9. Noble family
JK Rowling may not come from a rich family, but her family tree is quite something. Her father, Peter James Rowling, was an aircraft engineer for Rolls-Royce. And her mother, Anne Rowling, was a science technician. No surprise she has the brain to create Harry Potter world, right?
The two met for the first time on a train departing from King’s Cross Station. This inspired her in creating the first encounter of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Today, the station became one of the most popular tourist attractions in London.
Now let’s go further up the family tree. Her maternal great-grandfather, Louis Volant, was a French soldier during the First World War. And he fought hard to defend the Courcelles-le-Comte village.
For his bravery, he was given the Croix de Guerre, one of the most prestigious medals given by French military to its soldiers and allies. General George S. Patton and General Douglas MacArthur are some of the notable foreign recipients of this award.
