If you’ve previously logged into my page and are bewildered today, it’s because I’ve introduced a new look to my blog. For some time I’ve been feeling that my blog is a bit “squashed” and made it harder to read. Hopefully there’s not too much open space now.. Let me know what you think…is it … More Time for a new blog look
The topic for Week 31 in Amy Coffin’s and Geneablogger’s 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History series is: Grandparents’ House. Describe your grandparents’ house. Was it big or small? How long did they live there? If you do not know this information, feel free to describe the house of another family member you remember … More 52 weeks of personal genealogy and history: Week 31: Grandparents’ House: More charming than George Clooney?
Geneabloggers tells us that today is Bagpipe Appreciation Day so with bagpipes in my blood stream how could I let this go. I’ve posted before about my McCorkindale pipers, my grandmother’s brothers ..if you missed that post please have a look at the photos which I think are so evocative. But to branch out today … More Bagpipe Appreciation Day
Randy Seaver’s Saturday Night Genealogy Fun included making a “Heritage Pie” chart for the country of origin (birth place) for these 16 ancestors. [Hint: you could use the chart generator from Kid Zone for this.] [Note: Thank you to Sheri Fenley for the “Heritage Pie” chart idea.] For a bit of light relief I thought I’d bake … More Heritage Pie: a slice or two of ancestral places
One of Richard Reid’s comments during Shamrock was to the effect that family historians search for meaning and information on their ancestors among the documents held in various repositories but ignore the things or objects that may tell us more about their lives. In his paper presented to the 2009 Irish Conference, hosted by the Irish … More An Object-ive view of family history: It’s not just “stuff” or junk
This photograph includes two of my direct female ancestors: Catherine (Kit) McCorkindale is the young girl on the left and her mother is Annie Sim McCorkindale. The photo will have been taken in Glasgow circa 1895. Annie Sim came from the parish of Bothkennar in Stirlingshire where her family had lived for centuries. She died in … More Honouring female McCorkindale and Sim ancestors
Over the years I’ve encountered many instances of people being happy to settle for what they find out about their family via the IGI. Ignoring the variability of patron submissions which are now excluded from the new Family Search, there are still plenty of reasons why you should order in a microfilm for the princely … More Why order an LDS film of parish registers?
Grandma calls me her bonnie wee bairn as I lie on the couch while she brushes my hair. The rise and fall of the silver hairbrush makes a clicking noise as soothing as the brushing itself. Afterwards we’ll share a treat. There’s a clunk as the lid rests back on its hinges. A heavy record … More 52 Weeks of personal history and genealogy: Week 9 Sounds – a reflection
Favourite Food Thinking about this topic I’ve realised how strong has been the influence of my mother’s grandparents –my great-grandfather was a confectioner and pastry cook and the family owned tea rooms in Charters Towers in the late 19th century and prior to that a confectionery business in Ipswich, Queensland. Judging on a few newspaper … More 52 Weeks of Personal History & Genealogy-Week 5 -Favourite Foods
As mentioned in my previous post, I’ve recently been transcribing the copies of some pages I got on the Inishail Kirk Session records when I was in Scotland late last year. In this post I’ll focus on what I found while trying to learn more about my 3xgreatgrandfather’s pauper status in 1851. The Kirk Session … More Inishail Kirk Session -Poor’s Funds
Family history across the seas 