This website traces my roots to my Dipple* ancestors (35 born there) in 
Colwall, Herefordshire, United Kingdom, to my present home in Fairfield, 
Ohio, USA. 

The earliest to-date is William Dipple (c1752 - 1840). He was a church warden
of St. James The Great in 1787 (see a copy of the register in "Photos" - 
Documents/Tombstones album). A tenant farmer of Cowle Barn farm (150 acres at 
a rent of ₤121/yr. in 1837/8.  One of his sons Richard, also farmed 50 acres 
at The Stone farm, from Mr Bright at an annual rent of ₤44/yr.)

My link to Colwall is via Richard's grandson, my grandfather Osman Richard 
Dipple born 1872 in Colwall. After marrying in 1892, he moved his family to 
Aberbargoed - South Wales in the early 1900's to seek work in road and house 
building. His two children Osman, Emily, and his wife Clara Harding were soon 
joined by my father, Albert King Dipple (1907 - 1969), the first of the family 
to be born in Wales.  I am the youngest of his four children, born in 1948.

*Dictionary Of English & Welsh Surnames  Page 240  - Dipple derived from 
Theobold.

Colwall is listed in the Domesday Book (1086) as Colewelle. Colwall nestles in 
the Malvern hills on the Herfs./Worcs. border. It is famed for two things: 1)
its pure water which was bottled by the Schweppes Co. and of late by Coca 
Cola. Although Cadbury-Schweppes did not merge until 1969, George Cadbury 
and his family lived in Colwall in 1901. When the Queen travels abroad, she 
has gallons of 'Malvern' water shipped ahead, to the places she will be 
visiting, and 2) its sunset views from the eastern side of the Malvern Hills, 
to the Brecon Beacons in the west.

The area is also known as "Elgar Country" as the well-known English composer 
Sir Edward Elgar, 1st Baronet, OM, GCVO (2 June 1857 - 23 February 1934) lived 
and composed in this area. His "Pomp & Circumstance" (maybe playing in the 
background), is played annually at the "Last Night of The Proms", and in the 
USA it is known as the "Graduation March", as the second half is played at 
college graduations, when students are receiving their degrees.

In the mid 19th and 20th centuries, while walking the hills around Colwall, 
you may well have bumped into Sir Edward with his friend George Bernard Shaw 
(Playright), or Charles Darwin (Naturalist), Elizabeth Barrett-Browning (Poet), 
Evelyn Waugh (Writer), Dame Laura Knight (Artist), Jenny Lind - the 
Swedish nightingale(Soprano). All were frequent visitors/residents of Malvern and 
Colwall.

Colwall is also home to the annual Women's Cricket Festival in August. Ladies 
of all ages and talents play, or just watch the week long series, coupled with 
social events. A big favourite is a Ladies Select team v Colwall Men's team 
(the ladies have beaten the men on one or two occasions).

I'd like to thank the following for making available to me, numerous family 
photo's and details:
Vera Dipple/Parfitt(sister), Mavis Jeremiah/Richards (cousin), Vivien 
Jeremiah/Gray (cousin), George Franklin (brother-in-law), Ann Jeremiah/Jones 
(cousin), Irene Blanchard/Rogers (2nd cousin), Pamela Berrington/Birt 
(cousin), Barb Luckman/Bickley (3rd cousin), Pat Dipple/Hitchman (2nd cousin), 
Nicky Dipple/Williams (5th cousin), Helen Berrington/Atkins (3rd cousin), Dawn 
Davies/Brown (4th cousin), Gerry Spawton (4th cousin), Lynne Pedlingham/Morton 
(Pedlingham family details), Jacky Corio/Turner (Jones family details), Kim Willis 
(Willis family details).  
Last update 20 Feb. 2008.