In my family history research, I’ve come across a few occasions where a pair of siblings married another pair of siblings. I’ve finally uncovered an example of a married couple apparently being first cousins:

No definitive proof yet that Maria (aka Mary) Baverstock and Frederick (my ancestor) are siblings, but Jesse is described as his nephew on the 1861 census.

And here they are: different coloured icons! The XML file behind this isn’t as well structured as it could be but it does what it needs to do.

The red marker is me; yellow for my parents; grandparents are green; great-grandparents blue; and g-g-grandparents are purple.

Google has released its Maps API. I’ve had a play and produced this map which marks the birthplaces of four generations of my ancestors.

(I couldn’t get the JavaScript to work properly directly so I’ve had to imbed it in an IFRAME element. Any suggestions for getting the code to work loads from a JavaScript file directly into this post would be welcome.)

When I’ve got more time, I’ll play with the icons and the XML source data with the aim of highlighting differernt branches of my family tree (or different generations) with different coloured icons.

Monday

Stayed up into the early hours watching music videos. We sat through a mid-eighties compilation of Bucks Fizz promos – interspersed by “Miss Jay Aston” comments – before remembering that Brian Grant, director of The Long Game, had directed music videos. A Google search turned up loads of videos, many of which were on various videos and DVDs around the room. And so we sat up watching videos from artists ranging from Haircut 100 and Queen to Peter Gabriel and Spandau Ballet.

Up early to go into Westminster to run some errands at LibDem HQ. On my way back past the Houses of Parliament, I spotted a grey-haired man standing alone near the public entrance. It was Trevor Kavanagh, political editor of The Sun. One of my friends always seems to run into people like that. I would normally pass on by but she’s very good at striking up conversation. With this in mind, I decided to be more assertive and started a conversation.

We had a brief, pleasant conversation. He asked if I was a Sun reader and I admitted that I’m not. “Oh, you should read it. It’s very good.” We discussed some of the paper’s election coverage and I bit the bullet and mentioned that I’m a LibDem. “Ah,” he said, “I think we could have done more there actually.” I suggested that by “more” he meant “be even more negative about”. He nodded.

I glanced away and was surprised to recognise Channel 4 News‘s outgoing political editor Elinor Goodman walking towards us. I suppose in retrospect that right outside Parliament is as good a place as any to find political journalists, although she was meeting Trevor. She introduced herself and I went on my way.

Popped into Holborn to look up some probate records for my family history research before heading back to south London. We watched some excellent Victoria Wood episodes in the evening. More music videos later and the realisation that I can name the band members of very few of my favourite bands.

Tuesday

Train Eavesdropping III
On the way in to London in the morning, two yoofs (probably wearing hoodies) were sitting behind me on the train. They were the only people in the carriage talking and despite their street patois (if that’s the term) it was pretty clear they were discussing which guns they wanted (“a sniper’s gun would be cool”). I like to think this was nothing more than a laddish chat about weaponry, like middle-aged men talking idly down the pub. But it was still uneasy to overhear.

Back to the probate office and then round the corner and to a cafe with Dan. Then, following his directions, I headed off on foot to Kings Cross. A few moments later, I walked past the ITV News Channel’s Andrew Harvey.

Got home in time to watch a pretty unpleasant documentary about Agentha Fältskog on Channel 4.