QUEST OF THE BRUCES

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 4 May 1935, Page 11

QUEST OF THE BRUCES

FIFTEEN-YEAR search into the history of the Scottish family of Bruce, undertaken by Sir Michael William Selby Bruce, Bt., is nearing its end, says the “Sunday Graphic.”

It is a search which has extended to the four corners -of the earth among the 40,000 Bruces that patience and unceasing labour can discover. “Since 1920,” said Sir Michael, “I have written to every family of Bruces I could find in directories and reference books, and have received 12,000 histories from all parts of the world. Months have been spent in museums and libraries.

“My own history goes back to A.D 721, to Thebotaw Duke of Lieswiek, who was the first known Bruce.”

Among the hundreds of Bruces he has heard from in Scotland, there are several poor families who have proved that they have blue blood in their veins.

Of the fetory of Bruch and the spider, Sir Michael said: “Like so many other stories of those days, it is possible but improvable.”

Sir Michael is still in his forties and he said that he started to work for his living when he was sixteen.”

Fifteen-Year Break Into History

“Don’t be under any delusion about a title. Personally, I have been compelled to drop mine occasionally to earn a living. As a baronet, it is harder for me to get a job than if I were Bill Jones.

“Twice I have risen from a junior salesman to assistant manager, but both firms were bought out b.v other companies, and I had to start all over again.

“I have been cattle punching in Brazil, and once earned a good salary as commando of a revolutionary force. While on an expedition up the Amazon 1 was lost for nearly a year.” , The adventurous baronet, who now lives in the West End of London, is eagerly' wating to see the results of his fifteen years’ work.

“I first got the idea when lying in hospital with war wounds, and when the genealogy' is published next month it will be the first book ever written to include every branch of a family. As I was never born with the proverbial ‘silver spoon’ my baronetcy won’t buy bread and butter. But writing about work in salt mines and crashing in aeroplanes for film stunts to get a livelihod does.”