Bond.
James Bond.
To most of us, that name conjures up the fictional British spy from the popular 007 film franchise. To some people though, the real "James Bond" in their lives was never a secret agent.
Not even close, according to family history website FindMyPast.com. It recently dug up 7,672 records of "James Bond" and discovered real-life James Bonds held an array of occupations. Their jobs included orchid grower, photographer, pattern maker, clerk and labour foreman, among other gigs far removed from the thrills of the handsome, fictional spy. FindMyPast unearthed these details by searching through US Census records, UK passenger lists and other historical documents.
One James Bond in the early 1900s lived an aggressive life, landing in Irish courts multiple times for various crimes, going so far as assaulting and beating a complainant. Another seemingly preferred a quieter life and, at one point, got annoyed after someone knocked on his door - that James Bond took the door-knocker to court!
In the 1920 US Census, both "James Bond" and "Golde Finger" (a close spelling of 007 antagonist Goldfinger) appeared. And someone with the name of "Q Branch" pops up in an outbound UK passenger list from
1927 as a chemist. Q Branch is a made-up British Secret Service division in the Bond novels.
...meanwhile the new 007 film Skyfall is blitzing the box office overseas, and opens in New Zealand on November 22nd.
James Bond.
To most of us, that name conjures up the fictional British spy from the popular 007 film franchise. To some people though, the real "James Bond" in their lives was never a secret agent.
Not even close, according to family history website FindMyPast.com. It recently dug up 7,672 records of "James Bond" and discovered real-life James Bonds held an array of occupations. Their jobs included orchid grower, photographer, pattern maker, clerk and labour foreman, among other gigs far removed from the thrills of the handsome, fictional spy. FindMyPast unearthed these details by searching through US Census records, UK passenger lists and other historical documents. One James Bond in the early 1900s lived an aggressive life, landing in Irish courts multiple times for various crimes, going so far as assaulting and beating a complainant. Another seemingly preferred a quieter life and, at one point, got annoyed after someone knocked on his door - that James Bond took the door-knocker to court!
In the 1920 US Census, both "James Bond" and "Golde Finger" (a close spelling of 007 antagonist Goldfinger) appeared. And someone with the name of "Q Branch" pops up in an outbound UK passenger list from
1927 as a chemist. Q Branch is a made-up British Secret Service division in the Bond novels. ...meanwhile the new 007 film Skyfall is blitzing the box office overseas, and opens in New Zealand on November 22nd.
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