The Georges-Skelly Family

24 February 2002

Hello George,

I'm Billy and Sheila Skelly's eldest daughter,born and bred in Berwick-upon -Tweed but now living on Réunion Island -a French Overseas territory- in the Indian Ocean.

I've had quite a bit of contact with Paddy and Miekle of New Zealand and think it's great that the ex-pats and their offspring are researching our family tree.

I guess roots are even more important when people emigrate.Children don't share the same cultural references as their parents,yet they are lucky to be exposed to other ways of thinking and often reap the benefits.

I'm married to Michel GEORGES a gorgeous Frenchman who decided to tag my surname onto his so that our children could have both names to reflect their bi-cultural and bilingual roots.Needless to say this played havoc with the French authorities , but he succeeded in having Michel Georges-Skelly as his known name put on his Carte d'identité and this is the name we all use.

It was important for me to keep my maiden name especially since I was going to be living permanently in France but..I never expected michel to do the same. Now when we go to Berwick the fact that the kids introduce themselves as Georges-Skellys always helps them to be somewhat more "local".

We have four children Brendan13, Guillaume11, born in Calais and twin girls Sophie and Raphaëlle almost 4 born in Rodez, Aveyron SW France.

We have been on Réunion for two years now and love it.The girls met Santa for the first time last year in a swimming pool..... so far removed from my childhood memories at Berwick!

Your site made me think about people I had forgotten who were already old when I was a kid.I can remember visiting an "auntie" Tibby who lived with Jas and "Willy Paulin" at warkwarth Terrace.Was Tibby the Elizabeth you mentioned who was married to Thomas Paulin i wonder?

Great Uncle Jas often spoke about wanting to go to Canada to visit family but I don't think he ever made it.I had a real soft spot for Jas he was born years before his time and was a true free spirit .I was really sad when he died( even if he did lead my mum a merry dance in the last few years) Michel and I had quite a few memorable meals with him.He drank whisky neat before the meal and with water throughout it.! Click to see a photo of Jas' 90th birthday party in 1997 Click to see another photo of Jas' 90th birthday party in 1997

I enclose a photo of my clan. Click to see a photo of the Michel Georges-Skelly Family I also enclose a photo of my Dad, Mum, Sister Sue and me taken in Alexandria, Canada in 1999. Click to see a photo of the Billy Skelly Family

Please excuse the presentation,I'm hopeless on the computer and type with two fingers it's a bit like driving the car, I use it , but at the first sign of trouble I scream for help!