genealogy brick wall tips, genealogy brick wall solutions

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 32: Youngest

The challenge for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks for Week 32 is Youngest.  I knew immediately who I wanted to pick, my new nephew, but I do not give details or post pictures of my children or other people’s children on the internet.  So, instead, I had to come up with something else.  The challenge…

6 May 1974 Perth Gweneth, Alywin, and Marjorey Brand

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 31: Oldest

I wondered how I would approach the Week 31 Challenge in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Oldest.  Do I find the oldest person in my tree?  Do I have enough to write about them? Week 31 – Oldest It is amazing in families that one year you have numerous older relatives, and then, in…

Areas that Marjorey Moved Over the Years

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 30: Colourful

Every family has someone in who is bait different, quirky or just plain lager than life.  The Week 30 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge is Colourful.  Today I am writing about my maternal grandfather, Byro Jim. Week 30 – Colourful Albert James Newman was born on 18 March 1920 at 889 Hamilton Street, Boulder…

C-1960 Eric Walker

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 29: Music

The Week 29 Challenge in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is music.  This was an easy one for me to choose as my dad devoted his life to his music both in an amateur and professional capacity.  Sadly we lost my dad a month ago so this is a fitting tribute to him. The below…

Messy paperwork, genealogy do-over

Genealogy Do-Over

I read about Thomas MacEntee’s Genealogy Do-Over earlier this year and have procrastinated for a while about undertaking the process.  I have over 25 years of documents both physical and digital and whilst, for the most part, I have kept them organised, in recent months it has got out of control.  My dad recently died…

Lifou, New Caledonia

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 28: Travel

The Week 28, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge is Travel.  I have so many ancestors I could write about in regards to this topic, and many I have already.  In So Far Away I discussed the journey’s a number of my family took, including my parents, brother and myself.  In Strong Woman I talked about my great-great-grandmother Ellen…

Fanny Richardson

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 27: Independence

I have gotten a bit behind on the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge and updating my blog.  We unfortunately lost dad on the 2 July 2018 and so there have been other more pressing matters to attend to.  I am hoping in the coming weeks to catch up on 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks…

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Black Sheep

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 26: Black Sheep

The 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge for the halfway mark is Black Sheep.  All genealogists at some point will find a black sheep in their family.  Whether it be someone who was quirky and just didn’t quite fit the family to criminals.  I have come across my fair share of black sheep in my…

All Saints Anglican Church Bloxwich

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 25: Same Name

The challenge for this week in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is Same Name.  So often in genealogy you will come up with ancestors who have the same name as their father or mother.  Quite often they are then known by another name.  Also to confuse matters you will often find numerous children within the…

Sir David Brand

Family Surname History – Brand

Continuing on in my series of Family Surname History, I am moving onto the Brand surname.  My maternal grandmother was Marjorey Brand and the name has a long history. Family Surname History – Brand Brand is of German, French, and English originating from the pre-6th Century Anglo-Saxon word “brinnan” which means a flash e.g. flash of…