Category Archives: context in family history

Where were you when …. ?

Posted on by June 10, 2017

I’ve previously written about putting our ancestors’ lives in context so that they become more meaningful, especially when we’re writing a family history or a biography of a particular ancestor. The importance of context came home to me earlier this year when I read a book which focussed on events in a particular period. It caused me to think (yet again) about how to write up my research.   1960s montage For instance, can you remember where you were, who … Continue reading

From family history research to a family history

Posted on by December 30, 2016

What colour is your elephant? A family history is like an elephant – huge and impossible to digest in one piece. One way of reducing the writing task to a manageable level is to consider it a compilation of smaller parts or chapters rather than as a whole. Also you don’t have to do everything in one sitting – pick one part at a time. It helps to set aside a regular time for writing – no phone calls, social … Continue reading

Moments in time: British ancestors in history

Posted on by April 11, 2016

I recently presented a paper entitled Moments in time: British ancestors in history at GSQs mini-seminar Putting your ancestors in context. As part of this presentation I had developed a timeline of significant events in British history which probably impacted on our ancestors’ lives. Several attendees expressed interest in the timeline and so I distributed an extended version. The timeline may also be included in Generation. When I was developing the timeline, there seemed to be some broad headings that … Continue reading

Pitfalls in Researching a Very Old Ancestor

Posted on by January 18, 2016

Location of Lorenzago di Cadore Amongst the trickiest part of researching a family tree that extends back many generations is the temptation to read history backwards. One of my earliest ancestors, Oliviero DeMichiel (1535-1568) lived in the village of Lorenzago in the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains of northeastern Italy. As I tried to write about Oliviero’s daily life my 21st Century assumptions about society (education, sanitation, transport, art and culture, technology, etc) kept getting in the way. I could catalogue … Continue reading

Where were you when …. ?

Posted on by January 11, 2016

This title is a bit of a misnomer because I had originally intended to write about something else. It’s funny, though, how the ideas and words seem to take over once you get into writing mode. However, the idea behind the title is still relevant although a better title might be “Where were your English and Welsh ancestors in 1939?” It can often be difficult to trace more recent family members due to restricted access to records. So, the long-awaited … Continue reading