Family History
-
Elizabeth Renier ~ Born 1811 / Quesnel/ Taylor
Let’s start at Elizabeth, my Great Great Great Grandmother, the first relevant person in my family tree and a key character in RIDUNA. Elizabeth Renier married Nicolas Quesnel on 15th May 1932 on the island of Alderney. John Taylor became lodger in the household, which we are led to believe was called The Reading Rooms…
-
Genealogy and How it has Shaped my Writing
Part 1 Introduction My parents were seriously researching our family history at the same time as I was researching for my first novel RIDUNA, inspired by the story Dad shared with me of my Great Grandmother Harriet (Hopkins/Jackson). We were holidaying on the island of Alderney; a fitting place to tell us her story as…
-
An Exciting End to a Year in Blogs!
Wow! Do you ever have days like this when the number of readers on your blog shoots up? That’s what has happened to me in the last week. If I had a magic recipe that I could bottle and sell, I would make a fortune, but all I can say is welcome! Another celebration is…
-
‘Healing Paths of Fife’ November Quiz ~ 2 Copies for Grabs
‘Healing Paths of Fife’ November Quiz Entry ~ Donation to the Kirkcaldy Foodbank FAMOUS FOLKS OF FIFE Which saint allegedly began a pilgrim’s route across the Firth of Forth on the way to Dunferline and St Andrews? Who was the ‘real’ Robinson Crusoe? What occupation did Robert Louis Stevenson pursue before he became a writer?…
-
World War One Heroes ~ a Personal Tribute
As we arrive at the final days of the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One I would like to make a personal tribute to my Grandfather and Great Uncles. On 6th August 1918 Raymond Jackson (who the family called Tom) of the 3rd Dragoon Guards died as a prisoner of war in…
-
We will remember them
For anyone who has family members who fought in The Somme I can recommend a trip to northern France at this time, the 100th anniversary, to show respect and give thanks for the contribution of so many men who gave their lives to try to keep us free from tyranny. Having walked along small country…