Genealogy Chat

See below:

This morning I had a fax from my dad's cousin in the UK (my godfather) that I don't see very often. It was notes & memories of another cousin (both of these in their 70's) in Australia with tales of connections to the Ukraine; Tsarinas, ladies-in-waiting, ambassadors; a relation getting savaged by a monkey; another with a glass eye that used to frighten the Australian cousin when she was little; chamber pot tricks with a piece of string (so Auntie had to chase it across the floor!) And many stories of her Ukranian father & his exploits in the war, shooting his own face off in a failed suicide...... escape to Constantinople.... I could go on............... It's just so fascinating & this woman writes with such a friendly style, I'm proud to be related to her (even if distantly, & even if she doesn't know it yet!)..................ok.............I'll stop now............. I was just amazed at how lucky I was that she'd taken the time to write all these anecdotes & tales for future generations................... Sarah :-)

This is the bit that makes family history come alive, rather than just having a list of names and dates. Lucky you! nell

You're so right Nell ! But I needed my lists of names & dates to make the stories work for me too. (Like Ann, I wasn't interested in them without knowing who all these unknown people were) So when I heard the chamber pot story - I knew that the perpetrator was my Grandad's eldest brother! (I wasn't close to grandad, & before starting this only had a vague idea of his siblings) Great to have some of their doings brought back to life again! Sarah :-) - yes thoroughly enjoying it!!