From Fields to Suburbs: The Rich History of Upminster and Hornchurch
Upminster and Hornchurch, in Havering, London, have rich medieval histories and agricultural roots. Upminster evolved into a garden suburb in the early 20th century, while Hornchurch transitioned from a small agricultural community to a suburban area post-1920s. Today, both towns blend historical charm with modern amenities, reflecting their dynamic growth.
Beethoven’s Family Tree Reveals a Genealogical Surprise
If you’ve ever traced your family tree, you know that surprises can lurk among the branches. But imagine discovering that one of your most famous ancestors wasn’t actually related to you by blood! That’s exactly what happened to Werner van Read more…
Will Genealogists and Historians come to love AI?
I recently wrote a thread on Bsky concerning my thoughts on AI after the release of the new photo tool by MyHeritage. I have decided to expand those thoughts into a blog post. Artificial Intelligence is a transformative tool with Read more…
How reliable is my family tree?
The simplest answer would be to say no tree is 100% accurate if we are strictly following the paper trail. This would mean that even though we have mitigated against the worst defects by analysing documents, we will be defeated Read more…
‘Poor as this place is, it is still a home’ –
Our Victorian city dwellers moved frequently. After moving house myself I wondered why they moved and what gave them a sense of belonging? How did they find stability moving from lodging house to lodging house? And how did the lack of personal objects hinder memories?
Name variations? What about last AND first name variations?
In 1635 my 10th great grandparents Crispin Hooper and Rebecca Leere married at Charleton in Devon; it was a second marriage for both of them. Both were soaked in middle class gentrified heritage. Crispin had a coat of arms which Read more…
The Coachman’s Story: who were they?
The original role of the coachman took many guises. He may have worked on the stagecoach, the mail coach, for a doctor, for other professionals, or for families of the middling sort, and of course for the upper classes. It Read more…
Agricultural Labourers: stepping out from the shadows
Three decades or so ago, many family historians would have felt a tinge of disappointment to discover their ancestors were agricultural labourers. Possibly because those working within the farming industry of the 18th, 19th and to some extent the early Read more…
Unmarried mothers and illegitimacy in the 20th century
Much has been written about illegitimacy in the nineteenth and eighteenth centuries, but were things any different for the single mother in the early to mid-twentieth century? Yes and no might be the answer to that question. In the twentieth Read more…
Can’t find a birth certificate? A strategy for illegitimacy
This is a general reference blog post. We cannot provide advice about how to find a birth certificate. You can of course commission a qualified genealogist to undertake research on your behalf. To hire a genealogist for assistance with locating Read more…
Pulling back the covers! How to blanket search parish registers
In this blog I am going to discuss blanket searching parish registers in England & Wales and how it can benefit your research. I first heard the term used in the 1990s, but have not heard it mentioned much since, Read more…
Formularies – what are they and how can they help genealogists?
Everyday my mother spends an hour or two with her puzzle book. Puzzles keep her occupied, stimulated and challenged – she felt the same when she was researching her family tree. One of the skills she never harnessed fully was Read more…