The Almost Attwoods: Three generations from James

For decades, most of the descendants of James Attwood and Emma Ward thought they were part of that prestigious du Bois (“at wood”) family who came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066.
Alas, James may have gained the Attwood name when he was three years told and his unmarried mother married a William Attwood.
But this very ordinary beginning might have characterised our family very well. There are very few famous among us. We have had our ups and downs like many others, the great bulk of the family ending up in New Zealand. The story of one of them, Thomas William Attwood, is told in Attwood of Hepburn Creek.
In seeking to record something about every one of the 150 or so of the first three generations after James and Emma we have recorded only the bare bones. But there are some lovely stories of individuals who found life to be an interesting experience. Many were able to remember and write quite significant accounts. The common threads that through are quite remarkable.
There has been a strong thread of evangelical religion running through the veins of this family. And, like most of those who chose to leave England to begin new lives in a far country, there is generally a strong determination to get ahead.
The print edition of 2007 is still available from the publisher. It is much more comprehensively indexed and includes a photo of each of the contributors. But this E-version includes the text of all the offerings that were submitted and may be of no less interest to the contemporary family in various parts of the world.
It is hoped that all who read this book will be encouraged to live with a sense of being part of a larger, wider community than they knew before.