Every Family has a story to tell……….Welcome to mine
Private William Richards Crump was born in Birmingham in 1893, the youngest of two boys born to Minnie Crump. His baptism, alongside that of his older brother Francis, took place on 11 August 1894 at St James Church, Wandsworth. The brothers shared the unusual middle name Richards, which was almost certainly a quiet clue to the identity of their biological … Continue reading Before the Guns Fell Silent: The Final Days of Private Crump
In the summer of 2025, I travelled to the battlefields of the Western Front to pay tribute to three members of my extended family who gave their lives in the First World War. The experience was both moving and deeply humbling, walking among the countless white headstones, each one marking a life ended too soon … Continue reading In the Shadow of the Great War: Remembering William George Curtin
One of the unknown soldiers I promised to honour....... During the summer of 2025, I had the privilege of visiting the battlefields of the Western Front to honour and remember three members of my wider family who gave the ultimate sacrifice during the First World War. It was an emotional and humbling journey, walking among … Continue reading The Story of Second Lieutenant Clement John Byron, Honourable Artillery Company
From Orchard Fields to Flanders Fields: The Story of Thomas Wootton Thomas Wootton was born on March 26th, 18921, in the village of Byford, Herefordshire, the sixth oldest of eight children born to John and Frances Wootton. Raised on the family farm at Lower House, he attended Byford School from 1898 to 1906. A quiet … Continue reading The Farm Boy Who Went to War
From the Fields of Herefordshire to the Trenches of France When I think of the First World War, I don’t just picture the vast battlefields or the rows of white crosses that stretch endlessly into the horizon. For me, it is much more personal. Many of my ancestors fought and died on the battlefields of … Continue reading The Forgotten Faces of the Somme
From the Banks of the Thames to the Mud of Passchendaele: The Life and Loss of Harry Joseph Keyes Before the mud, the gunfire, and the chaos of the Western Front, before the thunder of artillery at Ypres silenced his young life, Harry Joseph Keyes was a boy growing up in the heart of working-class … Continue reading In the Shadow of Passchendaele: Remembering Private Keyes
A Journey Through Victorian Essex and Beyond In the spring of 1866, in the quiet rural village of South Ockendon, Essex, a young boy named William Chiddicks was born into a world poised on the brink of immense change. He was born on 18 March 18661, the first of seven children born to Matthew and Elizabeth Chiddicks (née Lake), at a … Continue reading In the Footsteps of William Chiddicks
About Forgotten Ancestors – Every family tree holds stories lost to time, distant relatives whose lives passed quietly, leaving barely a mark, but whose experiences shaped the generations that followed. In this series, I explore the lives of those forgotten ancestors, bringing their names, stories, and voices back into the light. “History remembers only the celebrated, genealogy … Continue reading Forgotten Ancestors: Remembering James Hallsey
Sometimes, we discover a story, and sometimes, the story discovers us. This is one of the most remarkable examples of serendipity I’ve encountered in over thirty years of family history research. So sit back, relax, and let me tell you a story..... Being recognised amongst friends and family as the keeper of all things “old,” … Continue reading Unearthing the Past: How an Old Ledger Revealed Hidden Family Secrets
Inspired by all the wonderful Genealogists on Substack, I have finally taken up the ‘Sixteen’ challenge and collated the stories of all my 'Sixteen' 2x Great-Grandparents into one convenient location. I don’t expect you to read them all, that is a big ask, but if you read just one of them, then I will be … Continue reading ‘Meet The 2x Great-Grandparents’
The Chiddicks Family Tree 