What started my interest in genealogy?

My father died when I was thirteen and shortly after I remember walking through the cemetery in which he was buried. From that time I found headstones fascinating, hinting at the life that had gone before, stories untold.  However, it wasn’t until 2010 when we (my husband, my son and myself) were going to do a self-drive tour, with my in-laws, through the Somme and Passchendaele areas fought over in WWI that the spark of interest was fanned into a flame.  I had some photograph’s of my paternal grandma’s brothers and friends who enlisted with the fates of some written on the back.  We found them on memorials.  My curiosity was peaked these men were more than just names on a wall, I wanted to know more.  I knew my paternal grandparent’s names and that was about it.  We returned from that trip and my genealogy journey began.

 

Specialist Areas

I’m more of a generalist at present.  As I live in Kuwait, my research is largely conducted online and centred mainly in New Zealand, England, Scotland and Ireland.   I am interested in going beyond the bare facts of genealogy, learning and understanding more about the lives of our ancestors, their occupations and the communities and times in which they lived.

 

Most exciting discovery

Recently I have undertaken some research for friends after the family matriarch passed away.  I traced her roots back to the Shetland Islands.  The Shetland museum holds a court summons for their male ancestor, his letter of response and the actual physical money that was paid for rent arrears in 1832.  The landlord obviously didn’t need the money too badly if it is still in the museum today, yet this poor family were almost destitute due to the ancestor’s ill health.

 

Typical Days Work

I don’t have a typical day’s work as my genealogy work is not full time so I can be flexible.  However, I do plan to spend some time each week on different aspects of genealogy:  CPD, genetic genealogy, client work, personal research, and special projects.

Contact Julie