FIRST WEEKS IN LONDON

We've been busy learning our new jobs at the Family History Center at the TNA (The National Archives).  Let me explain how this is set up. (Now that WE have figured it out)

This is like a "mini" Salt Lake City Family History Center, planted right in the middle of the TNA.  We have the same programs on computers, and MANY films of England, Caribbean Islands, India and other British holdings. (Past and present). 

We do a lot of the same things, those at Salt Lake City do.  We are still learning how to research British records and  will continue for the duration.  (Tons to learn)

The Interesting part at being at the TNA, is that we deal with a tremendous amount of really nice, non-member people.  We thought the interest in family history was a Mormon thing....Not even.

OK..your getting bored and wonder where the pictures are.  So I will continue this later and add pictures of what we have seen.....but I want to say something about the effect of wars when it happens in your "yard".  Something that has surprised us.

 

NOW THE PICTURES!

            This is the view from our flat....St Luke's church and a busy street

 

Now our flat....Very roomy by England standards...

    Front room and Bill in bathrobe

    Front room, different view and part of Bill in his bathrobe.

Our bedroom...nice closets and regular size bed...(were living with it)

Our kitchen...small, but open to the front room so we can move around easily.  Appliances are Electrolux.  We have a dishwasher, convection oven, microwave with grill on top and bottom (haven't tried that yet)And a little bathroom, with a BIG, DEEP TUB.   SWEET....love those bubble baths

 

ACTIVITIES....

WE WENT TO KEW GARDENS...AN AWESOME PLACE THAT HAD A ORCHID SHOW IN THE PRINCES DIANA CONSERVATORY.

 The Kew Gardens are huge.  We were short of time and went straight to the orchid display. 

just a few pictures of the beautiful orchid arrangements. 

OK....now you've seen SOME of the pictures, I have something else to say about the Kew.   (Thank goodness, I'm breaking this diatribe up with a few pictures.....more to come)

THE WAR..

We in America do not realize the effects of fighting a war on your own soil, at least not our generation. 

We have heard enough stories to understand that the English people are still dealing with the damage.

Story 1:  A 75 year old gentleman told me he has written a book.  His father was killed at sea by Japanese.  They torpedoed the boat.  One Hundred and Fifty sailors survived and were in the water.  The Japanese machine-gunned all of them.  For some reason the British Government knew, but had chosen not to let that information out.  He has spent all of his adult years, researching and finding what really happened many years ago.  As he says, "Many Nazis were charged and convicted of war crimes....Why was this not addressed as a war crime."

Story2:  A older lady told me that her grandmother was fathered by a Irish solder in World War I.  He refused to marry the mother because she would not raise the child as Catholic.

Story 3:  We have a lady of Jewish origin.  Her family was from Poland.  They left for England in 1920.  Most of her extended family were killed at concentration camps. 

There have been many references to children fathered by soldiers that never raised them.  

I mentioned how surprised I was to hear so many stories about the war.  Claudia, the Sister that has been here twice, on missions said, "They are still living with the aftermath of the war."

I still have lots of pictures, but little time.  I try to get them on in the next day or two.   Love to all.