Blog

What is this blog about?

Welcome to my home, my family history and genealogy blog. Here, you’ll discover practical guidance for researching your family tree and connecting with both living relatives and historical ancestors.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or revisiting an existing family tree, this blog will help you:

  • Navigate the exciting journey of genealogical discovery
  • Build comprehensive family connections
  • Verify existing research and uncover new branches

Family history research is surprisingly straightforward once you begin. It often starts with a simple spark of curiosity—that lightbulb moment when you realise you want to understand your  family heritage and discover where you came from.

My own genealogical journey began with this same curiosity, and through sharing my experiences and research methods, I hope to inspire and guide you on your own path of discovery.

Every family has stories waiting to be uncovered. Your ancestors’ lives, struggles, and triumphs are part of your heritage, and this blog will show you how to piece together those fascinating family narratives.

Beyond simply collecting names and dates, I’ll guide you through the art of storytelling—bringing your ancestors to life by adding historical context to their stories. This approach transforms dry genealogical data into vivid family histories that truly honour your heritage.

Ready to begin? Let’s embark on this rewarding journey of family discovery together.

  • Where to Now?

    Questions – So Many. What’s happening in your world? What projects are you concentrating on? Is it one or many? Where is your focus? Are you moving forward? Are you stuck? What’s holding you back? Do you use lists? Do you use Tasks? Do you record where or which websites you explore? If not, why… Read more

  • What’s in the Box?

    A very common question is usually asked by someone with an inquiring mind – most commonly younger people. The box is laid upon a huge oak table in the dining room. Already on the table is a candelabra that contains three lit candles, and a couple of bowls – one containing a variety of fresh… Read more

  • Is the Sky Blue?

    On reflection, there are things we know and then there are things we don’t. The big question is, how do we know the things we know? Colours. All colours are interesting. How did we learn about them? Was it via a parent, a school teacher, a book or something else? Basically, we were told that… Read more

  • What’s in the Tree?

    Within your family tree, you should have at least two people for starters. I have said two people but some may say three! Note you have to make allowances for those who may not know one of their parents for various reasons. The two would be yourself plus a parent, usually your mother. If only… Read more

  • Census Records.

    I previously gave a glimpse into Census Records in my blog “Filling the Gaps – Part One.” which was published on 21 April 2023. What is a census? The Collins dictionary states: “A census is an official survey of the population of a country that is carried out in order to find out how many… Read more

  • Scottish Naming Conventions.

    When looking at Scottish records, you will come across some interesting names. You would have seen this in my blog “Adding Context” published on 7 February 2023. I use this in my example below. If you have not come across any Scottish ancestors, you may be wondering what this is all about. Basically, middle names… Read more