District's Preens invited to reunion

3:37pm Sunday 4th May 2008

A FAMILY history group is turning the spotlight on the Preens of Wyre Forest with an invitation for them and their descendants to attend a regional reunion.

The Preen Family History Group is holding its annual get-together in Cardington, Shropshire, home to one branch of the family, later this month.

Hartlebury archivist, Angela Clarke, whose maiden name was Preen, has been researching her branch of the family for five years and has put together one of three books tracing the origins of the Preens.

Her branch, known as the Kings-Stanley, originated in Gloucester and moved to Birmingham, where her father was one of 10 children.

Mrs Clarke has discovered that a family of Preens owned a saddlery in Dark Lane, which runs from Stourport to Dunley, during the 1700s and had 14 children.

"There must be a lot of descendants from them," said Mrs Clarke, who knows of one Preen living in Stourport.

She has also found a Preen who married into the wealthy Rowe carpet family of Kidderminster and there are a lot of historic connections in Bridgnorth with the Preens.

Mrs Clarke, of Waresley Park, is secretary of the family history group, which has been researching the Preens for 30 years. She, along with the Shrosphire-based founder and membership secretary from Nottingham, has amassed lots of information dating back to the mid-16th century, which is being preserved in the Shropshire County Council archives.

The Preens were originally owners and masters of ships carrying goods up and down the River Severn and the family spread as they settled in towns and villages along its banks. The annual family reunion attracts around 40 Preens and their descendants from around the region but few from Wyre Forest and Mrs Clarke would like to hear from anyone interested in attending.

The event, on Saturday May 31, at Cardington Village Hall, from 10am to 4pm, costs £12 (including lunch and tea) and will feature various talks and a choice of activities, including a survey of the graves in the village churchyard.

A collection of the latest information about the Preen family will be available to look at and the History of the Preen Family will be on sale.

"It's a great chance to find ancestors, perhaps meet lost relatives and see old family photographs," added Mrs Clarke.

Anyone interested in tracing members of the Preen family should contact her on 01299 250627, or visit the website at www.preen.org.uk

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