{"id":111371,"date":"2015-06-19T15:21:02","date_gmt":"2015-06-19T05:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=111371"},"modified":"2020-11-12T13:32:34","modified_gmt":"2020-11-12T03:32:34","slug":"a-long-journey-from-runnymede","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2015\/06\/19\/a-long-journey-from-runnymede\/","title":{"rendered":"A Long Journey From Runnymede"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Barry Randall with some of his grandchildren, from left, Fletcher Douglass, 13; Hunter Randall-French, 1; Nash Holznagel, 9 months; Dempsey Holznagel, 4; and Jordyn Douglass, 11 … the South Burnett is a long way from the original Runnymede!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

June 19, 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

There’s been a lot of talk this week about the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, but for one South Burnett family the celebrations have had an extra special significance.<\/p>\n

Retired Kingaroy businessman Barry Randall is a descendant of the Bassett (or Basset) family, two members of which (Thomas and Alan) were amongst the barons whose signatures appear on that original historic document.<\/p>\n

The first Magna Carta – there were several issued in the 13th century – was signed by King John under pressure from various barons “in the meadow which is called Runnymede, between Windsor and Staines, on the 15th day of June” 1215.<\/p>\n

Barry told southburnett.com.au<\/strong> this week that the connection was through his father’s side of the family.<\/p>\n

His great-grandfather, William James Randall, married Alice Mary Bassett on February 5, 1893, in Nevertire, central NSW.<\/p>\n

The Bassett family were originally of Norman stock, coming into England via the Norman Conquest.<\/p>\n

In the 13th century, they made up a significant part of the landed gentry of Wales and Cornwall.<\/p>\n

But by the time the 18th century rolled around, some branches of the family had fallen on much harder times.<\/p>\n

Members from these Bassetts made their way to Australia like many of Britain’s earliest arrivals … in chains.<\/p>\n

Five Bassett men – all related – were transported as convicts at separate times during the early 19th century from the small village of Timsbury, midway between the family heartlands of Wales and Cornwall.<\/p>\n

The first to arrive in New South Wale was Thomas who landed aboard the “Neptune” in 1817, convicted of stealing a flitch of bacon. Then arrived William (stealing a donkey), Samuel (a watch); and then another Samuel and his brother George (3lb of pork, a dutch oven, two jugs, eight candles and a bottle).<\/p>\n

Barry’s great-grandmother Alice, who was born at Gulgong, was the granddaughter of this second Sam Bassett, who arrived in the colony on the “Westmoreland” in 1835.<\/p>\n

Over the past 200 years, in Australia and Canada, the descendants of these colonial Bassetts have multiplied and prospered, turning the family’s fortunes around full circle – but not quite to the point where they could force Her Majesty to sign away her rights on a piece of vellum …<\/p>\n

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What Is The Magna Carta?<\/strong><\/h3>\n