Family History Fun: Bird's Eye Views

It's the final week of Sepia Saturday September theme "High and Low". So here we are up on high, taking a bird's eye view below.

Not a constructed model village, but Neustift in the Stubaital, south of Innsbruck in Austria, taken from the chair lift.

Memories of us flying over the Alps into Innsbruck Airport for a holiday in the Austrian Tyrol. This is not for the faint-hearted air traveller. You feel that if you could put your hands out of the plane window, you would touch the peaks.

Another aeroplane view - this time the Europa Brucke, linking Germany & Austria across the Alps into Italy; a photograph taken as we flew into Innsbruck. The bridge is 2,549 feet long. According to Wikipedia, it hosts a 192 metre Bungee Jump - the 5th highest in the world. Construction began in 1959 and the bridge opened to traffic in 1964.

Definitely not my idea of fun - a paraglider, taken from our hotel balcony in Austria.

Munich's Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall). Built in the Gothic style, it was begun in 1867 but not officially opened until 1905. A demonstration of some kind seemed to be going on below in the Square. View taken from the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) which dates from the 14th century,

Free Tower Building photo and picture

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Across to the UK

Flying into Edinburgh Airport and below is South Queensferry and the two bridges across the River Forth - on the right the Forth Rail Bridge builtx in 1890, and on the left the Road Bridge, opened in 1964 to replace the centuries old ferry crossing.

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I am a Blackpudlian, born in the seaside resort of Blackpool on England's north west coast. Here looking down on the North Pier, taken from the top of the famous Blackpool Tower, built in 1894. It was modelled on the Eiffel Tower in Paris and rises to 520 feet - facts drummed into us at school.

You can get a cranky lift to the top of the Tower and stand on a scary glass floor to view the town below.

c.1983. taking a seat on North Pier with the Tower in the background.

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An aerial view taken as we were coming into land at Newcastle Airport, with a clear picture of the River Tyne, its north and south piers. and on the left South Shields, the home of my husband's ancestors. The first purpose-built lifeboat in the world was built in South Shields in 1789.

Donaldson, White and Moffet ancestors were master mariners, sailing out of South Shields. Extended family members were in related occupations as a caulker, seaman, river policemen, shipwright, roper, ship's carpenter and marine engine fitter.

Tyne & Wear Archives were invaluable to providing further information on the families' working lives, with added details traced in the mariner records held at the National Archives at Kew. I discovered the ships that GGGG grandfather Robert Donaldson and GG grandfather Matthew White sailed around Europe, on ships, many of which came to a sad end - though not under their captaincy. I also became acquainted with the names of different sailing vessels - barque or barc, brig, sloop, smack and snow - family history can take you in many diverse directions.

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On my feet this time, with my local walking group in the Scottish Borders on a hill walk looking down on the 18th century Carolside Bridge over the Leader Water.

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And Finally - looking down on us all, this gargoyle on Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris - taken before the dreadful fire in 2019 that did so much damage to the ancient building.