Hugh Blake-Thomas

It's August 27, 2024, and I just discovered Hugh Blake-Thomas. This happened while perusing death records in Effingham, Illinois, and I noticed Hugh's birthday was January 17, 1943. SO IS MINE! Well, I had to stop and read about him! What a fascinating story! I grew up in Charleston Illinois, just up the road from Effingham, graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 1965, and spent my professional life as a storyteller, sharing folktales, poetry, history stories, etc., in 26 states and 4 or 5 countries. It was a real wake-up to read about Hugh's being born in an air-raid shelter in London! Now, THAT's a story!

So, while Hugh and I never met in this life, I've enjoyed learning about his. I hope his wife and family stumble across this account I've written of how I met Hugh Blake-Thomas today, and wished we could have known each other on the same side of the "great divide."

Prayers for family