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Peterborough Anglo French Association

Young Tribune

Twinning is very quiet at the moment, but on this side of ‘La Manche’ we are still meeting monthly and tentatively planning to receive our French friends, if at all possible, later in the year.

Jackie Robinson, Treasurer PAFA For our March meeting, Gillian Cable, PG Cert (Genealogy) AGRA member, gave us an introduction and insight to the ‘Mystery of Heraldry’. It was a very interesting talk and explained how you are not necessarily ‘entitled’ to use a Coat of Arms just because it is your family name. If you know how to ‘read’ a Coat of Arms it is a mine of information for a family historian. In the far past, even if a person could not read, they would understand the objects on a pictorial shield and know who it belonged to, sometimes it even depicted how many times the owner of the Arms had been married. A glossary of terms used in Heraldry is fascinating! Meanwhile in France, ‘Le premier d’avril’ – April Fool’s

Day, has entertained children when the aim of the day is to stick a paper fish on the back of someone without them knowing, they then shout “Poisson d’avril” at the top of their voices , when it is discovered. The shops sell chocolate fish to celebrate this day. The origin of the fish prank is not really known. The next PAFA meeting is 18 May and will be a fish and chip supper with a fun table game and picture quiz. Nonmembers are always welcome to attend.

As always, please feel free to get in touch if you are interested in joining the PAFA and take a look at our Facebook page via the link below. Have a good summer. Facebook-square/groups/697608323628779