I first heard stories about my grandmother’s early life discussed at family gatherings, or around the dinner table when I was just a small boy, but it wasn’t until my grandfather elected to share his war stories with me that a genuine spark was ignited. He knew he was dying of terminal lung cancer and his own children were astonished he chose to share his experiences with his eldest grandson, when he’d previously never mentioned a word of his remarkable life during the war to anyone in the family. Long after his death, a diary he kept during the war surfaced and this only added to fan the flames of curiosity. By this time I knew I wanted to write and, most of all, I knew I must tell my grandparents’ story. But where would I start? There were so many gaps in the story as I knew it then and I was faced with painstaking research, particularly in regard to my grandmother’s family tree. Their story is finally written, but I feel I must thank a number of people for their invaluable assistance. Without them, this book would never have seen the light of day. Firstly I’d like to acknowledge the help I received from the staff at Liverpool Central Library when looking at Parish records and reams of microfiche, in an attempt to track down my grandmother’s family. I must also thank my mother Emily for her unstinting support and for providing most of the photographs contained within the book. Last of all I must recognise the priceless contribution from my great aunt Margie and great uncle Albert. Without them I simply would never have written this book. They filled in so many gaps for me and joined up many of the dots, and their unselfish willingness to help in whatever way they could was typical of two remarkable people. They don’t make them like Margie and Albert anymore and, perhaps it’s an overused expression, but they certainly broke the mould when they came along. Finally, I must recognise the incredible contribution of my talented daughter Lucy, who not only designed the front and rear covers, but also updated my website and advised me in a myriad of ways too numerous to mention.
Thank you for reading, click here to find out more about Annie's War. Mackenzie Brown
2 Comments
Ian Newland
2/12/2015 01:15:26 pm
Hi! I heard about you through Roy Hesketh and have immediately ordered your book, Annie's War, which I am thoroughly enjoying. It seems we have common ancestors as my father is a son of William Newland, who would have been Annie's older brother. I reckon there are at least 12 siblings in that generation, all from John Newland and Fanny (not Frances!)Wilson. I have traced the Newland's back to mid 1850's but have the Wilsons way back to the Eighteenth Century.
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22/1/2021 01:45:48 am
Nice! Looking forward to read this book of yours.
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