Middle East

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Amman Jordan, Blogger, Cambridge University, Eileen Ruth Gedge, history, Lebanon, Middle East
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Arab interlude – Summer in Lebanon, 1939

In 1939, my grandmother, Eileen Gedge (pictured above with my grandfather), met a wealthy Lebanese Law student called Ahmed Tewfik Bey Al-Khalil at Cambridge University where they were both studying. They became firm friends and according to family rumours, Ahmed fell in love with my grandmother – a tall, fine boned, beautiful woman, always impeccably dressed and an exceptional tennis player. Sadly my grandmother was forced to reject Ahmed’s advances as it was impossible then for her to marry an Arab.  In those days, inter-racial marriages were frowned upon in High Society. After university, they lost touch, but not before[…]

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Blogger, Cairo, donkeys, Egypt, Horses, Middle East, PFK, prince fluffy kareem
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Prince Fluffy Kareem: helping horses, donkeys and camels in the Pyramid area of Cairo, Egypt

I want to give a huge shout out to Prince Fluffy Kareem – aka PFK – an amazing charity that helps horses, camels and donkeys in the pyramid area of Cairo, Egypt.Their work is incredible, inspiring, tough, challenging, sad and life-changing. Norwegian horse lover, Marte, and Egyptian stable manager Sherif alongside Emma Thompson from the UK run the PFK stable with 13 horses, of which 11 are rescues.  In addition to stabling rescues, PFK foster other working horses that need rest and treatment for various issues, run clinics where local horse owners bring their horses for treatment and have made three[…]

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Ancestors, Blogger, Cavenagh-mainwarings, Edward Gordon Gedge, history, King Abbas, Kitchener, Middle East, Olympics, Whitmore Hall
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The Ancestors

I had it drummed into me from an early age that family and knowing where your roots come from are vitally important. My Grandfather, Edward Gordon Gedge, told me fantastic stories about his aristocratic life and my parents often said to me that I had ‘blue blood’ in my veins although I had no idea what they meant, and that I could trace my ancestry back to William the Conqueror.  Living in New Zealand, I didn’t have any appreciation of my ancestry until I first came to England and visited Whitmore Hall – my roots; the ancestral home in Staffordshire.  […]

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Alexandria, Blogger, Cairo, Edward Gordon Gedge, Egypt, Karnak Temple, King Abbas, Luxor, Middle East, royal children
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Sailing down Egypt’s Nile

Egypt 2004Following in my grandfather’s footstepsMy grandfather grew up in the royal palace in Alexandria, Egypt so this trip was very poignant for me. Gordon, my grandfather, died at the age of 95 in 1991 and was an Olympic medal winner (Antwerp Games) and a decorated soldier. But it was his stories of growing up in Egypt that I remember the most.My great grandfather was an Admiral and naval adviser to the King of Egypt – Abbas II. He was also honoured with the title of Pasha in 1912. The family moved into the Royal Palace and my grandfather (we[…]

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