Allan Takes Aim Blog

My latest blog is always available at: https://donallan.wordpress.com. To make direct contact e-mail me at: dca@netspeed.com.au

A blog on babies and family history

If you think I’m going to talk about George Alexander Louis the baby recently born in London you’re mistaken though perhaps the heading of the blog is slightly misleading. It’s misleading because this blog is about more than one baby.

In fact the blog starts with twins Rohan & Audrey, 6^th&7^th most recent additions to the Larson family, of my nephew Wayne and his wife Lynda King – Larson from the U.S. members of the extended Scottish Allan and King American families. However if the birth George did nothing else it stirred my mind into thinking how many branches of different families have joined with the Allans to create a world of new family trees.    

I don’t know if there are there are any famous people on the new family trees; perhaps like most families in the world they’re famous for not being famous. Mind you that’s not to say none will ever achieve fame. Perhaps some will become infamous a status I confess to finding attractive.

Let me confess to one of my greatest disappointments: I haven’t met all of them and what I know of them is less than extensive. Indeed I know more about departed ancestors such as great grandad William Allan, a former military bandsman, who in 1896 as a member of the Carl Rosa Opera Company was, I am given to understand, the first man to play the slide trombone in a public orchestra. Apparently slide trombones weren’t used because it was thought they would knock the hats of the heads of lady orchestra players. True or false I don’t know but from time to time it has made for interesting conversations.

And from around the same time there’s my Great Aunt, (Saucy) Sal – McCusker who trod the stage in Glasgow Vaudeville of the early nineteen hundreds before moving to Manchester where she disappeared into history as one of the Vaudeville’s great unknowns. I rather think I would have liked her.

Apart from grandparents Bob and Rose Morris and Donald and Elizabeth Allan More recently were my parents Rose Morris and Donald Allan who had eight children split evenly between the sexes in order of seniority: Catherine (Katie)-dec; Elizabeth – (Betty); Donald (Junior)-me; Rose-dec; Robert; William – dec; Patricia; and Gerald. Of the many great memories of my mother and father, my favourite is the picture of grace and elegance they presented as they danced together in the local community hall to the music of a piano-accordion. For me they will always.

Of their children none has become famous although one of Katie’s sons has made a name for himself as a sculptor nor have any of Betty’s children. Robert, long retired, was moderately successful in business while Rose who had had a touch of the Aunt Sal about her was at the same time a lady of compassion was much loved in the community where she was born and lived out her life.

William apparently had talent but why it didn’t blossom I don’t know as I had left the family behind while he was still a schoolboy and saw little of him afterwards. He was father of three boys I didn’t know as children although I have since met two of them (each married a very charming Japanese lady) briefly when they visited and stayed with Valerie and me in Canberra, Sadly, the youngest of his sons, whom I never met, also married with children, died early too early though I like what I read of his wife.

Patricia overcame many difficulties her in life and has a fine family of four she can be proud in the same way as I am proud of my family. Gerald has never married and has no children. I don’t care either that if any of their children – if fortunate to have them –  make headlines in the same way as the Royal George but whether they do or not I hope they will grow up not only to be healthy but love and be as proud of their parents as I am of mine.

As It now unlikely I will ever meet them I‘d like to send them a message. A fortunate life will be a good life and an even better life if you love your neighbours and help others without thought of reward.

Comment welcome.

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