In a message dated 97-07-20 22:33:51 EDT, Douglas401@aol.com writes: << Subj: BASTARDS, HORSE THIEVES AND ENGLISHMEN Date: 97-07-20 22:33:51 EDT From: Douglas401@aol.com To: WALLACE-L@rootsweb.com Some of the most amusing days I have had in researching mine and others genealogy is to find the unexpected and prove that we had relations that we would not wish to share with the rest of the world. Having been raised in the East near the "old money" and "original" families I have been astounded at the attempts to "elliminate" from the family tree the occasional bent branch. Now that Hollywood has featured Braveheart we all will suffer from dilusions of grandeur. I suspect that the accuracy of some of the postings to the internet will not pass the final review. >> ----------------------------------------------------------------- I just got off the phone with a local friend, who lived in London for three years. I was surprised to hear that, in the UK, they still make a big deal out of "family ties", "social class", and related nonsense. He said that most of the people he knew in the UK would probably rather live in the US. He also said that people from the US are treated as if they do not belong to any "class" at all. Apparently, the old money stays in the families much more so than it does here .... where handing the keys to junior almost guarantees failure. I suppose this is why they use the term "working class", "blue bloods", "old money" and such -- all concepts which should rightly be irrelevant, in my opinion. In any case, I hope we can discover some links to Europe, regardless of whether we find roots in common laborers or in royalty. Who cares? I find the journey intriguing, regardless of the outcome. I hope others share that view. Steven Wallace