The rules

To paraphrase my heroine Elle Woods, the rules of genealogy are simple and finite:

Rule #1 - Speak to living relatives to get their memories of and information about your ancestors

Rule #2 - Go back and speak to them again

Rule #3 - Go harass them some more

And so on...

Never has this simple formula proved truer than with my own father. The question, "What do you remember about your family?" always draws a blank stare. However, every time I bring up his relatives in conversation, all sorts of information starts to leak out of his brain. And it's always something new, followed by, "I'm sure I've told you this before." Then from me, "NO YOU HAVEN'T! How come I didn't know this."

I called today to tell him that my article about the 1940 census (on stands April 19th) will be featuring a few tales of his parents and a cracking photograph of his mother who was quite a beauty. I thought he'd be quite proud I was showing her off and indeed he was. Nice. And then came the story of how his parents met. All out of order from what I had thought and quite suprising. My grandfather was in the US Navy, serving in the Pacific (this I knew). He was the film projector onboard the ship (this I knew). He was electrocuted by faulty wiring while operating the projector and so badly injured he was sent back to the States to recuperate (err, didn't know that). Apparently, he was unable to feed himself (hell of an electric shock) and at the USO she was sent over to feed him. He recovered and went back to his ship and ended up landing in China. After the war, he came back to New York to find her it seems.

I had thought he had just been demobbed in New York at the end of the war and they'd met at like a dance or something. The real story is so much better than that! It's even a little comical - poor grandpa, his hair probably never sat flat on his head again.

So, everyone, interogate your parents regularly. Ring every bit of info out of them, because who knows what else is in there!!!

New digs

I moved house last weekend, to a flat near the common between Balham and Streatham Hill. Built just before WWI, we have the huge ground floor.
There are two gardens, in front and out back which I plan to use as an office when (if/I hope) the weather improves. The two flat mates are great, really friendly, good company, nice boyfriends, you can't ask for more! I shall be subletting for three months until Jonathan arrives. Wow, can't believe its only three months now.