Many readers will be familiar with the collections of unintentional humour found in letters to insurance companies, along the lines of “ I drove into the lamp post, then lost control”. It will come as no surprise that family history has its own collection of verbal nonsense, and a good sample was sent to me recently by another researcher called Jack Montgomery, who lives in Canada and who descends from Ebbeth Linfield of the Twillingate branch. Readers might find the following excerpts amusing.

It is hereditary in my family, not to have children…..

Family Bible in possession of Aunt Marie until the tornado hit Topeka, Kansas, now only the good Lord knows where it is .

The wife of #435 couldn’t be found. Somebody suggested that she might have been stillborn. What do you think? .

Any ancestors you can dig up would be appreciated ..

I am mailing you my aunt and uncle and three of their children ..

Enclosed please find my grandmother. I have worked on her for 50 years without success. Now see what you can do ..

My grandfather died at the age of 3 …..

He and his daughter are listed as not being born ….

We are sending you 5 children in a separate envelope .

I would like to find out if I have any living relatives, dead relatives, or ancestors in my family …