My Non-Royal Birth Announcement

Photo by Drow male. Used under CC license.

Photo by Drow male. Used under CC license.

Recently, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, gave birth to a daughter. (The baby is still unnamed as of this writing. My money is on Elphaba. Then again, I also picked War Story to win the Kentucky Derby…)

The baby’s birth was announced with all of the pomp and circumstance that one might expect with a royal birth.

Though I don’t quite understand the fascination that some people have with the royal family, I’d like it to be known that it isn’t just royals who make public birth announcements.

Here is a photo of my dad’s Texaco station, shortly after I was born:

texaco-birth-announcement

Personally, I think this is a lot cooler than a notice on an easel in front of a palace.

I scanned this from the original slide that my dad took. You know how we as genealogists are supposed to glean all the information we can from a source? Well, this proves that I am younger than color photography :-)

21 thoughts on “My Non-Royal Birth Announcement

  1. Big Sis Sherry

    Being the oldest of your sisters, I remember this sign like it was yesterday(but we know it was a few years ago) It was really neat to see though….

    Reply
  2. SallyLou

    the name I vote for: Catherine Elizabeth Diana Victoria.
    Fascination with royals because they aren’t really real people. they just go around shaking hands, the women wear fancy hats (in order to be seen–Which one is the Queen?) the men wear military uniforms and generally just stand behind the queen—–hands obediently behind their backs—–Charles tends his flowers—-Camilla is the Duchess of Cornwall, a title Charles got at birth, so one knows how high in the ranking that duchy is—–

    Reply
  3. pen4hire

    That is an incredibly wonderful photograph!I particularly like the pink paint. Apparently they hadn’t decided on a name for you yet–or your royal titles. Unless you were going to be called Tex. :-)

    Reply
  4. Jocelyn

    That is just the best birth announcement! I only recently came across a batch of slides at my mom’s showing my arrival home from the hospital in color.

    Reply
  5. Cate Kunzi

    Love this picture/story, Amy! :) My birth was announced over the loudspeaker at my eldest siblings’ high school – proud dad you had there, indeed. Thanks for the post.

    Reply
    1. Amy Johnson Crow Post author

      Were your siblings proud or mortified with the announcement? I can see high schoolers reacting either way!

      Reply
      1. Cate Kunzi

        They were (luckily) elated :) Mom and Dad were the fun parents with the house everyone wanted to hang out at. Tons of high schoolers congregated at Mt Carmel Hosp that evening :) – love this post Thx, Amy!

        Reply
  6. Colleen

    That’s a wonderful announcement! My Dad had a Shell station but that was a few years after we were born. At Christmas time he would put an Ad in the local paper saying the gas station would be closed for four good reasons & he’d list our names.

    Reply

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