Dai Davies of GenealCymru
@genealcymru.bsky.social
🏴 🏳️🌈 Welsh Genealogist. Anthropologist. They/Them. Autistic with depression.
Free #Genealogy videos on Youtube: http://youtube.com/c/GenealCymru
For upcoming talks, client work, & blog: https://genealcymru.com/
Free #Genealogy videos on Youtube: http://youtube.com/c/GenealCymru
For upcoming talks, client work, & blog: https://genealcymru.com/
Pinned
The Ancestors Lost by Suicide Commemoration Project
Welcome to the Ancestors Lost by Suicide Commemoration Project. This is a limited blog series in the form of short biographies recounting the lives of all of my ancestors who died by suicide, all o…
genealcymru.com
Announcing the Ancestors Lost By Suicide Commemoration Project! Over the next year I'm releasing 1 biography a month for each of my ancestors who died by suicide. My goal is to celebrate their lives & contributions to their loved ones & communities. genealcymru.com/albsc-project/ #Genealogy
A snippet of when they auctioned off my 7x great grandma's nephew's books in 1826 in Neath. It may have been around this time that he was put in an asylum. It'd be so cool if one of the catalogues of all his stuff survived. #Genealogy
November 29, 2025 at 1:42 AM
A snippet of when they auctioned off my 7x great grandma's nephew's books in 1826 in Neath. It may have been around this time that he was put in an asylum. It'd be so cool if one of the catalogues of all his stuff survived. #Genealogy
Reposted by Dai Davies of GenealCymru
*small embarrassed voice*
A little plug for my article on Devon book sales c. 1700, which has gone online open access. tl;dr book auctions weren't just a London/Oxbridge thing: a flourishing second-hand book market centred on Exeter included auctions from the 1680s.
doi.org/10.1093/libr...
A little plug for my article on Devon book sales c. 1700, which has gone online open access. tl;dr book auctions weren't just a London/Oxbridge thing: a flourishing second-hand book market centred on Exeter included auctions from the 1680s.
doi.org/10.1093/libr...
A Provincial Market in Second-Hand Books: Book Sales in Devon, 1688–1725
Abstract. Comparatively little is known about England’s early book-auction trade outside of London and the university towns, with few catalogues surviving
doi.org
November 27, 2025 at 9:31 AM
*small embarrassed voice*
A little plug for my article on Devon book sales c. 1700, which has gone online open access. tl;dr book auctions weren't just a London/Oxbridge thing: a flourishing second-hand book market centred on Exeter included auctions from the 1680s.
doi.org/10.1093/libr...
A little plug for my article on Devon book sales c. 1700, which has gone online open access. tl;dr book auctions weren't just a London/Oxbridge thing: a flourishing second-hand book market centred on Exeter included auctions from the 1680s.
doi.org/10.1093/libr...
Today I started reading a really cool article about literacy in England, Scotland, "and" Wales (they mention Wales like twice in the whole thing). But I learned that the gov had annual stats on how many people could sign their name at marriage starting in the 1840s. So cool! #Genealogy
November 27, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Today I started reading a really cool article about literacy in England, Scotland, "and" Wales (they mention Wales like twice in the whole thing). But I learned that the gov had annual stats on how many people could sign their name at marriage starting in the 1840s. So cool! #Genealogy
Reposted by Dai Davies of GenealCymru
We're already heading towards our mid-season episode (?!), so here's a little re-cap of where we're up to...
We started of course with our Season 10 trailer.. yes TEN!
familyhistoriespodcast.com/2025/11/07/s...
#genealogy #ancestry #trailer #podcast #FamilyHistory
We started of course with our Season 10 trailer.. yes TEN!
familyhistoriespodcast.com/2025/11/07/s...
#genealogy #ancestry #trailer #podcast #FamilyHistory
Season 10 arrives! - The Family Histories Podcast
The tenth Season of The Family Histories Podcast has arrived.... with 8 guests across 7 brand new episodes!
familyhistoriespodcast.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:48 PM
We're already heading towards our mid-season episode (?!), so here's a little re-cap of where we're up to...
We started of course with our Season 10 trailer.. yes TEN!
familyhistoriespodcast.com/2025/11/07/s...
#genealogy #ancestry #trailer #podcast #FamilyHistory
We started of course with our Season 10 trailer.. yes TEN!
familyhistoriespodcast.com/2025/11/07/s...
#genealogy #ancestry #trailer #podcast #FamilyHistory
I found 3 new direct ancestors last night on my Grandma's side. More of her "French" ancestors named Ulrich, Friedrich, and Niclaus. #Genealogy
November 26, 2025 at 12:58 PM
I found 3 new direct ancestors last night on my Grandma's side. More of her "French" ancestors named Ulrich, Friedrich, and Niclaus. #Genealogy
#Genealogy Question: Does anyone know if you can use wax seals to trace a family line? Like was it common to inherit a wax seal from a parent & then use it yourself? Or were they typically all unique & individual?
November 24, 2025 at 1:09 PM
#Genealogy Question: Does anyone know if you can use wax seals to trace a family line? Like was it common to inherit a wax seal from a parent & then use it yourself? Or were they typically all unique & individual?
Reposted by Dai Davies of GenealCymru
What a marathon it was getting all those wills ordered! I’ve spent so long over the last couple of weeks checking burials, National Probate index, & trawling through over 700 people from my family tree that I feel quite exhausted now! Anyone else order any for their OPS? #OnePlaceWednesday
kermit the frog is using a typewriter in a messy room .
ALT: kermit the frog is using a typewriter in a messy room .
media.tenor.com
November 19, 2025 at 7:03 PM
What a marathon it was getting all those wills ordered! I’ve spent so long over the last couple of weeks checking burials, National Probate index, & trawling through over 700 people from my family tree that I feel quite exhausted now! Anyone else order any for their OPS? #OnePlaceWednesday
New entry to the Ancestors Lost by Suicide Project talking abt what little is known of the life of Timothy Davies of Lampeter. He's the last of 3 from his family included in the project. Also links to resources on how to support youth having a rough time. #Genealogy genealcymru.com/2025/11/14/a...
Timothy Davies of High Street, Lampeter (1838–1871)
Timothy Davies was born about 1838 in the town of Lampeter, Cardiganshire, Wales.[1] He was the second son of Charlotte Davies and Samuel Davies, who were drapers and ran a general store on High St…
genealcymru.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:33 PM
New entry to the Ancestors Lost by Suicide Project talking abt what little is known of the life of Timothy Davies of Lampeter. He's the last of 3 from his family included in the project. Also links to resources on how to support youth having a rough time. #Genealogy genealcymru.com/2025/11/14/a...
Turns out, the reason I've been having a hard time writing over the past couple of weeks is cause I had a whole 1000 words on a different topic sitting on my mind waiting for me to write them. So they're written now & a video on a 18th C. Welsh hero is in the works! Care to guess who? #Genealogy
November 18, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Turns out, the reason I've been having a hard time writing over the past couple of weeks is cause I had a whole 1000 words on a different topic sitting on my mind waiting for me to write them. So they're written now & a video on a 18th C. Welsh hero is in the works! Care to guess who? #Genealogy
I've updated my email signature, is there any way I could be more clear? I'm really sick of constantly being misgendered for just no reason. Email etiquette is so bad—I don't know why people are inventing titles for me.
November 17, 2025 at 2:13 PM
I've updated my email signature, is there any way I could be more clear? I'm really sick of constantly being misgendered for just no reason. Email etiquette is so bad—I don't know why people are inventing titles for me.
Reposted by Dai Davies of GenealCymru
With the insane price rise of wills from UK Gov tomorrow, I'm almost relieved only one quarter of my family is English, and left no identifiable post 1858 wills.
This is going to massively affect #genealogy and researchers of #oneplacestudies. There seems to be nothing UK Gov won't hike. ☹️
This is going to massively affect #genealogy and researchers of #oneplacestudies. There seems to be nothing UK Gov won't hike. ☹️
November 16, 2025 at 11:11 PM
With the insane price rise of wills from UK Gov tomorrow, I'm almost relieved only one quarter of my family is English, and left no identifiable post 1858 wills.
This is going to massively affect #genealogy and researchers of #oneplacestudies. There seems to be nothing UK Gov won't hike. ☹️
This is going to massively affect #genealogy and researchers of #oneplacestudies. There seems to be nothing UK Gov won't hike. ☹️
My current #Genealogy riddle:
Jacob's nephew is John. John's brother is William. William's cousin is David. David is Jacob's brother. What's actually going on?
Jacob's nephew is John. John's brother is William. William's cousin is David. David is Jacob's brother. What's actually going on?
November 16, 2025 at 12:48 PM
My current #Genealogy riddle:
Jacob's nephew is John. John's brother is William. William's cousin is David. David is Jacob's brother. What's actually going on?
Jacob's nephew is John. John's brother is William. William's cousin is David. David is Jacob's brother. What's actually going on?
The sad thing is that there IS a graded price structure, just we don't benefit from it. Large legal firms will still get to pay £1.5, while they bleed family historians (and everyone else) dry. Glad you got your orders done! Everyone remember to send in your emails to oppose the change! #Genealogy
Your countdown warning, along with my thoughts tonight about the probate price increase
#Probate #FamilyHistory #LocalHistory #OnePlaceStudy #OneNameStudy #WW1 #Wills
wp.me/p4Cet3-5Ua
#Probate #FamilyHistory #LocalHistory #OnePlaceStudy #OneNameStudy #WW1 #Wills
wp.me/p4Cet3-5Ua
Beat the Probate Price Rise – Is there a Fairer System?
As of Monday 17 November 2025, the price or ordering your family history probate documents via the government’s Find A Will service will increase from £1.50 to £16.00. That’s an eye-watering rise o…
wp.me
November 16, 2025 at 12:17 PM
The sad thing is that there IS a graded price structure, just we don't benefit from it. Large legal firms will still get to pay £1.5, while they bleed family historians (and everyone else) dry. Glad you got your orders done! Everyone remember to send in your emails to oppose the change! #Genealogy
Reposted by Dai Davies of GenealCymru
My Elusive Ancestors @pharostutors.bsky.social online course starts Monday, still room for more - Come and find those pesky mobile ancestors. Sledge-hammer at the ready to break down #genealogy brick walls www.pharostutors.com/elusive-ance... #familyhistory
Online Course | Migration in British Isles | Pharos Tutors
This course introduces migration theories and provides strategies to help track down the origins of ancestors who moved within the British Isles.
www.pharostutors.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:25 AM
My Elusive Ancestors @pharostutors.bsky.social online course starts Monday, still room for more - Come and find those pesky mobile ancestors. Sledge-hammer at the ready to break down #genealogy brick walls www.pharostutors.com/elusive-ance... #familyhistory
Reposted by Dai Davies of GenealCymru
#genealogy #FamilyHistory #LocalHistory #OnePlaceStudies #OneNameStudies
Heads-up to anyone ordering wills from the E&W Probate search service. I've had one case so far where I got negative search results. I was able to fetch the page I needed by searching for a different surname on the same page.
Heads-up to anyone ordering wills from the E&W Probate search service. I've had one case so far where I got negative search results. I was able to fetch the page I needed by searching for a different surname on the same page.
November 14, 2025 at 10:54 PM
#genealogy #FamilyHistory #LocalHistory #OnePlaceStudies #OneNameStudies
Heads-up to anyone ordering wills from the E&W Probate search service. I've had one case so far where I got negative search results. I was able to fetch the page I needed by searching for a different surname on the same page.
Heads-up to anyone ordering wills from the E&W Probate search service. I've had one case so far where I got negative search results. I was able to fetch the page I needed by searching for a different surname on the same page.
Well, I finished ordering all my wills for the next 4 years. Wasn't expecting to have to spend all that money at the same time... But otherwise it'd be all my fun spending for the next 40 years, so I guess it's okay. Make sure to send your email to the MoJ to oppose their price increase! #Genealogy
November 14, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Well, I finished ordering all my wills for the next 4 years. Wasn't expecting to have to spend all that money at the same time... But otherwise it'd be all my fun spending for the next 40 years, so I guess it's okay. Make sure to send your email to the MoJ to oppose their price increase! #Genealogy
Reposted by Dai Davies of GenealCymru
My ancestors weren't particularly wealthy apart from some of my Marner line. Last night I ordered 8 post 1858 wills from the government website which cost me a mere £12. If I order the same wills from next Monday it will cost me an eye watering £128.🌳
#genealogy
#familyhistory
#genealogy
#familyhistory
November 13, 2025 at 7:36 AM
My ancestors weren't particularly wealthy apart from some of my Marner line. Last night I ordered 8 post 1858 wills from the government website which cost me a mere £12. If I order the same wills from next Monday it will cost me an eye watering £128.🌳
#genealogy
#familyhistory
#genealogy
#familyhistory
Help protect our access to historical English & Welsh wills! Follow the link (genealcymru.com/2025/11/12/p...) to a template you can use to email the UK Ministry of Justice (mojfeespolicy@Justice.gov.uk) to oppose their 1000% price increase for buying wills! See below for the email I sent #Genealogy
Protect our Access to Wills!
Do you want to help protect our access to Welsh and English wills? Family historians use wills all the time and our ability to access them through the Probate Search Service is an invaluable boon t…
genealcymru.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Help protect our access to historical English & Welsh wills! Follow the link (genealcymru.com/2025/11/12/p...) to a template you can use to email the UK Ministry of Justice (mojfeespolicy@Justice.gov.uk) to oppose their 1000% price increase for buying wills! See below for the email I sent #Genealogy
I've now ordered 24/35 of my last historical wills (with a few branches of my tree left to check), before they raise the price of them by over 1000% to £16. Paying £52.5 today for what will cost £560 next week. I feel bad for the #OnePlaceStudy people! #Genealogy
November 11, 2025 at 1:08 PM
I've now ordered 24/35 of my last historical wills (with a few branches of my tree left to check), before they raise the price of them by over 1000% to £16. Paying £52.5 today for what will cost £560 next week. I feel bad for the #OnePlaceStudy people! #Genealogy
Today I go through all my research to make a list of all the Welsh & English wills to buy before they increase the price 10x. My letter's also written to send the MoJ to challenge them on how they haven't considered the #Genealogy community again & are threatening our work.
November 9, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Today I go through all my research to make a list of all the Welsh & English wills to buy before they increase the price 10x. My letter's also written to send the MoJ to challenge them on how they haven't considered the #Genealogy community again & are threatening our work.
Reposted by Dai Davies of GenealCymru
Series Ten arrives! familyhistoriespodcast.com/2025/11/07/s...
Season 10 arrives! - The Family Histories Podcast
The tenth Season of The Family Histories Podcast has arrived.... with 8 guests across 7 brand new episodes!
familyhistoriespodcast.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Series Ten arrives! familyhistoriespodcast.com/2025/11/07/s...
I'm starting to understand why Americans think Welsh #Genealogy is so hard. My colonial ancestors immigrated in the 1750s & there's just a whole book listing every colonist & every early source they appear in & I just have to trace each surname down to the people I know? That's wild haha
November 7, 2025 at 1:12 PM
I'm starting to understand why Americans think Welsh #Genealogy is so hard. My colonial ancestors immigrated in the 1750s & there's just a whole book listing every colonist & every early source they appear in & I just have to trace each surname down to the people I know? That's wild haha
We stopped them from destroying the original copies of our ancestors' wills a few years ago. Any chance we can band together to push back against this change too? #Genealogy
November 4, 2025 at 2:03 PM
We stopped them from destroying the original copies of our ancestors' wills a few years ago. Any chance we can band together to push back against this change too? #Genealogy
UPDATE: More research needed, but I'm pretty sure they're also 1st cousins once removed. This is certainly cutting down on the research I'll have to do! #Genealogy
Last night, I discovered that my great grandparents, who we already knew were 2nd cousins, are also 4th cousins! Pedigree collapse! Pedigree collapse! #Genealogy
November 4, 2025 at 12:44 PM
UPDATE: More research needed, but I'm pretty sure they're also 1st cousins once removed. This is certainly cutting down on the research I'll have to do! #Genealogy
Last night, I discovered that my great grandparents, who we already knew were 2nd cousins, are also 4th cousins! Pedigree collapse! Pedigree collapse! #Genealogy
November 4, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Last night, I discovered that my great grandparents, who we already knew were 2nd cousins, are also 4th cousins! Pedigree collapse! Pedigree collapse! #Genealogy