Tree status as at 14 Jan 2013: Individuals=4066 Families=1091
Latest tree updates:
Blog=27 Jan 2011, GenesReunited=27 Jan 2011
AncestralAtlas=23 Jan 2010, Ancestry=28 Jan 2011

A mixed result at Canterbury

Canterbury Cathedral (undergoing repairs)On Thursday I finally visited Canterbury Cathedral Archives, got my reader’s card and and spent the afternoon buried in microfiche and paper. However, my aim of finding the baptism record of John William FULLER (supposed illegitimate son of Charles LUCKHURST), born ~1824 at Dunkirk, Kent, proved fruitless.

Dunkirk church was only established following the local uprising of 1838, and therefore John would have been baptised in another parish. Despite me hunting around, I could not locate a record. Dare I use that well-oiled cliché, “he just does not want to be found” !

Nevertheless, I did locate the mother of Daniel CASTLE, born ~1814 at Stelling, Kent, and that of his wife, Eliza PAY, born ~1823 at Stelling. They were named Elizabeth and Harriet respectively.

Having now experienced Canterbury Archives, I will go more prepared next time, and endeavour to make it a whole day.

Published in: Genealogy | on May 9th, 2009 | 2 Comments »

The wonders of digital retouching – a recommendation

A few weeks ago my mother sought the services of a professional photographic studio to attempt to “repair” one of her family photos. It was of her grandmother, Sarah Elizabeth CASTLE (née GOLDSACK) and her adopted daughter, Daisy (born to Frances Georgina FAGG).

Despite my insistence that the photo was really beyond saving, she chose to use the services of The Studio, at Herne Bay in Kent. Despite a little artistic license being required to rebuild baby Daisy’s facial features, I think you’ll agree they did a wonderful job from a very poor original!

Before retouching

Before retouching

After retouching

After retouching

If you have need of such services, give them a go. Check out their details at http://www.theonlystudio.co.uk/.

Published in: Genealogy | on March 29th, 2009 | No Comments »

Never believe anything … !

I received a couple of marriage certificates yesterday – George CASTLE m. Sarah Elizabeth GOLDSACK, and Richard HATTON m. Margaret GARLINGE. The latter couple appear at the edge of online records, in the early 1800s. Despite me having supposedly found Margaret’s family in early censuses, the marriage certificate suggested I was wrong! Her father is not named as a William GARLINGE, as I had thought, but James GARLINGE!

I have retained the other family records, but now have to prove which is correct via another means, and that will probably be Parish Records. After all, it is not unknown for names to be incorrectly listed on certificates!

The other certificate at least verified my maternal gt-gt-grandfather was Stephen CASTLE, and after a couple of hours I traced back to my gt-gt-gt-grandfather, Daniel CASTLE (b. ~1814 in Stelling, Kent) and a gt-gt-gt-gt-grandfather of James PAY (b. ~1796-1801), his father-in-law.
The GOLDSACKs are just too numerous for me to assume anything at the moment, but I at least found Sarah’s immediate family.

I really must get some trees online!

Published in: Genealogy | on February 24th, 2009 | No Comments »