old Blethen records in England and Wales
I borrowed the book, "Genealogy of the Blethen Family," by Col. Alden Joseph Blethen, published in 1911. The author includes some information and copies of correspondence regarding the research of C. P. Blethen in England and Wales. Some of this and other excerpts from the book are also on line at:
http://www.pilgreen.com/blethen/index.htmlhttp://www.pilgreen.com/blethen/index.html
C. P. Blethen's research was in 1876, and he was looking for information on the Blethen pedigree before 1580. He was informed that there were "manuscripts in the British Museum, including four large folio volumes belonging to a private family who loaned it to the Museum. It would cost 190 pounds to put it in genealogical tabular form."
The searcher, John Pook, also reports, "I may as well tell you that the 'Golden Grove Book' being only a loan to the Keeper of the Public Records, it may be withdrawn at any time."
I'm not sure if this 'Golden Grove Book' is the same as the manuscripts mentioned earlier, or a different reference.
It looks like C. P. Blethen took what information he could get for 50 pounds and did not pursue the rest. I'm wondering if in the 100+ years since, perhaps someone else has followed up this line of inquiry. Maybe the book is even still in the British Museum. Does anyone know if any researcher has ever pursued this further, and if the results of such pursuit might be in print somewhere?
Does anyone know of other books or articles in print besides the Col. John Alden Blethen book I mentioned earlier which cover the Blethen family history?
Thanks.
Mimi Barker, descendant of Increase Blethen