Andy Robson
Merchant Sailing ship types
If your ancestors were sea-faring men then you may find they served on various types of sailing ship such as Brigs, Barques, Schooners...
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Andy Robson
Jul 7, 20233 min read
Rorke's Drift and Dick the Dog!
Recently, my research brought me to South Africa and, in particular, to the defence of the Mission Station at Rorke’s Drift in Natal...
Andy Robson
Mar 3, 20235 min read
Agricultural labourers - part two
Wages were universally low and Agricultural Labourers and their families often flirted with poor relief, the workhouse and even theft....
Andy Robson
Feb 2, 20235 min read
Agricultural Labourers - Part one
"Farmers harvesting agricultural produce" by The British Library is marked CC0 1.0. In family history research most of us will find that...
Andy Robson
Oct 16, 20226 min read
The Jarrow March
October 2022 marks the 86th anniversary of the famous Jarrow Hunger March. Why did 200 'crusaders' volunteer to walk 291miles to present...
Andy Robson
Jul 11, 20223 min read
Medals of the Police Service
Police Officers in the UK, as they belong to a civilian body, are eligible to receive those bravery and meritorious service medals which...
Andy Robson
Jun 6, 20226 min read
PUT THAT LIGHT OUT!!
The Air Raid Precaution (ARP) Service The First World War had brought home the threat of aerial bombing to Britain's population,...
Andy Robson
May 2, 20223 min read
The Independent Order of Odd-fellows
During some recent family history research I came across an individual who was an 'Odd-Fellow'. If you've not encountered this fraternal...
Andy Robson
Apr 4, 20224 min read
Making Sense OF DNA Matching
Your DNA matches can be an incredible tool to help you make new discoveries about your family history, break down genealogy brick walls,...
Deborah Ismay
Mar 21, 20222 min read
livestory - cool or creepy?
A year ago MyHeritage took the genealogy world by storm with their new feature to animate photographs - Deep Nostalgia. Now they've...
Deborah Ismay
Mar 7, 20228 min read
Winter's Day
Family stories are one element of family history that really create a strong connection with the past. If you’re lucky, then tales will...
Andy Robson
Feb 7, 20222 min read
What's in a title (deed)?
The centralised Land Registry was established in 1862 to record who-owned-what in England and Wales. However, from the outset all the...
Deborah Ismay
Dec 20, 20214 min read
Christmas time (1950)
Was Christmas so very different back in 1950? I hope you enjoy reading these memories of a Christmas many years ago, written by my...
Andy Robson
Dec 6, 20216 min read
A Brief History of Policing in England and Wales
From the Middle-Ages, responsibility for maintaining order and upholding the law in a County lay with the Justice of the Peace (JP)....
Andy Robson
Nov 22, 20216 min read
The Workhouse and the Relief of the Poor in England and Wales
When researching family history it is, sadly, quite common to find out that some of your ancestors spent time in the workhouse. Read on...
Deborah Ismay
Nov 8, 20219 min read
A War Hero in the Family
I grew up knowing that my Great, Great Uncle, Tommy Watson, who died in 1918, had been a war hero. He enlisted in the Royal Navy just a...
Andy Robson
Oct 25, 20214 min read
Was your ancestor a Tailor?
Traditionally ‘Tailors’ – from the French ‘Tailler’, to Cut - were highly skilled workers who produced ‘made-to-measure’ clothing for the...
Andy Robson
Oct 11, 20213 min read
WW1 - The Call-up and Reserved Occupations
As Family Historians you'll no doubt have researched ancestors who served in WW1. You may also come across people in your family tree who...
Andy Robson
Sep 27, 20213 min read
The Haswell Pit Disaster of 1844
It is difficult to say exactly how many men, women and children were killed or maimed in British coal mines, but the better documented...
Andy Robson
Sep 13, 20215 min read
Who do you think you are kidding, Mr Hitler? The Home Guard
Various schemes were proposed following the outbreak of war with Germany in September,1939 which were aimed at mobilising those men who...
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