New member - not sure how to begin

[TomRogers]

Hello,

I'm a new member. 

After one or two false starts, I'd like to get back into family research properly, but I'm not really sure what is the best way to begin.

The surnames that interest me are Rogers (my own surname), Pountney, Daley and Goodwill.

Apart from Rogers, on which I'm quite well-advanced, all I really have to go on is what I am being told by family members.

Rogers (father) - traced back to Ironbridge and nearby Little Wenlock.  My branch of the family migrated to the Castleford/Glass Houghton area of West Yorkshire between the 1850s and 1880s.

Pountney (paternal grandmother) - nearest generations come from Castleford area of West Yorkshire, with one branch that emigrated to Ontario, Canada in (I think) 1920s, then returned around 1940 to fight in the War.

Daley (mother) - My branch is from the East Riding of Yorkshire (Hull and Bridlington).  I'm told the Daleys were originally Irish immigrants from Hull, and due to the spelling of the name, the family was most probably from a small (Protestant) area of East Belfast.

Goodwill (maternal grandmother) - believed to be from East Riding of Yorkshire.  Not much known beyond grandmother.

If anyone has knowledge of these families, I'll be happy to exchange information.

Thanks.

[Spidermonkey]

Hiya TomRogers, welcome to Rootschat!

Do you have a specific line that you would like help researching - to get you back into the swing of things as it were - or are you just hoping to make contact with other people interested in your names.

If it is the latter, may I suggest that you take a look at the surnames database, and add your surnames and check whether anyone else is looking for the same names.

Good luck and happy hunting!

[lizdb]

Hi and welcome

As a general principle it is best  to start with what you know for sure, and work back one step at a time confirming each step as much as you can before moving on to another step.

So - for example - the Goodwill line (what a lovely name!) Have you got your grandmothers birth cert? If so that will give you her parents names and mothers maiden name and lead you back a generation. If you havent got it, do you know (reliably) when and where she was born, so you can look for her birth in the indexes. If you cant do that as you do not have enough info, then look for her marriage and see from that who her father's name was.
Once you get back to 1911, then use the 1911 census for info (sorry we cant do  look ups, but you can buy a few creditd on the 1911 site if you do not have a subscription to a site that holds it). Once you have found hte family on there, it will help with birthplaces and approx years of birth.

If you need help finding any of your lines in previous censuses (1841- 1901) do ask on here - many people have access to the info. But make sure you give as much info about the people you want to bw looked for as you can.

1881 census is free to search, so you can look for that easily.

Others can be searched at local libraries (in the UK, I am assuming you are there!) if you prefer to look your self rather than ask on here.

Remember also other sources, such as Wills, CWGC site (for those lost in WW1 and WW2), etc

Most of all - ENJOY!

[TomRogers]

Wow!  Thanks for the warm welcome and the helpful advice.  I'm going to pursue your suggestions and I'll let you know how I get on.

Yes, Goodwill is a very interesting name - particularly common in Yorkshire, so I'm told. 

My main purpose in posting the thread was just in case anyone within the same branches either on here already, or who perhaps googles in the future and finds this thread, might want to exchange info.

Cheers,
Tom.

[avm228]

Hi Tom and welcome

I do think Goodwill would be an easy name to progress - it certainly seems to be concentrated in Yorks but is by no means so common as to make your research too difficult.  On FreeBMD (www.freebmd.org.uk) I found a Sculcoates birth registration in 1909 which may be that of your grandmother (I won't post given names as the date is relatively recent, being 20th century - but a person with the same name married a Mr Daley in Hull in 1930) - if that is her you could consult the 1911 census as lizdb suggested so as to find her with her parents, and progress from there.

YorkshireBMD at www.yorkshirebmd.org.uk may also prove a useful resource.

Rootschatters are always keen to help so don't hesitate to ask if you get stuck!

Anna

[TomRogers]

Yes, it's definitely her!  That's fascinating, thanks.  The other day (and what sparked-off this renewed interest) is that my mother handed me some old photographs which have been claiming dust in the attic. 

One of them is supposed to be my great-great-great (!!) grandparents Goodwill posing for a photograph in what appears to be the backyard of a terrace house, most probably in Hull (the photographic company's address is Hull).  I'm guessing it must have been taken sometime in the 1850s/1860s.

It's quite an interesting photo in that they both look like working people dressed-up in their Sunday best.  They don't look particularly self-conscious in the sense that a person posing for a photo today might.  It's hard to explain really.

There's also what looks like a staged photograph of my great-great grandma Goodwill taken in a photographic studio in Hull.  Allegedly she was a stage actress.

Well, I'll start investigating names and dates further...

[Pastmagic]

Well, we love old photos on here, and particularly if they happen to have the photographers name on them. To take it further, can you summarise any full name, date, spouse  location etc of your Goodwill ancestor. Lovely to have those old photos - feel free to scan them in.

[t mo]

hi t r
welcome to rootschat .
regarding immigration find my past have passenger records from 1890 to 1960 and ancestry have immigration records from 1878 to 1960 .
as an example found a stanley pountney arriving back in england from canada in 1936 !
and pountneys leaving england from 1904 onwards .
regards
trevor