Families just grow - Mercer reunion
Gathering of the Mercers from all parts of the globe.
Family reunion... Evan Mercer welcomes visiting cousins Anne North, left, Jean Simpson, from South Africa, and Betty Mercer, right to the family home.
Tamworth Herald 1994
by John Harper
A Harlaston farmer is getting back to the quiet tranquility of country life - after being descended upon by 200 relatives!
Distance proved no object for members of Evan Mercer's burgeoning clan who came from as far afield as South Africa, USA, Canada and Spain for a family reunion near their ancestors' home.
Edingale Village Hall had to be called into service, because Harlaston's was too small, as years of chit-chat and gossip were exchanged over an afternoon buffet reception.
Five generations were represented including Mrs Dolly Mercer, who at 90 is the oldest surviving member, and three-week-old Georgia Carr who is the youngest.
Children, grandchildren, great-grand children and even four great-great-grandchildren were present at the reunion which was unfortunately marred by torrential rain.
Mr Mercer, 62, is the sixth generation to have lived at 'The Homested' and explained that the family house was built in 1773 by collar and harness maker William Mercer.
"The reason there are so many of us is that my grandparents had nine sons and five daughters". he told the Herald. "Everyone at the party is descended from them."
It's ten years since the family last had a get together and Mr Mercer said he hopes the tradition continues.
"It took quite a bit of arranging because the family is growing all the time" he added. "But it was a marvellous occasion- except for the weather."
Merric Mercer...father of the origional 14 children.
Evening Mail 1984
Families just grow!
200 arrive in village for great reunion
Nearly 200 descendants of Merric Maurice Mercer travelled from all over the world to a corner of Staffordshire for a family reunion.
Almost 50 years ago to the day, the 14 children of Merric and his wife Elizabeth, decided to have a family get together.
None of the 14 children are still alive but their heirs decided to repeat the celebrations on Saturday. The village hall at nearby Edingale was hired for the day was filled with the grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and other descendants of Merric, who lived from 1847 - 1914.
The reunion was organised by a family committee headed by Evan Mercer, the sixth Mercer to farm at 'The Homestead'. Evan is pictured, left foreground, with members of the family outside the hall.
He and his sister, Mrs. Chris Strophair of Stafford, spent two years contacting relatives all over the world and compiling a family tree and history of 'The Homestead'.
Evan, aged 52, said: "The farm was built in 1773 by William Mercer, great-great-grandfather of Merric.Â
"Everyone had a marvellous time at the reunion and it would be nice to think there would be another in 50 years time, although I shall not be there to see it."
The visitors from abroad included Nancy and George Coxford, from Canada, George and Janet Duffee, from Spain, and Betty Boers, Harriet Porter and Mark North from South Africa
