Genealogy Chat

It's a great expression and one I hadn't heard until about a week ago and now have heard three times. But...can anyone give me any tips about how I go about it. I now have a list of names, dates and places but no flesh. I know 'Google, google, google' is one answer but are there any others that anyone can suggest?

Depending on the area they lived and their occupations ...

I have a lot of East End gunsmiths so I read about the East End and I read about gunsmiths - and I google.

If they have rare-ish surnames it is always worth googling anyway and don't forget to check the Guild of One Name Studies too.

One branch I have came from Norfolk - I've visited the village and found their gravestones but also had details of the parish church - with photos etc. There is a site about parish churches so always worth a look. And always worth googling for the parish church itself as some have websites and some of those have transcribed Monumental Inscriptions etc.

But I think occupations are one of the most interesting things to check up on and worth checking your local library and/or museum for those little booklets about "My Ancestor was a ...."

Also, look at the census returns where your ancestors show. Check the neighbours and what they did. See if any of them had servants (or not). See at what age the children stop being described as scholars. You get a good idea of the type of neighbourhood and the levels of income in the area.

Jill

And don't forget Wills. Fascinating when you find them.

Jill

I am wanting to do the same, so I'd be interested in the replies you get.

I've done a little, such as searching for photos of places online, e.g. churches where folks married, maps of the area, online articles about families that were rather more notorious (not many in my lot). A lot of my husband's family originated in a particular town, so I've been to the local library (not too far away) and got some history of the town, its mills, statistics, stories about education, illness etc. I've few old photos unfortunately, but that's another resource you can add. Copies of wills if you have any.

My spring/summer intention now I am retired is to visit some of the places my ancestors lived and photograph streets or places where they might have worked. One ancestor worked in a paper mill in a particular town, and there was only ever the one paper mill, the rest were cotton mills, so I will photgraph what is left of it.

Good luck

Margaret

Thanks for the tips Mrs Grumpy. I like the idea of the little books 'My ancestor was a...' but most of mine seemed to be Agricultural Labourers. I have found the internet to have some photos of a few ancestors and it's always a joy to find them but I have none of my own and no way of finding any but, as you say, there are other ways. I can see my OH being dragged around some churches and Kent villages in the coming weekends.

Don't malign the poor old Ag Lab ... they did such a variety of jobs. Multi-taskers to a man!

I don't have one ag-lab in my family at all. OH has lots - but if I trace his direct paternal line back I come across a farmer of 300 acres. Trouble is, OH is descended from one of the younger sons so they were the poor branch! Oh, and the farmer left a will - good stuff.

Coming to Kent? Wait until the weather eases a bit - it is very windy down here at the moment and we have snow ...

Jill

Research the area from where they originated, read books about it, go to the library for books as well as looking on the internet, share on mailing lists and message boards, find out about the transport in the area, the housing and social conditions, and try if you can to "tread in their footsteps".

You might like to read this thread on the general board :-)

Ag Labs. Salt of the Earth!

School log books often have comments about the world in general, eg days off for a national event, few children in school because they are helping with the harvest etc
.......and then there are remarks about pupils.

What about this one seen in Sussex.....

"A worse boy I suppose there is not in the school. He has never got on with any of the teachers and is a rough and careless fellow. He was one of those who I had to make mention of after the inspection. He has good parents I should say for he is punctual, regular and tidy but is utterly untrustworthy himself." School Log Book, 27 April 1888

Not one of 'mine', I hasten to add.!

Gwyn

Gwyn, he probably became an MP!

Sorry Mrs G, didn't mean anything detrimental about Ag Labs. Everyone has their place and does their bit but a bit of variety would have been good, that's all I was saying. I know the area most of my family came from as it was where I was born and brought up but, you are right, it looks different looking back. Lots of tips - thanks to everyone.

Thanks also to Joy for the lead to the General board. What an interesting article!! Makes me proud I have so many of them in my tree.

Having followed your advice Gwyn my searching found the following for this unfortunate family (not mine I hasten to add). It also appears every child in the family had a serious illness of some sort and was frequently absent from school. Interesting reading - thanks for the tip.

George Ludlow is so deficient in intelligence that I find it
almost impossible to teach him with Standard III. His sister Ada did not attend until she was 9, on account of weak intellect. Robert Ludlow found to be backward in his work,& defective in intellect.

For distant ancestors try looking in a Dictionary or Chronology of History for any wars, battles, epidemics, famines, industrial disputes, etc. that might have blighted their lives.
For more recent ones: see if you can find out when they first had a telephone, or gas, or electricity; or ask who was the first person in your family to fly.