Author Topic: What is your most amazing (personal) family history discovery?  (Read 17706 times)

Offline 0rinoco

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Re: What is your most amazing (personal) family history discovery?
« Reply #27 on: Thursday 10 July 08 16:11 BST (UK) »
One of my finest moments was discovering the grave of my g x 8 grandmother, Hester Craft, in Minsterworth churchyard. She died in 1746.
http://www.artus-familyhistory.com/source/Early%20Maps.html/images/Grave%20of%20Hester%201746.jpg
As a bonus, the name of her father was on the stone which helped me tremendously.
Artus, anywhere UK
Gabb, Glos.
Wathern, Glos.
Littleton, Glos.

Offline Nick29

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Re: What is your most amazing (personal) family history discovery?
« Reply #28 on: Thursday 10 July 08 17:22 BST (UK) »
My most amazing discovery is just how close I got to not being on this planet at all !  :)

I had often wondered how my grandmother met my grandfather, because she was born in Suffolk, and he was born in Somerset, and I really didn't think I would ever find out.  Through talking to several family members, the facts have now been revealed.   My grandfather's entire family moved from Somerset to Surrey, after my grandfather was involved in an indiscretion with a local girl, and with the family being church elders, they all had to move.  At the same time, my grandmother got a job in service with a family close to where Heathrow Airport now stands.  My grandfather was out looking for work one day, and happened to knock at the door of the house where my grandmother was working, and asked the owner if he wanted any odd jobs doing.  The house owner invited him in and gave him some work.  If the householder had turned him away, I would not be typing this, because I wouldn't be here !

In other parts of my tree I've seen examples of chance meetings which have also resulted in my existence.  It just makes you realise how precarious life is.  Well, it does me, anyway  ;)

RIP 1949-10th January 2013

Best Wishes,  Nick.

Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline genjen

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Re: What is your most amazing (personal) family history discovery?
« Reply #29 on: Thursday 10 July 08 17:31 BST (UK) »
Nick,

How right you are. My mind often boggles at the series of coincidences which resulted in me being here. My great grandfather, born in Brighlingsea, Essex, married a seventeen year old girl from Nairn in the North of Scotland. Ok, so he was a merchant sailor, as was her father, but I am still mystified as to what brought them together and even more puzzling is why did they marry in Caistor, Lincolnshire?

There is a rumour in the family that she was a fairly intrepid traveller and went with her husband on many of his voyages ( up and down the coast I think) and she was heavily pregnant when they married. I think there is a romantic novel in there somewhere!

Jen
All Census Look Ups Are Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

ESS: Howe French Cant Annis Noakes Turner Marshall Makerow Duck Spurden Harmony
SCT: Howe Shaw Raitt Milne Forsyth Birnie Crichton Duncan McBeath Daniel Hay Robertson Jaffrey Smith McDonald Alexander Craighead
NRY: Bushby Smith Bland Iley Cunion Kendrew Thornbury Favell Lonsdale Crossland Rudd Pratt Gibson
WES; Dickenson Jackson Ewbank Waller
STS: White
SRY: Knight
DUR: Smith Littlefair
HAM: Williams Grose Lush Venson

Offline Aulus

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Re: What is your most amazing (personal) family history discovery?
« Reply #30 on: Friday 11 July 08 09:24 BST (UK) »
Well, if we're going down the how we got here route ...  ;D

I owe my existence to Adolf Hitler.  My mum was evacuated from the East End to Lancashire where she met my father, while they were both children.  They were both idle gits and/or socially inept, so didn't bother playing the field when they were older and married each other.
Lancashire: Stevenson, Wild, Holden, Jepson
Worcs/Staffs: Steventon, Smith
East London & Suffolk: Guest, Scrutton
East London: Palfreman (prev Tyneside), Bissell, Collis, Dearlove, Ettridge
Herts: Camac, Collis, Mason, Dorrington, Siggens
Marylebone & Sussex: Cole
London & Huntingdonshire: Freeman
Bowland: Marsden, Noble
Shropshire: Guest

Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Offline genjen

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Re: What is your most amazing (personal) family history discovery?
« Reply #31 on: Friday 11 July 08 09:39 BST (UK) »
Suspect Mr Hitler was responsible for an awful lot of us. My mother worked in the kitchens of the Merchant Navy hotel which was run by my father's parents. He was de-mobbed, came home and bingo!

I have already said this on another thread but if my dad's younger brother hadn't run away to sea at the age of fifteen and been blown up at sixteen, my dad wouldn't have joined up at all. He had a place at university and was under no obligation to join the navy. But he felt guilty over his brother's death so gave up his place at uni and went off to sea. The saddest thing was that he never went back to studying and I suspect regretted that for the rest of his life.

So - if uncle Peter hadn't died, I would never have been born! Weird.
All Census Look Ups Are Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

ESS: Howe French Cant Annis Noakes Turner Marshall Makerow Duck Spurden Harmony
SCT: Howe Shaw Raitt Milne Forsyth Birnie Crichton Duncan McBeath Daniel Hay Robertson Jaffrey Smith McDonald Alexander Craighead
NRY: Bushby Smith Bland Iley Cunion Kendrew Thornbury Favell Lonsdale Crossland Rudd Pratt Gibson
WES; Dickenson Jackson Ewbank Waller
STS: White
SRY: Knight
DUR: Smith Littlefair
HAM: Williams Grose Lush Venson

Offline IrishOrigins

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Re: What is your most amazing (personal) family history discovery?
« Reply #32 on: Friday 11 July 08 10:10 BST (UK) »
My most amazing discovery was about 25 years after my mother made a throwaway comment that her grandfather had been born in China.  When I asked why she said she didn't know, nor could she remember if she had ever known the reason - it was all so long ago.  Her grandparents had died before her parents were married, and she was second youngest of a reasonably large family, so I guess she can be forgiven for not knowing.

When I eventually retired and found time to do some research, I discovered that her grandfather, rather than being the son of a British merchant, missionary (or mercenary) as we had automatically assumed, was actually Chinese, had come to Australia pre-gold and married an English girl.  None of the family had any Chinese characteristics (not even my grandfather, and he was the youngest son) apart from black hair with blue highlights in the sunlight, and some of them had absolutely gorgeous skin.  Because my grandfather was a very quiet person I guess nothing was ever discussed about origins.  Also, with a very very English surname the question of Asian beginnings would never even have been considered.

The crazy thing is that in my home town (in Western Queensland), where my cousin still lives, were other descendants from this same family that we never knew were related.  My cousin's best friend - and they have always, for more than 40 years, called each other cousin - is actually related. 

This discovery is probably the most magic of all so far and even beats the discovery of 4 convicts in the maternal side of the same branch of the family.;D  My only regret is that by the time I found out, only my uncle was left (and he really appreciated the news) and so I wasn't able to tell my mother what I'd discovered.

All I have to do now is get beyond the English surname and try to find evidence of the true Chinese name!!!!!!!! ::)

Hope my ration of magic hasn't run out yet.

Philippa

Byrnes, Wexford.
O'Brien, Hannigan, Waterford & Tipperary

Offline kizmiaz

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Re: What is your most amazing (personal) family history discovery?
« Reply #33 on: Friday 11 July 08 10:22 BST (UK) »
A few years ago we had a family day out with my grandmother to take her back to the village where she spent time as a child visiting her grandparents.

We drove around for ages trying to find a small lane with houses that she remembered her grandparents living in but without any luck.

Eventually we stopped at the church and saw a couple who were tending a grave, and, obviously assuming they were locals, decided to ask them if they knew of any small lanes which could fit the bill.

They told us that they weren't local, but had come down for the day to help tidy up a grave for the gents mother, who had been born in the village and still lived there. He suggested we drop round to his mothers house, as she may have an idea which lane we were looking for.

We stopped by and had a chat, and yes the lady did know the lane. Not only did she know the lane, but she had lived there as a child. She had lived next door to my grandmothers grandparents nearly 90 years previously! Spooky.

She gave lots of information about GG-granddad which would have been totally lost, but for a lucky meeting with two strangers in a churchyard

Glen

Offline sallysmum

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Re: What is your most amazing (personal) family history discovery?
« Reply #34 on: Friday 11 July 08 10:51 BST (UK) »
My most amazing discovery was about 25 years after my mother made a throwaway comment that her grandfather had been born in China. 

Made me think of something a little similar.  Apparently my mum's father always talked of emigrating to South Africa which at the time got me wondering if he got the idea from his father who was a jobbing soldier - -maybe he had served in South Africa at the time of the Boer war?  I never researched it as I wasn't interested in FH then. 

Time passed and I did get interested in FH after my mother died.  My first clue to him being in South Africa  was when I accessed the first census with his name on it.  Grandad was one of 7 children all of whom had been born at various places that gt grandfather had been stationed - Aldershot, Pembroke Docks, Chatham etc.  Then came Charles.  The transcriber had 'read' his birth place as Prebimanty, hamps  After a lot of peering with a magnifying glass and getting sallysdad's opinion, we finally deciphered it Peitermarizburg - Natal.   Result!  I then scoured the BMD for forces births- found the birth cert and indeed, he was born in South Africa -- Gt grandpops had been out there!  Later on I was able to access the army records and found that he did indeed spend about 4-5 years out there before finally finishing his 20 years service.  Oh how I wish I could confirm this finding with my mother!  If I did though, I bet she would have had many questions to ask of her father.

Still I am pleased that a small hunch of a chance remark actually was true!

sallysmum
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Offline Pilgarlic

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Re: What is your most amazing (personal) family history discovery?
« Reply #35 on: Friday 11 July 08 12:42 BST (UK) »
My GGG Grandmother Eliza Bolton nee Bushell was sent to prison and 2 years hard labour in 1850 for committing BIGAMY !

She was married to my GGG Grandad William Bolton in Solihull, Warwickshire in 1841. She then married as Eliza Bolton to Josiah Mercer in 1849 Birmingham. She was still married to William.

Josiah Mercer in court said that William Bolton wanted to see his wife married off and gave Josiah £5 and also paid for the wedding dinner !  :o

Although Josiah was involved in this farce he was named as the victim  :o