Did you know that we have a true celebrity buried here, in my hometown?
Yup, that there lady you see in the picture? The star of Disney’s Pocahontas? She was no fictitious character but she was a native American girl, caught up in the Anglo-Native American hostilities in the early 1600’s. While captive, she converted to Christianity and became known as Rebecca, and when the chance came to go back home, she decided to stay with the English. She married John Rolfe, who was a tobacco planter, and they moved to England.
When she came over here, she was almost promoted as a ‘Civilised Savage’, by those hoping to get some more investment for their hometown, the Jamestown settlement. She became quite a celebrity, and was even invited to Whitehall Palace for a function!
It appears that they were aboard a ship, bound for Virginia, when she fell ill, and they docked in Gravesend, Kent, where she died, of unknown causes.
She was buried here under the local church’s chancel in 1617. We don’t know the exact whereabouts of her grave, as the original church burned down in 1727. Since then a new church was build in the same spot, St George’s church, and there is a bronze statue to commemorate her life.
I was unable to go inside the church, as it was closed, but there is an amazing quilted tapestry inside, which shows the story of her life!
And what of John Smith?? You know, the blondie in the Disney film?
Well, yes he was real. And there was a connection between him and Pocahontas. But it appears that the romantic relation that has been conjured up in the Disney film, and others made in the past, was a fantasy of the writers! Firstly, there was no relationship, bar friendship. She would come to visit their Jamestown settlement regularly, and brought provisions and helped them, and secondly, if you look at the dates, it would be unlikely that she would have been old enough for any kind of affair with him!
fancypaperblog
Mar 22, 2018 @ 17:46:30
I love that story! A town hear us was the homeplace of the Bronte sisters for a year as their father was reverend in Ireland for a bit. I love it!
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Ritu
Mar 22, 2018 @ 20:16:27
It’s great isn’t it!
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Gloria
Mar 22, 2018 @ 15:01:25
That’s very interesting Ritu!
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Ritu
Mar 22, 2018 @ 15:57:44
Fascinating, isn’t it Gloria!
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Losing the Plot
Mar 22, 2018 @ 13:29:32
She (and he) turn up in the Lyrics of Fever too,
Captain Smith and Pocahontas,
Certainly had a mad affair
When her Daddy tried to kill him
She said “Daddy! Don’t you dare – he gives me
fever”
Always loved her story
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Ritu
Mar 22, 2018 @ 15:56:29
And to think… we have a connection here!
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Shailaja V
Mar 22, 2018 @ 12:35:43
I love Pocahontas! How fascinating that she was a real person 🙂 And I love peeking into museums these days. Sign of my growing old, I think 😉
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Ritu
Mar 22, 2018 @ 15:54:18
It’s one of my home town’s only claim to fame lol!!!
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angelanoelauthor
Mar 22, 2018 @ 12:12:05
I wish i knew more of what brought Pocahontas to want to be “civilized.” Unfortunately, I wonder if her “conversion” was the very thing everyone looked to and said, “see, even she knew we have a better way.” Not that I blame Pocahontas, she could have just been in love and all that. But it does make me curious.
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Ritu
Mar 22, 2018 @ 12:43:26
You are right Angela! Food for though!
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fattymccupcakes
Mar 18, 2018 @ 15:59:14
So interesting, Ritu!! Thanks for sharing your link to this!!
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Ritu
Mar 18, 2018 @ 16:01:12
You’re most welcome Katie!! 💜
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mewhoami
Aug 21, 2015 @ 21:45:38
Who would have thought they were real? This is great! Love the history.
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Ritu
Aug 21, 2015 @ 21:52:22
It’s a fantastic little true story!
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edwinasepisodes
Aug 19, 2015 @ 12:48:11
That is a lovely post Ritu, I enjoyed learning a little more about ‘Pocohantas’.
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Ritu
Aug 19, 2015 @ 13:07:52
Thanks Judy! 😊
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amaya911
Aug 18, 2015 @ 05:23:14
Reblogged this on Life of an El Paso Woman and commented:
A very good and interesting post!
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amommasview
Aug 18, 2015 @ 01:17:28
That’s such an interesting post! Thanks for sharing all of that. I never thought she would be real…
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Ritu
Aug 18, 2015 @ 09:05:23
I was surprised too, when we married and I moved to hubby’s home town!!! It’s so interesting!
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amommasview
Aug 18, 2015 @ 09:59:26
Crazy! And all that got shared about it in the comments!!!
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Ritu
Aug 18, 2015 @ 10:15:16
I know!!! Its a learned community here!
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dray0308
Aug 18, 2015 @ 00:10:01
Fantastic history lesson! I was unaware of most of the facts you posted.
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Ritu
Aug 18, 2015 @ 09:04:23
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 😊
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Thumbup
Aug 17, 2015 @ 22:37:11
“Pocahontas” was a nickname, meaning “the naughty one” or “spoiled child”. Her real name was Matoaka. The legend is that she saved a heroic John Smith from being clubbed to death by her father in 1607 – she would have been about 10 or 11 at the time.
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 22:39:34
This history is amazing. Isn’t it!
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Thumbup
Aug 17, 2015 @ 22:42:42
OH yes! I was thinking of the talk about teen age pregnancy. How they were too young for that. Come to find out, back then girls at 15 years of age often get married and bore children!
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 23:14:23
That is so true!
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Thumbup
Aug 17, 2015 @ 22:35:41
In March of 1617, the Rolfes boarded a ship to return to Virginia. The ship had only gone as far as Gravesend when Pocahontas fell ill. She was taken ashore, where she died, possibly of pneumonia or tuberculosis. Her funeral took place on March 21, 1617, in the parish of St. George’s.
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 22:36:13
Right here! 2 minutes from me!!
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Thumbup
Aug 17, 2015 @ 22:30:35
About the lost colony of Roanoke?
http://www.vnews.com/lifetimes/18180026-95/lost-colony-mystery-is-unfolding
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 22:33:13
This is all such interesting stuff!!!
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Thumbup
Aug 17, 2015 @ 22:26:35
Fantastic! Take a look at what had been going on at Jamestown settlement.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2325232/Meet-Jane-14-year-old-eaten-British-settlers-America-turned-cannibalism-The-macabre-secrets-starving-pioneers-besieged-Red-Indians.html
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 22:32:11
Ewwwwww!!!
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Thumbup
Aug 17, 2015 @ 22:33:36
OH yeah! I am happy to know that she was already dead before they ate her.
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 22:35:51
Definitely! To have done that when someone was alive…. Oh no!!!!
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amommasview
Aug 18, 2015 @ 01:18:41
Oh my!!!!
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Thumbup
Aug 18, 2015 @ 01:29:03
Yummy!
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Ritu
Aug 18, 2015 @ 09:06:23
Eww!! 😜
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The V-Pub
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:48:09
I believe that Smith was shot and returned to England for treatment. Pocahontas was told he was dead. She later found that not to be true when she traveled to England as the wife of John Rolfe. Just an amazing story and one that should be retold over and over. Thanks for posting this, Ritu!
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:50:39
Yup, I read that too Rob! It’s great when there’s a grain of truth in these films!!! 😊😊😊
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The V-Pub
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:52:55
It makes them seam real, doesn’t it? Have you ever read of the lost colony of Roanoke? It’s still unsolved to this day.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_Colony
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 21:38:21
Ooh! No, I haven’t heard of that, wow! That’s interesting! Wonder what happened to them??!!
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Erika Kind
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:12:02
Reblogged this on Author Erika Kind and commented:
For some reason I feel a deep connection to the Native American’s spirit. Ritu just posted a story about Pocahontas who was buried close to where Ritu lives.
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Harmonie
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:12:00
A very interesting post, written in such easy flowing style I was almost disappointed when it ended! I wish more information were available, she seems interesting. And yes, I appreciate the thought you’ve put into writing this! 👏
Take care ☺
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:16:16
Glad you enjoyed it! 😊😊
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Harmonie
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:18:03
And oh yes, wishing you a very happy and memorable birthday, may all happiness be yours. Enjoy. 🙂
PS: you look much younger for 40 years! For some reason I couldn’t comment on your post about your birthday.
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:22:15
Oh!!! Actually that post was meant to be scheduled for 2 weeks time and my iPad published it in error!!! It’ll be up on my birthday!! But thank you!! 😊😊😊
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Harmonie
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:27:47
Oh, I know, happened to me once, anyway, advanced wishes then 🙂
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:51:38
Advanced thank you! 😁😁😁
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Erika Kind
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:10:12
You did it! Yes, thank you, Ritu! I will reblog it. I was shocked to see that Pocahontas died so very young. I did not know about that. That is sad. Again thanks for this post, sis!!! 😘😘😘
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:15:41
I told you I would!!! Glad you enjoyed it!!! 😊😊😊
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Erika Kind
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:25:44
Totally! 😃💖
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Ritu
Aug 17, 2015 @ 20:51:15
😘😘😘
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