-----Original Message----- From: Dianadiluca@aol.com Sent: 02 August 2008 15:50 <snip> Would I have been able to tell my dad about this? I have no idea. I view things differently to him and knowing all about this case is not a problem to me... <snip> Diana's touching account raises another pertinent issue - it must be relatively (no pun intended) easy for practicing genealogists, amateur or otherwise, to be able to deal with the discovery and unravelling of the more painful and poignant elements of family history that might well prove very distressing for their close relatives to deal with, relatives who are not necessarily interested in digging things up and perhaps would prefer that all the roots of their own tree remained where they should be. If genealogists can be compared to gardeners, then surely once a thread has been tracked deep underground it should then be carefully replanted again, and given a chance to heal itself. Last night I was studying a photo of a stained glass window in our parish church, as part of a current Waltham Abbey Hist Soc project to transcribe all the inscriptions, memorials, tombstones, hatchments, and so on, inside the church. It had been commissioned as a memorial to a local family. The lower quarter of the design consists of a tree trunk, leading to two strong branches that continue up to link into other elements of the design, which I had already examined. But I then noticed a third branch which had been cut off just as it begins to leave the trunk, and guessed that it might represent a sudden or untimely loss of some sort if the tree could be taken to be a family tree. Then I read the inscriptions at the base of the window, which as Elmo invites us to post such information to the list, I now quote in full: In affectionate memory of GEORGE CLEALL of Waltham Abbey Vicarage who fell asleep February 22nd 1941, aged 83 years and of CECILIA, his wife for 56 years, who fell asleep January 29th 1946, aged 86 years. Also of their elder son PERCY CAWDELL CLEALL B.A., Essex Regiment, sometime Staff Captain 200th Infantry Brigade who made the Supreme Sacrifice in France August 26th 1918, aged 28 years. That says it all, doesn't it. For the parents to have passed away during and just after a second Great War must have brought painful memories to the fore. Lawrence PS I'd be happy to email a photo of the window to anyone with a direct interest. No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.10/1586 - Release Date: 01/08/2008 18:59