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Category Archives: Genealogy

Who Was Harriet Horlock? Part 3: Harriet’s Secret Is Revealed!

According to family lore a mysterious relation called Harriet had a royal lovechild, Violet, who became a silent movie star. In 2021, I received a startling message from someone who could finally reveal the true identity of Violet’s father …

Posted bydigancestorsJune 4, 2022June 5, 2022Posted inGenealogy, Stories3 Comments on Who Was Harriet Horlock? Part 3: Harriet’s Secret Is Revealed!

The brother who never came home

King's Royal Rifles Corp Memorial

Brothers Harold and Neville Underwood fought in WW1. One received a gallantry medal; the other was a POW. Only one of them came home.

Posted bydigancestorsNovember 15, 2021January 24, 2022Posted inGenealogy, Social History, Stories3 Comments on The brother who never came home

Five reasons why ancestors used surnames as middle names

Why did our ancestors sometimes give their children surnames as middle names? Here are five reasons I’ve found in my family tree.

Posted bydigancestorsOctober 29, 2021March 19, 2022Posted inGenealogy, Social History6 Comments on Five reasons why ancestors used surnames as middle names

Polly Smith & ‘the Gosling’ (Servants & Employers Part 1)

Edwardian servant

My great grandmother Polly Smith worked as a domestic servant for Nicholas Gosselin aka ‘The Gosling’ — head of the Irish Special Branch.

Posted bydigancestorsSeptember 28, 2021February 26, 2022Posted inGenealogy, Social History, Stories6 Comments on Polly Smith & ‘the Gosling’ (Servants & Employers Part 1)

Millicent Gifford & D’Arcy de Ferrars (Servants & Employers Part 2)

Millicent Gifford left a mining family in the Forest of Dean to work as a cook for a singer, composer and organiser of grand Elizabethan style pageants.

Posted bydigancestorsSeptember 28, 2021October 9, 2021Posted inGenealogy, Social History, Stories4 Comments on Millicent Gifford & D’Arcy de Ferrars (Servants & Employers Part 2)

‘Peculiar’ & ‘Unnatural’ Crimes (Part 1)

‘Wilfully murdered by his mother’: In 1851 Fanny Talmer was accused of murdering her nine week old son Henry in Amersham workhouse.

Posted bydigancestorsApril 13, 2021May 28, 2022Posted inGenealogy, Social History, StoriesTags:infanticide7 Comments on ‘Peculiar’ & ‘Unnatural’ Crimes (Part 1)

‘Peculiar’ & ‘Unnatural’ Crimes (Part 2)

In 1867 Richard Talmer was charged with an ‘unnatural crime’ along with fellow workhouse inmate William Jennings.

Posted bydigancestorsApril 13, 2021July 20, 2021Posted inGenealogy, Social History, Stories5 Comments on ‘Peculiar’ & ‘Unnatural’ Crimes (Part 2)

Blazing Dresses (Part 1)

A look at the dangers that fire presented to 19th century women, such as my ancestor Anne Benwell, whose dress caught fire in 1818.

Posted bydigancestorsJanuary 12, 2021May 28, 2022Posted inGenealogy, Social History, Stories1 Comment on Blazing Dresses (Part 1)

Blazing Dresses (Part 2)

In the 19th century, numerous women were injured and killed when their dresses caught fire, like my ancestor Eliza Maultby.

Posted bydigancestorsJanuary 12, 2021April 13, 2021Posted inGenealogy, Social History, Stories1 Comment on Blazing Dresses (Part 2)

Alfred Munday: ‘an expert orchid grower’

Alfred Munday led Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s orchid collection for 36 years.

Posted bydigancestorsDecember 28, 2020January 8, 2021Posted inGenealogy, Stories9 Comments on Alfred Munday: ‘an expert orchid grower’

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