PASK Hunting Horn

We received an e-mail from Patrick Button, who lives in Durban, South Africa.

He wrote:

I have in my possession a hunting horn from a great uncle in England, who was a huntsman. The horn is stamped Pask Maker London and I have now been able to identify and date it.

... in case you are aghast at its battered condition please be reminded that it appears to have been a real working tool for many years (!)


Patrick also provided a picture of his great-grandfather Huntsman Thomas Leonard Imms (1839 -1928) who used the Pask Maker London hunting horn at Clandon Park and Merrow, Surrey.

Thomas Leonard Imms was also Huntsman with the Norfolk Stag Hounds as well as the Brighton and Knaphill Harriers. He is said to have hunted with the then Prince of Wales, Edward, who frequented Clandon Park and Merrow.

Patrick provided more information on the possible dates:

I have listed three names & dates of successive IMMS huntsman to the Earls of Onslow, who lived at Clandon Park near Guildford, Surrey.

James Imms 1773 or 1774 - 1846
Thomas Leonard Imms 1811-1879
Thomas Leonard Imms 1839-1928**

The latter was my great grandfather** and it was from him that the Pask Maker hunting horn is supposed to have come. Assuming that the dates of the Pask company span from 1840-1871, it seems that this horn may have been acquired and used by Thomas Leonard Imms (1811-1879) and passed down in the family.

This photo is from another similar horn. However Patrick's horn does not have the "& Koenig" part of the stamping, the rest, including the British coat of arms is the same, even the font is identical.

If anyone has any additional information about the PASK company, we would be very interested, and will pass it on to Patrick.

Website Update 28 October 2009

The website was updated today, Wednesday 28 October. This focuses on information, as detailed in the previous blogs:

• Marriage Certificate for Bertie & Ella Kate Pask née Sargent
• Pasks of Hargrave, Suffolk

A full list of these recent changes to the narratives is available in the New or Changed Narratives section. There are now 8,127 narratives available on the website.

Pasks of Hargrave, Suffolk

This information relates to the main Suffolk tree - descendants of John & Mirabel Pask née Sparrow, born c1680 who lived in Wickhambrook, Suffolk.

In September we exchanged e-mails with Kai Davey regarding his grandmother Laura (Nene) Irene Morley née Pask who lived in Hargrave, Suffolk. Kai has provided several photographs of his grandmother's family and also those of her relations, including:

• Stephen Pask with his wife Ellen (Nellie) and his eldest son William c1940
• Joseph Philip & Lily May Pask - 50th Wedding Anniversary - 17 June 1952
• Wedding of Alfred & Beatrice (May) Brooks née Pask 1936
• Wedding of Eric Joseph & Joan Pask née Robinson 11 May 1958

The photographs, together those previously provided by Rose Beadle are now available in a photograph album and in the slideshow below. This information will be included in the next website update.

Trip to Paschendale

Last Friday, and Saturday we took a trip to visit some of the Commonwealth War Graves in France and Belgium. Our travelling companion was John who had never been to visit any graves, so our focus was on those people he is researching.

Initially we visited Flesquieres Hill British Cemetery in France, where John's great uncle Stanley George Bird is buried.

Our next stop was Pheasant Wood near Fromelles in northern France to see the site of the new Commonwealth War Grave cemetery where experts during a major archaeological dig found the remains of 250 World War I soldiers.

We then travelled into Belgium to see Hype Park Corner, and the Berks Cemetery Extension, for the Ploegsteert Memorial. We then drove to Ypres (Ieper) and visited the In Flanders Field museum. In the evening we attended the Menin Gate Last Post, where we witnessed a very poignant ceremony which included an address by the New Zealand High Commissioner followed by a Maori lament during the wreath laying, and a piper from the Black Watch.

On Saturday, we visited Tyne Cot Memorial, and the newly opened visitor's centre. This museum is stark, and minimalistic. However the accompanying voice of a young girl reading the names, and ages of those who gave their lives leaves a very lasting impression.

Finally we visited the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, near Poperinge.

A very interesting trip. We have included all our photographs in an album, and slideshow.

Marriage Certificate for Bertie & Ella Kate Pask née Sargent

This information relates to Bertie Pask who lived in the Colchester / Newmarket area in the early 1900s.

We have now received the marriage certificate for Bertie & Ella Kate Pask née Sargent as detailed in a previous blog.

It shows that Bertie was residing at Little Saxham, Suffolk and that his father was George Pask. As suspected, Bertie is Bertie Arthur Pask who was born in 1887 in Stowlangtoft, Suffolk.

The records for Bertie will be merged, and chart 50 will be merged with Chart 02-2: Daniel Pask, second son of John & Mirabel Pask née Sparrow #5329. This will be included in the next website update.