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Commentary 17 - Reflections on Growing Old and King Lear

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Commentary 17 - Reflections on Growing Old and King Lear (A thought email exchange with the Jackson Zoom Group - November 2023) Perhaps some thoughts if you are exploring what can be learnt from "King Lear" as you face Old Age in the Moment! The cutting through line is when Lear yells to the winds "  Nothing can come of nothing, speak again. Now Gods stand up for bastards! To have a thankless child. "  The Play can be seen on many levels - a simple tale of Father/Daughters relationship. Or as a provocation of Parent Control that even wants to extend through Legacy to continuing Control after Death. Or a dying power becoming irrelevant! Or the reality of life's ending when you have already forsaken a common morality of the next generation and an understanding of others' needs, and have unwittingly shaped the faults in your own children. Life finishes with some grasp of understanding by this " poor old man " but it is too late - " Speak what we

Snippet 16 - The Cotton Famine

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  DRIVEN OUT BY “THE COTTON FAMINE” Lancashire in the mid-19th Century was the World Centre of Manufacturing Cotton Products. You would think that the Wealth thereby created would be enough. But as Paul Keating said – “ In the Race of Life, always back Self-Interest – at least you know it’s trying. ” So, the Factory Owners formed a Cartel of Supply and severely restricted the availability of Cotton and the Products from 1861-1866. The era was called “The Cotton Famine”2, as the factory workers became unemployed – the families were forced to food-queue (there was no safety net). Many died of starvation and depression. Some found ways to leave by boarding ships to Australia, Canada, or the USA. Part of our family, the Houghtons, were caught in that trap of Famine. Richard & Mary Houghton3, with 4 children under 10 and 1 on the way, caught the ship “ Sultana ”, bound for Queensland. It cost virtually all of their savings (£8) to get aboard. But their luck got worse. The ship’s Doctor,

Table 7 - Ancestors who died in Wars

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  ANCESTORS WHO DIED IN WARS Total = 86 (Male 86 – Female 0)   Note - The Work is always in progress, and I am very happy to receive additional information or corrections at any time.   Acknowledgement – Considerable work has been done by our Cousin , Mary Vanderfeen, particularly with WWI & WWII & Irish Family members. Much reliance has been placed on this work. Thank you!   References – Wikipedia has been used in the text as a reasonably reliable and accessible point for anyone seeking further information on the Events.   DATE OF DEATH NAME AGE AT DEATH EVENT & DEATH LOCALITY 987 Geoffrey I of ANJOU [1] 37 ANJOU/FRANCE WAR Château-du-Loir, France (Siege of Marcon) 17 May 1102 Hugh VI de LUSIGNAN [2] 63 1 st CRUSADE Ramia, Egypt (The Battle of Ramia) 1134 Phillip de BRAOSE [3]