I wanted Trace your Roots to be...

Another kind writer friend, Susan Jones, has agree to place a 'Launch Day' article her wonderful blog.





When I sat down to write Trace your Roots I had great plans. I wanted the book to be packed with loads of useful genealogical tips. More than that, I wanted to help those who found they’d reached an impasse – as so many do when drawing up their family tree.

Find the full post HERE
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Broad Thoughts From A Home: TRACE YOUR ROOTS - a guest post by Maureen Vincent...

Hosted by Sue Barnard - fellow Crooked Cat author, and editor of TYR.


Broad Thoughts From A Home: TRACE YOUR ROOTS - a guest post by Maureen Vincent...: Today I'm delighted to welcome fellow Crooked Cat author Maureen Vincent-Northam, whose book Trace your Roots is published today by Cro...

The Writer's ABC Checklist: Trace Your Roots with @mvnortham

Thanks to Lorraine Mace for hosting me on her wonderful, and very useful, blog.




The Writer's ABC Checklist: Trace Your Roots with @mvnortham:   Today I am thrilled to host my old friend, Maureen Vincent-Northam, who is here to tell us about her excellent genealogy book,...

Talking to Family and War Letters

Another story of Nicola Robinson’s came about from talking to family members.

 

I discovered I had a great uncle who lived locally and I met him for the first time in his home. He was a lovely chap. He showed me some photos of himself, his mother, his brothers etc.

He was one of four brothers who fought in the Second World War. Sadly the youngest died on Dec 5th 1944 and is buried in Forli, Italy.

My Great Uncle Sid had kept the letters, which had been sent to my Great Grandmother. The official letter stated that her son been killed in action. Then there was a letter sent by the squadron leader and later another that told the family the lads had done a collection and had sent some money.

This was followed by a short note explaining that some additional monies had been collected and would be sent on later and that he also had his medals in his possession. It was very poignant and touching reading through these.

Cemetery at Forli

Photo courtesy of New Zealand War Graves Project

There was a lovely photo of two of the brothers, meeting up abroad because one had swapped sections to surprise his brother! Being war heroes was in their blood as their father was a staff sergeant and when he died in 1927 he had a ceremonious funeral where the guard rode their horses backwards and the bugler played the last post. This was detailed in the Oldham Chronicle.

A very useful site to reseach those who died during the two world wars is The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

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Google and Genes Reunited

What can you uncover when digging into your family history? My guest, Nicola Robinson tells us what she found while researching one afternoon.

My favourite story comes from using Google. My grandma was born Norah Kenworthy Hilton. Kenworthy was her mother’s maiden name (Rebecca Kenworthy).



Rebecca was born in Oldham but her parents had moved from Rishworth.

I was fortunate to have a wealth of information about them already; they'd been farmers for a long time and up until the early 1900s had occupied many farms including ‘Stott Hall Farm’ - the one that sits within the M62.

Nora and her father Thomas

So one afternoon, a bit bored of census checking, I googled ‘Kenworthy Stott Hall Farm’ and found a terrible tragedy. On this website I scrolled down the page and discovered a transcript of an old diary  which also records their deaths. Read it HERE


I've visited the graves in the churchyard and showed them to one of their great,   great grandchildren, who I met through Genes Reunited another great resource for anyone trying to find out more about their past.

Book Launch Party

Excited much! Trace your Roots now has a new publisher




And to launch the new, fully revised and updated book, we are having an online party on Facebook.

Join me on 19th June 2015 where there'll be virtual food, music, gossip, fun and give-aways!

Full details HERE

1901 Census

Have you taken a look at the 1901 census yet? Over 400 million people in England and Wales are to be discovered - your ancesters must be on there somewhere!

Check it out HERE

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