Genes Reunited Blog

Top tip - Genes Reunited blogs

Welcome to the new Genes Reunited blog!

  • We regularly add blogs covering a variety of topics. You can add your own comments at the bottom.
  • The Genes Reunited Team will be writing blogs and keeping you up to date with changes happening on the site.
  • In the future we hope to have guest bloggers that will be able to give you tips and advice as to how to trace your family history.
  • The blogs will have various privacy settings, so that you can choose who you share your blog with.

New Military Records

New military records

Was your ancestor a war hero?

View thousands of brand new military records, including Chelsea Pensioner records, Military Nurses, Prisoners of war and much more.

View military records today

Exploring our millions of records is a fascinating way of tracing your family history generations into the past. Where records and transcripts can often fall short, however, is providing the historical context the gives you a feel for the world in which your ancestors lived. 

 

It’s for this reason that we get so excited about our collections of millions of newspaper pages dating back as far as the 18th century. Our newspapers offer an incredible insight into days gone by. This Valentine’s Day, we’ve searched the newspapers to see how the annual celebration of romance was approached by ‘papers in the past.

Mirror

The Daily Mirror in 1914 held a dim view of Valentine’s Day, suggesting that within 50 years it would no longer be observed. We’ve all been wrong before, chaps, don’t worry. 

Courier

The Courier and Advertiser in 1929 harks back to a simpler time before Facebook and Snapchat, as our poor protagonist is pushed into fickleness by his intended beau’s ignorance.

Gloucester Journal

According to an advertisement in the Gloucester Journal from 1938, nothing says more romance more than a decent brown ale. 

Punch

A surprisingly touching piece of Valentine’s propaganda taken from Punch in 1916, as St. Valentine himself is mistaken for a stranger in cold, loveless Germany. The fact that this cartoon was printed sandwiched between adverts for Bovril and Waverley Cigarettes also says a lot about the period. 

To explore our collections of newspapers, visit www.genesreunited.co.uk/searchbna/index