Joel had to go to London, England for business and he invited me to go with him! We stayed at the Chancery Court Hotel. We arrived in London on April 19 and left on April 23. I had so much fun sight-seeing and wandering about England that I hope to go back again someday!
This is the Tower of London. It was the first "castle fortress" built in London and was the home of royalty from about 1080 (William the Conqueror) to 1533 (Henry VIII), after which the tower was used as a prison and execution spot for royal "traitors." Sir Thomas More was imprisoned and put to death here for opposing Henry VIII's self-appointed role as the Supreme Head of the new, Protestant, Church of England (because he wished to divorce one of his wives and his previous church wouldn't hear of it!) Today, the Tower houses the Crown Jewels and stands as a museum of a brutal past.
This is me standing outside of Traitors Gate, a gate which once opened up to the river Thames and was an entrance for royalty. It later became infamous as an entrance for traitors to the throne who were entering the tower for imprisonment or execution. 
This is Kensington Palace, home to fashionable royals including the late Diana, Princess of Wales. It was first adapted for royal residence in 1689 for William III and Mary II. What a wonderful treasure -- I was able to tour the Palace at my leisure and wonder at what life would be like in such a place. I decided I liked my home on Altavilla Drive better than any other place, even Kensington Palace!
I had an entire day to explore and so I decided to find my way to Tipton, a little town in Staffordshire, England where my great-great-grandfather, William Tonks Law (born in 1815) lived. My grandfather, Samuel Charles William Law was born near there in a town called Bradley. It was surreal to walk where my ancestors once walked.
Following a rough map that a florist in the town drew for me, I found Watery Lane, the very lane where William Tonks Law lived. I'm sure much has changed since then and that Watery Lane is not as it was then, but still it was so great to be there! I took a picture of the oldest houses right there near Watery Lane.
I decided to ask for directions to the local cemetery to see if I could find any grave markers with my relatives names on them. After walking for what seemed like forever, I came to a large cemetery. There was one section that looked like a haunted grave yard and I knew that would be where I might have most success. I wandered and wandered throughout the grave yard trying to make out names on stone markers that were tilted as if sinking into the earth. Many of the markers were unreadable. As I wandered, an English gentleman rode up on a tractor and asked if he could help me. I asked if he has a plot map for the cemetery and he said he did! He took me to his office and we looked at an old cloth map for the surname of Tonks or Law. We didn't find any Tonks but we found two Law's, one of which was in the old section where I had been searching. We went back and he helped me find this tombstone. It was hard to read and even harder to get a good picture but I think it says this: "In Loving Memory of Richard Law of Tipton who died March 22nd, 1893 -- Aged 52 Years -- If love and care could death prevent, thy life would not so soon be spent. Life was desired but God could see, eternal life was meant for thee." On the right side of the marker, it reads, "Also of Sarah Jane Law who died August 16, 1911 -- Aged 67 Years. On the left, it reads, "Also of Sarah Jane Woodall who died April 8, 1925. Aged 51 Years. At Rest." The gentleman who took care of the cemetery told me that all three of these people would have been buried here. I'm not sure who these people are but I would love to find out! I suspect it is William Tonks Law's brother's son, since William Tonks Law had a daughter (Ann) born in the year 1841, which would have been the same year this Richard Law was born, and in the same town.
