Barack Obama's Family "Probably" Attended The Feast

Obama’s ancestors probably attended the Shelford Feast

Surprising as it may seem, Obama’s ancestors probably attended the Shelford Feast.

US genealogy experts have announced that Mr Obama is descended, via his mother’s family, from Thomas Blossom, a puritan who set off for America in 1620 on the Speedwell, the sister ship of the Mayflower.

Blossom was born in Great Shelford though he moved to Stapleford with his parents, Peter and Annabel Blossom, in around 1580. Peter Blossom also hailed from Shelford, giving Shelford double credibility as the UK ancestral home of Mr Obama.

At this time The Shelford Feast was already a regular and important local event, having started in medieval times, and it is highly likely that the Blossom family would have come to the church for the festival of St Mary in early July and enjoyed the Feast that went with it.
Feast secretary, Duncan Grey, a keen amateur genealogist, has written to the President inviting him to attend the Feast, to be held this year on July 12th.

“I have invited him to open our Feast and attend as an honoured guest,“ said Duncan. “While appreciating that Mr Obama is a busy man, I can assure him that he is welcome to come to our Feast, which is held on the second Sunday in July every year, as it has since early medieval times. He will experience the very best local food and entertainment, just as it was for his ancestors Thomas and Peter Blossom 14 generations ago.”

“The nearby village of Stapleford has laid its own claim to the President’s roots,” added Grey, “but as it is agreed by Researchers at the New England Historic Genealogical Society that Thomas Blossom was born here and that his parents moved here well before they moved on to Stapleford, I think it is obvious we have a prior claim.

On behalf of the Feast committee ‘The Bunch’ we send him our very best wishes and look forward to seeing him.”

The details (letters in Word format)

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The Facts - from http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com

John BLOSSOM
Born before 1500 in Great Shelford, Cambridge, England
Burial: 22 Mar 1572 Great Shelford, Cambridge, England

Peter BLOSSOM was the son of John BLOSSOM.
He was born ABT 1535 in Great Shelford, Cambridge, England.
Married 1 Annabel (b: 1549 in Great Shelford, Cambridge, England)
Married: ABT 1570 in Great Shelford, Cambridge, England
Marriage 2: Margaret ROGER
Married: 21 Sep 1567 in Great Shelford, England
Children:
1. Francis BLOSSOM c: 21 Jan 1570/1571 in Great Shelford, Cambridge, England
2. Ann BLOSSOM c: 30 Dec 1571 in Great Shelford, Cambridge, England
3. John BLOSSOM c: 2 Apr 1574 in Great Shelford, Cambridge, England
4. Alice BLOSSOM c: 5 Aug 1576 in Great Shelford, Cambridge, England
5. Thomas BLOSSOM b: 1580 in Little Shelford, Cambridge, England
He was buried 15 Jun 1597 in Stapleford, Cambridge, England.

Thomas Blossom (Deacon)
Birth: 1580 in Little Shelford, Cambridge, England
Father: Peter BLOSSOM b: ABT 1535 in Great Shelford, Cambridge, England
Mother: Annabel b: 1549 in Great Shelford, Cambridge, England
Marriage 1 Anne HEILSDON c: 23 Jun 1583 in Soham, Cambridge, England
Married: 10 Nov 1605 in St Clements, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
Marriage 2 Ann HEILSON
Married: 10 Nov 1605 in Leiden, Zuid Holland, Netherlands
Children:
1. BLOSSOM b: 1619 in Leyden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
2. Elizabeth BLOSSOM b: 1620 in Leiden, South Leiden, Holland
3. Thomas BLOSSOM b: 1622 in Leyden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
4. Frances BLOSSOM b: ABT 1622 in Leyden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
5. Peter BLOSSOM b: 1627 in Leyden, Holland
6. Peter BLOSSOM b: ABT 1642 in Barnstable, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA
Death: 1633 in Barnstable, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA