I spent yesterday in the National Archives in Kew looking at the ORBs (Operations Record Books) for the units my grandfather served in during the Second World War. He flew with the RAF and I’m trying to find out where he was stationed while he was in the UK.
They were fantastic old books with ‘Top Secret’ stamped all over them and a sticker on the spine saying that they were closed until 1972. They were delivered to a numbered cubicle in robust cardboard boxes that only added to the intrigue.
It takes a while for the books to be retrieved once you order them so I went for a bit of a wander around the Archives, ending up in the bookshop. Man, the shelves were groaning with stuff about tracing your family history – whether your ancestors were baptist, lawyers or Inghamites.
My favourite was the book called My Ancestor was a Bastard. In fact I laughed out loud when I spotted it. It’s such a brilliant title for a book and I felt compelled to pick it up and flick through it. Unfortunately it was simply a ‘family historian’s guide to sources for illegitimacy in England and Wales.’
I took a picture, of course. But it didn’t turn out too well so I’ve provided this link to the title in the National Archives online store.
And how cool is this? It’s part of the Archive’s Childrens’ Family History offer – order it with Family History for Kids and you get a discount.
Keeping it real for the kids.
This is where you'll find everything you need to know about me and my books.
I am sure the generations to follow will also write something along the lines that one of their ancestors was a bastard. I am planning on doing something similar for my grandfather who was in the Welsh regiment.
I have bought books based on their tres amusink titles and a vague interest in the subject matter. In fact I bought a humorous travel book with an amusing title many years ago. Still buying the damn things, although the authors most recent book doesn’t seem available in this country yet, maybe I can trade him a BBQ and some beers for a cheap copy(signed).
My grandad was in the Navy. So I could write a book about my family history called ‘My Grandfather was an Ordinary Seaman’ if I wanted to.