What better way to enjoy vacation than to combine travel and family history?
London, here we come!
I wanna visit Big Ben (the tourist attraction) and Little Bessie (that’s my grandmother). Walk the streets where she grew up at the end of the 19th century in the notorious East End.
So I’ve been digging into her past to discover her family — who they were, what they did, where they’re from. Bessie’s mom is a particular fascination: there’s speculation she was a prostitute.
I researched and wrote her story so we could better understand her life and time. Her story’s at Sarah Ann Hutchings: In the Shadow of St. Mary Magdalene.
And what’s a hunt for family haunts without a treasure map? Here’s one to get us started.
Time travel to Victorian London with us if you dare. But watch out for Jack the Ripper and mind the piles of horse sh** as you step.
P.S. In commemoration of Remembrance Day, and the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI, the post below highlights Bessie’s brother James Estall Kent, who provided a different perspective on war.
With deep appreciation for the disclosing of our long-deceased great and great-great grandparents, people who struggled daily just to survive. Their fate was similar to the majority of Londoners at the time—harsh by our standards for sure. Grandma Bessie/Betsy, Aunt Lily, and their brother James with sister Rosie, were able to make a break for a much better, and longer, life. Our connection leaves me with respect and honor for those who came before us.