Who do you think you are? - Seb Coe / Anna Swan

[Jo]

Did anyone see this evening's Who do you think you are?, featuring Sebastian Coe? Early in the programme he went to visit his cousin Anna, to learn more about his mother's ancestors. "That face looks familiar", I thought. "Anna, did they say?" Then she mentioned the name Swan, and sure enough, it was indeed Anna Swan. She told the story of a grandfather who was a portrait painter and it rang a bell from Statues without shadows, her own rather traumatic life story, which I read a couple of years ago after meeting Anna at a Hertford reunion.

Anna was three or four years younger than me, so probably around 1971-78, and in 4s. I didn't know her at school though I recognised the name when I met her at the reunion. I had no idea she was Seb Coe's cousin, but I suppose he wasn't well known when I was at CH.

[J.R.]

Yes, I did see it Jo, and here's another sort of 'coincidence'

Lord Seb's country pile is on Ranmore, a hill next to Box Hill, part of the North Downs chain, just to the North East of Dorking.

[Angela Woodford]

Then she mentioned the name Swan, and sure enough, it was indeed Anna Swan. She told the story of a grandfather who was a portrait painter and it rang a bell from Statues without shadows, her own rather traumatic life story, which I read a couple of years ago after meeting Anna at a Hertford reunion.

Anna was three or four years younger than me, so probably around 1971-78, and in 4s. I didn't know her at school though I recognised the name when I met her at the reunion.

I still haven't read the book! For any girl with a traumatic background I'm relieved to know that she was at Hertford after DR left and maybe she would have been treated with compassion?

Must get hold of the book. Brilliant of you to recognise her on the programme, Jo. Co-incidence indeed!