The search begins!!

I started researching my family tree back in 1997 after my father died. I realized that I knew next to nothing about his or my mother's parents or their ancestors before them. I began in the usual way ordering b.m.d records and checking out the record office in London & later visiting villages and churches & local record offices further down the line. The journey has been a long one with lots of very interesting finds along the way including a jailbird 2 x gt grandfather whose wife resorted to stealing to feed their children & ended up doing 3 months hard labour herself poor woman. Another ancestor was raped whilst out foraging for firewood (a fact i found in newspaper archives) Life was hard for the working classes in those days. I guess the most exciting thing was finding my mothers' sister who had run away from home in 1934 when my mum was 11 years old. My mother never saw her sister again and spent her life wondering what had become of her. It was only when her sister died aged 94 that her daughter found documents revealing her mother´s true identity and started searching for family. A distant cousin in Canada contacted me and asked if i was any relation to the daughter & thus we (first cousins) found each other. My mother was flabbergasted , thrilled,& so sad that her sister had been living in the next county & had never attempted to reach out & find her family. I am still researching family and have a few brick walls yet to knock down & I still enjoy the challenge & the thrill of meeting lost cousins along the way.

 

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your searches!

 

Thank you Jorhes