Ashley Barnwell, Ashworth Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Melbourne, explores the ethics of keeping family secrets hidden. At the International Family History Workshop in Manchester 2017, I presented my research on Australian family secrets. As a sociologist, I am interested in the connections between the small events of everyday life and the large events of Read More
During the mid to late 19th Century, Fife became an area of aggregation for lunatics in Scotland. The word lunatic originates from the Latin word of ‘luna’ meaning moon. There was a belief that the changes in the cycle of the moon caused periodic or intermittent insanity, affecting people’s cognitive behaviour. The Victorians identified two Read More
Sharing your family’s legacy is so important for strengthening family bonds and reliving traditions that will make memories for every generation. It can be particularly valuable if you’re just starting out in your family history journey, or are trying to break through a brick wall. Take the time to sit down with your living relatives Read More
Ancestry Progenealogists‘ Simon Pearce, explores some of Ancestry’s key collections for researching the military careers of your ancestors. The armed forces were incredibly diligent at keeping records of those who dedicated their time and careers to military service. As such, military records can be incredibly beneficial when researching the lives of your ancestors; not only Read More
Our latest Irish collection, Ireland, Poor Law Union Removals From England, 1859-1860, gives us a window in to what life was like as an Irish pauper living in the UK in the late 1850’s. Irish paupers were often looked upon negatively, as an unwanted expense on the local communities in which they resided across England, Read More
Sometimes your family history research can take you on an unexpectedly romantic journey. This was the case for Marc Orton and Robin Snyder Orton from Virginia, USA. Three years ago, the couple began researching their family history, uncovering a number of interesting discoveries including a lineage tracing back to England’s Midlands. For their 40th wedding Read More
Whether it’s finding relatives you never knew you had or making contact with the missing link in your family tree, AncestryDNA and family history can be the ultimate combo when it comes to reconnecting with long lost family – both past and present. But what comes first – growing your tree or taking the test? Read More
While researching your British ancestry, you might discover that some of your family may have decided to try for a ‘new life’ in other parts of the world. In this blog post, Penny Allen, a Canadian who works as a Librarian in Greenwich and specialises in Canadian genealogy, discusses Canadian immigration and what tools are Read More
Transport for London (TfL) may have only been in existence since 2000, but it is actually the latest incarnation of an organisation that dates back to the establishment of the London General Omnibus Company (LGOC) in 1856. The types of public transport offered by the company have continued to evolve, encompassing walking and cycling through Read More
Whether you love New Year’s Eve or would rather stay curled up on the couch with Netflix and a bottle of merlot, there is something nice about what the ‘New Year’ symbolises. While we don’t buy into the idea of morphing into entirely different people (as Bridget Jones would say, we like you just the Read More