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Dear Ted,
This may be relevant, though maybe not.
The "aristocratic" side of the Taaffe family is from County Louth. Based at Smarmore Castle, Ardee, County Louth, the family originally came to Ireland as Norman-Welsh settlers. This was pre-Reformation and they kept their Roman Catholic faith although this was unusual. After The Flight of the Earls in the 17th Century (will explain later if you're interested), one side of the family went to serve in the Austro-Hungarian Empire (which was RC)and achieved high office both in the Army and Administration. One became Chancellor at the time of the end of Empire. They had a Castle in Bohemia (which is now in Czecheslovakia (spelling?). At the break up of the Empire after the 2nd World War, their Estates were confiscated and the then heir, Alexander Taafe, "came home" to Ireland, and lived until he died in Baggot Street, Dublin. He was a renowned Gemologist and discovered a stone which was subsequently named after him "Taafite".
I know all this because when I was a child, our mother (who was widowed young) "went out" with Yeksi (that was his "familiar" name), and we used to visit his apartment (and he ours). I remember looking through his family albums which showed the family castle with all their servants. We obviously found it fascinating!
Anyway, when Yeksi died, we went to visit his Irish relatives at Smarmore Castle in County Louth. I remember seeing family portraits and suits of armour - all connections with the Bohemian/Austro-Hungarian side of the family.
It strikes me that your father-in-law's Danish Taafe may be related to these Taaffes.
What do you think?
I have always been interested in history and wondered what happened to all of Yeksi's papers. The Irish relatives told us that Yeksi's cousin Rudolph had taken and sold the lot!
Anyway, would your father in law like me to go into our National Archive and look up the will? Some of the papers might show the Danish connection....
Talk to you later.
Rhoda
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