Trish - I agree with you, I often research sideways in my tree, especially when I've hit a brick wall with my direct tree. I've found some sad histories, whole families parents and children dying within a year of each other, and another one where my g.grandfather's brother was listed as widower on a census, when he wasn't because his wife had gone off with someone else and lived in a totally different town under her new name. When she died, a few years later, her death certificate was in her assumed name and her "husband" stated he was the widow. However, a couple of months after the death, her daughter and "husband" went to the Registrar and the details were changed to give her correct surname and show her real husband as the widower.
Lizzie
