Swann

Swann. That's my maiden name. Margaret Swann.

I always hated my surname when I was growing up. I hated it because it was an unusual name. When I said it, people never knew how to spell it. When I hand-wrote it, people never knew how to say it. I got called "Swain" so often. The worse was the time I got called "Swam". I always hated it and looked forward to the day when I could get married and change it.

But then when it came time to get married and change my name, it was really hard to give it up. After all, I'd been known by that name for 25 years and it was part of me. It felt like giving up my identity in a way.

Now I've been Margaret Hamilton for eight years and I can't remember who Margaret Swann was any more.

But all of a sudden the name Swann has become popular. The female lead in Pirates of the Carribean is Elizabeth Swann, and a new character has just joined the cast of EastEnders (yes I still watch it after all these years) and her name is Dawn Swann (she has just joined the cast on NZ screens, she has been in the show for 9-10 months in the UK).

And the other day I was nosing around on the Old Friends website and found another ex-Margaret Swann!

So suddenly I'm not the only one any more.

-Megz