Moments in Time

Blogs which describe moments in my life, or the lives of my family.

At long last they made their escape Part 3

Last time our story ended when my grandmother finally learned her mother and step-father had made their way back to Petrograd and how to contact them. She could at last get in touch with her mother. My grandmother had discovered my great-grandmother’s address through an acquaintance of her elder sister,

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At long last they made their escape – Part 2

Last week we left my great-grandmother, now Catherine Yakovtsov, and her second husband, Vasily Yakovtsov (pictured together above), en route to Petrograd probably at the beginning of 1919. This week the story continues. Catherine and Vasily made it to Petrograd but were dismayed at what the once beautiful city had

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At long last they made their escape – Part One

A few weeks ago I promised to share the story of how my great-grandmother, Catherine Kleinmichel, and her second husband managed to escape from Russia. At the time I did not know his name and also did not realise I had a photograph of him (see above – it must

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Who was Sarita? And why did my grandmother have her icon?

Do you ever associate one word or concept with someone in your family – either close relative or ancestor? When I think of my maternal grandmother – Olga Woronoff – the word which always springs to mind is religion. My grandmother was very religious. Her day began, ended and was

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This day in my maternal family’s history – April 4, 1919

On this day, 102 years ago, my grandmother, Olga Woronoff, began a diary which documents their last months in Russia and their movements during the Civil War. My grandfather, Paul Woronoff, was fighting with the White Army (the Volunteer Army) and my grandmother had travelled to the south of Russia

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New Jersey childhood holidays by the water

The only family holidays I remember all took place before I began school. After that, I cannot remember going on any holidays as a family. Looking back through old photos it seems New Jersey was the place my parents preferred for holidays. Although I have no idea where the main

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