My great great grandmother has always been referred to in stories as Nono. The name “Nono” was given to her by my grandmother when she answered every question with the answer no. I always laughed hearing this story but once I learned about Nono’s life, I could understand a little better. Born in 1895, Mary Alice Badger grew up in a middle class family in Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1917, she married Daniel Jackson after he returned from fighting in World War One. They had three children by 1922 and Mary Alice became pregnant and gave birth to twin girls named Henrietta and Georgina who died in infancy. Mary Alice had a breakdown so her husband decided she needed a change of scenery so the family up and moved to Massachusetts. We have always used these teacups and I always knew they belonged to my Nono but it is only recently I have come to learn their significance. The British monarchs were as much celebrities in the 1930s as they are today and my Nono cared for them a great deal. Even living in the United States, she obtained all the dishes marking the 1937 coronation of King George VI and Elizabeth. She also bought the dishware celebrating the royal visit to Canada in 1939 by the entire royal family. Despite living in the United States, I think my Nono’s heart always belonged to the British monarchs as she travelled back to Canada every summer and bought all the dishware commemorating their coronation and royal visit.

– Kayla Wolf

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