Every Family has a story to tell……….Welcome to mine
Killed in the Line of Duty Sapper John Perrins Service Number 1895467........... John Perrins was born on 16 June 1916 in Bolton, one of seven children born to parents, John Thomas Perrins and Sarah Ann Hurst. The Perrins family had spent many years living in the Little Lever area of Bolton and came from a … Continue reading Sapper John Perrins
Killed in the Line of Duty Sergeant Edward Joseph Greengrass Service Number 2210433........... Edward Joseph Greengrass was born on 15 April 1907 in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, the eldest of two children born to Edward William Greengrass and Elizabeth Augusta Jones. Edward and Elizabeth also had a daughter, Rose Elizabeth Greengrass who was born on … Continue reading Sergeant Edward Joseph Greengrass
The spirit of our ancestors lives on in each and every one of us, whether it's common family traits, inherited talents and skills or just family likeness, our ancestor's DNA is represented in all of us. Family History is more than a series of documents and certificates, it's a living, breathing entity and it's the … Continue reading We All Carry Inside Us The People Who Came Before Us
Sometimes we discover some fascinating stories whilst we are researching our family history and sometimes the stories find us. Now ordinarily you might wonder what my connection is to the story of an American Fighter Pilot who tragically died in WW2. So let me tell you about Arthur Leslie Brown and how his story found … Continue reading The Pilot’s Grave
Another iconic image and another tragic story that tells of a mother's love for her son and her blind obsession with "Bringing Him Home". But who was Anna Durie and what was the story behind her picture...... Anna Bella Peel was born on 13 November 1856 in Thornhill in Upper Canada, the second daughter of … Continue reading Bringing Him Home
This week I was delighted to be a guest on Dr. Michala Hulme's brand new podcast called 'Unearth The Past'. Unearth The Past takes a fresh and fun look at both history and family history and each week host, Dr. Michala Hulme is joined by special guests and will discuss the latest family history news … Continue reading Unearth The Past…………..
For those of you that enjoy a really good genealogy podcast series, then why not have a listen to The Family Histories Podcast by the wonderful Andrew Martin. If you are a family history addict, which I am assuming you might be, if you are reading this blog, then you will love the Family Histories … Continue reading The Family Histories Podcast
Sometimes we discover a story that's so remarkable that even though it's not a member of your own family, we feel compelled to make sure that the story is told. The photograph of the young boy standing outside the White Star Line offices in London, holding an Evening News poster announcing ‘Titanic Disaster Great Loss … Continue reading The Boy Behind the Titanic Photo: The Story of Edward (Ned) Parfett
Can you really truly know who you are, if you don't know where you came from? It's a simple enough question and one that I am sure that many family historians and probably many psychologists will have considered at some point. Even to the point of analysing why some people are so passionate and so … Continue reading Do You Know Who You Are?
A few years ago I was fortunate enough to visit the National Arboretum in Staffordshire, which holds over 300 memorials to those lives that have sadly been lost in conflict and civilian life. The Arboretum stands as a place which honours the fallen and recognises their service and their sacrifice for their country. It was first … Continue reading My Visit to The National Memorial Arboretum
