http://joyolneyfamily.blogspot.com.au
England & Paris - September 2016
Darren was going to England for 3 weeks on business so suggested I came with him. Wow, what an opportunity. It was only 4 months after Peter had died so that in itself was a challenge, but I am an overcomer. I made my way around London while Darren was in the office. I went to visit Geoff & Jan Whitcombe, cousins in Rudgwick for 2 days. Darren and I went to see Veronica Moss one day in South-end-on-Sea. Another day we visited Vera & Kath Moss and some family in Worthing. It was only 3 years earlier that I had discovered Peter's Grandmother Doris Olney (nee Moss) had step siblings in England. What a joy it was to meet some of them. We also spent a weekend in Bridgnorth with cousins Eleanor & Alec Andrews. (Refer to Saunders Family Archives Blog).
Because of our interest in the Moss family, St Helena and Napoleon, Darren and I went on the Eurostar to Paris for 3 days. We saw Napoleon's coffin in Les Invalides, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Versailles, Chateau de Malmaison and more. (Refer to Olney Family Archives Blog and Solomon/Moss Family Archives Blog).
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Darren & Joy left Melbourne on 6 September 2020.
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| Darren in Qantas Lounge in Dubai on the way over. |
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Joy enjoyed Emirates Lounge in Dubai on return.
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| London as we flew in - London Eye over the propeller, Buckingham Palace, Serpentine. |
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| Serpentine, Albert Hall, Buckingham Palace. |
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| Serpentine & Albert Hall. |
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| London from the air. |
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London from the air.
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Darren at the Horse & Groom Inn in Windsor.
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Joy on centre court at Wimbledon.
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Joy being "interviewed" at Wimbledon.
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Balcony at Wimbledon where the Winners display their trophies.
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Dodi & Diana Memorial at Harrods.
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China to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday on 21 April 2016.
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Chocolate delicacies at Harrods.
Fruit stall at Harrods.
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Breakfast at "Timberyard" enroute from our accommodation in Islington to Darren's office
near Trafalgar Square.
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| Big Ben. |
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| Houses of Parliament. |
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| Westimnster Abbey. |
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| Joy at Wesley Hall. |
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| Picadilly Circus. |
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Oxford Circus Station.
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Princess Diana's memorial at Hyde Park.
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Darren & Joy attended a service at St Paul's Cathedral
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Memorial to Shakespeare in Leicester Square.
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Old Bailey's Court where some of our ancestors presented themselves for court.
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Lunch with Kath & Mike at National Gallery.
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| St Martins in the Field Church & Darren's office overlooking Trafalgar Square. |
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Joy & King Charles 11 in So Ho Square.
Dinner near So Ho Square, London.
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Our accommodation Cnr. Essex & Marquess Road, Islington.
Our apartment was top right hand side with 2 bedrooms, kitchen, lounge/dining & bathroom.
Very handy to busses & underground.
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Walking distance away was Holy Trinity in Dalston
where Clement Moss & Emily Swift were married in 1913. |
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| Covert Gardens where My Fair Lady was filmed. |
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Joy at Trafalgar Square.
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Darren leaving his office at Yoti, next door to St Martins in the Field Church
and overlooking Trafalgar Square.
Darren & Joy caught a train and travelled to Southend-on-Sea.
We spend the day with Veronica Moss, the step sister of Doris Olney.
Another day Joy & Darren travelled by train to Worthing to meet Vera Ames (101) and Kath Wood (96), Doris Moss' step sisters.
Joy and Darren had lunch with the Moss family at Worthing.
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A wonderful thrill to meet Doris Olney's (nee Moss) step-sisters
that no one knew about until Joy found them in 2014. |
Another day I went alone to visit Geoffrey & Jan Whitcombe, cousins in Rudgwick. Geoff was the one who actually located a Moss in the Worthing area which led to being able to confirm Vera & Kath as the step sister's of Doris Moss and children of Clement and Emily Swift. We were able to visit Vera and Kath.
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| Kath Wood, Joy and Vera Ames. |
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Joy took a train to Guildford and stayed with
Geoffrey and Jan Whitcombe for 2 nights. |
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Chain library in the Headmaster's office of Guildford Grammar
where Geoffrey attended as a boy. |
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Geoffrey & Jan Whitcombe with Joy at Fox Inn in Rudgwick.
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Darren & Joy travelled by train to Bridgnorth
where Joy's cousin Eleanor & Alec Andrews live.
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Stairs up to the next story, and then there was another story.
Note the rope to help pull one up!
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| Breakfast room with glass roof & walls. |
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Main street of Bridgnorth with Town Hall over the road.
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Judge Olney-Fraser gives his verdict of Guilty to Andrews.
Old Court House in the Town Hall.
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Bridgnorth History 895-1824. Hanging in the Town Hall.
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| Butcher in Bridgnorth with an open window. |
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Darren bought a Pollick wine as he knew the owner in Australia.
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Bridgnorth.
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Flying Scotsman came into Bridgnorth while we were there (RHS).
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Eleanor & Joy in Bridgnorth.
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Joy & Eleanor at Bridgnorth.
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Ironbridge built 1779 in Bridgnorth.
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Eleanor & Alec, Darren & Joy at dinner at Bridgnorth.
After our visit to Worthing and meeting Vera & Kath Moss, Darren & Joy decided to go to Paris. Why? The Moss family were in St Helena when Napoleon Bonaparte we in exile there. After Napoleon died in 1815, Isaac Moss lived in "Longwood House", the house where Napoleon lived when in exile. Places to see in Paris included. Chateau de Malmaison where Napoleon's wife Josephine lived. Les Invalides Military Museum where Napoleon's tomb was located. Le Louve where Napoleon 111's Apartments were.
Joy and Darren left Kings Cross St Pancreas station in London and caught the Eurostar train.
The train took about three and a half hours.
The Eurostar left Kings Cross St Pancreas, travelled through the English countryside, went through the English Channel, and French countryside before reaching Paris. The process was just like air travel, needing passports, baggage checks etc.
Gare du Nord main railway station in Paris.
Paris has an extensive underground railway.
The stations were very clean and had sliding doors between the station and the train.
Our apartment for 2 nights in Suresnes, Paris.
Napoleon in Chateau de Malmaison.
Napoleon "crossing the alps" by Jacques-Louis David. in Chateau de Malmaison.
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Chateau de Malmaison - Josephine died 1814, a year before Napoleon died in St Helena.
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Josephine married Napoleon 1796, hanging in Chateau de Malmaison.
Les Invalides Military Museum where Napoleon's tomb was located inside under the dome.
Napoleon's tomb was transferred into that position on 15 December 1840.
He was buried firstly in St Helena.
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Note the "N" under Darren. Stairs to Napoleon 111 apartments at Le Louve.
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Napoleon 111 apartments in Le Louvre.
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Napoleon 111 apartments in Le Louve.
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Napoleon Bonaparte's Throne.
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A visit to Mona Lisa at Le Louve was a must.
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| Sacre-Coeur in Paris. |
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Interior Sacre-Coeur.
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| Montmarte famous for its art. |
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Various artists paint and sell their art at Montmarte.
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| Campse elysees, the worlds most famous avenue in Paris with Arc de Triumph. |
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Eiffel Tower in Paris.
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"Liberty Flame" located over the entrance to the tunnel
where Princess Diana was killed in a car accident.
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Darren overlooks the Rive Seine in Paris.
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Notre Dame in Paris.
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We went all the way to Chateau de Versailes but to find it was closed.
We were however allowed to wander around their grounds.
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| Chateau de Versailes grounds were beautiful and vast. |
My 3 weeks trip to England and Paris was a real highlight. It was just four months after Peter had died. I wished he could have been there especially as we met his Grandma's step-sisters. At least he knew that I had found them as I had already written my blog in 2014. (see Olney Family Archives).
To spend time with cousins Eleanor & Alec, Geoff & Jan was wonderful. Our visit to Paris was a real bonus. Thank you Darren for taking me on this journey with you.
If you have any comments please email Joy Olney - joyolney@gmail.com
