My ancestor

There was never someone really outstanding in behaviour or acts in my family. But I take an interest in one of my ancestors from my father’s family who decided to live on a foreign land. His name was Alfred Homa.

He was born in Bielsko-Biała in 1920. His parents were Jakub and Maria. He was my grandmother’s Edeltrauda brother and he also had another sister – Mirosława. I don’t know many things about his childhood because my grandparents are dead and my father doesn’t remember many stories about his uncle-Alfred.

I know that he had been educated at German Primary School in Bielsko-Biała and after that he graduated from vocational school and became a turner. As a child he was very secretive, rebellious and independent.

When the Second World War began, although he wasn’t a coward, he decided to leave his home and homeland and emigrated to England, to country he didn’t know, to people he had never met before and to language he had never spoken.

At first he found one’s way to Austria, then to neutral Switzerland and from there he flew to Great Britain. He decided to live in London. Those years were very hard for him. He didn’t have money, flat and family. He got a job at war’s industry, the only one develop during the war time.

His patience and obstinacy gave first effects. He could buy a small flat and good clothes. His diligence was appreciated so he always had some order to do. The only thing which he didn’t have was love. But then he met Ginny.

It was love at first sight. He was keen on her but this acquaintance had no future because Ginny was a distant cousin of British Queen and Alfred was just a Polish worker. But he didn’t give up. He bought better flat, clothes and he showed her family that he was trustworthy and after a few years they let for the marriage. It took place in 1954. Ginny and Alfred had 4 children: Michael, Adrian, Peter and Alicja. They moved to the exclusive district of London (Windsor) and one can see palace from their windows.

Unfortunately Alfred died last year. He was 84 years old. His wife – Ginny still lives in London.