K is for Kith & Kin, Kindness Kudos & Keeper of the Family Archives - plus Kathleen:

Having just finished a quick sprint through one A-Z challenge from Ros at http://genwestuk.blogspot.com/, I could not resist participating in a further series from Aona at
http://www.gouldgenealogy.com/2012/05/take-the-family-history-through-the-alphabet-challenge/.



My focus here is on what we experience on our family history journey.


K is for:

Kith and Kin plus Knowledge the foundation of our family history activities.  

The wedding of my Uncle Fred (Weston)  in 1929, surrounded by family members

Keeper of the Family Archives - I am sure, that like other bloggers, we see ourselves in this role - discovering the past, preserving the present, recording for the future  and keeping contact with relatives.

A letter written by my father to my mother  during the war - found after their deaths.




A telegram sent by my father to my mother.  The  frank on the reverse showed it was sent on December 31st 1941.     Dad was then serving in the Codes and Cipher Branch of the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall, London and had witnessed the Battle of Britain over London earlier in the autumn of 1941.

A small painting by my aunt - Edith Danson

I have "met" online so many Kindred enthusiasts   and experienced Kindness shown by  the people who read my blog, give comments, provide blogging tips, suggestions on sources, and occasionally turn out to be distant relations,  giving me information and photographs to further enhance my postings.    Such Kudos is much appreciated.  I know that some postings are written for my own pleasure  and may not evoke wider interest, but recognition in the  form of readers means a lot. 

Crossstitch card sewn
for my mother's brthday

I could not let K pass by, without paying tribute to my mother   - Kathleen Weston, nee Danson (1908-1999). She  was the second daughter of William Danson and Alice English of Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire and the subject of many a blog posting.

 "Happiness in Stitching" could be my mother's motto. For her going into a fabric shop was like going into a jewellery shop. If she sat down, she was rarely without a needle in her hand. She was a creator in patchwork, crochet, collage, felt work, smocking, knitting, embroidery, smocking, dolls and dresses, with dabbles into millinery, lampshade making and china painting.

Mum was also  a "Joiner". Because of my father's work, we moved around a lot, and Mum joined whatever women's group was there - Mother's Union, Townswoman's Guild, Church Work Group, Parent-Teachers Association, Women's Rural Institute (WRI) . 

Whenever there was a coffee morning, bring & buy sale, spring fete, summer fete, autumn fete,  Christmas fete, Mum was part of the activity, with her contributions for the sales tables - aprons, cushion covers, doll's clothes, soft toys and of course cake and candy. 

She entered WRI competitions, taking part in a catwalk show to model an outfit she made and below is an Alice in Wonderland collage (made for my daughter), that won a prize in a category "Tomorrow's Heirlooms.

All the moves meant I was at three secondary schools. Later in life, Mum's example left me an important message on how to make friends and become involved in a new community. An inspiration!

Copyright © 2012 · Susan Donaldson. All Rights Reserved

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