Help locate the missing Bible

Dear Editor, Carolyn and I have recently retired and actively constructing our family connections hence this has cropped up again and we do wish to resolve it.

In 1997, we travelled to Fermoy and had with us a very large family Bible that was found in Carolyn’s late fathers belongings in New Zealand. We delivered it to The Rectory in Fermoy to Mr Pamment who also serviced Ballyhooly; the origin of the Bible and its owners Richard and Hannah Talbot. We have a copy of their marriage certificate.

The Bible was left as a temporary gift to the Ballyhooly Church for safe keeping and maybe to locate a member of the Davey or Talbot family through the Church. The intention was that the Bible be returned to New Zealand when we were sure of the NZ connections. We established this many years ago and sought the return of the Bible for delivery to the direct Talbot descendants.

We were then advised that the Ballyhooly church was refurbished and the Bible was stored with parishioners locally, along with other objects. Unfortunately, the Bible was nowhere to be found and enquiries made re Mr Pamment revealed he had moved on.

We did manage to contact Revd. A G Marley, Fermoy Rectory in 1997, who was unable to locate the Bible.

The Bible is inscribed: “To celebrate the marriage of Hannah Davy to Richard Talbot”.

Married in the parish church in the Parish of Ballyhooly on October 21st 1869, Richard and Hannah emigrated from Ireland to New Zealand.

We now wish to make contact with any Talbot relations, to see if the Bible ended up with them or does someone connected to the Church have it in their possession. We would appreciate any information you may be able to provide.

Regards, Terry (and Carolyn) Blackler, 44 Terry Came Drive, Cambridge 3434, New Zealand. E-m: terry.blackler@outlook.co.nz