Jean Renwick challenges the audience to consider turning their family tree into a story, so much easier to follow than dry facts. Her talk reveals years of research behind her family saga, The Mourning Brooch, based upon the lives of real Yorkshire people who lived in the second half of the 19th and first half of the 20th century. After inheriting a mourning brooch, Jean was intrigued to know who was Elizabeth Addy, commemorated in the brooch, and what happened to the two little girls she left behind. The two novels so far published reveal how the sisters’ lives took them in very different directions.
Using newspaper archives, Renwick discovered scandals, adding drama to the tale, and research in England and the USA revealed much about the personalities of the characters. And the story moves to London, Liverpool, Philadelphia – even Constantinople – all based on fact. Finally, she will report on progress in writing the final part of the saga.
The Mourning Brooch Book One, An Ending. A Beginning covers 1839-1876 and Book Two, Moving On reaches 1913. More details and images can be found on www.jeanrenwickauthor.co.uk .
Do you have a piece of mourning jewellery? Bring it to the meeting and share what you know of its history.