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BATH, 1930

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H [69] Brigadier-General Arthur Lionel Tarquin Blackstock (Emily Amy)
W [dec at 58] Venezia Romilly Hero Burdet (Wraith)

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S1 [39] Captain Arthur Hannibal Wulfhard Blackstock (cher529s)
- exW [40] Thekla Miranda Heywood (JuliaF)
-- S [15] Constantine Horatio Arthur Blackstock (JuliaF)
-- D [9] Rosalie Venezia Philomena Blackstock (RowenaRavenclaw)

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D1 [37] Guinevere Charis Letizia Blackstock (JuliaF)
- H [42] Sigmund Franz-Joseph Cavendish (BlueOcean123)
-- D [7] Elfrida Tullia Cavendish (Wordsmith)
- BF [35]

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S2 [35] Samson Jericho Marcus Blackstock (Guest)
- BF [36] Hamish Peredur MacConnell (Uilos)

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D2 [33] Evangeline Camilla Aktaie Blackstock (JuliaF)
- H [37] Valentine Francis St. Anne (Darkbone)
-- S [11] Peregrine Michael Francis St. Anne (JuliaF)
-- D [5] Evanthe Mary Constance St. Anne (JuliaF)

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S3 [31] Second Lieutenant Leonidas Enoch Tarquin Blackstock (.)
- W [29] Alice Helena Goldsmith (Guest)
-- S [7] Atticus Tarquin Blackstock (Uilos)

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D3 [29] Lavinia Constance Hero Blackstock (Uilos)
- H [48] Ignatz Ferdinand-Gottlieb Cavendish (Wordsmith)
-- D [1]

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S4 [26] Hector Osric Maximilian Blackstock (RowenaRavenclaw)
- W [30] Emilie Arabella Van Bergen (Guest)
-- S [1]

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It is the autumn of 1930.

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Arthur has visibly aged in the last five years. Now 69, he has completely retired from the War Office. Though still respected, Arthur is increasingly seen as a relic of a bygone era, clinging to fading traditions. He has mellowed from a formidable authoritarian to a lethargic old man who spends his days reading the newspaper and maintaining the Georgian townhouse that increasingly resembles a mausoleum. However, the house was injected by a shock of energy when Elfrida moved in follow her father's imprisonment. Arthur has been a surprisingly doting and gentle guardian to his granddaughter, who is a spirited girl of 7 much affected by her tumultuous upbringing.

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Art and Thekla's marriage has crumbled. Thekla initiated divorce proceedings in 1928 - a scandalous affair in the eyes of the conservative Blackstock family. She has moved to London with the children, Constantine and Rosalie, leaving Art alone on the Sussex estate. He leads a solitary, quiet existence there, overseeing renovations and becoming interested in agricultural reform: a far cry from his military days. While his children visit him, he is not close to either of them. Constantine has gone to Eton, whereas Rosalie, while she is closer to Art than her brother is, is nevertheless frequently put off by her father's distant, distracted demeanour.

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In London, Thekla has become involved in Labour causes, drawing her closer to Gwen, her sister-in-law. While she does not share her radicalism, the two women bond over their deteriorating marriages. Art, on the other hand, has started visting his childhood home in Bath more often, and spending time with his father, where they go on long walks and discuss the changing world. The conversations are stilted and awkward, and they often disagree - but they are talking.

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Gwen and Sigmund's marriage has similarly reached a breaking point. Sigmund's radicalism escalated after the General Strike of 1926, leading to his involvement in increasingly dangerous activities. In late 1928, he organised a political demonstration that turned violent as protesters clashed with both counter-protesters and police. The court, aware of his radical reputation and his previous clashes with the police, sentenced him to 24 months in prison: a sentence that will soon end.

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Gwen stood by her husband initially, but grew increasingly frustrated with the scrutiny her husband's imprisonment brought her, which hampered her own political activism, as well as the effect Sigmund's imprisonment had on their daughter, Elfrida. Thus, Elfrida has been sent off to live with Arthur in Sussex, where she is being raised in a more stable environment - albeit one starkly at odds with her parents' values.

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Absence makes the heard go yonder, and Gwen's heart turned to another - a prominent intellectual of Welsh origin, whose gentle eloquence has met with the approval of the less radical socialist set. Their affair is not nearly as passionate or contentious as her relationship with Sigmund - while her paramour is urging Gwen to divorce her imprisoned husband, she remains noncommittal. But with Sigmund out of prison in months, she is questioning which of her two loves she will choose.

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After Sam delivered a lecture at Cambridge where he said that Europe's only hope for curbing the spread of fascism was a united Marxist front and, eventually, the establishment of a socialist government, he was strongly encouraged to resign from his post. Thus, in late 1929, Sam and Hamish moved to Paris, where they quickly became staples of a vibrant community of like-minded individuals.

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Sam's Marxist writings have quickly gained recognition among expatriates and French radicals alike. Hamish's book on monsters in medieval English literature was published in England shortly before the couple moved to Paris to modest success, and he is now working on a follow-up. They live in a small apartment in the Latin Quarter, where they host gatherings for writers, artists, and political activists. Despite their newfound freedom, their financial struggles continue, and the rise of fascism in Europe weighs heavily on Sam, who fears they may have to flee once again.

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Valentine has become obsessed with the idea that his writing is cursed, and that destroying any shred of it is the only possible way to restore his peace of mind. Thus, he has tried to acquire every copy of any magazine his poems were published in and burn them. It was a hot summer in their Surrey cottage, but the fireplace was always smouldering.

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Peregrine has grown into a serious, introspective child, often burdened with the responsibility of looking after his father and his younger sister, Evanthe. Evie, increasingly despairing, has become a recluse, rarely leaving the house, where her paintings have grown even more abstract and obscure - studies in different shades of black, which, to most observers, all look exactly the same.

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Leo and Alice have settled into a stable, if passionless, marriage. Leo has found a certain peace in the routine of civil service. Alice has thrown herself into motherhood and charitable work, finding solace in the structure it provides. Their marriage is polite and respectful, but lacks the warmth and connection Alice craves. Hector visits often, with his wife Emilie and, recently, their infant son. Alice looks at the marriage with a melancholic eye: she wonders what it would have been like to be wed to a husband as attentive as Hector.

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Lavinia and Ignatz's engagement has led to an marriage filled with passionate highs and devastating lows. They married in 1927, in a small ceremony attended by a who's who of the London bohemian scene. Lavinia is fully immersed in the art world, frequently featured in the works of Ignatz, who remains a controversial figure due to his support of far-right causes. Their marriage is marked by intense arguments and extravagant reconciliations, even though they are now parents to an infant daughter. However, the couple's involvement in increasingly extreme political movements has isolated them from Lavinia’s family, particularly Gwen and Sigmund, who view Ignatz as a dangerous influence.

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Hector has remained in Bath, taking on more responsibilities in managing the family estate as Arthur grows older. He married Emilie in 1928, in a lavish ceremony that briefly reunited the Blackstock family. Their marriage is a stable, familiar, comforting one, and they welcomed a son a year ago. Emilie has encouraged Hector to shake off his grief about his mother's death, pursue his interests, and become his own man, instead of living under the shadow of his siblings' varied lives and his father's expectations. They visit Leo and Alice often, and while Hector remains a loyal husband, his pity towards his sister-in-law sometimes seemed underpinned by more than friendly concern.

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Gwen's paramour

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First name: that of a Roman Catholic saint famous for his commitment to social justice.

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Middle name: a name that was gender-neutral in the 1930s, but is now seen as mostly feminine.

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Surname: Welsh.

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Lavinia and Ignatz's daughter

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First name: an avant-garde word name with a meaning related to strength or fame.

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First middle name: honours her father.

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Second middle name: long and Germanic.

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Hector and Emilie's son

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First name: contains an X.

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Middle name: honours his father.

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masculine list: https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/191050/124079
feminine list: https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/191050/124080