I was smiling while reading (except the part about your father, which is saddening) There's quite a bit of similarities between what I have gathered about my family's history and what you mentioned.
Those old love stories that happened despite all the differences are always fun to read. Sadly, not all of them have very happy endings.
I think I'm a bit lucky that I managed to save a very old "book" written by my great-great-great-grandfather which detailed the lineage to a very distant past (over 1600 years back).
Other scriptures (theological, sociological, and historical) written by his father are somehow locked in Oxford's library (I have no idea how/why they got there), and only 2 of them were available to the public to order an e-copy of, for a hefty price last I checked >.<
So yeah, my curiosity ended right there. 😂
But it's fun to dig into those things sometimes!
Thank you for sharing that part of your history @agmoore ❤
I think you could negotiate with these people because you have a priceless resource in your grandfather's book. I bet the scholars at Oxford would love to get a look at that. That's a primary source. You are fortunate. Let them look, but not borrow :)) I don't trust them.
Thank you for reading. I love your comment. It's interesting how the search for roots is almost universal. In the past there were oral traditions that handed down culture from generation to generation. You are lucky to have that book. What a treasure. Most of us have to peck around at unreliable public records.
Contact Oxford. I think you might get something there. Good luck!
The one I have is family related though, highly doubt they'd be interested. (Pretty sure whoever smuggled all the rest wouldn't have left this one behind if it was of any importance to them).
But yeah, I might get digging some more some time and try to contact them. Hopefully nothing too bad happens. 😆
This is precious. Family related or not, it is an invaluable resource. You know I'm a history buff. My undergraduate degree is in history. That sort of document is so precious. Don't let them get their hands on it. Just look at it in your presence. The sort of thing that will disappear. Has cultural, historic and monetary value.
I'm impressed :)
I'll see what I can do, I'm not even sure why I should bring it up to them. I'd rather just buy a copy of what they have available when/if I get curious enough to read it. 😁