Genealogy Chat

'Aunt Lou' as she was known had a reputation for being rather fierce, though being widowed at 37 must have been devastating. She never remarried but worked for the church until she died aged 97. I know she was scary as I found a letter of condolence to my grannie after her dad (Aunt Lou's brother) died, saying how lovely and kind and gentle he was 'not like his sister'! My grannie's husband called all her relatives by their first names except Aunt Lou, who he always referred to as 'Mrs. V' nell

That's so sad. I often wonder how people cope when they've experienced a catastrophe like that around what is a very public holiday. It must never have the same meaning for them again

We think of New Year's Day as a new beginning. It was the beginning of a 41-year marriage for my Norfolk great-grandparents, Ruth Barnes and John Gray,married on that day in 1867. They had 8 sons and two daughters. But for my great-aunt Elizabeth Louisa Vine, nee Smoothy, 1st January 1896 brought catastrophe. Her husband Charles died - he had been ill since Christmas. He left her with 6 children aged between 10 and 2. nell

25th of last month? Or are we on the Orthodox church's calendar? I am proud of the fact that supreme inertia means that accountants celebrate the new year on 6th April.

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