Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2025 i Family Tree UK

Live Memory is available via the MyHeritage website and/or the app, and the free credits allocation has been reset to provide the opportunity to try it out to everyone. Learn about the most recent developments and see instructions on how to use Live Memory on your own ancestor photos here: https://bit.ly/4oRwJqU. New effects include those of animating ancestors as superheroes and synchronised dancers.…

The RQG’s 2026 conference is due to take place on 25 April, at the Birmingham & Midland Institute, Birmingham. The conference theme is: Exploring the Past: Embracing the Future. For submission guidelines, see www.qualifiedgenealogists.org/2026-conference/call-for-papersand please note the call for paper deadline is 16 November. The conference will be an in-person event and tickets will go on sale in the autumn. (www.qualifiedgenealogists.org/2026-conference).…

This month I am back again with another round of genealogy gone wrong, so brace yourself for some mis-transcriptions that might make you laugh, raise an eyebrow, or cringe in sympathy. Nigel Sawyer kicks off our genealogical journey with a globe-trotting mystery. While researching his great-grandfather’s brother, George Sawyer, Nigel discovered that George had married a woman named Annie Hook in 1871 in Bodiam, Sussex. After George’s death in 1878, Annie remarried, this time to an Edward Payne, in 1880 at St. Paul’s Church in Chatham, Kent. However, when Nigel checked the 1891 Census record on The Genealogist, he encountered a puzzling detail: Annie Payne was listed as being born in Poulinset, Jamaica. This surprising twist suggested Caribbean roots that hadn’t surfaced in any previous family history research. But a…

Q: This year, 2025, is the year that we’re celebrating Railway 200. Why is this such good news? Dr Esbester: I love Railway 200, because this is a wonderful opportunity to see railway history really publicly. What’s really great about Railway 200 is the sheer volume of events and public interpretation activities that are taking place to mark the anniversary. (See https://railway200.co.uk/search-for-activities-and-events/) Q: Can you tell us a little about what happened two centuries ago that makes this such a momentous anniversary in railway history? Dr Esbester: It’s a really interesting time, because we can draw a starting point and say, the Stockton and Darlington Railway was the first public passenger steam-hauled railway journey (27 September 1825). Nothing just comes out of nowhere. There have been lots of developments that take us…

What responsibilities should we bear in mind when researching and preserving our family history in the current age? It’s a question that many of us will not give a moment’s thought to when getting started with our endeavours, so keen might we be to make progress, but it is nevertheless something that we should all become aware of, and make provision for, at the earliest opportunity. It’s a loaded question that packs in many other things that we should consider. Just who are we carrying out our research for? What standards are we adhering to in terms of the methodology of research? How are we addressing any privacy concerns that may arise in our endeavours? And how are we ensuring that our research will survive beyond us, if that is…

I spend a lot of time talking about DNA and I love sharing my experiences with it, but occasionally I wonder what really makes genetic genealogy work for me. Below I’ve distilled my thoughts into four areas which help me understand and use my DNA better. My objective It sounds a bit like Mission Impossible, but knowing what you’re trying to achieve (your mission, as it were) will focus how DNA is going to work. There are four main reasons people take a test and this could influence which test you use and how you will use it. Reason to test #1: The brick wall caused by illegitimacy This was my first mission. Find the father of my paternal grandfather. I didn’t know what I was doing when I took…

Can you identify the recipient of this Special Constabulary Medal? Q Here is a photo of a Special Constabulary Long Service Medal found amongst my late father’s possessions. The name of ‘Thomas Harding’ is engraved on the rim, but no other information. I cannot locate anyone with this surname in our family history and hope that one of your experts can assist. My father Norman Hough (1920-2012) was born and raised in the district of Rivington, midway between Bolton and Chorley, Lancashire. Unfortunately, there are no records online for this little-known medal. Can a medal expert provide a date range for this medal and identify any Thomas Hardings to whom the police medal could have been presented? Michael Hough A The Special Constabulary is a part-time unpaid voluntary section of…

The new records include: The Medical Register 1897; Medical Register 1906; Medical Register 1939; Medical Directory for Ireland 1856; Register of Nurses for Scotland 1947; and the Register of Nurses for Scotland 1948. Explore the record collections for details such as: qualifications, training, addresses and career histories. Mark Bayley, Head of Content at TheGenealogist, stated: “These directories provide a detailed snapshot of the lives of medical professionals, from the pioneers who broke barriers to the everyday practitioners who served their communities. For family historians, they offer an invaluable source of biographical detail that can bring your ancestor’s story to life.’ The records are available to Diamond subscribers to TheGenealogist (www.thegenealogist.co.uk).…

As of July 2025, Dr Sophie Kay stepped down from the role of writing the Certificate programmes in DNA and Genetic Genealogy, at the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies (IHGS). This will come as disappointing news to genealogists keen to develop their DNA learning and work towards a qualification in the field of genetic genealogy. Dr Sophie Kay (https://parchmentrustler.com/genetics/change-is-the-only-constant/): ‘Despite an ongoing dialogue and goodwill on both sides, it was not possible for myself and IHGS to reach a mutually acceptable contractual agreement.’ A spokesperson for the IHGS (www.ihgs.ac.uk) writes: ‘IHGS is ambitious in its plans to launch a very detailed freestanding DNA course in the future, that will support our current and future students to further develop their genealogy skills and knowledge around all aspects of family history.’…

The year 1841 was an important one for family historians. It was the year of the first full UK census; at least it was the first time that the UK census had recorded details of named individuals, but it was actually the fifth census to be taken in England, Wales and Scotland, and the fourth in Ireland. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when the story of the UK censuses begins. Perhaps it’s 3 December 1800 when the Bill that led to the taking of the 1801 Census was passed by Parliament, or 10 March 1801 when the momentous count was carried out? Or we might go back further to 30 March 1753, when a Bill was presented to Parliament by Thomas Potter, MP for St Germans in Cornwall, proposing an…

A TRAGIC LEGACY THE STORY OF THE TITANIC’S LOOKOUT FREDERICK FLEET REFRAMING ROOTS ‘HOW FAMILY HISTORY HELPED ME HEAL’ Our mission here at Family Tree is simple, we want to help you discover your family story. This goal informs everything we do, from our magazine to the masterclasses, courses, workbooks, podcast, webinars, and our online membership Family Tree Plus. As reading habits and technology continue to evolve, we’ve introduced new ways to help you on your family history adventure, as detailed here. So whether you prefer paper or digital, or like both, there’s a subscription option to suit you. OPTION 1 Online and print For the family historian who wants it all, Family Tree Plus Premium gives you a print magazine subscription, the annual Family History Handbook, and all the…

What is Railway Philately? Railway Philately is telling the story of the mail-and-rail connection, through stamps and postal markings. There are seven sub-groups that collectors specialise in: Thematics, Travelling Post Offices, Railway Station Offices, Newspaper Stamps, Railway Sub-Offices, Parcel Stamps and Railway Letter Stamps. Thematics: 1860 to date This is an extremely popular area of collecting, with the first generally accepted railway thematic stamp being from New Brunswick (now part of Canada) issued in 1860. Most countries have issued stamps with a railway theme, and continue to do so, even if there is no obvious connection between the country and the loco shown. Travelling Post Offices: 1838 to 2004 The first British intercity railway – the Liverpool and Manchester – opened in 1830 and almost immediately the Post Office began…

Like many people starting out in their family history research I kept my personal tree on paper and then added it to one of the family history websites. I soon realised that I also wanted a program where I could organise, record and store my research independently. My experience with software is with Family Historian, which is great, but I feel I have never used it to the full potential it offers. Why? There are too many excellent features on one page. I needed software with a simple and clear page to intuitively work from; I think I may have found the ideal solution with TreeView, let’s explore. I subscribe to TheGenealogist.co.uk, which I am quite a fan of, and it includes an online version of TreeView but also has…

The establishment of the New Model Army We’re going to start our coverage of the Army, at the time of the War of the Three Kingdoms, or as it is colloquially known The English Civil War (1643-1651). (It wasn’t only English units involved and it wasn’t particularly civil). When regiments were raised they were named after the colonel of the regiment, or the worthy who had raised the regiment, such as Colonel Cholmondeley’s Regiment. This was a practice of both the Royalist and Parliamentarian sides. At this time, there was no real standing army, only the county militias. These were the villagers and townsfolk who were balloted and then told to join the part-time army of the period. Many could pay to have their ballot transferred to another man, and…

From family history research to historical novel You have spent hours online with Ancestry or trawling through records at the various offices. You have visited the churches where your ancestors were buried and photographed the fonts where they were baptised. You have been on a DNA journey, have recorded your primary research findings on a database and drawn up your family trees. You have written a family history for your paternal and maternal families and distributed them amongst your extended family. What next? There comes a point, once you have completed everything you want to record, when a gaping hole is exposed in your leisure time. Some researchers find an outlet through local historical societies or museums. Others pursue the history of their homes or undertake research on behalf of…

ANCESTRAL RESEARCH • HERTFORDSHIRE and LONDON family history research (AGRA member). All enquiries welcome. Mrs Carolynn Boucher, 1 Ivinghoe Close, Chiltern Park, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL4 9JR; Tel: 01727-833664; email: Carolynn.Boucher@virginmedia.com • SCOTTISH ancestry researched. Friendly service by experienced researcher. All queries welcome. Contact Margaret Davidson (CSFHS), Grampian Ancestry Research, 6 Bayview Road, Inverbervie, Aberdeenshire DD10 0SH; Tel: 01561-361500; email: grampian.ancestry@btinternet.com • YORKSHIRE ancestry research. All enquiries welcome. £12 per hour. Over 40 years’ experience. SAE. Ruth Simpson, 52 King’s Mead, Pontefract, WF8 4EP; email: ruth-yorkshire@sky.com; web: http://ruth-yorkshire.wix.com/genealogy BOOKS • BOOKS ON RURAL LIFE. Leading specialist in old books on rural life difficult to find elsewhere. Rural Recollections; Local History; Rural Occupations; Rural and Agricultural History; Cottage Life; Folklore, Mills, Gypsies and all aspects of rural life as it used to be… Large stock. Free catalogues. Postal only. Established 1970.…

The database is built on the index cards created by genealogist, the late Patrick Smythe-Wood, and largely covers the Northern Ireland counties of Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, Derry/Londonderry, Donegal, Down, Fermanagh, Monaghan, and Tyrone. It covers 11,600 index records, referencing about 20,000 individuals, and spans 1772-1900. Details provided via the database include: individual’s name, address, spouse, parent(s), date/year of birth, death or marriage, religious denomination, and names of other family members and relations. To access the database for free, in order to check for the prevalence of particular first name and surname combinations, non-members may visit www.irishancestors.ie/search/smythe-wood_news/ Logged-in members can access the full database at www.irishancestors.ie/unique-resources Resources available to logged-in members include: BMD indexes, census and church records, directories, journals and newsletters, family histories and papers, wills, books and manuscripts, and…

A new collection of 14,179 entries, for babies born in workhouses in Ireland between 1872 and 1874 became available on Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) in July 2025. The infants listed in the index were either born in a workhouse or they were brought to the workhouse before their first birthdays. Records in this collection may include: the infant’s name, name of the Poor Law Union, inferred birth year, health condition (the latter was categorised as ‘discharged’, ‘healthy’, ‘in hospital’, or ‘dead’). It is suggested on Ancestry that, while the index doesn’t have names of parents or images of the original documents, it will nonetheless provide useful pointers, helping family historians to discover more details about an ancestor’s infancy in the workhouse or clues to their life thereafter. The index is based on…

This month we start off by looking at the value of personal storytelling and the power of preserving personal memories, which was inspired by a wonderful quote from Denyse Allen, of Chronicle Makers http://chroniclemakers.com/: ‘Millions of people do genealogy research, but few write about what they find.’ This powerful quote reminds us that while uncovering our roots and history can be fascinating, it’s equally important to document our own stories, the memories, moments, and milestones that make up our individual journeys. After all, if we don’t record them, who will? ‘Millions of people do genealogy research, but few write about what they find’ There’s no strict method, no rulebook. Often, one memory sparks another, and before long, a whole lifetime unfolds across the page. A perfect example of this comes…

It’s always the danger, when you go haring off down a particular path, that you skip something important. Because in my rush to find all the censuses for my 2x great-granddad Thomas Tonge, born to single mum Sarah Tonge in 1835, I overlooked one key event – Thomas’s marriage. And now, I’m sitting staring at an image of the parish register and shaking my head in amazement. Bachelor Thomas Tonge, a 22-year-old turner, married spinster Maria Hamer, four years his senior, on 2 February 1857. The wedding took place at All Saints Church in Elton near Bury, and Maria’s father was a bookkeeper called Thomas Hamer. All good. But it’s the box above, for the bridegroom’s father, that I can’t take my eyes off. Instead of the blank space I…

‘DNA isn’t a magic bullet,’ says DNA Detective Michelle Leonard. ‘Sometimes people think it’s going to be, and they think it’s going to “throw up the answers”.’ Occasionally this happens, ‘if you’re really lucky’, but, explains Michelle, ‘for most of the time, for most people, DNA takes a lot of work. You have to understand the kind of work you need to put in, and the journey you need to take, to get to your answer’. What can it feel like to get those DNA test results back? ‘Oftentimes,’ continues Michelle, ‘people take a DNA test, and see this wall of names and cM numbers, and it’s overwhelming.’ It can be really hard to work out how to begin making sense of your DNA test results and get clarity on…

MEDIEVAL RECORDS FOR THE GENEALOGIST & LOCAL HISTORIAN 1066-1485 Tis is one in a series of articles; the intention is to provide an overview of useful family and local history records in existence, covering the period 1066-1485. Each article can be enjoyed as a standalone read, but the maximum benefit will be enjoyed by reading the entire series. The series will include leads and resources for all countries within the British Isles, while the case study woven through the articles is that of an English parish, Stannington, Northumberland, north-east England. Let’s get started. So far in the series we have covered: Family Tree July issue: an overview of the possibilities of local and family history research in the medieval period, including an explanation of feudal society, glossaries for period land and…

Peter Day asks: I have an idea that the child in this photograph is my grandmother. Whilst genealogists and other organisations use ears as an aid to identification, here I am sticking my neck out by relying on eyebrows! The child’s gaze reminds me strongly of the perpetually surprised expression of my lovely nanny (born Jan. 1894). Her mother was Maria Emma Faint (born Dec. 1864). If I’m correct, this photo would be around 1896. However, if I stick to inherited eyebrows, and go back one generation, the mother would be Maria Heall (born c. 1828) and the child would be Maria Emma Faint (born Dec. 1864). To my untutored eye, there are few clues in the photograph. Can you bring your knowledge to bear here please? Jayne Shrimpton answers:…

Iindulged recently in one of those Facebook games where you upload a photo, and AI tells you what you might have looked like in another lifetime, as Cleopatra, a Halloween witch, or even just an earlier historical era. Sometimes the likeness is uncanny, sometimes not so much. A similar thing happens with artificial intelligence used by repair and enhancement software to colourise photographs. At best, as in older black and white images, it takes one’s breath away, so beautifully accurate when compared to the original. But it can also be disappointing, like looking at strangers. I imagine it has much to do with the original photograph. I uploaded a recent selfie with white hair, creases, crinkles and all, to see what I might have looked like in WWII. (I would…