The Andrews Family Reunion held on the 2 October 1994 at the Singleton Showground was an outstanding success.The timing of the reunion was most appropriate being the YEAR OF THE FAMILY. Descendants came from all parts of Australia and in excess of 600 people had an enjoyable day. The reunion Committee of Peter, Roy and Brian Andrews and the willing band of workers put together information and photographs on the Andrews Family from 1740 in Wiltshire England right through to the present generation. The photographic display put together by Roy Andrews showed each of the ten family groups of Sarah and Abraham Andrews? family of Jane, Eliza, George, Charlotte, William, James, Susan, Abraham John, Edward Andrew and Peter. The photographs were set out in such a way that descendants of each family group could trace their family from 1740 to the present day. In all there were over 800 photographs displayed in strips around the walls of the exhibition building and on frames. The interest of descendants in the display no doubt made Roy?s day. He was able to move around the display and further explain to all how each family fitted together. Additional photographs were also brought for Roy to obtain copies to further extend the collection of over 2000 photographs.

Written information of each of the ten families and their descendamts was available in book form and interest was shown in all sections by family members. A brief history of the family and other historic documents were displayed including a chart of the ten family members which was colour coded. Each member was given a colour coded badge which indicated the family group to which they belonged and a programme of the day's events (see copy). This system proved very popular and gave family members the opportunity to seek out and meet other people in their family group. One expression I noted to be used increasingly was ?What are you doing here, how am I related to you.?. Representatives from all family groups were present and individual photographs were taken of each of the ten groups as well as a photograph of the 600 people who attended.

A beautifully decorated cake the work of committee member Brian Andrews and his wife Jan was the centre piece for the cake cutting ceremony. The cake was decorated with many flowers and in the centre was a drawing of the ship ?Woodbridge? beautifully drawn by Jan Andrews. The simple words on the cake were ANDREWS FAMILY REUNION 1838 - 1994. Ten family group members took part in the cake cutting ceremony in two groups of five members and those representatives were:

The highlight of the day as far as the committee and probably family members present were concerned was a letter from the rector of the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, Bishopstone, Wiltshire, England, Peter Byron-Davies B.D.,M.Th., A.K.C. A copy of that letter is to be found elsewhere in this section of the book.

Pam Herron, of Dorset, England with whom I have been corresponding for almost 3 years made contact with Rev. Byron -Davies advising him of the reunion. Rev. Byron-Davies responded with a letter. My sincere thanks,Pam. The Parish Church of St. John the Baptist was the church in which both Abraham Andrews and Sarah Gibbs were baptised and also the church in which they were married on the 20 October 1829, one hundred and sixty five years ago. The three eldest children, born in Bishopstone, Jane b.3.12.1830, Eliza b.14.2.1834 and George b.11.2.1838, were all baptised in the same church.

A picnic lunch provided by each individual family was held in the room beneath the grandstand and on the lawn under the shade of trees which allowed old and new family members to meet. One classic photograph in this section of the book is of Rollo Andrews and Andrew Noble, both in their eighties and first cousins meeting, probably for the first time in sixty odd years. A photographic and video session was held with photographs being taken of each of the ten family groups and one of the descendants who were over eighty years of age.

The official part of the day commenced with Father Gerald Kelly a descendant of Charlotte O?Brien (nee Andrews), addressing and blessing the reunion. This was followed by an address by Roy Andrews - How and Why - My interest in the Andrews Family and then Peter Andrews gave an outline of the history of the Andrews family before and after 1838.

Gordon Andrews from Edward's line proposed a vote of thanks to the organisers of the reunion which was carried by acclamation.John Andrews from George's line also expressed appreciation for the "re-discovery" of his line of the family. Games were organised for the children and a jumping castle was also used to entertain the young members and in some cases the not so young.