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The rendezvous for the day was the historic church of All Hallows at Mitton. This was chosen because John de Titryngton was the incumbent in 1385.
The list of Rectors goes back to 1103 and our visitors from the USA were impressed at the thought that the timbers in the roof of the nave had been placed there in 1270 and had been there ever since.
There is a board at the back of the Church listing the incumbents from 1103 and whilst it has doubtless been repainted many times, it is the earliest written record of a Titterington that we know of.
We were warmly greeted by Karina Lancaster who is responsible for Ministry to Visitors at All Hallows and she kindly gave a short talk about the history of the Church. Coffee transpired to be coffee, biscuits and home made cakes which did much to revive those who had driven long distances that morning to be there. Trips up to the top of the Church tower proved popular, particularly with the younger ones.
There were a total of 74 there at some point during the day. Some came for the morning plus lunch, some joined at Waddington, some could only be there for the evening in the Horse and Farrier at Bentham.
It was enormously encouraging for the four organisers that there was so much interest in the day.
The attraction of visiting Waddington lay in the extraordinary number of Titteringtons recorded in the parish registers in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
The first entry is the baptism of Thomas Titterington on 13 March 1642. Of particular interest is the marriage of Johanes Titterington and Isabela Garner on 2 Dec 1683. This couple are the ancestors of both the Titteringtons 
who moved to Halifax and also the Leeds/Varley family who in their turn moved to Coventry and Wolverhampton.
The upper picture shows (left to right) Debra Titterington, Julie Carlisle and Ann Couzens examining the original registers which date back to 1550, with Church warden Hilda Tomlinson seated right.
There is a Roll of Honour inside Waddington Church, recording the names of those who fought and those who died in World War 1. There are two Titterington names recorded, Thomas Titterington (father of Carrie Dugdale) who survived and his younger brother Albert, who died in March 1918.
Pictured in Waddington Church are Kathleen and Diane Bennett with Carrie Dugdale behind them, examining the Roll of Honour. Diane said the day had reignited her interest in Titterington family history. Sadly, circumstances dictated that they could only participate in the morning part of the day, but we hope we may see them again at future Titterington family gathering.
In the Churchyard at Waddington, there is just one Titterington grave (pictured right). Gravestones did not become common until the 19th century, prior to then only the wealthy could afford such indulgences. The common folk were buried in what were effectively mass graves in church yards.
The gravestone commemorates Thomas Titterington of West Bradford who was a Stone Getter (Quarryman). He died on 17 Nov 1870 aged 57. He is buried with his wife Ann nee Windle who died 29 April 1860 aged 43 and son James who died 1 May 1875 aged 23.
Pictured left are two of our visitors from Maine USA: Katie Prior and Kathy Beverage nee Titterington; seated with Ann Flatley (one of the organisers) and Alan Cookson.
Pictured right are Jeff Titterington from Oldham with his sister Joan Blomeley nee Titterington and his daughter Debra. Helen Kelly Titterington is standing behind them.
Caroline Titterington, Stephen Titterington and Diane Titterington are pictured left with Helen Kelly Titterington and Roberta Ashworth behind them.
To the right; the day clearly brings back lots of happy memories for Jeff and Jean Titterington from Oldham.
Lunching at the Moorcock gave the participants the opportunity to walk up the road towards the quarries to see 'Titrington Brow' and 'Titrington Clough' both of which were marked on the 1909 Ordnance Survey map of the UK.
After lunch the participants drove over the Forest of Bowland towards High Bentham. The picture shows the stunning view as one comes over the crest of Crutchenber Fell and enters the county of North Yorkshire from Lancashire. In the distance Ingleborough is the dominant peak in the centre of the picture. The view is across the valley of the Wenning. Ingleborough (723m) is one of the famed Three Peaks, the others being Pen-y-Gent (693m) and Great Whernside (736m). We were lucky that the rain and low cloud had abated by early afternoon and allowed us to enjoy the scenery.
Ann Flatley led a walking tour around High Bentham and we visited the Parish Church (which was locked, despite a promise to have it open for the afternoon), Moon's Acre, the house built by John Titterington in the 1820s and passed on, in turn, to his two sons. This is pictured left.
To the right is a picture of the memorial stone on the end of the Alms Houses which were endowed by Mary Jane Titterington just before she died.
The party then moved further up the street to see Sunny Bank, the house where Mary Jane lived in the long years of her widowhood. (picture left).
The Horse and Farrier was chosen for the evening part of the programme because William Titterington was the licensee here in the late 1860s and early 1870s. It is said that he was so religious that he would not open on Sundays.
Mr and Mrs Longshaw did us proud with an excellent buffet which made the lunch look a bit poor in comparison.
Having enjoyed the food there were a series of short presentations on Titterington family Groups, Titterington heraldry and Titterington DNA testing. In the latter, Bob showed that the latest result from Jason Titterington was probably the 'core' result with single mutations in the more rapidly mutating markers of the 25 marker test, 'identifying' the Fylde family and John the Bleacher branches of Titteringtons.
Alan Titterington then rounded off the proceedings with a lighthearted session on signatures and amusing incidents involving our name. A raffle at the end ensured the return of (most of) the name badges.
Pictured left listening to one of the presentations are (foreground) David and Pat Harrison (Morecambe Bay Fishermen), seated against the far wall Alan Cookson (Archibald the Blacksmith), standing at the back Dorothy and Ian Titterington (Fylde Families), seated behind Pat is Ann Couzens (John the Bleacher).
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| Frances and Eric Titterington with Suzanne Nicholas. Eric is the Organist at Mitton Church. | Alan and Vivian Titterington with Alan Cookson (right) | Roberta Ashworth and Ian Titterington. Peter Bennett and Liz Hill are in the background. |
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| Peter Bennett and his sister Liz Hill | Dennis and Peggy Sproate (Dalton Gamekeepers) with Roberta Ashworth. | Joyce Harrison, Sheila Blackburn and D'reen Titterington - members of the Waddington families. |
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| Diane Titterington (nice picture from Helen Kelly Titterington) | Alan Titterington and Alan Titterington. He of Thomas the Stuffmaker on the left and he of the Morecambe Bay Fishermen on the right | Chris and Helen Titterington in happy mood. |
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| Ann Couzens studies her booklet detailing the day's events | Lunch at the Moorcock. L to R Peggy Crossley, Ernest Crossley, Joyce Harrison and D'reen Titterington | Gerald and Ruth Titterington who live near Bentham |
Last of all I must thank my fellow organisers, Ann Flatley, Carrie Dugdale and Alan Titterington, without whom the day would simply not have happened.
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