My mother’s sister, Louie, left her in England for France in 1929 and became a governess to the young daughter of a French lady and her older lover Andre Gide ( self confessed homosexual )and a person of great fame in the literature world (Nobel Prize in Literature) …and the communism ideals. Louie kept her diary and although her entries were not descriptive, the world around her was unfolding in many ways. ‘ In the 1930’s the attitude to morality and sex including homosexual and lesbian sex, was open’ My cousin Jeffery Todd researched the facts around her entries and filled in the gaps as he wrote this book. Later, Louie travelled to Russia and connected with other people who made trouble in Russia after the world of Stalin.
She had a daughter, Anne (my cousin) to a Scottish Journalist living in Moscow who then married a Soviet spy lady who only wanted a British Passport to be able to continue her activities. These two had another daughter also called Anne and in this book the two Anne’s were connected - but not in real life! He was killed in the Spanish Civil War.
In Moscow, many of them were taken away, never to be heard of again. Louie seemed to be safe as a New Zealander.
Her family history is full of sadness, hard work, little pay and a tough country to live in. She visited me in Auckland in the 1970’s but that was the only visit I remember. She reconnected with my mother who was staying with me and they so appreciated the visit being allowed by the Russian authorities then.
Three good things;
1. The connections with soviet spying, Cambridge graduates who turned against England, and the latter history of some who survived were mesmerising. Connections with Rupert Brooke, Oscar Wilde, Prince Mirsky,and another literary influence of the time, Virginia Woolfe.
2. Her story will live forever in this book as my mother’s life in those years remains as in my book that I published. Three Prime Ministers visited her in Russia; Norman Kirk, David Lange and Garfield Todd of Rhodesia, Louie’s cousin.
3. Growing up in NZ must have been the best in the world in those times!
Goodness me Maggie your family history is incredible! Full of strong adventurous women I can quite see where your love of being on the move comes from. You have a legacy to uphold!
How fascinating to have such an intricate family history! You are quite well-known on both sides of your family. It’s hard to imagine coming from such plane stock as I have that I”know” Someone with such interesting relatives. A fabulous photo of her book
Sounds fascinating. She must have felt quite lonely at times but also had much excitement rubbing elbows with all those celebrities. I'm glad she was able to eventually see your mother again. They seemed so very close in your book.
@olivetreeann You are right Ann! Very close and they missed each other so much. It was said that my Mum was embarrassed about having a sister in Russia in those early days of communism!
I love the lighting that highlight the book cover photo...perfect. What a wild family history full of intrigue, scandal and famous people...a fascinating story!
