Ever Thought about writing a detailed story on an ancestor?

[coombs]

Hi

In the past I have done many short stories on certain family lines, especially the London ancestors. I have thought of publishing a few good stories to a Family History Magazine or something, or even writing the story in full detail.

One thing I have thought of writing up is my recent Roberts success over the paternity of my great, great grandmother Mary Ann Kate Roberts. She was the eldest child of Thomas & Mary Ann Roberts who wed when she was 6 months old in July 1864. She was then baptised aged 10 months in November 1864 as "Mary Ann Kate, Daughter of Thomas & Mary Ann Roberts". I then found out why she was initially born out of wedlock and registered under her mums maiden name of Walder because Thomas was still married 7 months into Mary Ann Walder's pregnancy, and his wife was sick for a long while before she died.

Thomas was a Servant and Footman of Brighton.

Thomas previous wife died in November 1863, and the cause of death was "Phthisis, Years, certified". Mary Ann Walder gave birth to her baby on the 31st December 1863 at her family home in Warninglid in Sussex. The length of Thomas's previous wifes illness clinched everything as her illness which was phthisis would have been a strain for her husband and made the idea of an affair for comfort in Mary seem very feasable, and this explained the initial illegitimacy because the fathers wife had just died 6 weeks before the birth and buried 5 weeks before the birth. Mary had to wait until after the birth to marry the father.

They quickly moved away to London and wed there. The events gave an opportunity for them to move and start afresh where no one knew of the past, and for Thomas to seek a better life for his wife and baby. He only had one other child who was 13 in 1864, she was born 1851.

I have thought of writing a book about this. I have mentioned this on a few other forums and many people say that it is a brill story. One person said this would make a good Who Do You Think You Are programme.

Ben

[Daisy Loo]

It would, and have you have a fantastic piece of history there!  It depends how much info you have though, to write a whole book, unless you write a novel, based on these characters.  I have been thinking along the same lines myself   ( http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,349967.0.html ) I love these stories...especially of the 19th century

[coombs]

Hi

I have tonnes of info. I have all the documents, the certs, baptism record and census records etc, plus I have researched phthisis. I have also given in more detail when they suddenly moved as it was within a few months in early 1864.

Ben

[IgorStrav]

I think it sounds a great idea - why don't you go ahead and do it? 

I am sure it will be a really enjoyable exercise putting all the data down in story form, even if it is just for the family rather than to be published.

Good luck! 

[coombs]

Hi

If I emailed a FH magazine, I could always ask them if they would like to publish it in their next issue.

Many people say that my story that I uncovered is so logical and watertight. They say that even with half the evidence that I have, they'd have been chuffed in finding a father of the illegitimate birth.

The initial illegitimacy is because the fathers wife died just before the birth and Thomas made an honest woman of the mother as soon as he could.

Ben

[alllegs]

It's a great idea.

As we were moving my gran into a care home and sorting out her things we discover a story she had written about her grandmas life.  The Voyage of Mary Ann.  This brought together a lot of my research and added some 'real life' to it, especially the parts about how hard her life was.

Mary Ann Fisher was born in Great Yarmouth into a fishing family. Aged 18 she married a Yorkshireman who came to Yarmouth to buy fish to sell up north.  Heavily pregnant Mary Ann returned to Huddersfield with her new husband to find he had told no one about her and had found nowhere to live.  His mother took care of her for a while whilst his father was away.  As soon as he returned Mary Ann, baby and hubby were thrown out.  She had to walk miles to find somewhere to live.  Her husband spent most his time in the pub.  She cared for 8 children, worked dealing fish around the town, and made her own money.

She finally found happiness when hubby died and she remarried, living to be in her 80's.

A very brief synopsis there, but a fascinating read.  I'd love to have the same detail on all my branches.

Very well worth doing I think.

Good Luck

Legs
xxxx

[KPM]

Hi Ben

I would echo what everyone else has said - go for it.

I wrote up the story of my great grandfather's life.  He had run away to America in 1912 leaving his family behind him.  I researched for about 5 years before I was ready to put it all on paper.  I also wrote up a separate family history about the family he left behind.

It's really satisfying and all I was waiting for to finish the story was the 1911 census (being one of the lucky ones - I found everything I needed last week!)

I only intend for this to be read by my family though and I'm just trying to decide how I am going to go about printing/binding etc.

Good luck and please let us know how you get on

Anne-Marie

[dolly dimples]

    If I could find the ending of my Gt Grandfathers' life,  Then I'd probably have a best seller!  but unfortunately I can not find him after 1891, his wife is a widow then,but can I heck as find any trace of his death, or whereabouts!   I have written of him on this site before I so won't go into details again,  but I am sure he did some bad misdemeanor and that thereby hangs a tale... Cheer's all, Dolly..

[coombs]

Hi

They make interesting stories.

Also it will beneft other people researching their ancestry. My experience shows how it can be done finding the father of an illegitimate child. Baptisms are very significant in my opinion.

Ben