What's Up Your Family Tree? - John A Halford - June-July 1981

John A Halford

We found my great-great grandfather the other day - up a tree in China. Fortunately he wasn't seriously injured, and he lived another 30 years. What am I talking about? Family trees - genealogy looking for your ancestors. Sound boring? It sure wasn't for me. My great-great-grandfather, Arthur Vyner, was a sea captain in the British navy. His ship was sent to China during the opium wars, more than 140 years ago. He was taking part in the capture of a Chinese fort near Hong Kong when the ammunition supply exploded, blowing poor Captain Vyner up into a tree. His injuries caused him to leave the navy, so he went to Australia, bought a farm, didn't like it, moved to Sydney, started a school - and to cut a long story short, about 100 years later, I was born. - Information Supplied By: Herbert W Armstrong Library