THE search is on to re-unite a Worcestershire family with their historic family bible - after a woman has spent 12 years looking for them without any luck.
Allison MacPhee is attempting to reunite the book, dating back to the 18th century, with the Simpkins Family, whose family tree is contained within.
Mrs MacPhee bought the bible in a charity shop in the Forest of Dean for just 50p and said she is now hoping to find its former owners.
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She said: “The bible date back to the eighteenth century and has a handwritten family tree inside the front pages.
“I would love to get this Bible back to the family where it belongs. I have been looking for over twelve years and the bible is degrading.
“I found it in a junk shop in Coleford in the Forest of Dean when I saw the inscriptions, I bought it for 50p in the hope I might be able to get it back to the original family.
“Despite twelve years of messaging likely people through Ancestry.com, I have had no luck.
“I just find it so sad that someone obviously put so much effort into the bible to record their family tree and yet it is with me and not the rightful owners.
“It is tatty and the front cover has fallen off but at a few hundred years old I think that’s allowed.”
It is not known which part of Worcestershire the Simpkins Family who owned the bible came from, and Mrs MacPhee hopes someone will come forward who might know who it belongs to.
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The bible contains references to a baptism at Castlemorton in 1835, so it is hoped the family could be living in the Malvern area.
Family bibles are bibles typically handed down throughout several generations of the same family, usually recording the family’s history within.
Information usually recorded includes births, deaths, marriages, baptisms and confirmations. They were typically popular in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Do you think you know who the Simpkins Family Bible belongs to? Email tom.banner@newsquest.co.uk
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