Our Chairman Sheila Harris was our speaker this month and her topic was entitled Robert Constantine – Turkey Merchant; that is a man who traded with Turkey in the early 1700’s not a man who traded in turkeys!
The talk gave those of us present an interesting insight to the many avenues of research followed by Sheila in building a picture of the life Robert led.
From what we learnt Robert appears to have been very successful and, on his death in 1731, his will indicates he was able to make generous provision for his wife and three daughters. From letters she wrote it would seem the eldest of these, Elizabeth, found life rather challenging even though she had married a Baron Leopold Thalman and travelled around with him during his diplomatic career. Perhaps a “glass half empty” character.