The more I visit the blogs and websites of other genealogists, the more it seems that we are split into family history sites that look into the flesh and bones of whom their ancestors were, collecting stories and memories, and those who simply wish to create a list of names, events and dates. On occasion, one side will criticise the other.
As for me, I feel that the two sides of genealogy can exist easily together, fleshing out the dates with realisation of what our ancestors lived through.
Today I wrote a piece on my writing blog about memories of Sunday morning from my father's point of view. You can read it here.
Sunday, 28 August 2011
Friday, 26 August 2011
Important Date: 26th August and Other News
The Golden Text Book has been quiet for a couple of weeks but today we have two names entered, Amy Bracen and Marie Mixon. Neither of these surnames crop up in our family tree.
When I search on Ancestry.co.uk, I can find no Amy Bracen. There are several Mary Mixons in Yorkshire around the 1891 census entry. As boring as it sounds, I can only assume that these are friends of the family.
Other News
One of the benefits of building a family tree on a genealogy site such as Ancestry or Find My Past is the chance to meet other family history researchers. Comparing family trees and findings can be incredibly helpful in cross-checking information. A fellow researcher recently contacted me about the Boyds in my family tree and pointed out that I had wrongly identified the mother of one Boyd. I checked through my research and found that although I had the correct Jane May Boyd (1889 - 1948), I had wrongly identified her mother.
Who Do You Think You Are
I've been watching the new series of WDYTYA. I loved the first episode with June Brown. Having only known her as a character actor in Eastenders, it was fascinating to discover the real person and her family story. The J K Rowling episode was interesting but I couldn't really relate. Similarly, Seb Coe's story was fascinating but a world away from my own experience. Next week is another actor who has appeared in Eastenders, Larry Lamb.
Watching this and past series of WDYTYA has made me look at my family history research in a different light. It isn't just a list of dates and names. It isn't just a record to pass on to my children. My research is also a way to find out why I am who I am. My father's side were explorers, either by choice or need, moving around Scotland, to the US and taking my father from a small Scottish town to London. By contrast, my mother's side of the family seem to have always lived in the same area of Yorkshire as far back as I can trace. I'd like to know what gave one side of my tree it's travelling drive and the other such stability in one location.
When I search on Ancestry.co.uk, I can find no Amy Bracen. There are several Mary Mixons in Yorkshire around the 1891 census entry. As boring as it sounds, I can only assume that these are friends of the family.
Other News
One of the benefits of building a family tree on a genealogy site such as Ancestry or Find My Past is the chance to meet other family history researchers. Comparing family trees and findings can be incredibly helpful in cross-checking information. A fellow researcher recently contacted me about the Boyds in my family tree and pointed out that I had wrongly identified the mother of one Boyd. I checked through my research and found that although I had the correct Jane May Boyd (1889 - 1948), I had wrongly identified her mother.
Who Do You Think You Are
I've been watching the new series of WDYTYA. I loved the first episode with June Brown. Having only known her as a character actor in Eastenders, it was fascinating to discover the real person and her family story. The J K Rowling episode was interesting but I couldn't really relate. Similarly, Seb Coe's story was fascinating but a world away from my own experience. Next week is another actor who has appeared in Eastenders, Larry Lamb.
Watching this and past series of WDYTYA has made me look at my family history research in a different light. It isn't just a list of dates and names. It isn't just a record to pass on to my children. My research is also a way to find out why I am who I am. My father's side were explorers, either by choice or need, moving around Scotland, to the US and taking my father from a small Scottish town to London. By contrast, my mother's side of the family seem to have always lived in the same area of Yorkshire as far back as I can trace. I'd like to know what gave one side of my tree it's travelling drive and the other such stability in one location.
Monday, 8 August 2011
Important Dates: 30th July - 7th August
July 30th
The name written in beautiful handwriting for this day is Minnie Ainley. What a wonderful, characterful name that is. We have many Ainleys in our family tree but I haven't found a Minnie so far. When I search on Ancestry.co.uk, I find an 1891 census for a Minnie Ainley, daughter of George and Mary Ainley, 4 years old, living in Headingley with Burley, Leeds. This is the same area that my Ainleys all lived in so I assume that Minnie was one of these.What substantiates this is that on the census, she has a sister called Florence. Florrie Ainley has previously cropped up in the Golden Text Book.
7th August
Written twice in different handwriting for this date is the name Richard Avison. Richard does not appear on my existing family tree. When I search on Ancestry, I can see several Richard Avisons for the 19th century in Yorkshire - Gomersal, York and Leeds. I assume he was a family friend.
The name written in beautiful handwriting for this day is Minnie Ainley. What a wonderful, characterful name that is. We have many Ainleys in our family tree but I haven't found a Minnie so far. When I search on Ancestry.co.uk, I find an 1891 census for a Minnie Ainley, daughter of George and Mary Ainley, 4 years old, living in Headingley with Burley, Leeds. This is the same area that my Ainleys all lived in so I assume that Minnie was one of these.What substantiates this is that on the census, she has a sister called Florence. Florrie Ainley has previously cropped up in the Golden Text Book.
7th August
Written twice in different handwriting for this date is the name Richard Avison. Richard does not appear on my existing family tree. When I search on Ancestry, I can see several Richard Avisons for the 19th century in Yorkshire - Gomersal, York and Leeds. I assume he was a family friend.
TV Gems
I find that over the summer holiday, when my children oust me from my computer in the office, I settle with my laptop in the lounge. The temptation then of course is turn on the TV. One programme I've found myself watching on a morning is 'Heir Hunters'. This show follows probate detectives who try to track down the relatives (sometimes distant, sometimes immediate family) of people who have died without leaving a will. These detectives use many of the tasks we genealogists use to create a family tree and often build up a rich picture of the deceased individuals' lives. From eastern European royal families to bigamists and unknown half-sisters, Heir Hunters can provide some wonderfully interesting stories. Well worth a watch. You might even find you're an heir to a fortune.
On Wednesday, the new series of Who Do You Think You Are begins. I've always enjoyed watching this programme, sometimes out of interest in the celebrities featured but mainly because it can be very useful in showing how we can use the tools and resources featured to assist our own investigation. The first episode will be about June Brown, octogenarian actress of Eastender fame. Later episodes will include J K Rowling, Sebastian Coe and Larry Lamb.
On Wednesday, the new series of Who Do You Think You Are begins. I've always enjoyed watching this programme, sometimes out of interest in the celebrities featured but mainly because it can be very useful in showing how we can use the tools and resources featured to assist our own investigation. The first episode will be about June Brown, octogenarian actress of Eastender fame. Later episodes will include J K Rowling, Sebastian Coe and Larry Lamb.
Friday, 22 July 2011
Important Dates: 1st - 20th July
1st July
Written in pretty handwriting is the equally pretty name, Florrie Ainly. In our family tree there are several Florences but probably more pertinently, there is a Flora Ainley. Flora is the grand niece of the wife of the uncle of the wife of my great grand uncle. How's that for a convoluted relationship link?
Flora was born in 1889 in Crosland Moor, Yorkshire, England. Her parents were Charles Hall Ainley and Emma Jane Wrigley. I have Flora living in Lockwood, Yorkshire in 1901 but can trace no other records for her at this time. Both Crosland Moor and Lockwood are in the Huddersfield area.
8th July
"William Lockwood 75 died 1916"
This one is a puzzle. There are numerous William Lockwoods in my family tree but none of them seem to match these details.
12th July
Written in pretty handwriting is the equally pretty name, Florrie Ainly. In our family tree there are several Florences but probably more pertinently, there is a Flora Ainley. Flora is the grand niece of the wife of the uncle of the wife of my great grand uncle. How's that for a convoluted relationship link?
Flora was born in 1889 in Crosland Moor, Yorkshire, England. Her parents were Charles Hall Ainley and Emma Jane Wrigley. I have Flora living in Lockwood, Yorkshire in 1901 but can trace no other records for her at this time. Both Crosland Moor and Lockwood are in the Huddersfield area.
8th July
"William Lockwood 75 died 1916"
This one is a puzzle. There are numerous William Lockwoods in my family tree but none of them seem to match these details.
- William Lockwood 1, born about 1893 in Wellingborough, Northants, date of death unknown.
- William Lockwood 2, born 8th June 1805 in Lepton, Huddersfield, Yorkshire, died 7th December 1872 in the same location.
- William Lockwood 3, born about 1858 in Batley, Yorkshire, date of death unknown.
- William Lockwood 4, born 9 July 1842 in Almondbury, Yorkshire, died 13 November 1888.
The only one is that anywhere near the possible date of birth (1841) is WL4. Could I have got his date of death wrong? This requires further investigation.
12th July"Sir Oliver Lodge 80 June 12th 1931"
Sir Oliver Lodge was a British physicist and writer. I can't find any links between him and the Lodge branch of my family so I wonder if he was simply included in the GTB as matter of pride that a Lodge should have made such important accomplishments. You can read more about him here.
16th July
The entry for this date is Nora Kilner. Nora was born in 1911 in West Yorkshire. Her mother was my grandfather Alfred's sister. I have no further information on her.
17th July
The name recorded on this date is Gladis Hargraves. We have only one Hargraves in our family tree - Elizabeth Hargraves, born on 17th December 1749 in Dewsbury, Yorkshire. It's possible that Gladis is a descendant of Elizabeth.
18th July
"Fred Thompson"
We have Thompsons and Thomsons in our tree. The sole Thompson is Isabella Thompson, who married Henry Garside (born 1851). I have no further details on her. Perhaps Fred is a descendant of her or one of the Thomsons but the spelling of his name has been changed.
19th July
There's no name entered on this date but there is an address, "35 Regent Road". I have no idea what this relates to. Regent Road is a street name that occurs several times in Yorkshire.
20th July
There are a couple of names mentioned here - Kate Annie Thackray, Jack Sow or Tarr or Farr or Fow, and again, 35 Regent Road.
I can't trace a Kate Annie Thackray in our family tree but we have many Thackrays. I can't trace Jack either, and again I don't know what the address relates to.
Many many important dates: June
The run up to and preparations for the summer holidays have stolen much of my writing time. The Golden Text Book has sat abandoned on my bookshelf since the beginning of June. This is the first day for a while when I actually have a moment to myself. I've got rather behind with telling you about the GTB entries and there's lots to catch up on.
We have no Coxs in our family tree but the Cox family lived near to my mother's childhood home. Kitty Cox was the same age as my grandparents and I know she had a son. The impression I got of their home was a ramshackle house of clutter and collections.
Two dates that are very important to me personally occur in June, within two days of each other. My son Max was born on 15th June and my husband Paul on 17th June. Occuring shortly before Father's Day, this is always a week of celebration for our family. I've added their names to the GTB, my own handwriting and loved ones next to the generations that have gone before.
On June 18th, there is the name Louise written with no surname. I have a distant cousin called Louise but the entry is quite an old one so I don't think it's her. The only other Louise I can find in our family tree is Harriet 'Louise' Lockwood. I suppose she could have been known by her middle name like my Uncle Ken was (real name John). She was born in 1875 in Halifax but I can't confirm her exact birth date. She is my second cousin two times removed.
On 20th June, we have three entries for what I assume are friends of the family - Dr Braithwaite, Mrs Far and Mrs Roberts.
On 21st June, the entry reads Arthur Roberts. We have no Roberts in our family tree. Perhaps Arthur was related to the Mrs Roberts recorded on the date before.
On 22nd June, there is the name William Arthur Quarton. We have no Quartons in our family tree. On Ancestry, I can find the following entries for this name:
Death entry for WAQ born about 1828, died 1869 in Wakefield, Yorkshire.
Death entry for WAQ born about1885, died October 1908 in Bramley, Yorkshire.
Birth entry for WAQ registered April 1885 in Leeds, Yorkshire.
These would fit with William being a neighbour or local friend.
Entered on 23rd June but with 24th June written below the entry are the words 'Prince of Wales'.
Pictured is Edward VIII, son to George V. He was born on 23rd June 1894. On his birthday in 1910 he became the Prince of Wales. You can find out more about him here.
The 24th June is packed full of names:
- Mildred Cox
- Dr Braithwaite (again)
- Mrs Roberts (again)
- Charlie
- Mr Tranner (possibly - handwriting is questionable)
- Lord Kitchener.
We have no Coxs in our family tree but the Cox family lived near to my mother's childhood home. Kitty Cox was the same age as my grandparents and I know she had a son. The impression I got of their home was a ramshackle house of clutter and collections.
One of the confusing elements of the GTB is that it not only keeps a record of births but also of deaths. A name may therefore be entered twice but it is sometimes difficult to trace which was the birth and which the death. I think that is probably why we have Dr Braithwaite and Mrs Roberts again.
My father was called Charlie but I can't find any connection between him and this date in June. There is a Charles Lockwood (born 1878) several generations back but I can't trace his exact birth date so I can't confirm this entry is him.
Mr (or possibly Mrs) Tranner means nothing to me, either as part of our family tree or as a friend of the family. I can't even confirm that it actually is Tranner due to the ornate handwriting.
The Lord Kitchener mentioned here is Herbert Kitchener, first Earl Kitchener. He was born on 24th June 1850. He was a war hero, turned Secretary of State for War at the beginning of the first world war. You can read more about him here.
On 25th June, we see the name Mrs Tarr. This name doesn't feature in our family tree so it was perhaps another family friend.
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Important Dates: 4th to 12th June
4th June
The first name recorded under this date is 'King George'. I assumed that this must relate to George V or George VI. I can find no link between George VI and this date. George V was born on 3rd June 1865 so I suppose the birth date could have been recorded a day late in the GTB. Looking back further George III was born on 4th June 1738. Seeing as this book seems to have started around 1880 (the date in the front leaf of the GTB), I think it's unlikely that the King George recorded is George III.
This is George V (pictured). He ruled as British king from 1910, through the first world war, until his death in 1936. He was a grandson of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and first cousin to Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany.
The second name under this date is Annie Clark. The Clarks in our family extend up from our Lodge branch. They are all based in Huntingdonshire and I've only traced them down to the mid 1700s. Maybe I can trace them further at some point and see if they were living in the Yorkshire area in the nineteenth century.
The final name for this date is Reginald Beatty or Beattry. We have no-one in our family tree with this surname. When I search for this name and Yorkshire on Ancestry.co.uk, I find an entry for a Reginald Beatty who died in the first world war in 1918.
5th June
Under this date is the name, Winnifred Hale. We have no Hales in our family tree. When I search on Ancestry, I find a Winnifred Mary Hale who was born in 1893 in Bradford, West Yorkshire. I can also trace a Winnifred Hale in the 1841 census, born in 1781 and resident in the Yorkshire area. This could have been a friend of the family.
6th June
The name recorded for the date is Lord Halifax with the words '92 1931'. This is Charles Wood, 2nd Viscount Halifax. I don't know why he would matter to my ascendants, other than that he lived in Hickleton Hall in Doncaster. His birth date is actually 7th June.
12th June
The name recorded under this date is Mr Lowden or Sowden accompanied by the words "58 June 12/12". We have no Sowdens or Lowdens in our family tree and I know of no family friends of either of those names either.
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