My father’s family puffed and puffed all their lives. Well, you remember the Cuban Cigars? Well, they were more naughty than that. My grandmother told me that my great grandfather was never without a “black” cigarette or cigar in his hand. They even rolled their own! What I didn’t know until I was older was that my English great grandmother puffed at home as well–never in public. When I began gathering family memorabilia, my grandmother gave me the family “strikers.” The striker with the image of Queen Victoria was my great grandfather’s and dates to about 1890. The washed silver one with the portrait of Edward VII dates to about 1905 and belonged to my paternal grandfather. One of the silver strikers belonged to my great grandmother. Puffers they were, but with royal images on their strikers. Funny! Funny because I have never smoked in my entire life. Also funny because not one of my paternal ancestors died of smoking-related illnesses! OLD AGE got them in the end!
Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
