“Wynkefeld The Saxon held honor and fee, ere William The Norman came over the sea.” Ancient Suffolk England Rhyme Vol Vol. XXI, No. 1 Winter 2007 WFS Participates in 400th Anniversary Celebration in UK – Special report by Jocelyn Wingfield, International VP and Historian – “On the 19 of December 1606, we set sayle from Blackwall.” John Smith, Historie, Book III, page 1, 1624 Queen Elizabeth to Visit “December 20, 1606 … The fleet fell from London..” Jamestown in May George Percy, A Trewe Relatyon, 1625 On December 18, 2006, VisitBritain American delegation. invited me to the British Museum Di- Later I viewed a replica of the rectors Room for— as per invitation— Discovery (the 20-ton pinnace, com- ”A Reception for Jamestown 2007 and manded by Captain John Ratcliffe aka a Private Viewing of a Selection of Sicklemore, with 21 men on board) John White’s 1580 Drawings of Roa- outside the Docklands Museum at West noke Colony,” and it was fascinating. India Quay near Canary Wharf. The The reception was primarily for about tiny pinnace was only 3.4 meters Queen Elizabeth II opened parlia- two dozen visiting Virginians. I was across. A 4-month voyage across the ment on November 15, 2006, with pleased to introduce Julian Calder (a Atlantic must have been terrifying. her twice annual speech in the direct descendant of Bartholomew Gos- Then on to a lunch and exhibition in House of Lords. This speech in- nold’s great uncle Robert Gosnold III) the museum for about 200 guests, host- cludes an announcement of plans for and his wife Ursula (née Naunton, a ed by the British Jamestown 2007 the next six months. She is quoted direct descendant of Sir Anthony Committee with its co-chairmen, Lord as saying: “The Duke of Edinburgh Wingfield, KG, of Letheringham Old Alan Watson and Sir Robert Worcester. and I look forward to our State Visit Hall, the ancestral home of the Wing- Many speeches of thanks were made to the United States in May to cele- fields, four or five miles from Otley by dignitaries from both sides of the brate the 400th anniversary of the Hall, the ancestral home of their Gos- Atlantic, including Robert Tuttle, U.S. Jamestown settlement.” nold cousins) to Chief Stephen Akins Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Her previous U.S. visit was in May of the Chickahominy Tribe, and to and Timothy Kaine, the Governor of 1991 to visit Pres. George H. Bush. Frank B. Atkinson, chairman of the Virginia, who handed over ownership th Jamestown 400 Commemorative of the Discovery replica and formally WFS Board’s Slate of Nominees Commission. opened the exhibition “Journey to the for New Directors (See page 3.) New World,” which includes a number of objects excavated at Jamestown. That evening, ten WFS members (Jocelyn and Sara Wingfield, George Wingfield, Richard and Diana Wing- field, John and Sue Parry-Wingfield, Elisabeth Wingfield, and Ian and Al- ison Wingfield) attended a black tie Barbara Cortino Sam Batsell (tuxedo) reception and dinner for 350 On December 19th I was invited by Deirdre Livingstone, VisitBritain’s head of Project for Jamestown 1607, to accompany her to place two wreaths (one for VisitBritain and one for the Wingfield Family Society) at the Vir- ginia Settlers Memorial at Blackwall, Wesley Wingfield Roland Haden London, (later moved to the Discovery) ← Pictured at the left, at the black tie dinner, before the arrival there of the Governor from left front are Elisabeth Wingfield, Sue of Virginia for a wreath-laying by an Parry-Wingfield, Sara Wingfield, Diane Wingfield. Back row: Richard Wingfield, (See 400th Anniversary page 2) Jocelyn Wingfield, John Parry-Wingfield. Winter 2007 1 400th Anniversary Celebration Kelso were mentioned three or four whereas it was Gosnold and Wingfield (from page 1) times each. The speeches were mainly who recruited 40%. Also (1)* Gosnold given by the Jamestown 400th Com- of a strategic rather than a tactical level. is quoted as having “met” Shakespeare memorative Commission, at the his- Guests were given a quality clock, a “perhaps at Otley Hall,” and (2)* the toric Middle Temple in London. new 65-page booklet by Alan Watson, author states that the Virginia Charter Privately in a side bay of the library “Jamestown, the Voyage of the Eng- of 1605 was backed financially by the during the reception, as EMW’s biogra- lish,” and a “Program of Events,” Lord Mayor and over 50 livery compa- pher I presented to the Governor of which has an informative historical nies, whereas that should refer to the Virginia, the Honorable Timothy Kaine summary of note. later Virginia Charter of 1609. The and to his wife, Anne Holton, the That “Program of Events” makes first charter, of 1605, was financed by First Lady of Virginia, a framed picture several references to our kinsman individual subscription. EMW, one referring to him as “one of The celebrations in April 2006 for the [Virginia] Company founders” and the quatercentenary of the signing of the other stating: “It is unclear from the first Virginia Charter (1605) and the Wingfield’s accounts whether the coun- (See 400th Anniversary page 5) cilors took that vote [the naming of a council president] on the night of May 13 or the next morning on May 14. Whatever the date, it was Wingfield they elected, in what was the first Eng- lish election in the New World.” of the April 9th 2006 Kimbolton Cere- Sadly, that official booklet also mony for Edward Maria Wingfield, (1) twice quotes the specific location to which depicts the memorial and the plant the colony as being chosen by pikemen and musketeers forming up, Wingfield and Newport! Wrong! In and with a picture of EMW’s James- Smith’s “The True Relation” he town Memorial on the back. Governor clearly states: “…where was made Kaine said he knows the Jamestown choice for our situation, a very fit Memorial well. place for the erecting of a great city, We were then photographed with about which some contention passed the British Minister for London, Jim betwixt Captain Wingfield and Cap- Fitzpatrick, who pointed out that be- tain Gosnold, notwithstanding all our cause of our lobbying in the 1980s and provision was brought ashore…”; and early 1990s that in 1993, at the end of (2) it states that on the voyage out Gosnold Way on the then newly-built “Newport arrested Smith and put him housing estate at the Virginia Settlers in irons.” Smith himself wrote that he Memorial (in its third location since “from the Canaries [Islands] was re- 1928), a road was actually named strained as a prisoner,” but nowhere Wingfield in honor of Edward Maria are irons or chains mentioned. I hope Wingfield. those two errors will not be repeated There were some two dozen stateside in May during events there. speeches at dinner, culminating in a The booklet by Lord Alan Watson, tour de force by Governor Kaine. The Jamestown, the Voyage of the English, emphasis was on the fact that when unfortunately also contains errors. The those early settlers sailed from London, charming fairy tale of a love affair be- there also sailed the English language tween John Smith and Pocahontas is and the English laws, culture, and cus- there quoted as gospel. Gosnold is also toms. And then, over time, were quoted as recruiting 40% of the settlers, added the three “strands” or additional cultures of America – the Native American, the European, and the Afri- can – all developing together to form the current American society. As I expected, during the various ceremonies both John Smith and Ed- ward Maria Wingfield were mentioned about a dozen times each (two men- tions of the latter being negative). Newport, Gosnold, and Dr. William Susan Constant, Discovery, and Godspeed 2 Winter 2007 MEMBER PROFILE : Billy Wingfield frequenting the unique barbecue restau- rant that is across the street from his 100+ year-old-home. a shortened version of William, he Billy loves his home’s high ceilings wrote his name as Charles William on and beautiful wood floors. However, the application. His mother was not his home does keep him busy, as he happy with that but chose to leave it notes among his hobbies: “Projects as-is. So rather than being known as around the house.” Charles Fountain, as he was originally Billy has experienced a full life. named, he is Charles William just as He was born May 10, 1929, to Harriet the 14-year-old Billy wrote on his Manila Winterberg and John Robert Social Security application. Wingfield. He was one of four boys in Billy spent his early grade school his family, and along with the help of years at Flushing (in Queens), New his older brother, Jack, he was able to York City. His family moved occa- — How well do you know ― name himself. How many people do sionally during his childhood, spend- the Lord of the Manor of Wingfield, you know who have chosen their own ing time in Miami, Florida; Cumber- Charles William “Billy” Wingfield?? name? Billy did! land, Maryland; Sylacauga, Alabama; You may have guessed that the WFS is He was actually named “Charles Bergenfield, New Jersey; and finally one of his hobbies, but did you know Fountain” after both his grandfathers, now in Goodwater, Alabama. that he also enjoys hunting and fishing Winterberg and Wingfield. However, After graduating from high school in and has been a ham radio operator? when he was born his older brother Goodwater, he enrolled at Alabama And about that helicopter? Read on. Jack said, “That’s Billy!” and it stuck. Polytechnic Institute, now called Au- Billy enjoys his breakfast and coffee He was “Billy” from then on! burn University.