Still trying to find out who my ancestors were while foot out of action, watching the Olympics and feeling for Ukraine but Olympics over, weather is changing, the rain has almost stopped and probably time to put this down and return to the present, reluctantly.
Best part – talking to mum and dad and mum’s younger half brother – a fireman (often sad because of things he had seen) of their memories of parents, aunts and uncles
One of things that began this was always wondering connection to a smuggler ancestor but also to find out more about relatives from other parts – this has been really hard, apart from the language difficulties – much information destroyed during wars.
But found out many interesting things and feel more connected
seems you cannot escape that our small island was invaded many times and my fathers family name, means in old Scandinavian ‘pussy willow village’. Have a feeling has Irish and Norwegian ancestors and my mum though coming from Europe has Scottish ancestors or maybe Celts.
mostly my father’s ancestors were fishermen, laborers and domestic servants but a few were bright sparks who dreamed big.
a great uncle who was a motor engineer and went to Chile to fix sheep shearing machines, another that setup the first voluntary fire brigade in seaside town not far away and another who set up a foundery in the midlands and build parts for temporary bridges needed during the war and a relative born at sea while her parents were emigrating to Canada, baptised Marina
my mother’s side are stories of big families from central Europe constantly moving because of wars from one country to another.
sunnypolarbear 