Liz Truss’ background as the daughter of leftist parents is well known.
Her father John Truss is an academic who was “saddened” by her political transformation from liberal Democrat student to conservative, while her mother Priscilla took her on marches against nuclear weapons in the 1980s.
But unearthed newspaper clippings shed further light on his family background, revealing how his great-grandfather worked as a ventriloquist.
Research, by site of ancestry findmypastalso discovered how Mrs. Truss came from a line of strong women, with her great-grandmother raising five children on her own and working as a postmaster after her husband died.
Ms Truss’ maternal great-grandfather, George Grasby, who was born in Hull in 1891, was taken prisoner by the Germans during World War I and then turned to ventriloquism on returning home.
A photo previously shared by Ms Truss shows Grasby with his wife Mary. He lost his right leg at the Battle of Passchendaele.
Liz Truss’ background as the daughter of leftist parents is well known. Her father John Truss is an academic who was ‘saddened’ by her political transformation from Liberal Democrat student to Conservative, while her mother Priscilla (pictured) took her on marches against nuclear weapons in the 1980s
Uncovered newspaper clippings shed further light on his family background, revealing how his great-grandfather George Grasby (pictured with his wife Mary) worked as a ventriloquist He lost his right leg at the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I
Grasby was himself the son of a Yorkshire innkeeper and shepherd.
In 1919 the Hully Daily Mail reported that he was making an appearance as a ventriloquist in the town, and he continued to entertain audiences in the area for the next two years.
John Truss is a retired math teacher
The 1919 news report reported a concert that had taken place at the East Hull Conservative Club.
It featured an “intelligent ventriloquial trick by Mr. G Gasby, a demobilized soldier.”
In the 1921 census, his address was listed in Yorkshire, where he lived with his wife and their three-year-old son, George Raymond.
A 1925 report, also from the Hull Daily Mail, told how Mr Grasby was part of a company of performers called the ‘Cinderellas’.
Then a 1939 report from the Driffield Times noted how Mr Grasby had performed in a “very pleasant concert” with a doll called Jack.
Besides acting as a ventriloquist, he also earned his living as a shoemaker.
A neighbor who lived next door to him previously told the Daily Mail that the soldier’s disability was not a disability and that he “often climbed ladders outside the building”.
Ms Truss’ paternal great-great-grandmother was Alice Driver, born in 1849.
Her husband died aged just 33 in 1881, leaving her to raise their five children alone.
In 1919, the Hully Daily Mail reported that Liz Truss’s great-grandfather George Grasby was making an appearance as a ventriloquist in the town, and he continued to entertain local audiences for the two years. following.
A 1925 report, also from the Hull Daily Mail, told how Mr Grasby was part of a company of performers called the ‘Cinderellas’.
She also resumed her job as a postmaster and newsagent and never remarried. At the time, it was rare for women to work.
Alice’s daughter, Mary Jane, who was Mrs. Truss’s great-grandmother, also worked.
She worked as a telegraph clerk for at least ten years before marrying her husband, the Reverend Richard Ernest Birtwhistle.
When she died, the local newspaper, the Derby Telegraph, reported that she was “highly respected” in the community.
Jen Baldwin, researcher at Findmypast, said: ‘It’s fascinating to see how Liz Truss’ family has helped shape the woman she is today.
Then a 1939 report from the Driffield Times noted how Mr Grasby had performed in a “very pleasant concert” with a doll called Jack
“She comes from a long line of powerful workers with her great-great-grandmother and her great-grandmother both working in the late 1880s, which was very unusual for women at the time. .
“When her great-grandmother Mary Jane Driver passed away, the local newspaper reported that she was highly respected in the community.”
She added: “It’s amazing to see that Liz Truss’s great-grandfather has made a name for himself working as a ventriloquist.”
‘In all my years of genealogical research, this is the first ventriloquist I have found!
“Liz Truss is used to speaking to large crowds, and her great-grandfather had that talent too – although he was there to entertain his crowds rather than rally them.
“That said, maybe her confidence on stage is something that was passed down to her great-granddaughter.”
Comments are closed.