An updated edition of the John Bunyan Family Tree, which for the first time includes living descendants of the famed author, took place on Wednesday, 15 October at Moot Hall, Elstow.
John Bunyan, born in Elstow, is best known as the author of The Pilgrim’s Progress, the bestselling single-authored book in the world. This new family tree edition brings together newly discovered branches of John Bunyan’s descendants, particularly the Brown family line, whose connection to Bunyan’s daughter Sarah and her husband William Brown has been recently confirmed through parish records research.
The event marked a historic moment, as copies of the updated family tree were presented to the living Browns in a special ceremony. The family tree was designed with support from Bedford Borough Council’s reprographics department.
Volunteer Clive Arnold has worked closely with the John Bunyan Museum Curator, Nicola Sherhod, and Bunyan400 Festival organiser, Janet Wootton, to make this project a reality.
Councillor Sarah Gallagher, Portfolio Holder for Customer Experience, Leisure and Culture, said, “This is a remarkable celebration of Bedford’s rich literary and community heritage. Unveiling the living descendants of John Bunyan not only deepens our connection to his legacy but also highlights the importance of preserving local history for generations to come.”
For more information about John Bunyan and the family tree project, please visit the Bunyan family webpage: https://elstow.weebly.com/bunyan-family.html