Searching for our roots
As a follow up to the last post [in November of last year, how time flies in a pandemic!], I obtained a copy of the will of John Ayton of Laxfield Suffolk, died 2 April 1845 in Tolleshunt D’Arcy, Essex. This is the individual who I believe was father to Jane Ayton born c. 1792. … Read more
So, having not updated in far too long, I thought I’d finally give a brief rundown of where I’ve got to with the family tree. I’ve had a few brick walls pop over over the years and, after much searching, have managed to break through a few of them. The two biggest breakthroughs are both … Read more
I have updated all the data on the TNG site [click on Family Tree in the sidebar] and added PDFs of wills for download. All wills are attached to the relevant people in the database but are also available at a single click from the Documents link on the menu bar. I am currently transcribing … Read more
It is easy, when researching your family history, to make assumptions that take the research down utterly incorrect turnings. I imagine that everyone has been guilty of this – in the rush of discovery it is easy to get carried away. It is also easy to be stymied by someone else’s assumptions when they are published on the internet as fact.
Today was a productive day spent at the LMA. I was on the trail of the Bolton Great Great Grandparents having located the various documents relating to their deaths. The coroner’s inquest into the death of John Henry Bolton was held on 22nd December 1894 at St Giles and the papers are currently housed at … Read more
So, in London during the 19th Century there were two families called Besch who were tailors. I have held a firm belief that the two older members, John Besch [who is Lilian bond’s Grandfather] and Frederick Besch, were brothers but have been unable to find their baptism records so far although, according to the census, both were born in Westminster.
The birth certificate for Henry Aldridge, son of Robert and Susan, arrived today and I now know that Susan’s maiden name was Griffith. So Susan Griffith of Withycombe, Somerset married Robert Aldridge at the end of the 1820s. I have no idea where, but shall start by trawling through the parish records for the churches … Read more
Finally, after four weeks wait, the various certificates ordered came through. From these I discsovered that James and Charles Haley’s mother was called Charlotte Warner and her father Charles Warner, who worked on the river. So the boys followed their maternal grandfather’s profession rather than their father’s. I wonder how that felt for Joseph. Interesting. … Read more
So, after cobbling various long-unremembered memories together, one false lead and a certain amount of detective work, Nanny B’s family turned up on the 1901 census living in Yardley Street in Finsbury, just across Farringdon Road from Exmouth Market. At this point there was George and his wife Frances and their son George living alongside … Read more
After a visit to the parents last week, I now have both Nanny B and Grandad B’s birth certificates courtesy of Auntie Barbara. His is full and I have sent off for the full of hers. Hopefully now I will finally get the names of both of Nan’s parents. Her father was called George — … Read more