Today is dedicated to Thomas Chaundler 1418 ~ 1490

You might ask just how is this fellow Thomas Chaundler whom you keep referring to us? Well, not that you have asked Thomas is the thread of this 2018 Chandler Tour.

He was born in 1418 in a home adjacently north of the Swan Hotel. He was baptized at St Cuthbert's Parish Church and grew up in Wells. At the age of 12 in 1430 He was accepted into Winchester College by scholarship established by William Wykeham. Five years later he was accepted as a university student at Oxford University's New College also on a Wykeham scholarship. graduating in with a BA and an MA in 1444.

He was elected as Warden of Winchester College 1450 returning to Winchester.. Remember for our dialog on William Wykeham that at this time is history there were three powers in England. The King, the Gentry or Merchant, and the Church. They controlled religion, the state, and commerce. In essence the land and all things therein contained. The Chancellor was the business manager of the operation overseeing the land, the farm production and income stream that maintained the College, University or Church for the Spiritual Leader or Bishop. Thomas was a Catholic Priest, yes but his contribution was his organization and business acumen seving as the Chancellor.

This was reflected through out his clerical career as he was the Chancellor of Wells Cathedral in 1453-54 and Chancellor or Vice Chancellor of Oxford College 1457 ~ 1479 over a span of some 22 years.

Thomas passed away while serving as Dean of Hereford 1481 ~ 1490 at the age of 72. He is buried at Hereford Cathedral 80 miles west of Oxford..

A Parish church is to us the neighbor hood church where folks like us were raised and learned to Worship. It is located only 7 or 8 blocks from the Cathedral

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Entirely different ceiling pattern, but very stylish and ornate in its own right.

 

I included a photo of the baptismal font or also known as pools This is the actual baptismal font where Thomas was baptized.

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This a Gala Day in Great Britain as we have a Wedding and a Birthday Party to celebrate.

On this date May 14, 2018 Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan were married. In London the Ball is in full swing so we Chandlers in Wells are going partying too.

We are celebrating the 600th Birthday of our cousin Thomas Chaundler, born in 1418 in a house located next door to the Swan Hotel where we are having his Birthday Party. Susan Chandler baked this beautiful Birthday Cake for this celebration ...... At-A-Girl Susan!

I'll try to introduce you to the Chandler Family and our Guests. Errol and Susan and in the background the Mayor of Wells and her consort.

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Madam Celia Wride, Mayor of Wells, you Honor we Chandlers with your presence. Your choice of cosorts is excellent as he seems to be such a jolly fellow.

Robin Harder and Garrett are also guests at the Mayor's table

Roy Chandler from Wales, Mary Chandler Bruce of Florida and Karrie Montgomery from Ohio.

Randy Chandler from Oklahoma City and our beautiful red haired British Cousin Amy Taylor from Cheddar, UK.

Julia and Stewart Tennent, Eroll and Susan's daughter and husband, Raulin and Kyle Harder.

I mentioned in our tour at Bristol that Stewart has a company that installs humidity and air temperature controlls. He worked on the SS Great Britain for several months installing a control system to prevent rust. So when you walked through the hull of that ship you saw no rust or dried timbers.

Caroline Brown and Nancy Chandler Hawthron, who is from the US, but now living in the UK.

Amy Taylor, Rosemary Chandler from Ohio and Connie Chandler from Oklahoma.

Theresa Willenbrink, from Ohio and Bryon Chandler from the UK

The Cake is ready to be cut and will be as soon as Joan Knowles leads us with a Happy Birthday Song.

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Antonia Gwynn, director of St Cuthbert's Parish Church and Dottie doing the cake cutting honors.

Antonia was most helpful as a guide and furnished us with an abundance of information about St. Cuthbert's when we visited the church this morning.

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Happy Birthday Thomas Chaundler and we leave you now under the steeple of the Cathedral and the watchful eye of the Swan,

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Being we we're so close we took a journey to Glastonbury Abbey and made a stop at Cheddar. For you Yanks, Cheddar in Somerset makes the genuine cheddar cheese, as the British exclaim "not the stuff they make in the US. For my book the Cheddar Cheese in Somerset is similar to our Blue Cheese, regardless, it was the "Real Thing".

Come on Willie sing us another verse, and we’ll move on down the road.

Norm & Dottie