Books with author Jeremy Hayward

When Jeremy Hardy decided to explore his ancestry it was, in part, to get to the bottom of his grandmother Rebecca's dubious claims that the family descended from a certain 17th-century architect and that, more recently, Jeremy's great-grandfather was a Royal bodyguard. Other legends ranged from the great aunt who ran illegal hooch during Prohibition to the wronged Victorian servant girl who bore an illegitimate Hardy, not forgetting the family's rightful claim to a large country estate. Wild stories aside, Jeremy sets out to such diverse locations as the Croydon one-way system and the hostile waters around Malta in order to find traces of recognisable family traits and a sense of how he came to be. With wry humour and a keen eye for the absurd and the frustrating, Jeremy takes us on a by turns funny and moving journey into the world of family ancestry. My Family and Other Strangers will be enjoyed by anyone who has tried to decipher the 1901 census records, or simply wishes they too had asked their grandparents more about their lives.

Jeremy Hardy takes us on a comic journey through the world of genealogy, as he searches his own family ancestry. When Jeremy Hardy decided to explore his ancestry it was, in part, to get to the bottom of his grandmother Rebecca's dubious claims that the family descended from a certain 17th-century architect and that, more recently, Jeremy's great-grandfather was a Royal bodyguard. Other legends ranged from the great aunt who ran illegal hooch during Prohibition to the wronged Victorian servant girl who bore an illegitimate Hardy, not forgetting the family's rightful claim to a large country estate. Wild stories aside, Jeremy sets out to such diverse locations as the Croydon one-way system and the hostile waters around Malta in order to find traces of recognisable family traits and a sense of how he came to be. With wry humour and a keen eye for the absurd and the frustrating, Jeremy takes us on a by turns funny and moving journey into the world of family ancestry. "My Family and Other Strangers" will be enjoyed by anyone who has tried to decipher the 1901 census records, or simply wishes they too had asked their grandparents more about their lives.

The town of Reflection Falls has a problem…goblins! The annoying little creatures creep down from their caves in the mountains to steal vegetables from farms and gardens. The brave knights of the realm are far too busy keeping their lands safe from real threats, such as dragons and trolls, so the Goblin Squad was formed. When children reach the age of ten, they participate in a series of yearly contests in order to be chosen as the next members of the squad. Their duties involve patrolling the town and chasing away the goblins. But, a group of new recruits soon learn that there is more going on around Reflection Falls than just vegetable stealing. The adults are unaware, so the young friends decide to investigate the strange behavior of the goblins and soon find themselves far away from the safety of the town.

The town of Reflection Falls has a problem…goblins! The annoying little creatures creep down from their caves in the mountains to steal vegetables from farms and gardens. The brave knights of the realm are far too busy keeping their lands safe from real threats, such as dragons and trolls, so the Goblin Squad was formed. When children reach the age of ten, they participate in a series of yearly contests in order to be chosen as the next members of the squad. Their duties involve patrolling the town and chasing away the goblins. But, a group of new recruits soon learn that there is more going on around Reflection Falls than just vegetable stealing. The adults are unaware, so the young friends decide to investigate the strange behavior of the goblins and soon find themselves far away from the safety of the town.

When Jeremy Hardy decided to explore his ancestry it was, in part, to get to the bottom of his grandmother Becky's dubious claims that the family descended from a certain 17th-century architect and that, more recently, Jeremy's great grandfather was personal bodyguard and confidant to the King. Other legends range from the uncle who died in police custody to the wronged Victorian aunt who bore an illegitimate son.Wild stories aside, Jeremy sets out to investigate in such diverse locations as the public library and the hostile waters around Malta in order to find traces of recognisable family traits and a sense of how he came to be. With wry humour and a keen eye for the absurd and the frustrating, Jeremy takes us on a by turns funny and moving journey into the world of family ancestry. My Family and Other Strangers will be enjoyed by anyone who has tried to decipher the 1901 census records, or simply wishes they too had asked their grandparents more about their lives.