THE FIRST

INTERNATIONAL

GORNALL - GORNELL FAMILY REUNION

WAS HELD IN

QUALICUM BEACH, VANCOUVER ISLAND

BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

.......................................................................................................

July 15 to 18, 2005

This being the first International Gathering of Gornalls from all families, it was decided to have a Canadian Symbol to indicate that our first reunion was in Canada. We chose the very recognizable symbol of a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  A member of the local detachment agreed to come along and pose with us, and in return a donation was made to the R.C.M.P.'s  "Tour de Rock" "Cops for Cancer" children's charity which raises fund and supports research for children with cancer by having a team of RCMP members cycle the length of Vancouver Island each year, raising funds as they go from town to town.  

Gornalls and Gornells and their descendants came from as far away as New Zealand, Australia, England, United States and of course from Canada. 

We had prepared family tree charts for each family branch and as many old photographs as we could gather up.  There were several instances of cousins finding new cousins as they pored over each other's family trees and these were exciting times.  At the end of the weekend, there were sad farewells at the hotel and the railway station and for many of us who met close cousins for the first time hugs and tears mixed in with our goodbyes. 

Plans are underway to consider another reunion in Lancashire in 2007. A lot of interest was generated in a discussion about having a coach  tour which could be organized to visit towns and villages in Lancashire and surrounding counties where the Gornalls lived in the years between 1600 and the late 1800's and an agenda is being worked on now.  Information on a new reunion will be available on this site in months to come.

     SOME PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THIS YEAR'S EVENT

MORE PHOTOGRAPHS TO COME!

WEBSITE UPDATED JULY 31ST, 2005