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Herbert Bruce
Walking down the stairs half an hour ago, I passed a pencil drawing of my half great great uncle, Herbert Bruce.
I inherited Uncle Herbert when my grandmother died. I particularly asked for him when the grandchildren were asked if there were any particular items from her home that we'd like. I never met or knew him, but he had a fascinating face and he was a favourite of my grandmother. She told me that he was a Professor of history at Cardiff University and took great pride in the fact that he was the youngest professor they had had. She also told me that his wife was a friend of HG Wells. There was my total sum of knowledge about Uncle Herbert.
I just took a look at Google to see if it could add any more.
Back in 1933, Herbert Bruce of Cardiff University was one of a large group of academics campaigning (without much success) for the reform of English spelling. And HG Wells was a vice president of the Simplified Spelling Society - which reinforces that particular connection.
http://www.spellingsociety.org/journals/pamflets/board.pdf
He also wrote a book on church history. I even found a copy for sale in an American bookshop for $12.50 plus postage. I wonder if my father would like a copy for Christmas... (It sounds like the sort of thing that he might find interesting and the book reviews - which are included in the first page of another book in the same series on Project Guttenberg - sound rather promising.)
It's nice to flesh Uncle Herbert out, even just a little. I don't have an interest in all my ancestors and Herbert isn't even in my direct line, but like I said, he has an interesting face. If he walked down the street tomorrow, I'd recognise him. I'd love to be able to go back in time and just chat to him.
I inherited Uncle Herbert when my grandmother died. I particularly asked for him when the grandchildren were asked if there were any particular items from her home that we'd like. I never met or knew him, but he had a fascinating face and he was a favourite of my grandmother. She told me that he was a Professor of history at Cardiff University and took great pride in the fact that he was the youngest professor they had had. She also told me that his wife was a friend of HG Wells. There was my total sum of knowledge about Uncle Herbert.
I just took a look at Google to see if it could add any more.
Back in 1933, Herbert Bruce of Cardiff University was one of a large group of academics campaigning (without much success) for the reform of English spelling. And HG Wells was a vice president of the Simplified Spelling Society - which reinforces that particular connection.
http://www.spellingsociety.org/journals/pamflets/board.pdf
He also wrote a book on church history. I even found a copy for sale in an American bookshop for $12.50 plus postage. I wonder if my father would like a copy for Christmas... (It sounds like the sort of thing that he might find interesting and the book reviews - which are included in the first page of another book in the same series on Project Guttenberg - sound rather promising.)
It's nice to flesh Uncle Herbert out, even just a little. I don't have an interest in all my ancestors and Herbert isn't even in my direct line, but like I said, he has an interesting face. If he walked down the street tomorrow, I'd recognise him. I'd love to be able to go back in time and just chat to him.