Originally Posted by
Airborne Aircrew
I'd suggest not contacting the daughter. There is a reason she told the landlady of his demise some ten years prior to it actually occurring. Falsely telling others of someone's death is not the done thing here in the US just as it isn't there in the UK so it's a fairly extreme act. If Harold wasn't coming over any more for whatever reason the truth could have been told or something less "embarrassing" could have been told. The fact that she chose to "kill" him tells me that she didn't want any possibility of communication.
And, more significantly (and perhaps, slightly chillingly) it tell me she also had the power to *prevent* any communication from his end. What would it boot her to fabricate death, if our curious aviator could turn around and say 'stuff you, I AM going over again this year', or if he could just pick up the phone and call the B&B?
As you say, fabricating a death story is pretty extreme, and the consequences of getting caught in the lie could be serious; why should she do it and why was she confident she could get away with it?
And is there any connection with the attitude of the Reverend? Seems extremely OTT for someone conducting a little bit of innocent inconsequential historical research to be met with slightly hysterical accusations of harassment and (baseless) threats of proceedings, criminal and civil? Unless the research is more consequential than we could guess...
Sorry, had to jump in... always late but worth the wait, R1