Self Isolation and how to make it work and in other news…..the Cat over the road is called Walter

March 31, 2020August 23, 2020 ~ Chiddicks Family Tree ~ 37 Comments

We are living in unprecedented and uncertain times, something that has never happened before in our lifetimes. We are truly "Living History" right now. In years to come we will all look back at these times, but how much will we remember? More importantly, what will we remember? Firstly I now realise how seriously "Fragile" … Continue reading Self Isolation and how to make it work and in other news…..the Cat over the road is called Walter

#52Ancestors “Nearly Forgotten”

March 24, 2020August 23, 2020 ~ Chiddicks Family Tree ~ 7 Comments

We have reached week 13, in the wonderful Genealogy challenge set by Amy Johnson Crow, to write something about your Ancestor's for a whole year, hashtag 52Ancestors in 52 weeks. This week our theme is "Nearly Forgotten", which we can interpret in lots of different ways. When I was a "novice" Family History Researcher, at … Continue reading #52Ancestors “Nearly Forgotten”

The Life and Times of Nicolina Elizabeth Stampa

March 19, 2020March 18, 2021 ~ Chiddicks Family Tree ~ 13 Comments

This is the fourth in my new series of blogs documenting the lives of my 2 x Great Grandparents and next up we have the very exotic sounding Nicolina Elizabeth Stampa. (Nicolina Elizabeth Stampa Photo from Cousin Eleanor) Nicolina was the youngest of eight children born to Italian born Father Dominicio Stampa and Mary Hair, … Continue reading The Life and Times of Nicolina Elizabeth Stampa

#52Ancestors “Popular”

March 18, 2020August 23, 2020 ~ Chiddicks Family Tree ~ 2 Comments

Welcome to week 12 of my Genealogy challenge, from the wonderful Amy Johnson Crow, of writing something about your Ancestors for a whole year, #52Ancestors in 52 weeks. This week the theme is "Popular", which is defined as "liked or admired by many people". I decided to look away from my tree this time and … Continue reading #52Ancestors “Popular”

#52Ancestors “Luck”

March 14, 2020August 23, 2020 ~ Chiddicks Family Tree ~ 9 Comments

It's now Week 11, of the wonderful Genealogy prompts from Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestor's in 52 weeks and this week we are looking at the subject of "Luck". We all need a little bit of "luck" sometimes with our Genealogy and sometimes it can come when we least expect it. I am always going … Continue reading #52Ancestors “Luck”

The Life and Times of Elizabeth Lake

March 9, 2020January 30, 2021 ~ Chiddicks Family Tree ~ 6 Comments

This is the third in my new series of blogs that covers the life stories of my 16 Great Great Grandparents, so let me introduce Elizabeth Lake. Elizabeth Lake was born 14th May 1845 in the Norfolk village of Attleborough, she was eldest of six children born to John Lake and Rebecca Lake nee Dixon. … Continue reading The Life and Times of Elizabeth Lake

#52Ancestors “Strong Woman”

March 7, 2020March 9, 2020 ~ Chiddicks Family Tree ~ 12 Comments

We are up to Week 10 and this week's theme, for the wonderful Amy Johnson Crow's #52Ancestors Challenge is, “Strong Woman". I think there is an assumption that a lot of our female Ancestors were strong women, probably because a lot of them look pretty fearsome in the old photographs and the stories that are … Continue reading #52Ancestors “Strong Woman”

‘Dear Paul’

March 6, 2020May 8, 2020 ~ Chiddicks Family Tree ~ 9 Comments

I am deeply honoured and humbled to be the new face behind Family Tree Magazine’s general miscellany page, known as ‘Dear Paul’. I would like to take the opportunity to thank my predecessors, ‘Dear Karen’ and ‘Dear Tom’ for all their hard work over the years, making the column such a loved and integral part … Continue reading ‘Dear Paul’

The Old Palace School WW2 Bombing Part 2

March 1, 2020June 16, 2021 ~ Chiddicks Family Tree ~ 47 Comments

This is the updated account of the Bombing of the Old Palace School in St. Leonard’s Street, Bow during WW2 and the sad loss of 32 Firemen and 2 Fire Women who were tragically killed during this raid. This is still today, the largest loss of Fire Brigade personnel, at one incident, in the History … Continue reading The Old Palace School WW2 Bombing Part 2