. . . well, the anthem is 'O Canada', really — but then it?was something of a family homecoming for two Canadians when they visited Tavistock last Friday, writes Colin Brent.

Jennifer Allford, from Calgary in?Alberta, and son Niall, 20, were in England as Niall is about to take up a course, studying philosophy at Durham University.

They made time to visit Tavistock as the Allford family originates from the town — Jennifer's great-grandfather,?James, was a watchmaker in Duke Street, running his business from the premises now occupied by Kaleidoscope toy shop.

James Allford died in 1930 in the premises that now house the St Luke's Hospice shop in Duke Street — and were formerly the reception and administrative offices of the Times. In 1930, the building was owned by Norman Pearce and family.

Jennifer's grandfather, George Allford was born in the building in the late 1890s and emigrated in the 1920s, landing at?New York and later travelling on to Edmonton in?Canada. He worked as a barrister and in a complete career contrast later became a salesman of farm equipment.

Jennifer, a writer and columnist with the Calgary?Herald newspaper, said it was interesting to see Tavistock's architecture — in Calgary, few buildings are more than a century old.

'To come and see the history of the place and to know we are part of it has been fascinating,' she said.

'As we have been walking in?Tavistock, I've been looking at people, wondering if we're related!'

Jennifer and Niall visited the Plymouth Road Cemetery where an earlier ancestor, George Allford, was buried in 1891. His gravestone lists other members of the family.

The double 'l' spelling in their surname differs from the usual Alford spelling in?West?Devon — Jennifer suspects that somewhere in the past, an ancestor may have wanted to set themselves slightly apart from the rest of the family.

Jennifer's warm and light-hearted column is often a wry look at family life. Once back in Canada she intends to write about her son's return to the 'old country'.

RIGHT:?Back on 'home' ground — Jennifer and Niall outside the St Luke's Hospice building in?Duke, Street, where their ancestors lived and died.