This Person Life. These documents you see scattered on my table are the very reason that you should never discard any paperwork that you may come across when a loved one passs away. A lady had asked me to help piece together missing pieces of her family tree, I asked her to bring me any paperwork that she may have in her possession and I would give it a go. What she brought into me today in a plastic folder totally blew me away. When I sat down with her today and listened to her story over a cup of tea I wasnt expecting to have such an insight into the life of an Ordinary family from the 1851s through to 1920s laid out on my sitting room table. I honestly couldnt chose which piece would be more precious to me if it was my family,for example from there were poignant letters written in beautiful handwriting from 2 young boys in Artane industrial school in 1918-1921, then a very sad letter written by a Nun on behalf of a little girl in a industrial school in Clonakilty in 1915. There were numerous postcards and military cards and Passs from the 2 young boys who later Joined the British army and Merchant marines during WW1..the 2 young brothers who spent their childhood in the hell that was Artane industrial school would later visit another hell on earth and with a few years of each other become Casualties of War. God love their poor mother she must have learned a hard life lesson as in 1917 she started to pay into the Royal Liver insurance fund, I noticed reading the entries for 10 years she never missed a payment. Holding the certificate headed NAVY-WARLIKE OPERATIONS dated 1919 regs Allowances to Widows/Mother... This told this Particular Mother that the loss of her son who was aboard a ship that was torpedeoed that she was to be rewarded the sum of £1 -5s-2p a week made sober reading. One document I have been entrusted with, is I think is a rare piece of history, its a Census form dated 1851 from Public Record office relating to the Family in Tralee,It was given to the family in 1912 for whatever reason. These Personal letters,Postcards, Certs,Military documents were hidden, locked away by this ladys father and lay undiscovered until he died years ago,I wonder how much more of our hidden history is there lying in attics-sheds around the country.? Myself I feel very Honored and Humbled to have been entrusted with this Persons Life..deepest respect goes out to the Memory of The Widowed Mother who I know had to endure so much even before she lost her 2 sons to WW1..(from records I found she buried 1 little girl pre 1911 and another in September 1911) As the Granddaughter of this brave woman was leaving me today she spoke very true words..Good old days they certainly werent ...I agree 110% very true, as these documents are Proof of that.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 20:21:03 +0000
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