Cobblets – Notelets for Cobbolds

COBBLET MAY ‘11

Nucula Cobboldiae

Commenting on the Trust’s new display at the Reg. Driver Centre in Ipswich, Bob Markham wrote in the April edition of ‘GeoSuffolk Times’ “An additional story may be told of Mrs Elizabeth Cobbold, who had a fossil bivalve shell, Nucula cobboldiae named after her by James Sowerby in 1817 in his Mineral Conchology. Elizabeth, of whom “science and friendship were nearest to (her) heart”, found this shell, characterised by its zigzag pattern, in the Red Crag of her Ipswich estate at Holywells. Her son Richard later wrote

Hail Lady! Sacred to the Poet’s eye

This Nucula Cobboldiae; but why?

Because it speaks what never spake another,

The praise and honor of a tender Mother!

This fossil is now called Acila cobboldiae”.

Cobbold Swim Shorts

The swim shorts named after Lord Cobbold which arrived in the Jack Wills catalogue last September as ‘fabulously British’ seem to have been fabulously short lived. It is no surprise that their replacement is about twice the price!

COBBLET MAR ‘11

How a naval aviator made me smile

Leaving the chapel after a short service to mark my mother-in law’s 100th birthday I found myself making my way to lunch beside a perfectly delightful retired naval Captain (with an outstanding record) who, being like me, of a certain age I thought might be in need of the facilities. “Oh no thanks” he replied “I’m fitted with long range tanks”

Anthony Cobbold.

COBBLET FEB ‘11

Michael Maurice Cobbold (1931 – 2002) was at a time in his life an Army Officer and a Sheep Farmer which makes this verse by Christopher Curtis, found tucked into his wallet particularly apposite:

I’m a well endowed ram and I’ve got where I am

By performing my act right on cue.

When it’s time for a tup, I just line ‘em all up

And shout “Volunteers? Ewe, ewe and ewe!”

COBBLET DEC ‘10

Beware of this Pharmacist

On a recent visit I observed a new notice posted on the instructions of the General Pharmaceutical Council (no doubt in order to comply with the latest edict from Europe) which advised me that ‘The Responsible Pharmacist’ was none other than Mr Ernest Killer! I wonder what the irresponsible one was called!

COBBLET NOV ‘10

As a result of the marriage between the Reverend Richard Cobbold (1797 – 1877) and Mary Anne Waller (1801 – 1867) all Richard’s descendants, and there are a good number, have Waller blood. Hence the Waller family is a natural line of enquiry for the Trust and we recently came across the following in the Church Times of 22nd June 2007

The Rev John Waller preparing to celebrate 150 years of Wallers in the same parish.

“PARISH PASSED FROM FATHER TO SON”

“An East Anglian Rector hopes to appear in the Guiness Book of Records, after he celebrated his family’s 150 years in the same living. The Rev John Waller, 66, Rector of Waldringfield, with Hemley and Newbourn, in Suffolk, in the diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, is the fourth generation of his family to occupy the same living. Last week he said he thought it was a record in recent church history. He followed his father into the parish in 1974, but it looks as if he will be the last of the line. None of the succeeding generations has been ordained.”

(More a ‘Wallet’ than a ‘Cobblet’ really!)

COBBLET SEP ‘10

EARL KITCHENER OF KHARTOUM

From his biography: “….he planned and carried out a vast expansion of the army from 20 divisions in 1914 to 70 in 1916.”

Postcard c. 1915

COBBLET AUG ‘10

A young naval officer, Andrew Byers Wood died on 29th May 1940 while helping to evacuate the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk. He was 21. His memorial in Rougham Church reads:

“All you had hoped for, all you had, you gave.”

Poignant and perfect.

For a step back in time and a few minutes of pure delight, go to the Knebworth House website; select “Gallery” and “Memory Lane - A Journey of Long Ago by Lady Hermione Cobbold”

Or click here to go directly to the page

COBBLET July 2010

Thanks to Michael Henderson, a sports writer in the Daily Telegraph on Dec. 20th 2007 for this verse from Dorothy Parker:

By the time you swear you’re his,
Shivering and sighing,
And he vows his passion is
Infinite, undying –
Lady, make a note of this
One of you is lying.

It accompanied an article in which Michael Henderson derided the lovelorn appointment of Fabio Capello by Brian Barwick at �£26 million for the first 4½ years.

“He’s a winner with a capital W” said Barwick.

Really?

COBBLET June 2010

Felix Thornley Cobbold (1841 – 1909) Have you wondered why he was given the name ‘Thornley’?

Felix’s mother was Lucy Patteson (1800 – 1879) and her grandmother was Hannah Thornley; the Thornleys being a family of some substance from Cheshire. As Felix was Lucy’s eleventh child it does not seem unreasonable to go back a couple of generations for a name!

George Ayton Lee In 1785 George Ayton Lee (uncle of Lucy Patteson who married John Chevallier Cobbold 1797-1882) married Hannah Ayton and took his bride to live on The Green in Dickleborough, Suffolk. They had 9 daughters giving rise to the couplet:

In Dickleborough Parish there’s naught to be seen

But geese on the common and girls on the green.

COBBLET May 2010

Quote from the BBC Antiques Road Show 25th April 2010:

“You cannot put a price on a family archive”