This week, I have been engaged in writing about manorial records, exploring their depth regarding landholding and community life from medieval England to the twentieth century. The process includes transcription, translation, and interpretation, revealing the historical context and intricacies of feudal systems. It's a rewarding endeavour, blending precise research with storytelling.

If you’ve ever traced a family through census records, you may have hit a confusing moment: the same household, the same street, but a different house number? Or the same house number and neighbours, but a completely different street name? Did the family move? Did the census taker make a mistake? Often, the answer is simpler—and sneakier. The street numbers or name, or both, changed!

The author grapples with genealogy challenges uncovering details about their great-grandfathers. The search involves overcoming 'brick walls' such as mismatched records and common surnames. Significant discoveries include familial connections and tragic histories, emphasising that genealogy requires patience, flexibility, and a broader perspective. Each finding adds depth to their family history research.

A Former Stable Hidden Among Victorian Houses in Putney This week, a house history project took me to a charming little converted Victorian stable in Putney, built in the late 1800s. Nestled among larger semi-detached Victorian homes, this small house has a fascinating past that reflects the transformation of Putney from open farmland to suburban London. The land on which the stable was built was originally part of Putney’s market gardens, documented in the Tithe Apportionment records of the 1840s.

This week offered a unique mix of ongoing research, from exploring Victorian female criminals in Surrey for an upcoming talk to delving into 17th-century deeds for Harmondsworth. Additionally, projects continue on a medieval cottage in Cranleigh, believed to be the first cottage hospital, enhancing local historical understanding.

This blog discusses the interconnectedness of family, house, and historical research, emphasizing the importance of genealogy in understanding ancestry. It provides practical tips for researching family histories, examining house histories through public records and historical context, and utilizing broader historical research to enrich personal narratives.

This blog is, in part, a New Year’s resolution. I’ve tried to start a blog more times than I care to admit. Each attempt began with enthusiasm, a few ideas sketched out...

ALT: a gold background with the words may this this year be filled with love and joy on it

Join researchers from the University of Exeter in person or online to help produce transcriptions of 25,000 Tudor, Stuart & Georgian wills.

With its rich historical background, Surrey once included areas now part of London, adding layers of complexity to genealogical research. A comprehensive resource, Tracing Your…

Staff working in galleries, libraries, archives and museums around the UK will soon be able to ask The National Archives for help funding community-led research projects, following a generous £1 milli...