Writer's Block: Long ago and far away

[mumsisdaughter]

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I was born a month prematurely. If I'd survived that in another time or place, I probably would have died from measles at the age of 4, or appendicitis at 16, or definitely in childbirth at 35, presumably with the death of the baby as well. I agree with hystree, this age and place suits me fine.

Comments

[rebness.livejournal.com]

To go off on a tangent, does it ever amaze you to think on how hardy our ancestors must have been? You know, they survived through childbirth (well, at least the children did!), through plague and smallpox and famine and disease. I'm always in awe when I trace an ancestor living through Yet Another Plague. Fantastic stuff.

[mumsisdaughter]

Definitely! We are the product of the ones who survived to reproduce and some of them must have had lives harsher than we can imagine. I tracked back to 1841 quite quickly, a few years ago, just by looking at census data and talking to the oldest members of the family. I've probably posted this somewhere before but it bears repeating: my grandfather told me of a time when he was young, climbing over a wall to scrump apples and being caught by an old man, who sat him down and talked to him about his life. That old man had been born in the year of The Battle of Trafalgar. In the space of three generations nearly 200 years had passed. I, in turn, have told my daughter. I wonder how many generations will hear that tale. Searching for my ancestors is one of my retirement tasks and I'm looking forward to doing it.