It recently occurred to me that many of you might not know that I write a regular column in Family Tree magazine here in the U.K., called ‘Dear Paul’.
What is ‘Dear Paul’?
Well, it’s a genealogy miscellany column, a bit of a treasure chest, really, where I get to share some of the quirky, surprising, moving, or downright funny discoveries that pop up while researching family history. Think of it as the lighter side of genealogy, although there are some emotional stories to be told, of course, as well. Best of all, we get to uncover fascinating and surprising stories together, hopefully bringing a smile to your face in the process.
Over the years, readers have written in with everything from census oddities and eyebrow-raising parish register entries to tales of long-lost relatives reuniting under astonishing circumstances. And then there are the mysteries: the small anomalies that don’t quite make sense until you follow the clues, and inevitably you fall down one of those irresistible research rabbit holes.
That’s one of the joys of writing the column: you never quite know where a story will take you. One minute you’re looking into a 19th-century birth record, and the next you’re reading about a Victorian bigamist who married three sisters in succession, or a chimney sweep who turned out to be a violin prodigy. It’s a reminder that history isn’t dry, it’s human, it can lead to completely unexpected discoveries, and is more often than not, incredibly entertaining.
So Why This Blog Post?
Quite simply, I’d love to hear from you. I’m always on the lookout for intriguing family history tales to feature in future issues of Family Tree Magazine. Whether it’s a curious document you’ve stumbled across, a scandal buried deep in the family tree, or just an old photo that sparked an unforgettable story, please don’t keep it to yourself!
If you have something you’d like to share, please do get in touch. Not only might your story appear in the magazine, but you and your ancestor will also get a well-deserved mention.
To give you a taste of the kind of material that appears in the column, here’s an excerpt from a previous edition:
So, whether your family tree has a few curious branches or an entire forest of surprises, I’d love to hear what you’ve uncovered. Maybe it’s a tale that’s been passed down through generations, or perhaps it’s something you only just discovered, a scandalous will, an ancestor with a secret life, or an entry in the 1911 census that made you laugh out loud. Whatever it is, if it made you stop and say, “Now that’s interesting!”, chances are it would make a great addition to the column.
Please send any submissions to:
📧 dearpaul@family-tree.co.uk
Don’t worry if your story isn’t fully polished. Just send me the basics, and I’ll do the digging and the writing! Whether it’s a few lines or a fully fledged story, I’d be thrilled to hear from you.
After all, it’s often those little unexpected finds that lead us to uncover some real ‘Genealogy Gems’. And that’s what I love most about family history: it’s not just about who we come from, it’s about the stories we uncover along the way. Those hidden lives, whispered tales, and long-forgotten characters are waiting patiently in the records for someone to notice them again.
So go on, dust off those documents, open up those old photo albums, and let’s see what treasures you’ve got tucked away.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Where the magic happens…….. 🌳✨
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