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London, 1905.

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H (1865-), 40: Edric Thomas Appleby (RowenaRavenclaw)
W (1868-), 37: Myrtle Catherine Crenshaw (cher529s)

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S (1892-), 13: Alberic Edwin "Alby" Appleby (molly)
S (1895-), 10: Dunstan Thomas "Dunnie" Appleby (Darkbone)
D (1895-), 10: Dorothea Marigold "Dolly" Appleby (Wordsmith)
D (1897-), 8: Liberty Jane "Libby" Appleby (Princess_Shireen)
S (1899-), 6: Horatio John "Harry" Appleby (molly)
S (1903-), 2:

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FN: after an Elizabeth courtier.
MN: starts in Ed-, following family tradition.

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D (1905-), 0:

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FN: an unusual floral name.
MN: after a formidable queen from English history or literature.

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The Appleby household had grown into a lively, bustling domain ruled by five energetic children.

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Alby, at thirteen, is tall for his age and armed with a quick wit. He often teases Dunstan and Dolly, though with a fondness that rarely crosses into cruelty. He can frequently be found at Edric's side, learning the basics of engineering or shadowing his father at local railway projects, though his interests lay less in the technicalities and more in the opportunity to wield tools and feel important.

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Dunstan has grown into a quiet, observant boy who prefers the company of books and sketchpads to the noise of the garden. He methodically constructs elaborate models of bridges from whatever materials he can scrounge. Edric encourages his creativity, often returning home with discarded bits of wood and wire from the railway yards. Dunnie's reserved nature made him a confidant for his younger siblings, especially Libby.

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Bright, bold Dolly seems to possess boundless energy and often be leads neighbourhood children in daring adventures through the garden and nearby alleyways. With an ever-present streak of dirt on her cheek and wildflowers tucked into her hair, Dolly approaches the world as a stage. Libby follows her everywhere like a shadow: Dolly says she is training her sister in the fine art of exploring.

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Libby is content to trail after Dolly, absorbing her sister's antics with wide eyes. Libby’s curious and kind-hearted nature She adores the older children, and often gravitates toward Dunnie's calm presence when the household grows too raucous.

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Harry's arrival has been a source of great joy and exhaustion. His boundless energy rivals even Dolly's at her wildest. With a head full of dark curls, Harry often finds himself at the centre of attention through his charm or mischief. Alby often hoists Harry onto his shoulders during family outings, while Dolly has taken to dressing him in capes, declaring him a knight in training.

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Myrtle, has taken to teaching outside on warm afternoons, allowing the children to play in the garden while lessons carried on at the wrought-iron table beneath the shade of the apple tree Edric had planted for her years ago. Dolly, Libby, and Harry often drift in and out of these lessons, sometimes drawing with chalk or tending to a small plot of wildflowers Myrtle allowed them to claim as their own.

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Edric, meanwhile, spends more time at home than he has in previous years. His work on expanding local railway lines means fewer long trips to colonial territories, a change for which he is grateful. When not immersed in projects, he carves out time to sketch in the evenings, and though his drawings of locomotives still fill the shelves, portraits of the children are slowly overtaking them.

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In the late autumn of 1903, the Applebys welcomed another child, who arrived during an unseasonably rainy October. Harry, barely walking himself, is especially fascinated by his new brother, often proudly declaring the boy is "his baby".

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By the spring of 1905, another surprise followed - a girl born just as the apple blossoms bloomed in the garden. Dolly immediately claimed her as her protégée, determined to teach her everything she knew.

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With seven children now filling the townhouse, the Applebys had officially outgrown their home in spirit, if not in square footage. Alby is grateful for the sanctuary of his attic room, away from the relentless energy of his younger siblings. Dunnie, now ten, helped Edric construct a new cradle for his new sister, while Libby insisted on knitting a small blanket for her new brother, though her stitches are far from even.

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masculine list: https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/191050/124079
feminine list: https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/191050/124080