My Dear Lugg, In responce to your gem of archaeological acerbity, may I reminisce upon my late Mother's assertions on this premise.
She was borne to a farming family, whose roots were traced back,(by her cousin, Geoff) to Domesday times. Grandfather, Thomas Hy. was then the senior member of the family, named after a largish town in Hertfordshire. The principal claim to fame, as related to me by Mum, via her Grandma, whose maiden name, incidentally, was Ainslie, was a previous grandmother by the name of Mrs Pratt.
Now Mrs Pratt and her sister were dead ringers for Queen Victoria. Mum was told that Mrs Pratt was Housekeeper to QV's household. I have mulled over the possibility, that after the 1st attempted assassination on QV's life, that Mrs Pratt and her sister were latterday Doppelgangers.
The leather bound family album was bequeathed to me, and there is a great likeness to QV.
A further little anecdote, related by Aunty Gladwys. She found it amusing that,in the list of members of the family, that one couple had 5 male and 4 female children, but they were all little boys.
The solution was in the family bible- their name was Littleboys!
Now here is the nitty gritty. My Mum waited, at a busstop near the farm, for 5 years, for the New Empress( later City) omnibus. to her work as a jeweller at sunny Southend. Her long wait was not, however in vain. Mum and Dad got married, despite the consternation of her family.
What my Mum blamed the sickness in Postwar Society on, was what she termed the 'Latch Key Legacy, i.e Mum's not being at home, when their children returned from School.
