RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Yorkshire (North Riding) => Topic started by: bigirishfamily on Thursday 17 September 15 17:21 BST (UK)
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So this is a bit of a tease. My great granduncle Thomas Lyons, living in Harrogate in a 1937, is mentioned (in a newspaper article) as follows "Lyons declared that he was writing his life story for a newspaper and would receive £100 for it."
It could be a crock of a story (he was on his way to jail for not paying maintenance to his wife) but I have to at least give it a chance. He was born in Ireland, and served in both world wars.
Would a local newspaper pay that kind of money back in 1937 or would it more likely be a regional or national paper? Also I'm not sure what papers were in existence back then, so don't know where to start to look for this potential "life story."
Any advice or thoughts are welcome.
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I'd contact the newspaper and see if I could get them interested in tracking it down, as a "quirky feature story". Then they could publish it, or precis it if it exists and has been published/is available for sale.
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Sounds more to me as if he was using a bit of blarney. He was probably caught doing something he shouldn't have and the newspaper story was a good made up excuse!
Sorry if I'm doing the chap a disservice.
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Sounds more to me as if he was using a bit of blarney. He was probably caught doing something he shouldn't have and the newspaper story was a good made up excuse!
Sorry if I'm doing the chap a disservice.
It most likely is the blarney talking. In the same article it reads "Lyons said there had been a lot of exaggeration about his drinking." He seems to have been a troubled soul and family legend suggests PTSD was a contributing factor.
I'd contact the newspaper and see if I could get them interested in tracking it down, as a "quirky feature story". Then they could publish it, or precis it if it exists and has been published/is available for sale.
I suppose that could be worth a try, if nothing comes of it I'm no worse off than where I'm at with this now!
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Hi,
Just had a look on Findmypast newspapers, can't see the article you have asked about, presumably the newspaper it's in is not in the collection (as yet?). Thomas Lyon of Harrogate appears in other news reports though, as you say he does sound a bit of a character ;D
Kev.