I have recently completed ten years of research into the Hartwell family and many of my ancestors came from Cople.
If any of your readers are interested in the Hartwell's I would be willing to share info with them. As a matter of interest the original Hartwell's are from Hartwell village in Northamptonshire which was under the protection of Odo, William the Conquer's brother following 1066. It wasn't until very much later that they moved into Bedfordshire.
After over ten years of research I have taken the family back to William the Conqueror and Sir Simon Hartwell. Sir Simon married Simone and they had a son Sir Geoffrey and there is the start of the current line in England. The father of Sir Simon came over with Wm The Conqueror from Normandy and I have narrowed him down to a handful of Knights who were close to William, but I think it unlikely I shall ever be able to identify which one.
Does anyone have any photographs or information about James Hartwell born 1811 in Cople and married Mary Hill or James Hartwell born 1843 in Cople who married Elizabeth Geary.
Having just seen your splendid web site and the Peter Burr archive which was fascinating, it crossed my mind that there just might be something somewhere, and as I do not possess any pics at all of the Cople Hartwells I would be ever so grateful if anyone could help.
Anthony
