Great Grandfather
Roy Chapman Andrews rose to prominence as an explorer for the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. His career began in 1906 with entry-level tasks such as cleaning and assisting in taxidermy. By 1934, he had ascended to the position of museum director.
The 1923 discovery of a complete dinosaur egg nest in Mongolia provided groundbreaking evidence that these prehistoric creatures reproduced by laying eggs, rather than giving birth to live young.
Andrews, the American explorer responsible for this find, became a celebrated figure, with many believing he served as inspiration for the cinematic hero Indiana Jones. He is most renowned for the series of ambitious expeditions he led to the Gobi Desert of Mongolia between 1922 and 1930. These expeditions involved teams of scientists venturing into previously uncharted areas of the desert, utilizing early automobiles and camel caravans for supply transport.
Andrews, whose life was marked by adventurous pursuits and close encounters with danger, is widely regarded as a model for the "Indiana Jones" character.
Roy
Chapman
Andrews
Great Grandmother
While her husband, Roy Chapman Andrews, is often remembered as a potential inspiration for the fictional adventurer Indiana Jones, Yvette Borup Andrews' photographic contributions to early visual anthropology, captured during their initial Central Asian expeditions, deserve recognition. Contrary to the typical honeymoon narrative following a 1914 high-society wedding, Yvette and Roy embarked on the American Museum of Natural History's First Asiatic Zoological Expedition, a comprehensive exploration of China, Tibet, and Burma. Yvette served as the official photographer.
Born in Paris to an American military attaché, Yvette's upbringing exposed her to European intellectual and aristocratic circles. Before achieving notoriety for her Asian travels, she was a fixture in American social pages, known for her connections, including Princess Victoria Louise. In 1914, amidst the onset of World War I, she married Roy Chapman Andrews, a rising figure at the American Museum of Natural History. Their subsequent 18-month expedition aimed to collect zoological specimens and document the people and landscapes of Central Asia.
Yvette
Borup
Andrews
Great Uncle
George Borup (1885-1912), a dynamic figure in early 20th-century exploration, left an indelible mark despite his tragically short life. Born on September 2, 1885, in Ossining, New York, he possessed a keen interest in geology and paleontology, evidenced by his 1907 geology degree from Yale University.
Initially working for the Pennsylvania Railroad, his passion for Arctic exploration led him to persuade Commander Robert Peary to include him in the 1908-1909 North Pole expedition aboard the S.S. Roosevelt. Borup's experiences during this journey were vividly recounted in his 1911 publication, A Tenderfoot with Peary, a firsthand account of his time in the Arctic.
George
Borup
Andrews
Grandfather 'Papu'
Roy
Kevin
Victor
Andrews
Ram's grandfather, whom he referred to as 'Papu' (Greek for Grandfather) - was the first man he loved, recognised as a father figure, and male role model.
Kevin Roy Andrews, served in WWII, became best friends with Patrick 'Paddy' Fermor, famed for his SOE exploits with Kevin in Greece.
Ram remembers bouncing on Paddy's knee at his house on the Peloponnese whenever his grandfather used to take him on regular trips from Athens to spend weekends with his best friend.
Ram's Papu wrote the eminent archaeological books on the Moorish dynasty through the Castles of the Morea, from Akrocorynth across the entire Peloponnese Peninsula.
Kevin’s life spanned continents and involved a diverse cast of figures, including W.H. Auden, Louis MacNeice, Dylan Thomas, Patrick Leigh Fermor, E.E. Cummings, Scofield Thayer, Amelia Earhart, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany, and Queen Frederika of Greece.
Great Grandfather
e.
e.
cummings
Edward Estlin Cummings, born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on October 14, 1894, demonstrated a passion for poetry from a young age, composing verses as early as 1904. He pursued classical studies at Cambridge Latin High School, mastering Latin and Greek. He furthered his education at Harvard University, earning a BA in 1915 and an MA in 1916. His time at Harvard exposed him to the innovative poetry of avant-garde writers such as Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound.
In 1917, Cummings' early poems were included in the anthology "Eight Harvard Poets." That same year, he journeyed to France as a volunteer ambulance driver during World War I. However, his outspoken anti-war sentiments led to his and a friend's imprisonment by French authorities on suspicion of espionage, an experience he later chronicled in his novel, "The Enormous Room."
Following the war, Cummings divided his time between his family's summer home, Joy Farm in New Hampshire, and Greenwich Village, while frequently visiting Paris. He also travelled extensively throughout Europe, connecting with fellow poets and artists, including Pablo Picasso, whose work he greatly admired.
Great Grandmother
Elaine
Orr
Thayer
Elaine Orr was a captivating figure in the New York City literary and artistic circles of the early 20th century. As John Dos Passos recalled in his memoir, "The Best Times," she was a muse and a social hub, particularly for the Harvard Monthly crowd, which included e.e.cummings. Dos Passos described her as "the poet's dream," a "Blessed Damozel" whose beauty and charm drew admiration and affection.
Cummings' friendship with Elaine evolved into a love affair, seemingly with Thayer's approval. In 1919, Elaine gave birth to Nancy, with cummings recognized as the father, though Thayer assumed paternity. cummings, however, struggled to provide emotional and paternal support, focusing on his artistic pursuits. Elaine eventually divorced Thayer and, in 1923, urged cummings to marry her.
Their marriage in 1924 was short-lived. Elaine's desire for financial security and a conventional life clashed with cummings' bohemian lifestyle. Within months, she left him for Frank McDermott, a wealthy banker, and sought a divorce. Cummings was devastated, and the McDermotts denied him access to Nancy.
Grandmother 'Natty'
Nancy Thayer Cummings Andrews' life, or 'Natty' as Ram called her, began in 1919, shrouded in the complexities of her parents' unconventional relationship. Born to Elaine Thayer, then legally married to Scofield Thayer, and e.e.cummings, Nancy's early years were shaped by a unique dynamic. Though Scofield Thayer provided financial security, Cummings, her biological father, remained a distant figure. This separation, coupled with the emotional complexities of her parents' lives, deeply influenced Nancy. Until Cummings married Elaine in 1924, Nancy lived largely apart from him, fostering a sense of absence that would become a defining theme in her life.
The dissolution of her parents' marriage and the subsequent efforts by Elaine and her new husband, Frank MacDermot, to erase Cummings from Nancy's life created a profound void.
Like Ram, Nancy grew up unaware of her true parentage, raised believing Scofield Thayer was her father. Her childhood was marked by a series of governesses and boarding schools, a life of privilege yet emotional detachment. Despite this, she developed a keen interest in art and music, foreshadowing her later artistic expression.
The onset of World War II brought her to the United States, where she began to build a life of her own, marrying Willard Roosevelt, grandson of Theodore Roosvelt, 26th President of the United States of America, and starting a family.
Nancy
Thayer
Cummings
Roosevelt
Andrews
Mother
Ioanna Andrews
Ram’s mother, Ioanna Andrews, born in New York in 1955, was a distinguished oud player and musician whose life was deeply intertwined with the rich musical traditions of the East. As the daughter of Kevin Andrews, a writer, scholar, and philhellene, Ioanna inherited a strong appreciation for cultural heritage.
Her dedication to music led her to pursue studies of the oud in both London and Egypt, immersing herself in the instrument's intricate techniques and diverse musical expressions, including earning her fluency in Arabic and Greek, amongst other languages such as French, Spanish, and German.
Ioanna's career was marked by collaborations with an impressive array of renowned musicians, including Domna Samiou, Ross Daly, Andonis "Psarantonis" Xilouris, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Nikos Saragoudas, and Christos Kyriazis.
Her performances and recordings showcased a wide-ranging repertoire, encompassing both traditional Eastern melodies and her own original compositions, reflecting her deep understanding and innovative approach to Eastern music.
Ioanna Andrews passed away in Switzerland on 29 December 2015, leaving behind a legacy of musical excellence and a profound contribution to the preservation and evolution of Eastern musical traditions.
Readers will note that there isn’t a tab to ‘Learn More’. This isn’t a mistake, but more of a challenge of reconciliation for Ram, due to deeply affecting issues of abandonment from the age of 4, substance abuse, domestic violence by her partner who beat Ram and his mother for sport, a recurring cancer that saw Ram navigating the city streets of Athens on his own at the age of 7 to find his mother strewn in a Greek hospital corridor, hemorrhaging from a botched Cervical Cancer operation, Ram’s self-motivated determination to get to school every morning from the age of 5 using public transportation across a 60 mile round trip, having to cook and feed himself and his mother on most days, and a general need for Ram to parent his mother and himself from as early as the age of 4.
Ram has a lot to say in reflection – mostly good as any son would lovingly respect his mother, but perhaps the courage to rip open the lid on her story will find him in years to come, as he writes his memoires from his diaries.
Most importantly, Ram will remain eternally grateful that he had the chance to see his mother one last time, and cradle her in his arms the way she did with him until he was 4. She used her last breaths to apologise for everything and Ram reassured her that a son’s love for his mother is unconditional. The last words from both of them, to one another, were expressions of love.
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