Transcribing Old Wills – Old Words and Phrases

Posted on October 1, 2021 by Ros
Park of Shakespeare’s will

Over the last few months, I have spent a lot of time transcribing a huge amount of wills for one client who was researching numerous lines of his wealthy ancestors.  Will transcription is a very useful skill in genealogy because wills can be a really important source of genealogical information, as well as giving you insights into an ancestor’s character, property and status.

However, for many people transcribing an old will is a real problem, and it is not just about the handwriting.  The older the will (or document) is, not only does the handwriting get more difficult to decipher, but also the words, phrases and legal jargon become more difficult to understand because they are often now obsolete.  This can trip you up even when you are skilled at transcribing old hand.  Not only that, but spellings are not standardised – and the further back you go, the more varied the spellings can be.

This is probably why many people do not use probate records as much as they should.  First of all, you have to find the will (not always as easy as it sounds – many of them are not readily available online), then you have to try and work out what it says, and then understand the legal jargon and various words and phrases that are now out of use.

Many wills come with inventories, which are extremely interesting, but can pose even more problems with many obsolete household and ‘stock-in-trade’ items that can be very difficult to work out.

But I heartily encourage any amateur genealogist to try and learn these skills, especially if you have lots of ancestors who had property and are likely to have left wills.  At present I have a course on Udemy that will help you in the tracing of wills – and a little bit of transcription knowledge too.  I am planning to create another course in transcribing at some point.  In the meantime, I recommend the free tutorial provided by the National Archives, which will give you a good grounding in reading old hand: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/palaeography/

Once you have learned some palaeography – the study of old handwriting – the best thing to do is to practise it as much as possible.  Once you understand some basic transcription tricks (e.g. how some letters look completely different 300 years ago, and making sure you read letter by letter rather than trying to decipher a word in one go), then you will start to find it easier than you first thought.

But even I, with many years of transcription experience, can still get tripped up by a word or phrase.  The letters seem to be what I think they are – but the word looks alien!  This is when I start searching the internet for possible answers.

There are some websites that will give you lists of words and phrases used in wills, including some of the household items you might find listed in inventories.  However, none of these lists is fully comprehensive, so you won’t find every single word you come across on these.  It is probably the case that there are words and phrases that are used locally that have been completely lost, and don’t turn up that often, and so have not made it to any list.  I have added a few links to the bottom of this post that may be of help.

If you still are having difficulty, or you just haven’t got the time to spend learning old script, then I do offer a will-transcribing service.  Just contact me at info@tracingancestors-uk.com for more details – or have a look at my will transcription page.

Here are a few links that may be of use to you:

List of words and phrases in 18th century wills

Glossary of words used in wills:

Some unfamiliar words in wills & inventories

Scottish wills & handwriting

https://www.scottishhandwriting.com/18cTPrintTutorial.pdf

Book: Words from Wills 1500-1800

Posted in Wills and Probate | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Genealogy Gifts for Christmas 2020

Posted on November 23, 2020 by Ros

Looks like Christmas is going to be a little different this year.  As well as reduced households, many people are going to be doing their Christmas 2020 shopping via the internet – much more than any other year.

Every year, I suggest ideas for presents for the genealogist in your family or circle of friends.  And perhaps, some of them have taken up ancestry searching while they’ve been furloughed.

So, if you’re looking for a unique gift for an experienced or beginner genealogist, there are plenty of ideas for genealogy gifts that will be very gratefully received.

Here are six ideas for genealogy gifts:

1.            Genealogy Supplies.  Whether it’s for the beginner or the advanced genealogist, there are many items that can be extremely useful for organising and displaying family trees and ancestral documents.  I recommend that you head over to MyHistory.com where you will find all sorts of gift ideas, including stationery and software.

2.            DNA Kits.  Getting your DNA tested has become quite a popular part of the ancestral trail, and if your loved one has a limited budget for their genealogical searches, this may be something that they’ve not been able to spend money on.  I would suggest either Ancestry or 23&Me to get the gift of DNA testing.

4.            Genealogy Website Subscription.  Genealogists need to use several websites to undertake their research, so why not buy a year’s subscription for one of the top genealogy websites so they don’t have to worry about it eating up their monthly budget?  Try Ancestry or FindMyPast.

3.            Genealogy Books.  If you want to get someone started on their genealogical journey, there are plenty of books to choose from, whether it’s for the absolute beginner or the seasoned professional.  Here’s a few ideas at Amazon.

4.            Family History Themed Novels.  Is your genealogy enthusiast also an avid reader?  Why not kill two birds with one stone and buy them a novel or two with a family history theme?  Please excuse the shameless plugging of my own family history novels here – but try these at Amazon!

Out of Time – A chance meeting leads to a journey through several generations of women

Legacies – A mysterious key leads to some ancestral research – and a race against time

5.            Family History Courses.  Again, apologies for the plugging of my own products, but if you’ve got someone in your family or friends list who’d be interested in finding out how to carry out their own research in the UK, then my Genealogy Course for Beginners would be a great start. Or for the more experienced researcher, Researching Wills and Probate. (Other courses are available 😉) 

Whatever your Christmas arrangements this year, may I wish you a good one – and please stay safe and well.  Here’s looking at a better 2021!

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COAT OF ARMS – Meanings and Symbols

Posted on October 28, 2020 by Ros

Today, we have a guest post from the House of Names, experts in Heraldry, about the meanings and symbols of coats of arms. I hope you enjoy it!

The term Coat of arms originated from the ‘surcoat’ which is the piece of cloth worn over the armour of a warrior in order to shield it from the ray of sunlight. In the medieval period, the coat of arms was pretty popular amongst knights as it was used as a sign of identification. This phenomenon has been passed down to this century, and till date, families now pass down their symbols through generations by having a simple Family Crest.

Our ancestors always wanted to leave a legacy for their descendants, and the symbol of a family crest contains enough information about one’s family to serve as a legacy.

What is the coat of arms?

The coat of arms is simply a symbolic vest made of silk or rich material which is worn over the armour of a knight, distinguishing him on the battlefield. The Coat of arms was worn to recognise family achievements and preserve the heritage of a family.

What is the Family crest?

The family crest, on the other hand, is one important part of the coat. It is placed on a wreath above the shield and helmet on the coat of arms. It is a small part of the design and can be worn alone, especially when the coat of arms is too complex. Several families have used several symbols to crest their names. Some make use of animals and plants, while others use significant objects. You can find some images of some popular family coat of arms here

It is important to note the difference between the family crest and the coat of arms as both terms are often interchanged. In simple terms, the family crest is the design crested on the coat of arms. It contains the identification symbol of the family.

Parts of the coat of arms

Each embellishment on the coat of arms is significant. It is a combination of various parts, each serving a necessary purpose. Here is a brief breakdown of the various parts of the coat of arms;

1.      The helm: This is the helmet found below the crest. It is sometimes replaced with a crown.

2.      Shield: The centre of the design.

3.      Crest: The symbolic object.

4.      Wreath: A rope representing the connection between the crest and the helmet.

5.      Mantling: A piece of cloth protruding from the helmet.

6.      Motto: A slogan displayed on the ribbon.

Meaning of the symbols on the family crest

Each family crest is unique in its own way. Several colours and objects represent several things. It is just basically about identifying what is significant to you or your family.

Here are some symbols and what they stand for;

Animals

·       Eagle: Nobility, strength, bravery and alertness. Eagle with wings means protection. Eagle with two heads means conjoined forces.

·       Bear: Strength, cunning, ferocity.

·       Dove: Loving, Peace, The holy spirit.

·       Lion: Dauntless courage.

·       Horse: Availability for all employment kinds for kings and the country.

Colours

·       Black: Constancy or Grief.

·       White/silver: Peace and serenity.

·       Gold: Generosity.

·       Red: Warrior, strength.

·       Purple: Royal, majestic, sovereignty.

Objects:

·         Harp: Well composed persons, contemplation.

·         Torch: Life, zealous, truth and intelligence.

·         Chains: Reward for acceptable service. Chains with crowns mean the bearer bore the chain of obligation.

·         Bells: Power to disperse evil spirits.

Mythical creatures

·         Mermaid: Eloquence.

·         Dragon: Valiant defender of treasure.

·         Unicorn: Courage. Strength.

·         Griffin: Valour and bravery.

Flowers and fruits

·         Berries: Peace, felicity.

·         Grapes: Wine-making, Liberality, Peace.

·         Acacia leaves or branches: Eternal remembrance.

·         Olive leaves or branch: Concord, Peace.

·         Rose: Red rose means grace and beauty; a white rose means love and faith.

Finding your real family crest

The first step in finding your family crest is by tracing your family tree. From the tree, you might find someone in your family who acquired a family crest. Some families decide to adopt a family crest due to similar last names. However, this is not as specific as you want it to be since thousands could share the last name, and uniqueness is an important factor in the family crest.

However, if you are a descendant of Western Europe, then chances are pretty high for finding your family crest. This does not mean every family has one, especially since it was reserved for people of nobility. Here are some methods that can take you to your aim;

·         Discuss with your grandparent (Great grandparents if possible). They can leave you some important information.

·         Do some research.

·         Visit online genealogy resources.

·         Follow the last name process.

If you finally cannot find your family crest, how about you start the crest? By finding a significant trait in your family, you can trace the symbol representing such trait, put heads together with your family and create something meaningful and tangible. Imagine how precious this little step will be to your incoming generation. A legacy for posterity!

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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOUR ANCESTORS

Posted on September 9, 2020 by Ros

If you have carried the initial research necessary to take your ancestry back as far as possible, you will no doubt have used the main resources – that is, civil registration, census records and parish records. What these records will give you are the vital dates, places and occupations, and the necessary information to take the family back to the next generation.  And for many of your ancestors, especially if they are of the working classes, this may be the only information you will be able to find.

Bishopgate: a former slum area in Wetherby

But it is always worth searching for other records, even if they are of the poorer classes because occasionally you’ll find sources that can give you some fascinating information about your ancestor’s life that can bring them to life in a way that other documents don’t.

For example, if your ancestor fell on hard times and needed parish relief, you may be lucky enough to find a settlement record.  These were examinations made to make sure that a person had a legal right to poor relief in a village they wanted to live in, if they were born elsewhere. 

These records can give detailed information about the person and his family.  He was often asked to make a lengthy statement, describing his family and circumstances, which can give you a great insight into his life.  I once found a very detailed statement for a client’s ancestor, which not only told us that he had had a previous marriage (a piece of information that had not been apparent from the other records), but also that he was illegitimate, and exactly how much bread he and his family had to live on each week.  Although the statement would have been written down by someone else from what the person told them, you can still hear the ‘voice’ of this person from the past, who was desperately trying to feed his wife and children.

The person who had so far been no more than a name and a date on a page, came to life.  It was no surprise to find that he died in the Workhouse in his 50s, and some of his children took the opportunity to leave the poverty of the area for a new life in Australia. 

If your ancestors had money or property, then you should always search for probate records.  Even those of the working classes occasionally left a will, though this is not so common.  Wills can give you excellent insight into an ancestor’s life, as well as his relationships with his family and community.  I once found a will which stated that if the testator’s widow was to marry again, she would lose any claims to his property and his son was to slam the door in her face.  That certainly gave me some insight into his character!

A will that comes with an inventory is an added bonus.  The inventory is a list of the deceased’s possessions that was made after his death to give an idea of the value of his assets.  Seeing a list of your ancestor’s furniture, utensils and tools of trade can give you a picture of how they lived their life.  Farm inventories are particularly interesting, giving details of livestock, dairies, farm tools, arable land and other farm activities he was involved in.  They can be a little difficult to read, as they are often full of archaic words for items that have fallen out of use, but a little research can sometimes help with this – and it is well worth the effort.

Another rich source of information can be Newspaper records from the 18th century onwards.  Internet research means that you can search newspaper indexes on websites such as FindMyPast and the BritishNewspaperArchive to find a specific ancestor (this was not possible before the internet as they were not indexed).  If your ancestor had somehow been caught up in a crime, either as the perpetrator or the victim, you may find some interesting details about the case.  Or if your ancestor had some property to sell, you might find that they placed an advert in the local paper.  Using newspaper records I found items that described in great detail a client’s ancestor who had carried out a string of misdemeanours including bar-room brawls and petty theft in Birmingham and London.  Another useful newspaper item are obituaries.  These can describe a person’s life in great detail – but they are usually only written for those who have been of some prominence in the local community

Even if you can’t find documents that relate personally to your ancestor, it is still possible to find out how they might have lived, and what local and national events may have been important to them.  You can find histories of specific villages and towns on the internet, but an even richer source can be in local libraries, archives and bookshops where you will often find books about the local area.  Churches also often produce leaflets about the history of the parish.  All these can give details about local events that were of importance to the residents, and if you are very lucky, you might even find your ancestor’s name mentioned.

How to find out about your ancestors
Cotton Mill Worker

If you know what your ancestor’s occupation was, you should also be able to find out what his (or her) working life was like.  The Society of Genealogists regularly publishes books in a series entitled ‘My Ancestor was a…’  They are full of information and tips for doing further research on occupational records.  It is worth finding out whether they have published one about your ancestor’s occupation.  You might also be able to find books about the history of some occupations, such as shoemaking

If you know that your ancestor worked for a specific company, you could also try finding out whether the company still exists and if they have researchable archives – or perhaps their records have ended up at the local record office.

Whether or not you can find documents that mention your ancestor by name, there are many ways to find out about your ancestors’ lives, so dig deep and you can come up with a creditable account of how they lived from day to day.

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Ten Steps to Take Before Starting Your Family History Search.

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Ros

You’ve been meaning to do it for some time.  You’ve seen the TV programmes; perhaps you have a friend who’s done it, or perhaps you have an interest in history, and you’re interested in what your ancestors were doing during, for example, the industrial revolution.  Now, perhaps, you’ve got a bit of time to make a start… but where do you start with tracing your ancestors?  The TV ads make it look easy, but you suspect that may be just advertising hype (you’d be right); there are professional genealogists out there, but you’d rather have the fun of doing it yourself.  But, how do you start?  And where do you start – and, even, who do you start with? 

I don’t recommend jumping straight into the online genealogy websites without some initial, important steps.  The following steps will help to get you started, get clear about what and who you want to start with, and prepare the way for the serious, online research.

  • Start with what you know and work backwards.  Or, to answer the last question above first, start with yourself.  The vast majority of us know when and where they were born, and who their parents were, so start with that.
  • Decide on which line you’re going to follow first.  With your parents, you have two ancestral lines, with your grandparents you have four lines – and this doubles for each generation you go back.  So to keep things simple, you need to start with one line and focus on that until you can go no further, and then start on another.  Most people start with the male line because it’s the same surname all the way back (although, there are exceptions to this).
  • Find out if anyone in your family has already done any research.  While it’s fun to do the research yourself, you don’t want to do work that’s already been done – though you might want to check they’ve done a good job anyway!  You could then join them in the research, carry on where they’ve left off, or pick a line that has not been covered.
  • Contact other members of your living family.  Before you start any online searches, you need to find out whether there are any documents or photographs that might help, or even spark off an avenue of research.  Older members of the family usually love talking about old times, and you can find out a lot about grandparents and great-grandparents that you never knew before – though treat any specific dates and places with a pinch of salt – memories can be inaccurate.
Old photographs
  • Use old photographs to find out  more.  Following on from the last point, photographs make a great talking point, and it’s nice to have a face to pin information on before you start the real research.  Occasionally, you’ll find photographs without any known name or date.  Once you start researching, it can be fun to try and fit these into the puzzle.
  • Draw up a chart.  Before you start searching online, draw up a chart of what you already know.  My post on charts will help with this.  Doing this will give you a clear idea of gaps in your knowledge, and where to start when you begin the serious research.
  • Decide on which software to use.  Family tree software makes producing charts and notes much simpler than making lots of typed or handwritten notes.  There are plenty on the market.  The most popular is Family Tree Maker – but you can find more at MyHistory.com – and they also have other family history stationery and aids which you may find of use.
  • Learn how to do the research.  If you are completely new to tracing ancestors, there are several pitfalls you could fall into.  To make sure you don’t make some common mistakes and end up following the wrong tree, invest in some books, or enrol on a course.  My own beginner’s course takes you step-by-step through the process, and you can start your research as you go through the course.  Learning how to research properly will introduce you to the most useful types of documents and how to get the most out of them.
  • Start a free trial at Ancestry or FindMyPast.  When you’ve got a lot of free time for a couple of weeks, take advantage of the two-week free trials available at both these websites.  In time, it would be useful to subscribe to both, as some resources have better coverage on one over the other.  Use the free trials to get to know your way around the websites, and use their search engines.
  • Start with the known and work backwards.  I know this is almost the same as the first tip – but it’s the most important mantra in genealogy.  Now you’re starting the actual research, you need to keep to the same rule.  Begin with the most recent available records, which may be civil registration and/or the 1939 Register.  Find your known ancestors on these, and then work backwards to the census records and so on.  For more details on researching these records, see my course, or read the appropriate books.

If you follow these initial steps you will be thoroughly prepared to start your searches and giving yourself the best chance of carrying out your research in a professional and efficient manner.

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Londinium – The Accidental City

Posted on August 4, 2020 by Ros

How London Got Started

Artist’s impression of early Roman London with the fist bridge.

My next novel is taking me far beyond the limits of my usual historical range.  It’s set around the Thames, and takes the reader on a journey through history, from the pre-historic settlers up to the present day.  Just now, I’m concentrating on the Roman section (it’s early days!), which means I’ve been reading a lot about Londinium: Roman London.

London is one of my favourite places.  I lived there for nearly twenty years, and worked in central London for most of my twenties.  I spent many hours walking around and I got to know its streets, parks, squares, architecture, museums, galleries, theatres, pubs, nightclubs, shops, buses, underground, bridges – and, of course, the river.

Being a lover of history, of course, then, I am fascinated by the history of London.  Hence, a lot of its history will be in my novel (and it has featured large in some of my other novels).

But, for this article, let me take you back, if you will, just two thousand years.  It’s not that long ago in relation to the whole history of mankind.  Just a fraction of the time that human beings have been living on this planet.

But two thousand years ago, if we came to the bank of the Thames, around about the place where London Bridge is now, we would find a wide, shallow river (wider than it is now), and a place of forests and marshes.  There are no settlements here.  If we walk for a while to the west (being careful not to get stuck in a bog), we will find a place where the water is shallow enough to cross on foot – though it will come up to our necks – and this is exactly what Caesar’s Roman army did upon their first visit to conquer the native barbarians a few years ago in 55 BC.  We’re now in a boggy area containing two small islands, which will later be known as Westminster.

The barbarians (the iron age people who lived in tribes scattered across the country) took a little more conquering than the Romans had anticipated, though this may have been more to do with local weather conditions than the military prowess of the locals.  Anyway, having come, seen, and apparently conquered, Caesar and his army went back home again to their nice, dry and warm homeland, having proved that Rome could extend its empire to the edges of the known world.  There seemed very little other reason for bringing such a cold and damp little island into its fold.

But now, nearly a century later, in around AD 50, if we return to a more easterly part of the river, we might see another approaching Roman army led by Claudius, this time with artillery and elephants.  The locals had been causing a bit of trouble by aiding the Gauls, so it was decided that they needed seeing to again.  This time, the Romans decided to stick around a while, and so, being civilised, they needed a city.  But not here – this was just a place to cross the river.  They had decided on an already existing Celtic settlement in the east – Camulodunum, which would later be known as Colchester.

But something needed to be done about that river.  It was no good for armies having to wade across each time, leaving them vulnerable to attack.  The river needed a bridge, so to start with they built a temporary pontoon, basically a platform supported by floats.  But something more permanent was needed, and so the first proper bridge across the Thames was built, not too far away from where London Bridge is now.  They called the river, Tamesis, ‘Dark River’.

A camp was settled here, presumably to guard the bridge and provide a stopping place for armies.  People started to trade, and small shops and stalls sprang up.  Merchants came from near and far, even the natives started to trade here, and buildings started to go up rapidly to accommodate the little trading town that was developing.  Ships came up the Thames, bringing goods and people.  Within just ten years, this small camp that started as a stopping place for the armies as they crossed the Thames had turned into a thriving market town.

All that was to change suddenly and violently in AD 60 with the wrath of Boudica and her army.  After the extremely unpleasant treatment of her family by the Romans in East Anglia, she swept down across the east and south of England, leaving a bloodbath of utter destruction in her wake.  Londinium, with no property military defences, did not stand a chance.  Its people, both Roman and native, men, women and children, were slaughtered mercilessly, and its buildings burnt to the ground.

The town was no more.  But by then it had been realised that the location of this town was strategically so much better situated than Colchester that had been intended as the main city.  Londinium had better access from ships coming up the Thames, and for the convergence of armies and merchants, whereas Colchester was awkwardly tucked away in the east.  So Londinium was quickly rebuilt, this time with more formal planning, with better buildings and better defences.  London, as a city, was born.

London Wall fragment
Fragment of the Roman Wall behind Tower Hill
John Winfield / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

I love the fact that one of the best cities in the world was a kind of accident.  I suppose, if history had been different and the Romans had not invaded, there would still have eventually been a city here at some point.  Its location is just too convenient, but it would have been a slightly different city, at least the actual ‘city’ part.  For those who are willing to look, there are some fascinating bits of the Roman city still in existence, including parts of the Roman wall here and there. 

I recommend a visit to the Museum of London to find out more about London’s beginnings.

Thanks to Simon Webb for his excellent book, Life in Roman London, which has helped with much of the research for this article and this chapter of my novel!

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Are You Related to William Wilberforce?

Posted on July 1, 2020 by Ros
William Wilberforce

With racism being very much in the news recently, I decided to take a look at the man who was the driving force behind the end of the slavery trade in Britain in the early 19th century.  I found a man who we could certainly do with in our Governments today, as we still have a long way to go, it seems.

William Wilberforce was an 18th and 19th century politician who is famous for being the leader of the Society for the Abolition of Slavery, and was instrumental in ending the slave trade in the UK in 1807.  And not only that, he also campaigned for legislation to improve the lives of the poor, better education, prison reforms, the end of child labour and was a founder of the RSPCA.  If that wasn’t enough, he was said to be witty, charming and a brilliant public speaker.  Yes, we could certainly do with a William Wilberforce today.

But this is a blog about genealogy, not politics, so let’s look at his family.

With such a career, no doubt anyone would surely be proud to find that they had Mr Wilberforce in their family tree!  However, it is very likely that any of his direct descendants would be very much aware that he was one of their great-grandparents – but perhaps the more extended family descendants may not have that knowledge, so I’ve listed a few names further below that are connected to WW.

The Wilberforce family has been traced back to the 12th century to the Saxon, Ilgerus de Wilberfoss, whose father is believed to have fought at the battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066 (that’s the one just before the Battle of Hastings), so there’s plenty of information available to see if you have connections further up.  There is too much information to list here, so I’ve provided a link to the William Wilberforce tree on geni.com.    However, I cannot verify the accuracy of this website, so any information here should be backed up with evidence where possible.

A little more about his life: William was born in Hull, Yorkshire in 1759, the son of Robert Wilberforce, a merchant, and Elizabeth Bird.  Elizabeth came from Warwickshire, and her mother’s name was Elizabeth Martyn.  The house where he was born in Hull was 25 High Street, and is now known as Wilberforce House.  At the age of 21 he became and MP, and by 25 he was the MP for all of Yorkshire, which was the time he also started working for the abolition of the British slave trade.  With the backing of the Prime Minister, William Pitt, he became the leader of the Society for the Abolition of Slavery.

In 1797 he married Barbara Spooner, and they had six children, from whom there are many descendants, and there are several multi-times great grandchildren of Wilberforce living today.

Medallion created as part of
anti-slavery campaign by 
Josiah Wedgwood, 1787

It took many years to get a bill through Parliament to end the slave trade in Britain, but this was finally achieved in 1807.   This was a great achievement, but it did not completely stop people owning slaves and still benefiting from the trade, and along the way William made many enemies of those who made huge profits from this trade.  William continued to campaign for the complete abolition of slavery, but it was not until 1833, when William was severely ill, that a law was passed freeing all slaves in the British Empire.  He was told of this victory on 26th July, and three days later he died.  As a mark of respect, his body was buried at Westminster Abbey.

Here are a few of the surnames that are connected to William Wilberforce’s tree (apart from WW’s maternal grandparents, these are mostly in Yorkshire):

BIRD (WW’s mother – daughter of Thomas Bird of Warwickshire)

THORNTON – (WW’s paternal grandmother)

MARTYN (WW’s maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Martin of Warwickshire)

DAVYE (WW’s great-grandmother)

And further up the tree….(see THIS SITE for more details)

BRIGHAM

FERRAS

SHEPPARD/SHEPHERD

OVERAND

Posted in Genealogies of the famous | 18 Comments

Researching Wills and Probate Records in the UK

Posted on April 3, 2020 by Ros
wills and probate records
Shakespeare’s will

When searching ancestry in the UK, the first records you will deal with are the civil registration, census and parish register records.  Once you’ve got what you can out of those, you will no doubt want to dig deeper.  On the other hand, you might have hit a brick wall, and you are searching for other records that might help to establish the correct links to take you back further.

Some of the most interesting types of record you can use to help with both of the above are the wills and probate records.  Wills can provide you with fascinating insights into your ancestors’ lives, including their property, wealth, status, relationships and character.  And, if you are lucky, they can give detailed family history details that can verify the links you have been looking for to take your ancestry further.  The inventories that often are attached to wills can also provide you with details of your ancestor’s occupation, living environment and lifestyle.

Sadly, not everyone will be able to find ancestors who have left wills.  On the whole, they tend to be confined to property owners, solvent tradesmen and professionals.  However, wills have sometimes been made by the working classes, so it is always worth searching for a will.

The problem is, searching for wills and probate records can sometimes be a complicated business.  They are not all available to view online, do not always turn up on online indexes, and even when they do, can sometimes  be confusing to know where a will might be held. Furthermore, even when you find a will, it can be extremely difficult to read, especially if it was written before the 18th century.

In order to make the process a little less complicated, I have created a course to take you through all the steps you need to take to find out whether any of your ancestors left a will, and how to find it and read it if they did.

Up until April 8th 2020, you can get my Researching Wills and Probate course on Udemy for the discount price of £9.99, by following THIS LINK.

After that, it will be at the normal price of £149.99 – but Udemy often run their own discounts, so you can always check back to see if you can get it cheaper.

This course is for anyone who has already had some experience of searching ancestors, and would like to dig deeper and see if any of them left a will.

If you have little or no experience of researching ancestry, then I suggest you start with my Beginners’ Course OR my free Introduction to Genealogy.

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Genealogy UK

Posted on January 22, 2020 by Ros
genealogy uk
An English church

Tracing ancestors is an extremely popular hobby in the United States and Australia, where you can quickly learn what records you need, where to find them and how to use them. But sooner or later, many, or most, people are going to find ancestors who originated in the UK.

If this is the case, then you are lucky that you live in a time where many records can be found online! However, as you go further back in time (and some of your ancestors may have emigrated very early), the less likely you are to find original documents published online. Not only that, but UK records are very different to records in other parts of the world, and it is not always easy to quickly understand what’s available and how to search for it.

You have several options in this case:

  1. You could hand all your English ancestry search over to a professional genealogist in the uk. The advantages of this are that you will get the job done accurately, and if the genealogist is a good one, they will leave no stone unturned, and you can rest assured that they will do all that is necessary to find your ancestors leaving no nagging doubts that there might be something you haven’t done. The disadvantages are that it can work out to be quite expensive, with most experienced and qualified genealogists charging between £20 and £40 per hour. If you add the cost of expenses (such as ordering documents) on to that then you are liable to end up spending hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds. It also takes away the fun of doing it yourself!
  2. You could, again, hire professional researcher to only look up those documents that you cannot find online. This would probably be less costly, and it means that you’re still in charge of the overall research. The downside is that as the researcher is not getting into the full details of your ancestry, they may not have the full knowledge that could lead them on to further leads and other records that you were unaware of.
  3. If you have the time and the money, you could visit the UK and carry out the necessary research in the relevant archives. This is more interesting, and you’d get a holiday at the same time! However, unless your ancestors all lived in the same area, you might have to miss out on some lines of your ancestry in different parts of the country, or spend a lot of time travelling, only to find the documents you need do not exist. It could also be frustrating if you just start getting somewhere the day before you’re due to fly home!
  4. You could learn how to carry out research in the UK, using an online course. The advantages of this are that you will get very good knowledge of the main genealogical sources available and learn how to carry out your searches like a professional. It will probably work out less expensive than hiring someone to do it all for you. The disadvantages? You might still need to hire someone to look at documents in local archives that are not published online.

Whichever you decide, you should be able to find information on this website to help with most of the above. I offer nationwide and local research services, and if you go to my courses page, you will find links to my online UK genealogy courses.

You can also email me at info@tracingancestors-uk.com for advice and further details.

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Ten Things Every Professional Genealogist Should Have

Posted on January 6, 2020 by Ros

If you’ve carried out some genealogical research on your own family, and are thinking about becoming a professional genealogist, then welcome to an extremely fascinating career, full of variety and surprises! But before you plunge in, have a look at my list of ten things you will need, based on my own experience after nearly twenty years in the business.

1.            Experience.  Of course this should go without saying.  You can’t start any business without experience in the service you are offering.  No doubt you will have started by carrying out research on your own family, and you should carry on doing this, but before you start charging for your service, you should carry out some research for other people for fee to get as much variety as possible.  Everyone’s ancestry is different, so it’s a very good idea to get as much experience as you can.  You could start by offering to research your friends’ family trees (if they’re happy to just pay the expenses).  I would recommend that you have had experience of ancestry going back to at least the 16th century before you start charging, as research at these dates is usually very different to 20th or 19th century research.

2.            Accreditation.  While it’s not essential, it is certainly highly recommended that you have some sort of accreditation in genealogy and/or research.  You will certainly need some credentials to compete with other genealogists in your area. When I started there were very few courses specifically in genealogy, and I did a module on historical research as part of my Open University degree, but you can now do excellent genealogy courses at institutions such as the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies.  Many of these courses can be undertaken online.

3.            A website.  The best way for clients to find you is via a website that contains some interesting content, details about your services and a blog page.  Websites are quite easy to set up these days, particularly using WordPress, and you don’t need to be a computer expert to add content and update your pages.  However, it can take a while to generate traffic to your site when you are just starting, so you might want to invest in some advertising as well.  Facebook advertising can work quite well, and you can link it back to your site to get more traffic – but make sure you set yourself a budget and stick to it, otherwise you can end up spending more than you intended!  It would also be a very good idea to learn about keywords, and generating traffic.

4.            Knowledge of History.  Genealogy is a historical subject, and the people you are researching lived in history.  Unless you have at least a basic knowledge of the history of your area and country, your service is going to be patchy and without depth of  knowledge.  For example, if you don’t understand about the huge migratory patterns from rural areas to the industrial towns and cities in mid-19th century England, how are you going to be able to carry out research effectively, and give your clients any understanding of the movements of their ancestors?  This background knowledge feeds your research and enriches the reports you send your clients.  Keep learning all you can about history: read books, go on courses and visit museums.  You will improve your research skills and your clients will really appreciate the extra knowledge that you can provide.

5.            Knowledge of Geography.  For similar reasons to a knowledge of history, it is highly recommended that you have some knowledge of the geography of the country in which you carry out research, and specifically of the local area you work in.  This knowledge will grow with each project, but it is as well to have a basic understanding of where all the major towns and cities are in your country when you are starting out.

6.            Subscriptions and Memberships.  To carry out research, you will need subscriptions to at least a couple of research websites such as Ancestry and FindMyPast, so make sure you budget for these.  However, I would also recommend that you join one or two societies, and have at least one professional membership.  You might want to join your local Family History Society, and/or the Society of Genealogists.  I would also recommend that you become a member or Associate of the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA), which has a code of practice, and a members page through which you can get clients.

7.            A collection of reference books.  Genealogy can be a complex subject, and you can’t carry every bit of information in your head; for example, the dates that certain resources begin.  Make sure you have some good genealogy reference books to hand that you can call on to make sure you are using all the right resources for the period you are researching.  I would recommend a copy of Ancestral Trails, and The Family Historian’s Enquire Within (these are the ones I use, but I’m sure there are many  more!)

8.            A knowledge of palaeography.  At some point in your career, you will need to be able to read some old documents, particularly wills or old land documents.  Before you start, it would be an extremely good idea to develop skills in reading old documents.  The National Archives has an online tutorial in this subject (they also have a Latin tutorial, which is also very useful), but you can also take courses in this subject (the IHGS has a very good one).

9.            A specialisation.  While it’s not essential when you start up, it is a very good idea to develop an area of specialisation, which can attract more clients who are looking for an expert in a particular subject.  Examples of areas you could specialise in are military records, probate records, heraldry, living people research, your local area, or a time period such as medieval history.  Choose something you have a real interest in, and get some in-depth knowledge about it.

10.          Contacts.  If your research covers the whole country, you will need a professional contact list.  Again, this is something you can build up over time, but it would be a good idea to make contact with a few other genealogists across the country and develop a pool of researchers in different areas that you can call on when you need research doing in a local archive out of your own area – and of course you can also offer your own local services to them.  This is something that will be very  useful for research before the 19th century, and for where there are gaps in the online parish registers.  However, before calling on another researcher and paying them, do check if there are any local sources that can be viewed or ordered online.  When using another researcher, you’ll be incorporating their invoice into your own – but you should always make your client aware that you will be contacting another researcher beforehand – especially if their hourly rate is higher than yours.

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