Genealogy Chat

My parents divorced when I was nine, so I didn't know much about my dads side. I found my cousin via Friends Reunited - after 30 years! - and I have since discovered I am half Cockney! Quite a shocker for a Northern girl. I am now known as Bermondsey Babs! Its been a real thrill to find out who my ancestors were. Discovering each trait and realising that the things I do now are influenced genetically by them. Can't say I was too thrilled to learn my greats were Tanners and Fleshers (thats what it says!!) but knowing that great great grandad James Powell kept the world at his feet with his Coir mat weaving leaves me totally fulfilled lol

I couldn't agree more. I have bought so many books on miners and ag. labs just to try and find out what life for them was like. Who was the happiest? The ag. lab? Fresh air but low wages and few amenities or miners? Higher wages, more amenities? Poor working conditions and the prospect of death every day? Were they happy with their lot? On one branch I have a possible link to 1605 but prefer to stay (for the moment) at 1775 as they were farmers with up to 160 acres. Were they rich? Nooooo they were tenant farmers,(finding that info took weeks). So what was life like then. That's what I am researching now. I love to visit, time and money allowing, their churches, their houses if stilll there. I get a thrill (sad or what?) standing in the church porch and imagining my gggrandmother,or whoever fiddling with their veil just before they went in to marry. John

My sentiments exacly Patricia - what's the point of finding names and dates without knowing anything about the individuals - you might just as well not bother in my book, unless you know where and how they lived, perhaps even what their day to day activities would have entailed then you cannot really claim them as your ancestors can you? It's taking me ages to get past grt-grandparents as I am determined to recreate their lives as best I can, so I can fully claim them as "mine". Jacqui

I know what you mean the Death part of it can be depressing, but look on the positive side we can find so many answers to questions by reasearching, it helps to understand the way we are and any unusual traits that we have also any possible heiredatry ailments we may have. What makes me chuckle is how poor my rellies have been over the generations, it seems that none of them wanted to better themselves or create a better life for their kids. The more i am find the more i want to kno. Regards

Its the same with me,I seem to go for weeks without finding anyone or anything and then yesterday and today i have found 3 generations of the same family through just getting a death certificate and someones help with old census returns.Its just sad that a few of my ancesters children died before they became teenagers and some died in infancy

Over the last 2 days i have located 30+ rellies, its amazing you have weeks where you find nothing and then out the blue 1 name throws up so many rellies, I do feel rewarding for all the hard work of trolling through so many names and variantions, hope fully u too are having some good luck. Regards Pat