Have you visited the Family Home ?

[rover]

My grandmother  (paternal side) and her family came from the City of Floriana in Malta. Just outside Valletta.

I went for a visit there in 1999 and spent two months. Spent many days walking around the streets and parks of this old town.  Just about every day I visited the Parish of St Publius where all of them were baptised and married.

I really fell in love with the place. Managed to find 4 very old cousins of my father who were close to 90 yrs of age. None of them knew me. Showed them photos of my parents and instanly recognized them They made me very welcome.

Photo copied a few of their old family photos. I had a few tears when I had to walk away from the place to go back to my country.  Visited some of the family burial plots and obtained records from the cemetery. 

[YukonHall]

[Mobo]

 

My most moving visit was to the town of Swinsford in County Mayo, Ireland, the family home of my Dunn family.

Like thousands of others during the Famine years, they were forced to leave their beloved country and settle elsewhere (which event was known as the 'White Martyrdom'), and their suffering would have been immense.

As I walked through the town and the graveyard, and later over Swinford Bridge and the River Moy, I tried to imagine their plight back then,and was filled with a great sadness.

They certainly wouldn't recognise the happy, vibrant, affluent Ireland of today.

 

[Rebecca Steele]

Last year I visited a few of the areas where my ancestors came from, and was not very successful in finding their homes

I think I just assumed that I'd be able to find their houses straight away!

Since then, I have studied the areas more (on the internet), so when I get time, hopefully this year, I'll be able to visit the areas again, and hopefully be able to find their homes!

[YukonHall]

Yes most of my family's homes are gone - went to London to see one area.  Looked for where Prospect Cottages had been, not much of a prospect even in those days - over looking a vast rail complex.

But I actually visited where my great great grandfather had lived, unknowingly, last year.  He moved from Nottingham to Bolton in the 1840's and lived in a Model Village called Barrow Bridge.  I only found that out a few weeks ago.  As a child I visited this Village many times.  It is lovely.  I was so thrilled to find at least one of my family had lived in a decent house in a lovely place (instead of a two up, two down millhouse).

Going back to look at it again this year. 

Now my wish is to learn how to put photos on this page!!!! Argh!!!!

Frances

[Mobo]

 


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[YukonHall]

Can it be this simple?

[RMG]

Can it be this simple?

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As far as the original family home is concerned I was lucky enough to grow up in the area where my ancestors lived. When searching through documents it makes it easy to pick the right people because I know the area so well. My mother still lives in the next village to the one that my immediate family lived in for over 300 years.

[DebbieDee]

So far I haven't had much luck finding 'family homes'.  My husband is getting quite fed up of being dragged out on a Sunday afternoon to see what invariably turns out to be a long ago demolished slum dwelling.  And then there's the 'well as we're in the area do you mind if we look in the local graveyard??!'.   

Well now thanks to the 1851 census and a single marriage certificate I may finally give hubby a pleasant weekend to look forward to    Just found my 4xgreat grandfather (a Lic. Victualler) living at 37 Daniel Street, Bathwick which turns out to be a pub built in late 18th century!  Here's a picture and description which I think sounds lovely!

http://www.greatbathpubcrawl.com/pubs.php?id=83

I won't be sampling the beer though, as I think I'd better drive next time 

Debbie