Cousins again

The time has come to get back to writing about the family. I have been chasing up my cousins to let me have their family info so that if nothing else, my grandchildren will know who their cousins are. When we were young my sister and I were very close to our first cousins, especially on my mum’s side. They all lived in and around Hackney and Dalston in East London. On my dad’s side, they were more spread out in Willesden and Maida Vale in North West London and Barnet in North London, so we didn’t see them as much. My first cousins are my grandchildren’s first cousins once removed and my first cousins children are my first cousins once removed and my grandchildren’s second cousins. At least I think I am right. Now that all my first cousins are grandparents there is a lot of current info to go into the family tree.

Cousins

Last Thursday my wife and I met up with my sister and my first cousins on my Dad’s side of the family.

My Dad had three sisters and a brother who is 4 years older than me. Two of the sisters each had a boy and a girl and the third had just a daughter. His brother is childless.

We met up in the restaurant in the John Lewis Department store in Oxford Street, Central London where my sister works.

With partners there were 9 of us including one aunt aged 89. Two cousins couldn’t make it and one of the cousins came down from Leeds (350 mile round trip) for the day. 

It was great meeting up and we have resolved to make it at least an annual reunion.  It  made me realise, however,  that we spend a lot of time tracing our ancestors, but not enough time recording details of the living. So I have resolved to contact all our first cousins and our nieces and nephews to make sure all their information is recorded in our family tree.

Of originally 25 first cousins, we are now down to 18, so it is important that the recording is started now.