Family

Posts about both sides of my family

How researching one country’s history helps understand another

I was excited when I found several books at my local library on the Russian Revolution, including a few memoirs. I recently began to write a historical novel, set during the Russian Revolution and loosely based on the last couple of years of my maternal grandmother’s life. As some of

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How the Romanovs used Postcards to counter Negative Publicity

We see it all the time in today’s media. Photos and videos of monarchy and celebrities aimed at generating positive public image. Family photos which look as if they come straight out of a private album are everywhere – in newspapers and social media feeds. But this isn’t a modern

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Searching for Information

This photo shows my maternal grandparents, Paul and Olga Woronoff on their honeymoon in 1914. Before her marriage, my grandmother was Countess Olga Kleinmichel. All I know about how they met, their wedding and honeymoon I have learnt from the book my grandmother wrote, entitled ‘Upheaval’. However, she was not

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Father’s Day and Fathering

My son is an awesome father. I might be slightly biased, but he truly is doing a wonderful job as a dad and his boys adore him. I love the way he engages himself with every aspect of his sons as they grow up. A quick online search brings up

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Yesterday’s News

You never really know what you are going to find when you begin to search the archives of newspapers. This past week I have uncovered a few treasures. At the beginning of the week I used Trove to find more information on an Australian WWI soldier who I am researching

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