They both made a very outstanding contribution in making the big day a great and unbelievable success. Janette Eardley Green even provided Rolls Royce transportation. Also, our thanks go to Alastair Griffiths for allowing use of the Wolstanton golf course and the management of the hotels who received us most hospitably. To 'chat show' host Sam Plank of Radio Stoke who always provided a platform 'on air' for our project whenever I visited Stoke-on-Trent. Bud Eardley and Dorothy Hicton for their unswerving support for mini reunions in Macclesfield and Norton in Hales as well as registering all the Eardleys coming into the church that day. If for some reason, you didn't sign the visitors book, please let me know so I can add your name.
Some of you may not be aware that much of the groundwork on the Eardley Family History had been researched by two serious genealogists. I refer to Roger Bennet and Robert Mayer (both with Eardley genes) who invariably were willing to share their findings with us all. Their contribution was invaluable, including the Church Hall supported by the Audley Historical Society. James W. Eardley of Oxford, England for his research of all the names of Eardleys in Great Britain. Local entrepreneur Richard Gibbins also made a significant contribution. It was he and his business partner Linda MacDonald of Tacklers who made the Blore Heath event possible and were instrumental in the availability of the Eardley Beer and jewelry.
Australia Eardleys received their letters courtesy of Peter Eardley of Perth who generously redistributed the packages I sent him. Thanks again Peter. I could not conclude the list of people to thank without remembering all of my own immediate family who were there in Audley, England that day. Many thanks to all who wrote or phoned with news of your own individual family. You were indeed the backbone of the project - for without your contributions and willingness to support the research with real data - nothing substantial would have been achieved. There are so many Eardleys to thank for their contributions that it is an impossibility to respond to everyone that has emailed, telephoned and posted letters to me. If you would like for me to call you, let me have your phone number.
Everyone, certainly in North Staffordshire and Cheshire is now very much aware of our existence - Robert Francis Eardley tells that everywhere he goes someone will mention the Eardley get-together. Eardleys everywhere are now more aware than ever that they are not alone; that indeed they belong to a large worldwide network of Eardleys sharing the same genes. Many of you have recently told how in church you could spot people who closely resembled your mother or father, son, daughter, or uncle. There was, you say, a definite 'Eardley look' in one form or another. This is not surprising since only a few generations ago we all lived within a 30 mile radius of each other and were all related. There will be a dedication of the Prestigious East Stained Glass Window when all work is complete. In the meantime some of my activities will be directed towards continuing the opportunity of putting in place the necessary funding for this Prestigious East Stained Glass Window, located behind the altar.
Many of you made video recordings of the 'big day'. Would you be prepared to forward me an unedited copy of what you 'shot'? It should be possible then (with your permission of course!) to piece together an edited version of the event making appropriate use of all the versions I receive. This would be a wonderful memory which one can live on for all of us. Also, if you have any pictures of the day and would like them on the website, please e-mail or send them to me. Again, please continue contacting each other on the Eardley Family Message Bulletin Board. Shortly, I will publish a list of all those who 'signed in' on the day on the website. In addition, more marriage lists will be added past 1940 since I have acquired those from the London Record Office. As the Audley PCC Eardley Window Account progresses, the running total will be made available to all of us on the website. My immediate plan is to take a well earned holiday - preferably somewhere warm and sunny, Florida somehow springs to mind.
Finally - Thank You Eardleys everywhere - you were Terrific, Brilliant and Fantastic.
I think it was Clint Eastwood who said 'Make My Day'! you certainly did just that.
God Bless You All
Robert Jack Eardley
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