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Starting out - And a family mystery

S

ShirleyS

New Member
At a family get together my husband’s cousin, who had started researching his family tree, surprised us by saying “Granny’s brother was married just down the road from you” . This was surprising as we had moved to North Shropshire on the border with Wales and as far as we knew Granny’s family were based in Staffordshire. Intrigued, I started to look into it (yes he had married in Llanymynech in Wales, but to a Staffordshire girl and he had been born in Staffs) Once hooked, there was no going back! I have since been researching both my husband and my trees . His family is based in Staffs, Yorkshire, Durham and Nottinghamshire, mine in Dorset, Somerset, and the Isle of Wight, but we have links to Canada, USA, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. John’s father was illegitimate, so one day I hope to discover the mystery of who his grandfather was - we have a photo, taken at Castle Studios (Dudley?) but no other clues except that Granny met him through work (we only found out he was illegitimate after Granny died, from his younger half sister) .
 
When my mother died in 1989 my father started to talk about his family history - he didn't go back very far, he just knew that his great-grandfather had been born in Cornwall and was a coastguard. He also said that on his father's side there was a very rare name that had been researched professionally in the 1970's that had stopped in London but should go back to Aberdeenshire. I couldn't start looking into it until much later - it was 2002 before I had the time to learn. I was able to confirm most of the research already done, but couldn't make the break into Scotland, only sourcing back to early 19th century London - it wasn't until I moved up to Moray and started going to FHS meetings that GOONS was mentioned - and I was away. I soon had a grand total of 211 names, (I did say it was a rare name!) and in 2015 I found the missing link! I have my maiden name of Brown (not a rare name) back to 17th century Cornwall, as well as my married name, although not quite as far back, stopping in early 18thC. Now totally addicted.
 
Hello, I'm relatively new to this forum but do contribute to others like Rootschat. I had a reminder from Peter to say I'd not been on here.... thought I needed an invite but obviously not.... anyway..
I started my family research about 10 years ago, really for my Mum to find out about her family. She had spent all her life living in Egypt from aged 2 and never really had much contact with her relatives in UK apart from an odd Auntie and Uncle here and there.
Sadly she passed away before I could tell her all about the cousins from her fathers side many of whom I have now met.
She was a very private person and that has made life quite difficult for me and she and my father were never married as he was already married to someone else.... I did know this but she'd never talk about it.
I sent for my fathers army papers as he was something quite big out in Egypt during the war, having lived there for many years prior to WWII and a fluent Arabic speaker. She was happy for me to send for them but not so happy when I got them and discovered I had two half siblings.... talk about closing up like a clam... so it was only when she died and with the help of RC that I found them and flew to California to meet them.... they knew all about me and my Mum as it turned out was their mums best friend and they worked in the British Embassy in Cairo during the war... no wonder she didn't want to say anything.
I have found and met many cousins on my fathers side as his mothers maiden name was BANGERTER and all the ones in Uk are related to me. My maiden name was GUY and it has been difficult to find anyone left who are from that particular side of the family as most of the branches and twigs seem to have passed away leaving no one!
I've done a DNA test with Ancestry and as far as I can tell not one chink in the GUY armour has given me any more clues.
I carry on looking when new information comes out but have felt quite despondent over ever finding any GUY relatives/ancestors.
It's still an addictive hobby or way of life so I will carry on researching.
 
Welcome ChrisMoray, ShirleyS and caroline w, this forum has some pretty clever people in it's midst, so don't be afraid to ask for help.
 
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