The Kew

Wednesday we went to Kew Gardens.  For those of you who don't know about Kew Gardens, it is in the South part of London, just across the Thames River (I learned it is pronounced "Tems").  It is where the National Archives is located.  It's huge!

Looking back this is the street we walked down from the station to get there.  It is about 1/3 of a mile.

When the church remodeled the Hyde Park chapel a few years ago, they had to move the Family History Library, so they were allowed to locate in a part of a floor in the National Archives.  On the sign in their area it says "Temporary."  At this point they haven't yet found a permanent place, but they are looking at some options.  Going back to Hyde Park isn't one of them.  Hyde Park is where the Mission Office is and also the Visitor Center and Stake Center.  This visitor center is where Karen served.  (I'll get pictures of it later.)

We were taken on tour of the Library.  (There are only a few Family History Libraries in the world. The main one is in Salt Lake and this one at Kew.  Can't remember where the others are.  All the rest are Family History Centers.)  They have an impressive collection of British records.  They took us down stairs to see where they have 60,000 microfilms.   80% or more of the people who come there are non-members.  It isn't convenient to get to and is utilized by people who are really into research.  Some time I would like to go back and look at some Welsh records and try to solve a puzzle I am stuck on in the Thomas family.

We visited with the director Sharon Hintze again, and had lunch with  her in the cafeteria.  We also visited with Elder and Sister Smart who have the same calling as we do in the London South Mission.  Their original calling was in record preservation, then they were changed in January to area advisors.  They are going home  to Draper, UT in August.  They were a great help with advice and ideas.  He is top expert in family history.  The staff at the Library would like us to volunteer at the Library one day a week, we will have to decide.

After checking out the little museum area and the bookstore we headed home.  The tube doesn't come this far, so part of our trip is on the above ground train.

Here is a view from the train, but it isn't a very good picture taken through the window.

 Here we are crossing the Thames.  I wasn't paying good enough attention and barely got a picture.  I'll get a better one next time.

On the way home we had to stop at the mission office.  I was very tired from walking to and from the Kew Library, so I waited near the South Kensington station while Jerrol walked down to the office.  I took a couple of pictures while I waited.  We have been here many times, but without a camera.  We just bought a small camera I can carry in my purse.  So I'll be taking better pictures of the Hyde Park chapel and museums later.

This is Exhibiton Road looking toward the mission office which is about 3 blocks away.

 The domed building is the Albert/Victoria Museum.  We have been in there twice to look around a little.  There are 6 floors of things to see!

This is near where I was sitting.  

 If you look closely you will see "Billy's" where we got fish and chips a couple of weeks ago.

We got home in time to prepare to meet the stake president and the high counselor over FH in Watford that night. It was a "35 minute" drive that took over an hour because of traffic.  The stake president was 1/2 late for the same reason.  (Driving around London is so fun!)  Loved meeting with them.  They are very enthusiastic about family history.

While at the Stake Center we meet Elder and Sister Johnson.  They work with the Young Single Adults in the Watford Stake.  We found out that Sister Johnson grew up in Spring City.  She graduated from North Sanpete High School, the same place as Jerrol.  They never knew each other as she is a few years older. Her maiden name is Hope, Roma may know her.