Recent Posts
Hundreds of holes, in Carlisle Cathedral
Carlisle Cathedral inside is, I once heard a visitor like: “like something out of Harry Potter.” And its walls inside and out tell the city’s history: inside, through memorial tablets; outside, ... Read More
Thomas Ollivant of Hesket-in-the-Forest
Thomas Ollivant, ‘clerk’ (vicar) of Hesket-in-the-Forest, Cumberland, died in 1686. His will included an inventory with a lot of names – local people who owed him various sums of money. These de... Read More
Kirkoswald parish registers
Kirkoswald parish registers have a lot to tell family and social historians, even if your family have zero connection with this Cumbrian parish. Trawling through parish registers is a lot harder than ... Read More
Church presentations a family history resource
You won’t find church presentations on genealogy sites, but if you can read original records, they are worth looking out for. Unless you live near the relevant archives, searching parish records... Read More
Annie Robinson murder in mind
Here’s to you Annie Robinson..? Annie Robinson was seemingly deserted by her first husband, married the second in dubious circumstances, then tried to poison him after in order to marry his cous... Read More
Cumberland & Westmorland Ancient and Modern
Cumberland & Westmorland, Ancient and Modern, written in 1857, is still of interest today. Cumbrian Characters looks at its author, and Cumbrian place names. A fascinating read ‘Human sacrifices... Read More
DNA testing plain and simple
DNA testing plain and simple guide All I wanted to know, plain and simple, was: is DNA testing worth it, in relation to family history/ancestry? ‘Centri-Morgans,’ ‘FIRs’… but listening to a ... Read More
Merchant Navy apprentices in the 1850s
Merchant Navy apprentices in the 1850s Like an eagle cag’d I pine On this dull unchanging shore Oh give me the flashing brine.. (The full lyrics are here). A life on the ocean wave may have been... Read More