The rendezvous this year was the village of Beetham on the south east edge of the Lake District. Beetham Parish Church was chosen because many Titteringtons were baptised, married or buried here in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. 
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The rendezvous this year was the village of Beetham on the south east edge of the Lake District. Beetham Parish Church was chosen because many Titteringtons were baptised, married or buried here in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The second picture shows the scene in the car park at Beetham as everyone arrives. The groups from the left of the picture are: Alan Cookson meets the Irish Titteringtons with Lee from Arizona on the right and Irene Titterington from Dundonald with her back to the camera on the left.
Moving rightwards, in the next group Kathy Titterington from Maine renews her acquaintance with Helen Kelly Titterington from New York and husband Chris Titterington in the red coat. Moving further to the right, Bob Titterington is introducing his wife Sheila to co-organisers Alan Titterington (mostly hidden by Bob), and Carrie Dugdale. Carrie's daughter Julie has her back to the camera and wears the black coat. Further to the right are Debra Titterington and Joan and Geoff Blomeley. Geoff is standing in front of Jean Titterington in the pink coat. In the furthest right group, Viv and Alan Titterington from Haverhill renew the acquaintance of Noreen Titterington from Halifax. With them are Duncan and Pam Crawshaw who are still a bit bemused to see so many Titteringtons all in the same place, as they attend their very first 'Titterington Trail'.
The picture to the left shows the chancel of St Michael's. The Churchwarden Donald Watson came along to tell us a little about the chuch and the lack of symmetry in its construction. This was abundantly clear just by looking at the columns on opposite sides of the nave.
The ladies of the church had very kindly turned out to provide coffee and biscuits to everyone, and we are very grateful to them.
Some bell ringing tuition was available for children of all ages. In the photo on the right Dawn Wilson nee Titterington is on the right of the picture and is clearly enjoying her introduction to campanology.
The picture on the right shows folk emerging from the Church. It is hard to pick out individuals but on the right you can see Duncan and Pam Crawshaw already getting to know Eric and Frances Titterington, their closest relatives on the Trail. The group in the middle with the lady in the purple coat are Jeff Titterington with Debra and Jean. On the left of the picture are three of the visitors from the US with their backs to the camera, Allen Cass is in the centre.
At this point Ian Wilson took us all in hand to show us why he is so good at taking photographs. Soon we were all lined up for the group photo.
Burton was a stronghold of the Titterington family in the 19th century. Both the Kings Arms and the Royal Oak had Titteringtons as their licensees. The Parish Church of St James (pictured right) dates from Norman times with the lower part of the tower and parts of the nave being of this time. 
Our interest was focussed on the four marked graves in the churchyard. The licensed trade had clearly given sufficient wealth to these families of Titteringtons to commemorate their ancestors.
Colton Church stands almost alone, high on the fells above Haverthwaite. It serves as the parish church for nearby Bouth where the oldest members of the Dalton Gamekeepers family of Titteringtons lived and worked. John Titrington and Mary Cobb married in this church in 1754 and their seven children were baptised here.
We were very fortunate that Rev Doreen Harrison who, before she retired, was the incumbent at Colton, came to tell us
about this church and its history which dates back to the monks of Furness Abbey. She is pictured right inside the Church.
The picture on the left shows Doreen at the sundial which she had restored during her ministry. Alan Titterington is on the left and Bob Titterington on the right. Doreen gave a fascinating insight into not only the church but her time there. The local stonemasons seem to have had more business than they envisaged!
A notable feature inside the church is the war memorial. Unusually this records not only the names of the dead but also the names of those who served. There are three Titteringtons named on the memorial, all brothers, all of whom were in the infantry and all of whom survived the conflict.
Finally, Doreen took us down to St Cuthbert's Well, the site of a natural spring, where the Monks of Furness Abbey were thought to have conducted baptisms in the distant past. Pictured from the left are Ian Titterington, Dorothy Titterington, Sheila Titterington, Kathy Titterington, Rev Doreen Harrison, Alan Titterington, Bob Titterington, Paul Titterington, Viv Titterington, Alan Titterington, Dawn Wilson and Eric Titterington
By this time the participants were feeling quite peckish and we next drove to Crosthwaite for lunch at the Punch Bowl. The route took us over the fells to the east of Lake Windermere and we enjoyed some splendid views of the lake and the fells.
The star attraction at Crosthwaite was not the lunch, not the church which was rebuilt in 1878 and is currently having an external 'makeover', not even the gravestone of John Titterington and Eleanor Clarke but the Titterington Coaches minibus which had brought Laura Titterington, Nicola Broyan and Claire Titterington over from Penrith. They could have made fortune by charging the assembled Titteringtons for having their picture taken in front of the minibus. The picture shows Albert Titterington (left), Nell Lucas (centre) and Lee Titterington indulging.
With no shortage of Titterington pubs which had had a Titterington landlord in times gone by (at least five) there was plenty of choice for the evening session. After a quick tour of some of the homes of Titteringtons south of the Kent Estuary, we gathered for a session in family groups before the evening buffet was served.
To the left is a picture of the Dalton Gamekeepers group getting to grips with their tree. The Trail had focussed on this family and they supported the event with a great turnout.
The picture on the right shows Duncan and Pam Crawshaw trying to sort out some inconsistencies between the 'John the Bleacher' and 'Bentham' trees. Seated with them are Eric and Frances Titterington who first joined the Trails in 2006.
Left, we see the 'Archibald the Flaxdresser' group equally hard at work bringing their tree up to date. Standing is Chris Titterington and then moving to the right, Joan Blomeley, Jean Titterington and Debra Titterington. In front of Chris is Helen Kelly Titterington and over Chris's right shoulder is Helen Storey nee Titterington.
Having enjoyed the food there were a series of short presentations on Titterington heraldry and Titterington DNA testing. In the latter, Bob showed that the latest result from Lee Titterington and explained, as in most families, that there was more than one Y chromosome DNA identifiable. He explained how to go about getting a DNA test carried out and mentioned that we still do not know if the Dalton Gamekeepers group has a common male ancestor with the other mainland families that have been tested.
The picture on the left shows Alan Titterington giving his presentation. From the left, Richard Litt, Ian Titterington, Sheila Titterington, Dorothy Titterington and then Geoff and Joan Blomeley on the right with their backs to the camera.
Alan Titterington then rounded off the proceedings with a raffle which ensured the return of (most of) the name badges. It was good to see the younger participants walking off with most of the prizes
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| Debra and Jean Titterington & Joan and Geoff Blomeley pictured at Beetham | Bob and Ian Titterington from the Fylde Families discuss serious issues! | Alan Cookson (centre) talks to Dorothy Titterington and Dawn Wilson (backs to camera). Behind them Irene Titterington talks to Lee Titterington and on the left Stephen Titterington, and Eileen Cookson is on the right. |
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| Lee Titterington from Phoenix AZ talking to Irene Titterington from Dundonald | L-R Noreen Titterington, Chloe Pickles and Noreen's son Jay (Jason) talk to Roger Titterington (all from Thomas the Stuffmaker). Behind them is John Titterington from Whitley Bay | Duncan and Pam Crawshaw (left) talk to Eric and Frances Titterington |
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| Helen Kelly Titterington and Kathy Titterington both from the USA | Steven Titterington, Pat Titterington and John Titterington from Whitley Bay | Left - organiser Carrie Dugdale with her daughter Julie Carlisle (centre) and Noreen Titterington |
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| Nell Lucas (left) with Dorothy Titterington (right). Behind at right Paul Titterington (Fylde Families) | Helen Kelly Titterington with Bob Titterington | Steven Titterington (Dalton Gamekeepers) looks up from his guide to meet Paul Titterington |
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| Lee Titterington and Alan Cookson 'touch base' | Detail from the war memorial at Colton | Organiser Alan Titterington with ? ? and Peggy Sproat in the car park at the Punch Bowl (Dalton Gamekeepers) |
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| Chris and Helen Titterington at the Ship (Archibald the Flaxdresser) | The Alan Titteringtons (left Morecambe Bay Fishermen, right Thomas the Stuffmaker) |
Last of all I must thank my fellow organisers, Carrie Dugdale and Alan Titterington, without whom the day would simply not have happened.
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