Sue, as everybody knew her, was an avid reader from an early age and her interest in ancient and medieval history developed at Effingham House School near Bexhill-on-Sea in England. This became her lifelong passion and her storytelling of the Prowse Family was sparked while she was encouraging her son, Nick, in his school genealogical project in 1984. She reached back to England to the numerous family members, among them her sister Anne Cash (nee Prowse) and cousins Roger and Mary Prowse, expanding the mass of information with extensive research at libraries in England and America. This led to the completion of the 'Prowse Family History' book.
The first International Prowse Reunion was organized in September 1990 in Chagford and Gidleigh by Roger and Mary Prowse with Sue's inputs, where she was one of the key speakers. Prowse attendees came from England, France, America, Canada, Australia as well as Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The first edition of Sue's book was introduced and all copies were sold out at the event. Sue's speech at Chagford was entitled 'Prouse Predicaments' and it was described as “a spirited and very fluent talk, taking some of the notable events that belong to the common family history, and the background, investing them with colour and vigour”.
After the success of the first book, her investigation of different aspects and achievements of the Prowse/Prouse members were organized and published in 10 books and numerous essays in the past 30 plus years reaching Prowses round the world. She kept up with the family contacts resulting in the Monthly Family History Newsletter through the Internet.
Sue attended all the Prowse family reunions: in Colchester in 1997, in Plymouth in 2004 (where she gave a memorable speech ‘Connections’ standing by the Armada Memorial on the Hoe), in Salt Lake City in 2006 (where she gave a speech entitled ‘A Parade of Prowses Through the Ages’), in the New Forest in 2011 (where she gave a wonderful speech entitled ‘A Romp Through Eleven Centuries of Prowse/Prouse Ancestry) and finally in Tiverton in 2018. It was her wonderful ability to communicate both verbally and in writing that has encouraged so many of the family to carry out their own research over the years.
Whenever the opportunity arose Sue would visit sites associated with the Prowse family and was able to learn many details about the family by asking questions on these visits. She loved to visit Devon when she came over to England and enjoyed many trips with her sister and brother-in-law Anne & Noel Cash as well as her cousins Roger & Mary Prowse, Alison & John Causton and Hilary Newton. In 2013 my husband & I were able to enjoy a trip to Belgium & Normandy with her and Laurie Littledike from Utah. Thanks to Sue’s detailed research and planning we had a wonderful trip and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her.
She has contributed hugely to our understanding of the connections between the different branches of the family. She will be greatly missed by Prowses from around the world who have benefited from her encyclopedic knowledge and encouragement to find out more about their own family history.
Sandor Tako & Verity Sweeney
SUE’S BOOKS:
1991 Prowse Family History 3rd Edition
2011 A Romp Through Eleven Centuries of Prouse/Prowse Ancestry (a power point presentation given at Salt Lake City, Utah in 2006 when it was entitled ‘A Parade of Prowses Through the Ages’ and again at the 2011 Prowse reunion in Southampton/New Forest
2013 In Search of our Ancestors, Journeys Through Devon, Somerset & London & the Battlefields & Cemeteries of Flanders and Normandy
2013 Prowse/Prouse Deaths, Burials, Testaments & Wills, with the occasional Dastardly Deed & Calamitous Misfortune that Befell our Ancestors
2015 From Empire to Independence: The Grant & Prowse Families in India, 1700-1963
2016 Gidleigh Castle Origins & Myths & the Archeology of Gidleigh Castle
2016 The Skardon Story – Master Brewers and Victuallers to the Royal Navy in the 18th Century
2018 Sue’s Indispensible Guide to Ancestral Places to Visit in Devon & Cornwall
2018 Those in Peril – Military Tales of our de Preaux and Prowse Ancestors
2020 First Do No Harm – the Story of the Medical Branch of the Prowse Family from Bristol
East to West: From the Himalayas to the Blue Ridge Mountains
SUE’S ARTICLES & SPEECHES:
Prowse Predicaments (a speech given at the first Prowse/Prouse Family Gathering in Chagford & Gidleigh, Devon, UK, September 22, 1990
Family Feelings (A Devon Adventure)Printed in both the UK Autumn 1993 Prowse Family Newsletter, edited by Roger & Mary Prowse; & in the USA in the August 1993 Prowse Family History News, edited by J. Norman and Judith Prowse Reid (now Roach).
Connections (a speech given at the National Armada Monument in Plymouth, Devon, UK, September 4, 2004)
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