From a long time ago, until now

I started researching my family tree many years ago – helped out considerably by two uncles, one on either side of the family. Over the years I have dipped in and out of research, but the family tree has never been far from my mind.

My tree is split between Scotland, England & New Zealand and I often describe myself as a Scottish Cockney Yorkshireman (well Yorkshire-woman to be more precise).

Within the tree are many characters that really start to come to life when researching them – I have grandparents who have been blacksmiths, coastguards and military men.  I have women who have been left destitute, have died in a well known Thames accident, have had their husbands commit suicide – some have died very young, some have lived to very old.  Researching means finding the good with the bad, there are black sheep and it can be a grim day when you find out about them.

I’ve started this blog at a point where I’ve picked up researching again in earnest – it all started by joining a facebook group and a few people getting together to visit The National Archives.  I consider myself lucky to be currently London based where I can access more information than ever before.  Although a lot of my past is in New Zealand and some of my family were pioneers/settlers, further back they were all from England or Scotland.  On some sides of my family I can get back to the late 1600’s but more often than not my ancestors have not left a paper trail.  But more on research sources in another post.

A lot of research has already been done, and sources confirmed, but this blog is about picking up new leads and adding more to my tree.  Posts might be about Grandparents or a cousin by marriage 3 times removed.  It will be about whatever I stumble across.  Feel free to follow along if you are interested.

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