Chance meeting a godsend for American visitor

Because the American chanced upon people who could help him – both with getting him somewhere to stop, and with putting him on the right track to find his Shropshire roots.

Mrs Mary Jones, of Twitchen, near Craven Arms, read with interest our "Into The Archives" slot recently which looked back half a century to the arrival of Mr Williams, a school teacher who had travelled for his family history researches to the Clun Valley area, because she can remember it well.

"He arrived in Twitchen on a wet, foggy, November day, just as dark was falling about 4.30pm," she says.

"He was very wet and cold, having walked about eight miles from Craven Arms station, through Broome and Clungunford, looking for a hotel, pub, or bed and breakfast to stay.

"My husband and brother-in-law found him looking lost on the road. Anyway, he came in and stayed two nights.

"He told us he was trying to trace his family from the 1880s. On finding out the name I knew we had an old lady in her 80s living next to us with the same maiden name – she had been a nursemaid for my grandmother's family – and I also knew other family members from Knighton.

"My children were in Clunbury School at the time and he joined in my daughter's fifth birthday tea on November 16.

"He returned a few years later with his sister Shirley, and stayed at the Feathers in Ludlow. We did keep in touch for many years. What a strange coincidence it was that he should arrive here but, as they say, fate takes a hand in most lives."

Mr Williams' great-grandmother was Mary Bathurst and she and her three brothers and sisters attended Clunbury School until March 1883. The family then emigrated to Canada. The log book recorded that they left the country owing the school three shillings (15p) in fees.

During his November 1970 visit Mr Williams cheerfully agreed to pay the three shillings owed – but declined to pay 87 years' interest.