Kitty Curling, Joe Wall and the Philadelphia Family

The Abbey Theatre, Dublin

My grandmother was actress Kate "Kitty" Curling, member of the world renown Abbey Theatre troupe in the late 20's and early 30's. She emigrated to the United States in 1934 and married textile mill owner Joseph Wall. They had children, raised horses, hosted parties and were part of the "in" crowd in Philadelphia for many, many years.  Their son Gregory met my mother in the mid/late 70's. Gregory was a  banker in the Philadelphia suburbs and my mother was smitten like a kitten by the older, well respected and well connected Greg.

I came along shortly after that, and before I was done unpacking, Greg and my mother were done.

When I say "before I was done unpacking", I mean it. Greg and my mother split so quickly after my birth that no minister we knew would baptize me. This was the 70's, when being a single mother made a woman more of a pariah. This was also back when pregnant mothers could still smoke in the hospital. At least that's the story I get. My mom has always been a little cagey when it came to details and timelines.

Now that I think about it, I may have to check my birth certificate to make sure my birthday is my birthday.