Category Archives: context in family history

Pitfalls in Researching a Very Old Ancestor

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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 …. ?

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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 … Continue reading

Local, Family and Social History – In Time and Place

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You may be wondering why there’s another post from me in August. Well, this is a fifth Monday and usually we have a guest blogger. The need to confirm a guest blogger for August fell off my “To Do” list in the catching-up phase after a month overseas. So, I decided to tell you about a conference being held here in Brisbane on 3-4 October which is Queensland’s first local, family, and social history conference.    In Time and Place, … Continue reading

A walk down memory lane

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I mentioned last time that I would be away on the Unlock the Past Baltic cruise in July. I also spent some time with my mother and brother in England before and after the cruise. Having now arrived home, it’s time to start catching up. Of all the things floating around in my mind I had to decide on the topic for this blog post. I have put aside my first attempt and decided to take a walk down memory … Continue reading

Researching place

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By Tiggy Johnson.   I have been trying to get back into some particular research for the last few weeks. I even have a pile of library books waiting for me, which I have renewed already. Twice! But there is something stopping me from opening the books, some kind of block.     Maybe it’s time related. If I start reading, I’ll have to put it down too soon to do something else, like go to work, or drive a … Continue reading