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Archiver > ISLE-OF-WIGHT > 1998-08 > 0903254233


From: harald hornung <>
Subject: Topic #14
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 07:57:13 +0000


Hi everyone :

I'm a bit late with my contributi on but have
just returned from a week's holiday for me/business trip
for my husband. It was to the Okanagan as usual and up
as far as Prince George. This time was a little different
in that we witnessed several forest fires near Jasper and
in the Fraser Canyon. The helicopters were working hard
taking water up to the difficult to reach ones. Sad to see the
forests burn but the other side is that it is natures way of
renewal and after the fire new growth will spring up and
provide food for deer etc. A high percentage of the fires
are started by lightening only a small number by humans.

However, I seem to be off topic this is supposed to be
about me! I am in my early 60's - came over to Canada in
l965 with a son of a year old and one 7 mths , daughter Sandi was
born on Vancouver Island. We lived in Port Alice for two years
which at that time was only accessible by logging road between
7 p.m. and 7 a.m. or by plane, a Beaver which flew in once
a day and landed on the water beside the 7O house town !
Coming from London it was quite a change but one that I
shall never forget. How many people have bears in the
mainstreet, mountains lions in the forests surrounding you
not to mention all the deer etc. Those were the days when
the lakes were full of fish and the water so clear you could
count the pebbles on the bottom.

In England I did secretarial work for the Institute of Public
Health in Buckingham Palace Road. It was great fun because
we were close to the Palace and used to walk up to see the
guards and hope to see any "goings on" of the Royals!! I also
travelled to the Midlands to set up and adjudicate exams.

Since coming to Canada I have been a full time mum and now
grandmother to five.

My husband, Hal, is the International Organizer for the I.B.E W.
(Electricians Union) based in Vancouver. His territory includes
all the B.C. which accounts for his business trips out of town.

I started delving into family history for two reasons one to find
my father who I never knew and the other to learn more about
my mothers family on the I.O.W. I have been successful in
tracing my father and his family though I have come to a
bit of a brick wall over my grandmother but that just makes it
more interesting. My mothers family, the Galleys, have proved
very interesting and I have discovered cousins in New Zealand,
Canada and S.Africa.

I started my researching by writing dozens of letters to anyone
with the same surname in the areas I was interested in. I had
a wonderful response and everyone replied to wish me luck
even if they couldn't help. Since then I have found the net
and haven't looked back, its been a tremendous help and
on top of that I have the added bonus of making lots of
new friends.

So will leave you with my names - GALLEY, GRAPES, RADON,
MATTHEWS, LOVE, WHITTINGTON, MOORMAN, RUSSELL,
SPRAKE, ASHFORD, MILMORE ( A NEW ONE !!)

Jean in cool B.C.

.

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