Messages

31

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 19, 2014, 04:10:20 AM »

Thank you for being so kind, so relieved,  was concerned as to what might happen when I spoke up.

I will do my best to be able to place some photos of the sword. Dad was well known at the Antique Fairs in Sydney for many years for his expertise regarding swords and russian icons. He also had a good friend who owns/ed a shop called "Tsarinas" in Sydney.

I also was informed that for many years the Archbishop of the Russian Orthodox Church in Strathfield paid my father many visits, probably still does.

From memory dad said that the lady from Sothebys here in Australia came to see him many years ago and photographed his collection for a book about the Romanov collection to go on sale. She later then went to work in London at the Sotheby's office there. I do not know her name, was just informed by my father about it. She actually went to his home to meet with him to discuss. Apparently she was amazed. She may be the best bet at the moment regarding verifying the sword because as it stands today my elder brothers are not yet in alignment with me in being a team...sharing this information. I am in the bad books, for speaking up, about a number of things. Put it that way.

I do admit for making some errors of judgement in the past but hey you learn form your mistakes. Unfortunate situation, I have asked for forgiveness and am putting a prayer out that good will prevail. I think there is probably a good deal of fear around it for them as well which they have got from Dad, due to his circumstances and what happened to him.

Yes, I did pass on via email your links you gave me and explained to please show dad and ask if some items could be photographed. I am not certain that my brother will be able to do this and whether he will in fact pass it on either. It can be difficult at times to be able to speak with Dad privately as his german wife is very very protective of him, understandably, but it does create a problem at times.

Barry Lewis was emailed the other day to ask if he was open to coming for a visit to sit with my Dad and talk with him about his history but my brother was not in agreement. There is a concern on his part that Dad would be interrogated and he doesn't want Dad to feel that way. Neither do I. We have learnt in past situations with Dad that the best way is to be relaxed and cheeful and positive and thats when he opens up.

As it turns out Barry Lewis is just about to go overseas anyway on a large project.

However, time is marching on and the day will come when he is no longer with us and it would be a good thing if, in a comfortable and happy situation where he felt ok to discuss at some length with someone trustworthy, and not be hassled. I'm working on it but if you have any ideas please do share with me. One thing I though of is if someone wrote him a letter asking for his input on that period in history and his thoughts if he might participate.

Larger photo of my Grandfather:

32

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 15, 2014, 01:21:39 AM »

Some aspects are puzzling to me....Dad purchased a ceremonial sword that had belonged to the Tsars Brother, Michael many years ago in Sydney.

I wasn't sure and playing the family detective and historian,  I checked out one of the Romanov Sites and I recognised it quite by chance there happened to be an article about it. I contacted the sites owner and asked about it. I then asked my father how he came to know what it was - he said that he had recognised it from his early life, but that the seller of the sword did not know what he had. (I have suggested that he upon his death, instruct the sword to go back to Russia). Scratching my head as for him to have known about and and have seen it in his younger years - he would have had to of been born much earlier?!

The other thing is that my Mother maintains that Father gave an incorrect date of age to be able to get entry into Australia and that he was some 10 years older than the age he had given. Apparently it was because there was an age restriction - if you were over a certain age they would not accept you in as you were deemed to not be able to support yourself.

I then asked my Father if he had a birth certificate from Russia. He said no, because of where he was born and who he was, everyone knew about it. I asked him if he had any documentation at all to prove who he was. He said that he had placed some jars of russian soil along with his documents into a suitcase back ion those years before he exited Russia and had put them on a boat. He then travelled separately; ie not on the boat, to go and retrieve them at the other end. When he got there he said the Germans and I am assuming it must have the been the High Command  had taken possesion of his suitcase and were walking off with it as he arrived to get it out - so he was never able to retrieve it. I mentioned this particular aspect to the Lawer in 2009 when I went to see him.

The other thing is he says he and his family would holiday at Yalta in summertime, and that it was the place where Stalin, Rooselvelt, and Churchill. He also has mentioned the Yelagin- which is the Alexander Palace. So maybe then he is not a Usov but that he took on that name to get out of Russia, which is indeed what he said when I asked him.

I wonder if he was from some other family and was placed with the Usov family? Noble families in Europe did do this type of thing...This could explain things somewhat.

IF its true that he is much older then this is truly amazing, that would make him 100 or so years old! even if though he is t 95 he is still amazing! Still sound in body, mind and spirit...still driving, shopping and doing all the things an 80 year old would do if in good health!

All in all its been an excrutiatingly difficult thing to piece together and we are not done yet... I'm wondering now if it might be a very good idea to see if he would permit Barry Lewis to come and speak with him. Often a person who is specialist can ask the right questions and shed light on things. I will ask my brother to see if it can be done.

Thanks again for being a good man and helping us out.

 

33

Research Russian Roots / Re: Russian desendants! Why not move back to Russia? Let's do it!

« on: April 15, 2014, 12:48:34 AM »

  Yes of course, volunteering is the best way to go about things, a habit of mine.

Its like a ladder really, you start off at the bottom and work your way up- its the best way to truly understand and comprehend things as they TRULY are.

Do you have any links to volunteering on these types of projects?

It would be very helpful.

34

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 14, 2014, 11:26:16 PM »

I also have a 1906 Russian Bond. It in itself is not worth anything really but the history behind who purchased it is of historical interest, according to my Father, who gave it to me many years ago. I think it also might have come out of that book from the Estate where he was born?...maybe/maybe not....

I am now wondering if this is also another link to our Russian family....could certainly prove worth looking into...

Records are apparently kept in the Kremlin according to back Office Bonds - Societe Generale whom I also contacted many years ago in relation to its history.

I did check with a retired Romanov lawer who lived in Sydney, (on Victoria Road, he owns/ed a gymn and lived on the upper 2 levels)....he said he could go to Russia and access the records but that I would need a family tree to prove who WE were first.  I asked Dad and then he clammed up and changed his story and thats when apparently the family tree became missing.

 

35

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 14, 2014, 10:42:07 PM »

Barry Lewis english translation of Dad's writing on back of photos is:
1) Usov Family 1910 [?] c-715 [?]

Top

From left to right > my pat..[unclear word], Dmitry, my father,

his twin Alexandr, my grandfather below, my uncle Konstantin, Anastasia, my grandmother Maria,

below: from left, my uncle Fedor, Anna, my

goodmother [?](probably Godmother), Anastasia, Sergei, and my Grandmother

2) Russia

Estate of Ivanovskoe of Yaroslavskaya Province

Where I was born in the room

Top right-hand window


Also: Photo of my Grandfather Nicholas (My Fathers's father)



Very interesting information you have very kindly helped so much. Thank you.

I will also post photo of book showing cataloguing from Estate House. My brother will ask Dad if he can photograph it.

36

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 14, 2014, 10:22:19 PM »

Dad is very old. Born around 1920 apparently. He came here to Australia on a boat-I think it was called "The Friendship" with his wife Anna. (I will double check with my brother Peter). There are australian ship records of this.

Here is a photo of my father taken when in 1978, and the photos of the crests he made us.

37

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 11, 2014, 04:39:53 AM »

The book that Father was that was given to him is from the Estate where he was born. It is correctly catalogued and identifiable from that Estate.

38

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 10, 2014, 10:21:27 PM »

Just had another good look at the Usov Coat of Arms and I got goosebumps!.....because....interestingly...I recall a dream I had some 10 years ago when I started my family research and started meditating...I dreamt the Lady of the Lake's hand came up out of the water as I was galloping my white horse over it and I took the sword and threw it high up as high as I could and I watched it up fly into the air pointing upwards where upon it became two doves of peace, on each side of the sword.... interestingly the Usov coat of arms you have shown me is of an arrow pointing upwards with a wing on each side!

Hmm wonder why Dad did those wooden coat of arms/crests and what they mean???

39

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 10, 2014, 09:40:36 PM »

PS Does this mean we are able to have citizenship in Russia - I wonder if we are able to have dual for Australia and Russia! Oh I'm so happy- fridays is truly the day of love!

40

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 10, 2014, 09:34:59 PM »

Usov family translated into English:

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fru.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2F%25D0%25A3%25D1%2581%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B2%25D1%258B&edit-text=&act=url


I don't know what to think! WOW this is great! Thank you! One thing that DOES add up is that Dad said one of his relatives helped to build the Railway in Russia and that he was an engineer...I note that there is mentioned in the link you have given me re the Usov family a certain:

 Peter S. Usov (1832 - 1897) - Engineer of Railways , the brother of the previous. The last 27 years of his life was an inspector of water pipes and lighting at the St. Petersburg local authority. At the beginning of 1860. Usov published "The course of the building art", at one time was of great importance, as the only major guide on Russian language . The course still has not lost value. Furthermore, Usov published many translations and compilations of works on different branches of engineering. Of these, the most important: "Steam mechanics" Weisbach (in collaboration with others), "Reference book for engineers and architects" (St. Petersburg, 1884); "Asphalt work" (St. Petersburg, 1886), etc. [4]

He also mentioned that one of his relatives was  a financial advisor to the Tsar of Russia, but typically he hasn't told us which Tsar! can you help us there?

I know my brother Peter especially will be pleased with what I have been able to find out so far!

 




 

41

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 10, 2014, 09:12:42 PM »

"This is not Ivanskoye in Yaroslavskaya Oblast, but an Ivanskoye in the town of Podolsk in the Moscow Region. This is the grand estate that was owned by a (not the) Count Tolstoy in the 19th century.
Can't you see that the estate in the picture you got from your father looks much more modest than this palatial Ivanskoye???"

Yes I had wondered about that, I didn't know what to think other than possibly it had been rebuilt at some stage - and added on to ....and that the photo my father gave me doesn't show ALL of the Estate house, just a portion of it.....thank you for explaining! Looks like some lovely birch trees out the front.

Doesn't dads writing specifically say: "Estate of Ivanovskoe of Yaroslavskaya Province" hmm.

No that family crest doesn't look anything like what my father showed me or made for me...when I was a round 10 years of age, he made me 2 wooden shields to put on the wall, and placed on each shield : one is of a brown russian bear on a pale blue background with a long cutting implement over its left shoulder and the blade is curved amd white, the other shield is of a golden eagle in descent mode on a white background then a blue line and underneath that a red background with two of the same style of cutting implenets as the bear, but they are crossed over, and the curved blades are golden in colour.

I do really like those Usov arms you showed me....much better though! All very interesting indeed!

I can take a photo of them and post if that would help - ?

Thank you so much!

42

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 09, 2014, 06:41:07 PM »

Thank you! Yes I am well aware aware of how serfdom and feudalism worked.

I thought too it also might have been small village of Usov in Pervomayskiy (1st of May) rayon, in the Orenburg governate / oblast... However dad said it was in Moravia which he said was at that time part of Russia.

Any thoughts on the photos of the family and of the Estate House where dad was born?

From what I have been able to ascertain the Estate of Ivanovskoe of Yaroslavskaya Province was inherited by Tolstoy in the late 1800's. After that I do not know who owned it or what the status of the Estate is now. Probably a museum?

It would help to be able to know whom to contact in relation the Estate's history. Which I am working on. Probably Barry Lewis is my best shot at the moment due to his knowledge and experience. That would then help my brothers and I work out more of our Fathers russian ancestry.

I am taking the brunt of the research and have been for many years. I want my children and my brothers children to know and to experience their deep russian history and to embrace it, should they so choose to do so.

Many Thanks for taking the time to assist us, it is most appreciated.

This is what it looks like now:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/natibelitskaya/8781521379/in/photostream/

43

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 08, 2014, 08:13:36 AM »

Dads writing on back of photo:

44

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 08, 2014, 08:08:49 AM »

Photo of my fathers family and his notes on back of photo.

45

Research Russian Roots / Re: A little help please!

« on: April 08, 2014, 07:20:24 AM »

LOL to all the replies, I can see the "pack of Corsair" energy is quite rife!

I'm here because I am asking for help, I don't know all the answers and I am trying to ascertain what exactly the truth is. I am here because I am choosing to research my RUSSIAN ancestry. If I had had more information and an awareness as I do now I would have contacted a Russian historian in the first place. I literally only just received the ancestor surnames etc less than a year ago after asking for many years.

Am sharing what I am aware of and do know. I can't possibly be a Princess of Lichenstein or a member of a royal family so what is dad on about when he says one of his ancestors won the Town of Usov in a card game....unless it was before the Dukes of Lichenstein?

Like I mentioned I do not know if the DNA has anything to do with it or not - please read the post properly before assuming. Am sharing what I do know so I can work it out not only for me and my children but also my elder brothers  should they also choose to know about their russian ancestry.

If you choose to help please do so. And be please kinder. Noble, not ignoble.

Thank you!