My last throw of the dice

Writing this blog has been the best thing I did in a long time. It has connected me to many second and third cousins and friends that I had lost touch with. But I wonder if there comes a time when the blog comes to an end? When you have posted all the photographs you own, written about all the events you remembered and you struggle to find something else to write about.

It seems silly to force it, to re-write the same story over and over. Thinking back to what started me on this journey I recall it was the need to find my maternal grandfather. And although I have been so lucky in finding my maternal grandmother’s family I am still no nearer in finding Granddad.

Right to left: Jonathan Mooney (my son) Me, Ron (my mother’s cousin), Graham (Ron’s son), Pam (Graham’s wife) Kerry (Ron’s granddaughter)

Meeting this lovely family has added so much to my life, and there are many more ‘Cockett’s’ that have happily added me to their family. But even meeting Ron, who remembered meeting my mother when she was a young woman, and who knew her mother, Queenie very well has failed to throw up a scent of who mum’s father might be.

So. I have decided that my final throw of the dice is to take the ancestry DNA test. I have found enough of my family to know which countries might show up, and if another country is located, that might be the one that leads to my grandfather.

Also about 20 million people have apparently taken the ancestry test, and of those who chose to have their results made public, I am hoping that maybe a descendent of my grandfather’s might be one of them.

If I’ve got the idea correct, then if my DNA connects enough with another’s, they may be a close relative. A cousin perhaps, or a half cousin. I am hoping that my grandfather had other children, and they might have taken this test, or their children might have taken this test and been willing to go public with their results.

It is the last chance I can think of to find my grandfather. I have no real idea why it matters so much to me, when it didn’t matter at all to my mother. That, perhaps is another thing I ought to think about.

I just posted off my DNA, it will be at least 8 weeks to get the results. I must be patient, but I have waited over 50 years already so that is no problem. It really is my last throw of the dice. Wish me luck.