General Chat

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Had my dad over for dinner. As usual I get onto the ancestry trail. And as usual I have to show him his ancestors on the census amd BMD certificates,(was able to show him new info this year!). We got onto one 'branch' and he gave me info that was insignificant to him - but a gold mine to me! More gossip than anything! Can't wait to phone my Aunty over there to verify what we had surmised! Deb

next year is going to be a predominant year ancestry wise for me (if thats the right word) I am hoping that one of my new found previously unknown about aunts will be flying to the uk from New Zealand, but in the mean time my mums sister in law has mentioned that she may be visiting in February from Canada. So sounds well and good except that this sister in law has known for many years about the new found previously unknown about aunt from new zealand. Dont think they will be here together but I shall not raise the subject when my mum is around. Is that as clear as mud. Looking forward to seeing both of them whatever

Well Done on that gold mine Deb, that will keep you busy then :)) We got Mum a couple of books off e-bay, and in the Romford one, she recognised her Nanna in a picture!, will show it to my Aunt just to confirm, as Dad does'nt believe her! :)) Chris :)

Chris - my lot were from Romford! Hills family - any connection? lol Back on subject - what they think of as 'nothing' is a valuable lead to us 'tree-ers'' Debxx

Colyer surname Deb, Leytonstone and round that way! :)) Mum keeps remembering the odd thing, in dribs and drabs though! :)) Chris :)

Chris - Always have a pen and paper at the ready! I have bits of info scribbled on the back of napkins! Tonights is on the back of a document from work! Deb

It's the little 'asides' that give you a little lead sometimes, isn't it? No older generations with us this year, so family history was on back burner for much of the day. We are meeting up with my in-laws in the next few days but I think we've probably gleaned all their information. ..... but you never know. Gwyn

No not this year but when I first started on this magnificent obession I knew my grandfather was a Scot but had lived in the Somerstown area of St Pancras as long as my Mum could remember and before that too. Being a novice I searched the GRO births and couldn't find him. Getting frustrated said to my Mum did he have a Scottish accent and she said no so went of and did some more trawling through GRO. Still no success. Finally I thought to ask whether my great grandmother had an accent. Yes said my Mum... couldn't understand a word she said. EUREKA.....found my great grandparents marriage in Edinburgh and then my grandfathers birth, also in Edinburgh and I was on my way. Anyone starting off today is so much luckier with indexed census, bmds etc. etc., but there is no substitute for that little gem of information that comes from an elderly relative. Jean x.

We got more personal (rather than official) information about the family when my Dad was in the middle stages of dementia than when he was well. My brother and I had been trying to find out if our grandmother had any siblings as she was the only child on the 1901 Census. We had great grandfather's death certificate which showed the informant as H. Walker. We had asked Dad a number of times and he said he couldn't remember. One day we showed him a picture of his mother and he mentioned Uncle Herbert. When I asked who that was he said 'Mum's brother of course'. Bingo!! Susan

Well I had a hot match yesterday and the chap is in touch with me today, he lives in Buckingham as does my cousin who I will be visiting again in the Spring, and is linked through my paternal great x 5 grandmother. Think I will have to spend less time on here and more on research unless there is anyone out there who has more spare time than me and wants to help me out!! Liz

Not exactly over the holiday, but a few weeks ago, we managed to locate the excercise book that belonged to my grandfather, In it, he wrote his take on the family history! At the moment it is in Ipswich, with a distant cousin, and he will be handing it to his daughter who lives near me! Also, I have found some stuff on my dads side, and have been in touch with my uncle who I know is interested. I'm hoping he will come up with some stuff in the new year.

When I was over this summer, I visited my Dads cousins in Anglesey Wales. I had always known that one of our ancestors Alice Maude Westerby was a nun with the Sisters Of Mercy in Spitalfields London. I found her on the 1901. Now according to new info provided by them, she was the Sister Superior. More digging needed I think, but I'll bet she was an ordinary nun. Oh! and I got to see a picture of her. I had always had it in my minds eye that she looked like Julie Andrews as Maria. Boy was I ever wrong! Deb