The first Baroness Von Trapp

I will confess: The Sound of Music is high on my list of favourite films. When we drove around New England in 1999 and New Hampshire was basically closed, it was a real treat to stay at the Von Trapp Lodge. We were even shown our room by Maria Von Trapp (one of the original family singers, rather than the nun). She had been greeting guests and took pity on us.
Over the years, I had vaguely wondered about the Captian's first wife. Who was she? How did she die?
Then when I was reading The Industrial Revolutionaries, I found my answer.
Agathe Von Trapp was the daughter of John Whitehead who was the son of Robert Whitehead, one of the main inventors of the torpedo. Robert Whitehead (born 1823 Bolton Lancastershire) was English but worked mainly abroad as a marine engineer. He went into engineering because of his uncle William Swift.
Agathe Whitehead met Georg Ritter Von Trapp in 1908 when he attended a launch of one of the early U boats. They fell in love and married. Then in 1922, at the age of 32, Agathe died of diptheria, leaving five young children to be cared for. Eventually he employed Maria Augusta Kutschera, a nun as a governess who taught the children to sing. After they lost the family fortune in the bank crashes of 1932, they sang their way out of trouble.
The rest they say is history.
Anyway, I thought it interesting...
UPDATE: I had a look at the Family chronology and see that there were seven children. I am not sure where Gavin Weightman got five from.
From the Von Trapp Family Chronology:
1927 Georg and Maria wed on November 26th; Maria becomes step-mother of Rupert, Werner, Johanna, Agathe, Maria, Martina and Hedwig

The Industrial Revolutionaries

I now why my eldest kept telling that the Industrial Revolutionaries was never in at The Lit and Phil. My dh managed to procure me a copy for a Christmas present.

It looks wonderful and seems to be absolutely brimming with ideas for stories.

For example, early 18th century England was full of spies. Not political spies but industrial spies who wanted to acquire the technology for their own country.

Or then there is the story about the American *Robert Francis* who demonstrated the torpedo to the British Navy. The process took rather long but finally, the ship imploded. Robert Francis is much better known by his real name -- Robert Fulton.

And then there is Marc Brunel and Sophie Kingdom. Sigh. Happy sigh. As well as the railway men who I already know lots about.

Gavin Weightman is interested in the transfer of technology between countries. He has sections on how the US and Britain cooperated and about the Great Exhibition. The US delegation apparently did not take up the space allocated, much to initial amusement, but then all were impressed with the efficiency of the Americans products. He also has a section about Japan. So it promises to be an interesting read as well as a whistle stop tour around the various countries.

I shall also be looking out for his other book on the Frozen Water Trade during the 19th century. This is the story of how one man shipped ice across the Atlantic. The Frozen Water industry collapsed in the early 20th century because of the rise of artificial coolants.

But I do have my wip to finish first. And my editor who is indeed lovely might get a bit upset if I get distracted.