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.
H is for:
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.
H is for:
- The Happiness gained from my family history and blogging activities.
- The way I am Heartened by comments from fellow bloggers and the Help they have given in terms of resources and tips on becoming a better blogger.
- The Honour I can give my ancestors through my blog postings. I am thinking here in particular of my family Heroes - grandfather William Danson who won the Military Medal in 1918; three great uncles (George Danson, John Danson and Arthur Matthews) who lost their lives in the First World War; my father (John Weston) who advanced in 1944-45 from Omaha Beach through France to Germany; my uncle (Harry Danson) who was rescued from Dunkirk; and uncle Charles Weston who suffered as a Japanese prisoner of war.
Poulton le Fylde War Memorial, Lancashire with the names of John and George Danson inscribed on it |
The Military Medal citation awarded to my grandfather William Danson |
My uncle Harry Danson who was evacuated at Dunkirk Is there a look of Errol Flynn about him? |
In contrast Humour can be a part of our family stories, with my father contributing two such tales which make me laugh with his accounts of his Hair Raising First Drive and How a Pigeon Sent the News (a forerunner of Twitter!).
Also if anyone in the family looks to be getting above themselves, I can always bring them back to earth by the reminder that one of their ancestors was a lowly "tripe dealer"!
My father John Weston (left) with his first car and brother Charles |
- Finally a mention of a strong sounding, distinctive name in my husband's family - Hawkyard. To me that is a surname that could come out of a gothic novel - picture the tall, dark eyed, arrogant hero (or villain) with an aquiline nose and haughty, brooding stare.
The reality is much more prosaic. These Hawkyards were from South Shields, a seaport on the north east coast of England and in the early 19th century they had a lodging house in Alnwick, Northumberland. An internet search showed that the surname was particularly prevalent in Yorkshire. On my long "to do" list for further research.
Copyright © 2012 · Susan Donaldson. All Rights Reserve