Our ancestors are part of us – both genetically and emotionally. We often see physical resemblances in families, but other details including choices of names, occupations and residence can also have patterns. Knowing our ancestors’ stories can help us understand why we make some of the choices we do. In my experience, family history can provide insight into the things we believe we know but have been unable to prove. Whilst genealogy is a pedigree – list of names, dates and locations showing how individuals are related, the incorporation of personal stories and historical details can build your unique family history.
“So where do you come from?”
“Oxford, of course!”
This conversation was the starting point for a journey through three hundred years of history to rural Northamptonshire where both the maternal and paternal lines originated. The story of this family records the influence of non-conformism, the economic and social impact of the railways, migration within the British Isles and British Empire and the increasing opportunities for women outside the home in the Nineteenth Century. It also took us to someone who took part in the opening of the extension of the Bodleian Library in Oxford by King George VI on 24 October 1946 and the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
You probably know the names of your ancestors in the last hundred years. Do you know who these people really were, where they lived and what they did in their lives? I can research your family history and provide you with your family’s unique story.