At a recent meeting of the Edwinstowe Historical Society Adrian Gray spoke about the life of Richard Bernard who was born in Epworth.  He was a great figure amongst puritans and separatists under James I.  As a writer he influenced John Bunyan and wrote an authoritative book about witches based on his experience in Worksop.  Richard’s daughter helped found Rhode Island, a state in America.

The researchers have been busy again, dealing with a request from a gentleman living in Holland wishing to know more about his great grandfather who died in Edwinstowe.  Great grandfather had been born in Galicia (present day Ukraine) in 1904 and following the German invasion in 1939 and subsequent Russian “liberation” he came to the UK in 1944.  The family had lost contact with him until notified of his death in 1981. The Society’s enquiries led to the lane where he had lived and a neighbour remembered him and knew burial had taken place in the Forest cemetery.  The grave was located and after cleaning the headstone a photo was forwarded to the enquirer who was delighted to show it to his grandmother so she could see where her father was buried.  This year Edwinstowe will receive an extra visitor who will have a special reason to visit the village as well as exploring Sherwood Forest.