Mab of Dream

I thought I'd have a little whizz through my world, so folk don't think that my relative quietness on the lists these days is another way of saying overwhelmed and stressed.

What's happened is that I took that typical day thing I did to heart, plus all the comments of everyone else. I've been experimenting with doing the things that I want to do, for me, first, and when I'm bored of that going onto things that I would have ordinarily started with. It seems to be working really well. I'm coming to things fresh and full of energy, instead of completely drained. I've also spotted that when I don't jump into things, other people will get them covered first. Cool!

The last couple of nights, I've been researching my own family history. Last night was helped by the fact that Frome sent me two certificates, which gave me a maiden name for Eliza Pike - Davies. Davies... that's heading into Wales again, isn't it?

I've come across two brick walls, which I need to either think my way past or find more information. But I'll put them here just in case I'm two close to it to see the clear answers:

Edwin Bradeley

Here's where this one fits in: Edwin Bradeley. Now, straight off I'm going for his surname being Bradley, because that's just written phonetically in Black Country dialect. Not so much today, but definitely back then. There's an area of Bilston, locally, which is written Bradley, but pronounced Bradeley.

All that is known about him is from his daughter's marriage lines. He was deceased by 1886 and he was a brewer. Mary-Ann herself was born in Lower Gornal or Gornalwood in 1862, so that places him in the vicinity at least 9 months before. I've previously asked Dudley registrar to find her birth certificate - Mary-Ann, daughter of Edwin, born 1862 - and they can't find it.

My contenders:

Edwin Bradley - born in Birmingham in 1818; living in Coseley (two villages away from Gornal) in 1851; married Elizabeth Robinson in Birmingham in the 1850s, before moving to Ashbourne in Derbyshire by 1881. He was a successful grocer and tobacco manufacturer there. I've scutted through the censuses and can't find him with a Mary-Ann as a daughter; however, he wasn't at home during the important 1871 census and I'm yet to discover where Elizabeth and the kids are. My major contender is still in Brum and hasn't a Mary-Ann.

Edward Bradley - born in Gornal in 1830-something; living there, working as a brewer, with a daughter called Mary-Ann, who is the right age, during the 1871 census. I've checked the BMD and there were only two Mary-Anns born in Gornal at that time, one is daughter of Edward and the other is the daughter of a John Bradley.

There are other Edwin Bradleys, but all too young to have fathered Mary-Ann, as in MUCH too young.

Actually the other brick walls are more information type things, so I won't add them here.

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It's typical. I write a lot to Patrick Cormack, my MP, because I have views and he's representing me in Parliament. Usually, I get a mass-produced letter, signed by his secretary, with my name hand-written after the 'Dear...' part. He and I are finally in accord on an issue and I get a personal letter, signed by the man himself, with a copy of Hansard for Feb 28th 2005 inside. When Mum told me over the 'phone that I had a parcel from the House of Commons, I was like, 'well, is it vibrating or ticking?' But no, it's the recordings of the day.

That made fascinating reading, mainly along the lines of 'is this English?' All the MPs talk in a strange kind of code. I wonder if, when they get elected, their first mission is to learn the language. But the debate did show just how fucked the Government is over the Anti-Terrorism Bill.

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Talking about politics, I had a bit of a rant on Kindly Ones yesterday, after receiving notification from Amnesty that we'd lost one. He'd been executed by the American state of Ohio, which now makes it well over 900 people killed there since 1976. *sigh*

I noticed that a lot of people had responded to my rant, but I haven't investigated yet about what was being said (being side-tracked by genealogy and all). I'll pop my face in there again tonight.

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Talking Amnesty, I know have two people requesting readings with donations to the Zheng Enchong Fund. *huge grin* I'll make those donations direct to the fund.

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And talking about readings, I haven't a clue what happened this week. I asked Anna to alter the database to put me as accepting readings now and suddenly, whoooooosh! I had an unprecedented number of requests that meant that within 24 hours, Georgia was sneaking in and putting me on 'not available'. Anna jumped in to take a couple of the later ones and I'm just sitting there thinking, 'what the fuck just happened?'

I don't even consider myself to be the best reader on that list. Anna, Cerr and maybe Ivy, at least, have all got the edge on me. Roxanne and Pixie are at least as good as me, if not better; and there are a few people who remain untried on list. So it's not a merit thing. Is it a placing thing? When I'm choosing who to ask for a reading, I get the database up, close my eyes and stick my finger on the monitor. I was thinking that it could be that. As I'm 'Mab' on there, my placement is more or less in the centre of the list.

It has got me worried though. As only three requests were actually on-list, it's not apparent just how many were off-list. It wouldn't have even come to the attention of the Mods had I not been one myself. I'm big and ugly enough to turn around and say, 'No, sod off', should I so wish; but if it happens to another reader, would they have the confidence to do that?

We haven't really had chance to debate this in the Mods lounge, but I know it's worried Cerr as well. She's written me a long e-mail telling me NOT to feel pressured and to tell any that I want to that it'll have to go through the proper channels, ie via the Grove. The reason that these things are openly done on there is precisely to forestall this kind of situation. I would be setting an example if I did that, which I'm supposed to do as a Mod. But on the other hand, I'm happy enough to just do the readings, which currently stands at 7 or 8 (I've got to check on one) readings; two of which are part of the Zheng Enchong thing. :-D

yours
Mab
xxxxx