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| and The Isle of Wight Plantation in the 17th century |
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| A big thank you to all those American academic websites that made these webpages possible. Without the material that you have made available on the Net, this site would have been impossible. Thank you for making public access to primary sources a REALITY and for releasing the potential of the Net as a powerful historical research tool. |
| About three years ago, I was sitting in a pub on the Island with two mates discussing the scarcity of information and evidence for the origins of Isle of Wight County in Virginia.We were all in agreement that there was a great deal of nonsense written about the Island's role in the early history of the colony. What we disagreed on was the nature of the nonsense itself and the veracity of certain pieces of information. We were also unable to reach a concensus about how much emphasis should be given to Islanders in the early years of colonisation. As tempers began to flare and pints of beer began to overturn, the general bonhommie of the evening faded rapidly. Finally, as one of my friends was standing over the other, ready to bludgeon him with a pub chair, I suggested that we agree to differ and call it a night. The history of Isle of Wight County receded from my mind until the rancour between these two friends, that had simmered for many months, suddenly flared up, resulting in the smaller and less bigoted of the two being hospitalised. I vowed there and then to sort out this puzzling and obscure episode of Island history. I therefore handed over the research case to one of The I.W. Historical Review's more dubious but tenacious researchers, Ben Attrill, who also happens to be the only inbred Islander on the staff, the rest of us being healthily mixed-gene overners. A year later, Ben returned with this exhaustive and suspiciously thorough report. The chances are that we'll find another site with exactly the same research, that Ben no doubt lifted word for word, not having the intelligence to alter it in devious and subtle ways. Anyway, we are pleased to be able to offer this little historical nugget and are happy that we might be allowed to show you the way to your historical seat, using the investigative torch-light that is Ben Attrill's inbreeding-enhanced insight. Over to you, Ben! Toni Cornell |