My first acknowledgment and deep appreciation is to Cynthia Lawford and Julie Watt, whose joyous company has so enhanced this Jerdan journey.

Michael Gorman of Kurashiki, Japan, direct descendant of William Jerdan and Letitia Landon, and Bonnie Sayles of Georgia, USA, direct descendant of William Jerdan and Mary Maxwell, have been unstinting in their encouragement and in sharing family information and images with me.

To Cary Fagan, who opened windows to other worlds, I owe an eternal debt.

I wish to thank Francis J. Sypher and Patrick Leary for their friendly advice, and my sons Simon Curran and Andrew Curran for their unfailing interest in this project.

Thanks are due to the Royal Literary Fund, and Lady Willoughby de Eresby for permission to quote from their archives. All documents from Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies are by courtesy of Knebworth House – www.knebworthhouse.com.

Finally but crucially, the unflagging, loving, immutable support of my husband, Theo Matoff, without whom this book would never have been finished.

Susan Matoff


Last modified 16 June 2020