Success Stories

What can I say. With barely any details about my Nan and her mother, and a Mum who was desperately wishing she knew more about her Mum's life, family, and the secrets that kept them apart, I was starting to feel I'd never get anywhere. But then whilst watching Children In Need just one week ago, an email popped up from GR, and I decided to check against other people's family trees. I started with William Day, my great great grandad, because he was a definite from the 1881, 91 and 1901 censuses. Within minutes I'd found one of the right age born in Ockenden - it seemed too good to be true. Very nervous, I emailed off to the tree owner, Janice Plumb, giving her access to my tree. Now, a week later, mainly thanks to Janice but also with confirmation from Barry Seal and Karen Taplin (thanks guys!), me and my Mun suddenly have a whole other family. Through Janice we have found out that my Mum had 6 aunts and uncles, and that two are still alive. Janice's Mum Shelia is the cousin of my late Nan, and Barry is a cousin of hers too! A huge thanks to Janice and her Mum for the memories of my Nan and great Nan that they have shared; I now know that Nan made Janice's Mum's wedding cake and had her photo taken with a large hat on, which made them all laugh. They don't know what happened to the photo, but I now have that picture in my mind, which is very special. THANK YOU, Genes Reunited, and Janice and Sheila. There are still mysteries, but we have a so much better chance of solving them now. :-) Alison Runham