Genealogy Chat

I can't explain it but I have become fascinated by a line of my late mil's. I have no idea why but I feel drawn to them.

Has this ever happened to anyone else and what was it about them that 'got' you?

At the turn of the 1900s they were jewellers and associated crafts and even had their own place in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. Somehow that was all gone not long afterwards. I'm a crafter; cards, sewing, knitting, etc but my daughter has a real interest in making jewellery. I'm fascinated that something might have been passed on to her.

They also had kin I've found via census's living in some very decent properties for the time so I find the changing ecconomic history of a family quite fascinating too.

Another thing that really has me interested is in 1849, someone with the surname Newey that exists on my tree in the same area, married into the Eadie family and she is my husband's great, great grandmother.

So I think I have to concentrate on them for a while.

Am I alone in developing a particular interest like this?

xJ

No, you're not the only one!

genealogy starts out as a hobby.......... takes over our lives...... turns into an obsession........... then a disease!

If I find an unusual first name...... I have to climb the tree to see if I can find where it began.

We're all slightly mad :-D it helps.

I think you have an unhealthy obsession with money and higher connections. Most of us hope to find something 'better' in our past as though it would reflect on us and make us 'better' people, but really we should be looking for something 'better' in our own futures. The past is interesting but just because my greatgrandfather worked with gold doesn't mean my mother's obsession with the stuff is inherited, it just means she's a greedy pikey. :-D

In answer to your question, yes I have.

All the time.

I will be doing a bit of updating and then get totally sidetracked and suddenly the whole afternoon has gone, updating forgotten and piles of paper & notes which in reality are of no use to me buuuut.........

How nice to know I'm not mad at all.

WhiffingSiggs I am going to take your comments about obsessions with money and a higher place with a smile on my face.

Nothing could be further than the truth. It's the story of what this family were all about; such a big connection to jewellery and then nothing. They were a large family all connected to the trade. Why then, after decades that I have looked at, did it all apparently come to a stop. I'm into history and this family obviously has it's own story that I just might be able to work out. When I cleared out the late in-laws house, I found hundreds and hundreds of photographs (sadly not named), some letters and cards all put away. They seem to have been a lovely family. The other evening I found mention of two of them in the London Gazette. I don't care what I find out about them and I'm certainly not looking for hidden money.

If I was obsessed with money, I wouldn't have walked away from the abusive family I was a part of and a lot of money which has now gone elsewhere. The person who now has it is still as unhappy as ever was. Hubby, kids and I are far happier. We have riches beyond hard currency.

Karen, I have a daft amount of notes close to the computer. I'd rather have them all on paper than the computer. I'm sure if I went through them all I could expand my tree on here no end but I just like ferretting around to see what bits I can find. For example, the other evening I did a census search, found the wrong family, but was so fascinated by them and their neighbours I learned about more occupations etc. All towards keeping the little grey cells working.

Happy Saturday everyone.xJill

It was just humour. No life story required ;-) But nice as it is, I don't think there are connections between the artistic abilities of ancestors and us in the present unless it's something that has been encouraged down through the generations.. I play instruments and sing which I could attribute to my Welsh side (Oh the voices of the valleys!) but I don't.
I think the ancestry thing becomes an 'obsession' for some and why not? Some people collect light bulbs. I know which I find more interesting!

Oh my word. I've had a truly amazing time on here today. I started nearly twelve hours ago on my Eadie side, stopping only to feed and water the family.

I've steadily added family and I'm so grateful to another GR member who replied to a message I sent asking if by any chance he had come across my relative who was 'missing' whilst looking for the same name.

Thanks to him, I know what happened to her and it turns out that we are (well hubby is) connected.

He very kindly allowed me access to his tree too and because of that I am in awe of the historical stuff I have found out about. All of it, even more amazing because it connects to my memories of various businesses and locations. So it seems that hubby and I have strong historical and emotional ties even back to when I was a child; way before we ever met.

I'm sure now that I was meant to take a big interest in this family. Somehow I am more connected to them than I could ever imagine. And I know there is more. But my eyes are well-bogged and I have a busy day tomorrow.

My real regret is that my wonderful mil isn't looking at all of this with me. She would have loved it.

And WiffingSiggs. There was definitely money on the go. I do plan to find out where it all went to as part of my looking at this family. But don't you fret that if I got hold of any of it, I would change. NEVER. Money would never change me. I'd still be the same, mean, bitter, bad-tempered.... that I am today. :-P