What Surprised Me Most - how do I choose!
Family history has been a constant stream of surprises - records I have found, newspaper articles, court records, military records - the all seem to contain surprises. The sheer range of records that have survived the passage of time - and the number that are continuing to become available online - is a constant surprise.
Below is a colored print of my father that was taken from a photograph from when he
enlisted in the Air Force, during World War 2. It is hand colored on
cardboard - and is probably the family history find that surprised me most.
The print came to light when I was clearing out the family home after the deaths of my parents. It spent who-knows-how-long lying behind a wardrobe in
my parents bedroom. Neither my sister or I can recall ever seeing it,
although we are both familiar with the photo from which it is taken. How or when it was created I have no idea, and how it survived up to 40 years hidden behind a wardrobe and not nibbled by mice I cannot guess.
There is some damage to the edges, but the detail and the colors are amazing. Almost A4 size, it currently awaits proper restoration and will eventually be displayed amongst other family treasures. A most surprising find!
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