Journeys into Genealogy podcast
Genealogy podcast covering family history, research, tips, stories, interviews and more. Stories and interviews with people from the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa amongst others.
Fri, April 25, 2025
Orders and Medals Research Society
Do you have family medals or are you interested in collecting them? Andrew Mann and Graham Grist from the Orders and Medals Research Society explain about British military medals, who was entitled to receive them (including some surprising recipients), where to find out about medals and the pitfalls to beware. Also included is a a resources sheet available via Substack
Wed, April 09, 2025
Glasgow and West of Scotland Family History Society with Scott Fairie
The Glasgow and West of Scotland Family History Society has a wealth of resources and local knowledge for anyone with ancestors from the Glasgow and wider west of Scotland area. Scott Fairie and I discuss what the society has available, Scottish records in general, burying grounds, shipbuilding, railways, weaving, memorial inscriptions and lots more. A transcript and resources sheet is available on Journeys into Genealogy on Substack .
Mon, March 24, 2025
Pre 19th century records with Sarah Pettyfer
Sarah Pettyfer and I discuss how manorial, court and other records can be used to trace your ancestors back well beyond the 19th century including the court baron, court leet, copyhold and freehold land, yeomen and husbandmen and where to find the records as not many of them have been digitised. There is a second interview on Spittleditch on Substack and transcripts for both interviews.
Wed, March 12, 2025
North of Ireland Family History Society with Martin McDowell and Linda Kilby
Join me to find out more about researching your Northern Irish ancestors with Martin McDowell and Linda Kilby of the North of Ireland Family History Society. We discuss the resources available within the society and elsewhere (many more than you may think), events they run including an annual DNA summer school and a roadshow plus the services they offer for members and enquiries. A transcript of this interview is available on Substack: Journeys into Genealogy on Substack plus a second interview with Martin about the North of Ireland DNA project and a resources sheet full of useful links.
Tue, February 25, 2025
NARA with Claire Kluskens
NARA, or to give it its full name "National Archives and Records Adminstration", is the primary source for federal records in the USA. Claire Kluskens explains how genealogists and family historians can make the best use of these records, where they are located and how to access them. Including what they do host (military records, 19th and 20th century censuses, immigration, naturalisation, land records and more) and what they don't (birth, marriage and death records) and some other sources including the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution. With some staggering statistics about the numbers of records held and details of the free annual Genealogy Fairs. There is an interview transcript on Journeys into Genealogy on Substack together with a resources sheet.
Wed, February 12, 2025
Londonist with Matt Brown
Join Matt Brown and I as we discuss London and Londonist, lots of maps, the River Fleet, hidden waterways and street names plus much more. The transcript is available on Substack together with a second short interview about the John Rocque map of 1746. journeysintogenealogy.substack.com
Fri, January 24, 2025
Bermondsey with Geoff Fairbairn
Geoff talks about the long history of Bermondsey, London from Bermondsey Abbey in medieval times, through tanneries, the start of canning, famous food factories such as Peak Frean's and the development of "Biscuit Town" and where to find local records. An interview transcript is available on Substack together with a short second interview on fame and infamy in Bermondsey.
Thu, January 09, 2025
RootsTech 2025 with Ariel McDonald-Smith
RootsTech 2025 is nearly here. Ariel McDonald-Smith of Family Search is sharing some of what's in store for us and how to make the most of the show which runs from 6-8 March 2025. The transcript (available on Substack) contains links to keynote speakers, famous relatives and how to sign up for the event itself.
Tue, December 31, 2024
Celebrating 4 years and 100 episodes of Journeys into Genealogy plus what's in store for 2025
A short episode with the roundup of 2024 with what's ahead for 2025...
Mon, December 16, 2024
The Prize Papers with Anne Ramon
The Prize Papers is a treasure trove of documents captured by English naval ships and privateers in the 1700s. Anne Ramon talks about the project and some of the papers captured during the American War of Independence. From crew lists to poetry and the letters which never reached their intended destinations, it's a fascinating insight into 18th century life. The image of Mrs John Deas is used with permission of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Museum Purchase. Mark and Loretta Roman and The Friends of Colonial Williamsburg Collections Fund.
Thu, November 21, 2024
The Lost 57 with Ron Williams
Imagine not knowing your grandfather's history before he was 57. Ron Williams found himself in this situation and he has crossed the Atlantic from Canada to England to the US and back to Canada in search of answers. This has led him to write and self publish the book "The Lost 57".
Tue, November 05, 2024
GENUKI with Brian Randell
Have you heard of GENUKI? It's an essential tool to help find out more about records for individual countries, counties and parishes within the UK and Ireland. Brian Randell was one of the co-founders and he explains about its history, structure and some of the wealth of records that can be found in this "union of libraries". Plus we also talk briefly about GENEVA the genealogy event diary.
Wed, October 23, 2024
Researching insanity and disability with Kathy Chater
Kathy Chater takes us through a discussion about mental health and disability in the late 18th and 19th centuries and how to find ancestors who may have had these issues. We talk about the differences between private and public asylums, how and where ancestors may have been treated, where to find records and how the poor were treated as well as those who could afford to pay for treatment. There is a transcript of this interview on Substack together with a list of the resources mentioned.
Thu, October 10, 2024
Postcards with Helen Baggott
Have you ever wondered about the people who sent postcards in the past? Helen Baggott has researched hundreds of them and found the stories and lives of the senders and recipients. Helen shares tips for finding, evaluating and buying them and for researching the people and places plus stories of some of those she has found herself. We also discuss the books she has written "Posted in the Past" and "With Love from Grace" raising money for Parkinsons UK.
Sat, September 28, 2024
Herstmonceux Castle with Scott Mclean
Over the last 600 years Herstmonceux Castle has had mixed fortunes. From the first brick castle in England in the 1400s to ownership by a Canadian university in the 21st century. Former archivist Scott Mclean brings its history to life and that of some of its former owners and visitors including the Fiennes family, the Dacre family, Colonel Claude Lowther, Sir Paul Latham, the Royal Greenwich Observatory, Queen's University (Canada) and others. There have been some illustrious visitors over the years and Winston Churchill used to come and paint in the gardens. There is a second interview on Substack regarding some of the more unusual uses and goings on at Herstmonceux together with a transcript of this episode. Available here: Journeys into Genealogy on Substack
Fri, September 06, 2024
All About That Place 2024 with Ruth Willmore and Barbara Tien
All About That Place and All About That Place Pacific Edition start on 27 Sept 2024. Find out more about both events with Ruth Willmore of the Society of Genealogists and Barbara Tien of Projectkin. These are two separate interviews and Barbara starts at approximately 11.25 of the recording. Transcripts are available via Journeys into Genealogy on Substack .
Thu, August 22, 2024
Collaborating on your family history via a committee with Freda and Daniel
Have you wanted to write your own family history book? This family have had an annual newsletter going since the 1950s and Daniel had a vision of creating a book to share with other family members. Daniel who is in his 90s, and one of 13 siblings, worked with his daughter Freda and some of her cousins. Freda and Daniel talk about their experience of collaborating via a committee and how they produced a coffee table book and even a cake to celebrate the launch (shown on the cover image here). There is a second interview with Freda on Substack where she talks about how it all came together and some of the lessons learned. journeysintogenealogy.substack.com
Tue, August 06, 2024
Getting started with DNA with Michelle Leonard
DNA expert Michelle Leonard shares the do's and don'ts for anyone who is considering doing a DNA test and what to do once you have your results. She explains what information you receive when you test and how far back you can reliably trace your ancestors. With advice on how to organize matches, the definition of a 'genetic community', how reliable Ancestry's ThruLines and Origins are, whether you should upload your results to more than one company and if books and courses are helpful and much more. There is a separate Journeys into Genealogy on Substack interview on the new Ancestry Pro Tools and whether it is worth signing up for (hint: we both think it is!).
Thu, July 25, 2024
Great Uncle PJ - the bard and poet with Patricia Ahern
P J Ahern was a bard, poet, journalist and storyteller in Limerick, Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th century. His great niece Patricia talks about him, his life and poetry and the parallels with her own life.
Mon, July 15, 2024
Researching Migration to Australia with Ruth Graham
Ruth Graham talks about migration to Australia from the first non-indigenous settlers in 1788 up until the £10 POMs in the 20th century. We covers convists, ships, their crews, assisted immigration, non assisted immigration, mining, free settlers, trade and much more. The transcript for this episode will be added for paid subscribers on Substack. There is a resources sheet available for free on Substack.
Wed, June 26, 2024
The Gentleman's Magazine with Julian Pooley
The Gentleman's Magazine was the world's first modern magazine. Julian Pooley of the Surrey History Centre is an expert on the magazine and tells us about its history, contents, readership and how it is helpful to family historians. He also shares some of the stories contained within it including how Samuel Johnson was involved. A full interview transcript is available on Substack at https://journeysintogenealogy.substack.com .
Thu, June 13, 2024
Wayward Girls with Stephanie O'Connell
In New York in the early 20th century young women who broke the rules or didn't obey their parents were called 'wayward' and sent to reformatories to change their ways. Stephanie O'Connell discusses her case study titled "Wayward Girls," exploring the 1923 Wayward Minor Act in New York, which criminalised female disobedience and sexual delinquency. We learn about the New York State Reformatory in Bedford Hills, where young women were sent for being 'wayward' or 'incorrigible.' Stephanie explains the social context of the time, the daily life of the girls in the reformatory, and the impact of these institutions on their lives and on her own grandmother who was sent to this reformatory.
Tue, May 28, 2024
Researching Jamaican Ancestors with Wendy Aris
Wendy Aris has spent years searching for her Jamaican ancestors. In this episode we discuss what records are available and how far back they go. Visiting the National Archives and National Library in Jamaica, slavery, manumissions and emancipation and some of the surprising places records can be found.
Tue, May 14, 2024
Researching Ancestors in Australia with Ruth Graham
Ruth Graham, chair of the Society of Australian Genealogists, talks about the history of Australia, how the states are organized (it's changed quite a bit over the years!) where to find records, what records are available, including burial registers, newspapers, national and local archives, Trove, electoral rolls, Australian cemeteries, the services provided by the Society and much, much more. Ruth has provided a resource guide which is available on Substack alongside an interview transcript. This is the first of two interviews with Ruth about Australia, the second one will be focussed on migration.
Mon, April 29, 2024
Preserving the Past with Melissa Kitchen
Melissa Kitchen shares family stories and gives us tips on how to find and record them. We discuss living in the USA, ancestors who came across on the Mayflower, New England and lots more. There is a guest blog post to accompany this episode with some of the suggestions and resources on https://emmacox.co.uk/guest-blog-the-secret-spell-using-our-5-senses-to-bring-our-stories-to-life . Also please visit Journeys into Genealogy on Substack for additional content including an extra interview with Melissa.
Fri, April 12, 2024
US Family history, Pryor Wives and more with Vanessa Wood
Writer and researcher Vanessa Wood talks about her own family history including migration from Sweden to Tennessee and Virginia USA and her book "Pryor Wives" about the women who married into several Pryor families who shared a common surname, but probably did not share blood or share a family tree. These included pioneer women and their journeys across the US, a former slave and others.
Tue, March 26, 2024
Researching New Zealand Family History with Sarah Hewitt
Sarah Hewitt is chair of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists. We discuss what records are available in New Zealand, where they are located, what is available for free including birth, marriage and death records, wills and probate, school records, immigration, newspaper and other archives plus the benefits of joining the New Zealand Society of Genealogists including access to the Kiwi Collection. Sarah has put together a resource sheet which is available via this blog post: https://emmacox.co.uk/researching-your-ancestors-in-new-zealand .
Tue, March 12, 2024
Manchester History with Dean Kirby
Dean Kirby has researched his ancestors amongst industrial Manchester in the 19th century and his book "Angel Meadow" is about the slum neighbourhood that they lived in and some of the interesting characters who were their neighbours. We discuss pauper ancestors, Manchester industries, cotton and textiles, manufacturing, Irish migration and ancestry, using fire maps, rate books, the "Friends of Angel Meadow" and more.
Wed, February 21, 2024
East Surrey Family History Society with Hilary Blanford
Hilary Blanford explains the area covered by East Surrey (for non UK listeners part of this is directly south of the River Thames in London), the resources available from the Society, events held including online family history fairs, in person meetings and genealogy/local history walks and some of the transcription projects the Society is working upon including the Philanthropic School for Boys, the Westminster Lying In Hospital and the old psychiatric hospital in Epsom.
Tue, February 13, 2024
Researching South African ancestors with Natalie da Silva
Natalie da Silva of the Genealogical Society of South Africa ( www.genza.org.za ) talks about all the records and resources available for researching South African ancestors. Plus South African history, immigration, how the country is setup, locations of archives, where records are stored and if they have been digitised and who to contact. The accompanying blog post gives links to many of these: https://emmacox.co.uk/researching-your-ancestors-in-south-africa .
Wed, January 31, 2024
Storytelling with Bridget Badoe McQuick
Bridget Badoe McQuick (aka Lady Esi) is an oral historian, storyteller and local heritage champion. We discuss her family history, stories and culture in Ghana including burial traditions (funerals go on for 3 days and are a celebration of life and family and some include 'professional wailers') and how this fits with life in England. Plus her work as a heritage champion in Tottenham, London and how to ensure diverse voices are heard and celebrated.
Wed, January 24, 2024
Unravelled with Fanny Mills
Fanny Mills discusses her book "Unravelled" full of family secrets, missing people, culture clashes and what she discovered about her family's hidden past. From high society and aristocracy in England in the late 19th and early 20th century one one side and Jewish refugees on the other, to propaganda in north Africa in WWII, all woven around her upbringing in Hampstead, London in the 1960s and 70s.
Fri, December 29, 2023
Goodbye and thank you 2023 and hello 2024
Celebrating the third anniversary of the Journeys into Genealogy podcast with a short round up of 2023, statistics, tips from some the interviewees and what's in store for 2024.
Thu, December 21, 2023
Running, ancestors and "Makin a Mackem" with Julie Carter
Fell runner Julie Carter made a running pilgrimage to visit Gateshead in north east England where her ancestor John Nowell setup the Gateshead Harriers running group. We discuss her book "Makin a Mackem" which talks about her journey, mental health, the benefits of running, her family history and how she found out about her ancestors and met Sir Brendan Foster along the way.
Tue, December 05, 2023
Dead Fred with Joe Bott
Find out about Dead Fred the genealogy photo archive setup by Joe Bott. Over the past 40 years or so he has collected hundreds of thousands of old photos including daguerrotypes, tintypes, cartes de visite and cabinet cards and even some post mortem photos. Joe shares the stories of how he found some of them, how people share theirs with him and how some are returned to descendants.
Fri, November 17, 2023
Genealogy Fun with Sindi Terrien
Genealogy Fun whilst developing new genealogists is a new book by Sindi Terrien. We talk about lots of games and ways to encourage interest amongst young (and older) people in your family history. There's also a chance to win a copy of her book. An accompanying blog post genealogy fun gives some examples and ways to create your own word search. If you do create something yourself please share it in the blog comments.
Wed, November 01, 2023
ProjectKin with Barbara Tien
Barbara Tien is the founder of ProjectKin ( projectkin.org ), a new global community of people helping to share family history stories using modern technology. Barbara explains how she came to set it up, how it works, who it is for and how it can help family historians, plus lots of stories and tips.
Tue, October 10, 2023
Researching Cornish family history and the Cornish disapora with Lesley Trotter
Lesley Trotter talks about Cornwall, the 'married widows', the Cornish diaspora and where they ended up including the USA, Canada, Mexico, South America and other places. Discussing why people travelled and the industries concerned, including mining. With tips on how to find Cornish people in different countries and stories about how the women left behind coped with bringing up their families alone, sometimes for years at a time. The accompanying blog post has lots of resources and links and suggestions for further reading: https://emmacox.co.uk/researching-cornish-family-history-and-emigration
Tue, September 26, 2023
The Family History Federation with Ian Waller
Find out more about the Family History Federation and the new www.exploreyourgenealogy.co.uk website for information, support and guidance on researching your family history. Ian Waller is the education officer and he explains the aims of the Federation and what it offers for people looking for their ancestors.
Wed, September 13, 2023
The Surname Society with Kirsty Gray
Find out more about The Surname Society with Kirsty Gray. If you've considered researching one or more of your family surnames and would like guidance and support then the Surname Society is a useful resource. It's open to everyone across the world with online meetings, forums/chat rooms and newsletters. The Surname Society website is www.surname-society.org and is undergoing updates in Autumn 2023.
Tue, August 22, 2023
Researching in archives with Maxine Willett
Maxine Willett shares her expertise in working in archives plus stories and research tips on how to make the best use of your time. The discussion includes planning a visit, private and public archives, what to expect, how to find items, copying and copyright laws and much more. There is an accompanying blog post with tips and resources here: https://emmacox.co.uk/researching-in-archives-guidance-tips-and-resources
Tue, August 08, 2023
English trade, banking and merchants in the 17th to 19th centuries with Perry Gauci
Dr Perry Gauci shares his expertise on English merchants, trade and banking from the 1660s to 1850s. We discuss what information is available and where to find it including trade directories, the London Gazette, bankruptcy records, wills, insurance records, the role of the town councils, London, Great Yarmouth, herrings, Norwich, Newcastle, Bristol, English ports, river transport, shipping, banking archives, court records and much more. There is an accompanying blog post with links to suggested resources here: https://emmacox.co.uk/trade-banking-and-merchants-in-17-19th-centuries .
Tue, July 25, 2023
German Handwriting, translation and migration
Do you have German ancestors? Claudia Strachan talks about some of the letters, memoirs and other documents she has translated and shares stories about migration from Germany to the USA, South America and Australia. Bringing to life 18th, 19th and early 20th century lives in Germany and describing what it would have been like to migrate to another country and how letters were exchanged. We discuss literacy and education, spelling, the migration process and more.
Fri, July 07, 2023
Researching ancestors in British India with Mike Trenchard
Mike Trenchard is an expert in researching ancestors in British India. We discuss the East India Company and how it helped shape India, where to find records online and in archives, whether to use a local researcher (or not!), the Families in British India Society (FIBIS), the British Library, the India Office, civil servants, ships, how India has changed and which countries it has been split into and much more.
Mon, June 26, 2023
Buried Secrets with Anne Hanson
Anne Hanson's new book, Buried Secrets: Looking for Frank and Ida, is a real-life mystery about her quest to discover the hidden past that her grandparents Frank and Ida took to their graves. When she finally unearthed their real identities, she learned that their tales were lies invented to conceal disturbing facts. Buried Secrets is both a suspenseful drama and a true story about love, sacrifice, and family relationships. Its target audience is readers of suspense, memoir, and social history. Anne has also written a guest blog post with tips on researching early 20th century US family history. It is available from here: https://emmacox.co.uk/researching-early-20th-century-american-ancestors
Tue, June 06, 2023
The Walloons with Sandra Robinson
Sandra Robinson shares her expertise on the history of the Walloons of the Low Countries in Europe in the 16th and 17th century. From origins in Belgium and France and including journeys across Europe to escape perscution from Philip II of Spain. They were the original Protestant refugees and their descendants can be found in England and across the world.
Tue, May 23, 2023
ShipIndex with Peter McCracken
Award winning librarian, Peter McCracken, noticed a gap in available information about where to find details about historical ships online. This led him to setup ShipIndex to bring together all the places he could find, or has been told about, to help anyone looking for information about ships. This includes ships used for migration across the world and crew listings for people searching for their ancestors. Peter has written a guest blog post which explains more about ShipIndex. It is available here: https://emmacox.co.uk/guest-blog-shipindex
Wed, May 10, 2023
DNA Painter with Jonny Perl
Jonny Perl talks about how he setup DNA Painter and how it can help anyone researching their DNA including people with pedigree collapse and complicated family trees. We discuss chromosomes, tree completeness, what are the odds, the DNA testing companies and much more.
Fri, April 28, 2023
The Muse of Freedom with Jules Larimore
Jules shares the story of her ancestor Jean BonDurant in her book "The Muse of Freedom" and his imagined life as a Huguenot in the Languedoc with the trials and tribulations of 17th century France. While investigating him, Jules researched late 17th century Languedoc customs, politics, and spiritual traditions specific to the little known Cévennes mountains of south-central France, culminating in a rich repository to feed future novels about the Cévenol people and culture. We also discuss some of the help she received and the sources and resources used including the Hathi Trust, JSTOR, Google Books, Gallica, Huguenot Museums and regional libraries.
Tue, April 18, 2023
A Few Forgotten Women
The "A Few Forgotten Women" project comemorates women who might otherwise never be known. In this panel interview with Janet Few, Mandy Geary, Margaret Roberts and Ann Simcock we discuss some of the women they have researched and the issues they faced such as alcoholism, poverty, criminality, illegitimacy, mental health problems and more. There is also a blog post with lots of the resources suggested for anyone who wants to find out more about women such as these in their family. The blog post is available at https://emmacox.co.uk/a-few-forgotten-women
Mon, March 27, 2023
The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes with Kate Strasdin
The "Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes" is a 200 year old album filled with wonderful fabric pieces. It was created by a Victorian mill owner's daughter who became a merchant's wife and tracks her life over the next 20+ years. Kate Strasdin has researched Anne and the other people mentioned within the album, tracing her life and the places she lived and visited enhanced by snippets of the culture, events and fashions of the time.
Mon, March 20, 2023
The Last Lancer with Catherine Czerkawska
The Last Lancer is the story of Catherine Czerkawska's grandfather Wladyslaw Czerkawski and his early life in Poland, World War II, and as a soldier and later on as a refugee and finally his family in Yorkshire, England. Going from what is now Ukraine and crossing Europe at a time of trouble. Catherine has traced his footsteps and connected with living relatives and she shares some of the tips and help she has been given along the way. Catherine has also written a guest blog post with some of the resources she recommends. It is available at https://emmacox.co.uk/guest-blog-the-last-lancer-a-polish-family-history .
Wed, February 22, 2023
Researching Female Ancestors with Emma Jolly
Female ancestors can be harder to find but records do exist. Emma Jolly talks about some of the resources she recommends and we discuss military pensions, DNA and matrilineal lines, naming traditions in England and Scotland, names and nicknames, Florence Nightingale, female wills, spinster aunts, the benefits of researching a place as well as a person, fertility, records for women in varied armed forces since the Boer War and including WWI and WWII, the differences between English and Scottish records and how each have their own benefits, MyHeritage, artificial intelligence, photographs, inheritance, clothing, visiting archives and much more. There is an accompanying blog post, Researching Female Ancestors, at emmacox.co.uk with links to the recommended resources.
Wed, February 08, 2023
Researching occupations with Sophie Kay
Sophie Kay specialises in researching historical occupations. We discuss potential sources for finding old occupations including trade directories, censuses, occupational reversion, dictionaries of old occupations, Grace's Guide, HISCO, Histpop and the Internet Archive. Plus the effects of occupation on health, death, population migration and family.
Thu, January 26, 2023
Researching Welsh Ancestors with Gill Thomas
Gill helps guide us through researching ancestors in Wales with topics including Welsh names, patronymic names, Welsh places, chapel and church records, non-conformity, the effects of the industrial revolution, boatbuilding, steel, coal and copper mining, Welsh geography, parishes old and new, crime and punishment, the National Library of Wales, local archives, GENUKI, family history societies, newspapers and journals, AGRA, maritime history, migration, emigration and much more. A companion blog post with links and resources is available at https://emmacox.co.uk/researching-welsh-ancestors .
Fri, January 06, 2023
Researching Italian Ancestors with Julie Goucher
Julie Goucher's Italian ancestors come from Sicily. In this episode we discuss migration, where to find records, her Orlando one name study, suggested resources and much more. There is an accompanying blog post with a downloadable guide full of tips and resources on https://emmacox.co.uk/blog
Fri, December 30, 2022
Celebrating 50 episodes, a round up of 2022 and what's in store for 2023
Journeys into Genealogy is now two years old and 50 episodes have been broadcast. This short episode contains a roundup of 2022, some of my favourite moments, feedback from interviewees, lessons learned, statistics and what's in store for 2023.
Tue, November 29, 2022
Researching Theatre Ancestors with Mish Holman
Do you have ancestors who worked in the theatre, as a musician or similar? Mish Holman shares her stories of researching her ancestors, actors Abraham and Sarah Adcock. Talking about national and regional theatre, playbill archives, special collections and much more. I have created a blog post with lots of tips for research and useful resources on my genealogy website here: https://emmacox.co.uk/researching-theatre-ancestors
Wed, October 26, 2022
Researching aristocratic ancestors with Anthony Adolph
Do you believe you have aristocratic or royal ancestors? Expert genealogist, author and presenter, Anthony Adolph gives his do's and quite a few don'ts when researching and creating a family tree leading back to the gentry or royalty. Discussing gateway ancestors, wills, heralds visitations, pedigrees, historical books, FamilySearch, DNA and much more.
Mon, October 10, 2022
A DNA story and a Non Parent Event with Lezlee Liljenberg
"If only you knew" said her father to Lezlee. This mystery lasted for decades until Lezlee had her DNA tested and discovered that things she had believed were not true. Lezlee Liljenberg from Texas, USA is on a journey to discover more about her true parentage and she shares some of the ups and downs along the way and how important her DNA results were.
Wed, September 28, 2022
Ancestors, postcards and photography with Karen Sawyer
Karen Sawyer is a descendant of early 19th century Scottish photographer William Hunter. Here she talks about collecting and restoring his postcards, arranging exhibitions of his work in Newton Stewart, meeting distant cousins and what she has inherited from him.
Thu, September 08, 2022
Heirloom Hunting with Chelsey Brown
Chelsey Brown is becoming known as "The Heirloom Hunter". Based in New York, USA, she finds and returns objects to the descendants of their original owners. From a letter or family bible to jewellry and artworks and more.
Fri, August 26, 2022
House Histories and Genealogy with Melanie Backe-Hansen
When researching your family history you are likely to want to find out more about where your ancestors lived. Expert house historian Melanie Backe-Hansen shares her experiences and gives tips for getting started, where to look including local sources (which vary from county to county), church and manorial lands, rentals and house ownership and where to find other clues such as house names.
Wed, August 10, 2022
Cemeteries and Graveyards with Celia Heritage
Graveyard, cemeteries, churches, the history and evolution of the churchyard, headstones, burial locations inside and outside the church, burial records inc non-conformist, consecration, the Magnificent 7 and more with author and speaker Celia Heritage. Plus tips on where to find genealogical records.
Wed, July 27, 2022
The Beresford Family and Bedgebury Park with Neville Gallagher
Neville Gallagher talks about the Beresford family of Bedgebury Park in Kent including philanthropist Alexander Beresford Hope who funded local schools and many churches in England and Ireland and was interested in the American Civil War. Plus the history of the house and estate and sources for local history and hints for getting started with researching an estate.
Tue, June 28, 2022
Paul Chiddicks - columnist, family history blogger and writer
Paul Chiddicks is the face behind "Dear Paul" in Family Tree Magazine and a moderator on Twitter's #AncestryHour. He shares family history stories with research tips, discusses heirlooms and The Old Palace School Bombing in WWII.
Tue, June 14, 2022
Maps, the Ordnance Survey, digitisation and more
Chris Fleet of the National Library of Scotland gives us an introduction to wide variety of maps held with details of some of the collections helpful to people interested in family history / genealogy or researching specific places. We also discuss digitisation, transcription projects such as the Roy Military Survey of the 1740s, estate and county maps and some of the multitude of Ordnance Survey maps available going back to the mid 1800s.
Thu, May 19, 2022
Boost your genealogy knowledge with Pharos Tutors
Karen Cummings, owner of Pharos Tutors, a leading online genealogy training company explains about the short courses available (there are lots and I highly recommend them having done several myself). Topics include wills, DNA, military ancestors, Scottish research, Irish research, local history, one name studies, employment, 17th century sources and many more. If you want to learn a single subject or work towards a professional genealogy qualification then have a listen to what is available. (And I have signed up for the DNA course in June 2022!)
Mon, April 25, 2022
Mick Henry and the Nicholas Oxley of Sussex and his farming diaries
Mick Henry from the Sussex Family History Group explains about Nicholas Oxley and the transcription of his farming diaries from Sussex in the early 1800s. Including the influence of weather across the globe, religion, farm workers, family, crops and much more.
Wed, April 13, 2022
Scrapbooking for family history with Jeanne Pope
Scrapbooking can help you record and bring your ancestors to life. Jeanne Pope talks about how she's used scrapbooking both digitally and physically to tell her own family history stories and those of people she has never met. Find out more about Philadephia, Henry Austen's cook who is buried near him in Woodbury Park Cemetery in Tunbridge Wells. Plus tips on how to get started with making your own family history scrapbooks, where to buy papers and embellishments and more.
Thu, March 24, 2022
James Rigby, the SOE and adventures in India with David Rigby
James Rigby was an unknown hero of WWII and the SOE (Special Operations Executive). From tin mining in Malaysia to Operation Creek in Goa, India. David Rigby, a distant cousin, shares his discoveries and the connection with the film "The Sea Wolves" and the sources he used and help he received to find out more about James.
Fri, March 11, 2022
Stories of Yorkshire with Natasha Houseman
Natasha Houseman shares stories of her ancestors who grew up in 3 valleys in Yorkshire - Nidderdale, Wharfdale and Washburn. Talking about farming, names, female ancestors, inheritances, local history and more with tips for making ancestors feel alive and looking for 'ordinary' people.
Tue, February 22, 2022
Heather Smith and Storyfile - turning videos into conversations
Heather Smith setup Storyfile turning videos into conversations, enabling you to share your story with your descendants.
Thu, February 10, 2022
Fletton, brickmaking and one place studies with Sadie McMullion
Local historian, Dr Sadie McMullion talks about Fletton in Cambridgeshire, the local industry of brickmaking and the famous Fletton Bricks and the Fletton one place study with tips for anyone thinking of doing their own one place study.
Thu, January 27, 2022
Censuses and Enumerators with Dave Annal
A wide ranging discussion on the England and Wales censuses including why and when they began, what information was recorded, what enumerators did and much more. Did you know the 1939 register is not officially a census? Find out what it was used for any why it was taken.
Wed, January 05, 2022
18th century towns, power and local politics with Jon Rosebank
A fascinating discussion on how early 18th century towns worked, politics, religions, who were the local leaders and why, with Jon Rosebank, author of Partisan Politics and host of the History Cafe podcast. We talk about Plymouth, Tiverton, Taunton, Totnes, Dartford and several others over the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.
Mon, December 27, 2021
Huguenot ancestry with Simon Guerrier
Simon Guerrier is a Huguenot descendant and we talk about his ancestors and how he discovered them. Ranging from fan painters and clothiers to dock workers and cattle traders in Kent and London.
Fri, December 17, 2021
Celebrating one year and 30 episodes of Journeys into Genealogy
In just over a year I have recorded 30 episodes of the Journeys into Genealogy podcast. In this short review I reflect upon some of my favourite moments including Irish names, Pumpie the Elephant and looking into military history and Dunkirk and give you some insights into interviews planned for 2022.
Wed, November 24, 2021
Natalie Pithers on Stories and the Curious Descendants Club
Natalie Pithers runs the Curious Descendants Club where she helps people write interesting and entertaining stories and blogs about their family history. We talk about her own family stories including talking about illegitimate ancestors, one name studies, adding historical context to stories and more. Plus tips for writing your own family history stories.
Thu, November 11, 2021
Birth Marriage and Death Registrations with Antony Marr
Antony Marr, a former deputy registrar, shares lots of tips and information about birth, marriage and death registrations in England and Wales including why sometimes there are two registrations for the same event and why you need to reregister children if you marry after they are born. Plus mentioning some of the recent changes to BMD registrations.
Sun, October 31, 2021
Irish Research with Fiona Fitzsimons
Fiona Fitzsimons talks about why Irish family history research can be difficult and gives lots of sources which you can use for your own research. Including Valuation Office records, the censuses that do exist, Petty Sessions, Chancery records, newspaper records and much more. Plus tips on Irish names and the language used.
Wed, October 13, 2021
Clive Bonny and the Bonny family history
Clive Bonny discusses some of his ancestors in Scotland and Blackpool where they owned land and hostelries. We also talk about local resources which can be invaluable for family historians. Check out Clive's guest blog post at https://emmacox.co.uk/guest-blog-my-family-story-by-clive-bonny
Thu, September 16, 2021
Breaking through brick walls with Mary Evans
Do you get stuck when researching your family history? Brick walls are very common. Mary Evans discusses some of her strategies and success stories for getting through, over or around brick walls.
Tue, September 07, 2021
The Royal Houses of Europe - a conversation with author Jacques Arnold
Jacques Arnold is the author of over 40 "Royal Houses of Europe" books showing the family histories of the descendants of Charles II and Queen Victoria. In this conversation we discuss who is in his books and how he copes with over 100,000 records.
Thu, August 26, 2021
Organising family history research and stories - a conversation with Carole McCulloch
How organized is your family history research? Have you recorded any family stories? Carole McCulloch shares some of the tools and systems she used to record her own family history and to create the genealogy courses she runs.
Wed, August 18, 2021
Great War Tours with Sophie Shrubsole
Find out more about battlefield tours and how you can discover where your ancestor fought, and possibly died, in this podcast episode. Sophie and her team will take you on a tour following your ancestors footsteps in WWI and WWII in France, The Netherlands and Belgium. Plus tips on which resources to use to start your journey.
Thu, August 05, 2021
Starting Scottish Research with Chris Paton
Writer, tutor and genealogist Chris Paton shares his expertise on how to research your Scottish ancestors including which are his top resources, how to search using wildcards, sharing your research online and what is and isn't available online.
Fri, July 23, 2021
Finding your GI Father with Catherine Hughes
Catherine Hughes found her GI grandfather using DNA. Now she helps other people do the same. In this conversation she tells us about her grandfather and other people she has helped as well as sharing tips on how to find your own GI relatives and if you get stuck she can help you (for free).
Tue, July 13, 2021
A conversation with Ivor Normand of the Aberdeen and North East Scotland Family History Society
Have you considered joining a family history society? Ivor Normand is Chairman of the Aberdeen and North East Scotland Family History Society. He explains how people can benefit through joining a family history society and what records/information are available and gives some hints and tips on researching your ancestors in Scotland.
Mon, June 14, 2021
Millinery, inherited hats and more with Joanna Zara
Joanna Zara makes, mends and redesigns hats at her studio in Brighton, Sussex, England. A milliner with 15+ years of experience she won a competition with Lock & Co, hatters of London and designed the "Prospect" fedora to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research. Our discussion talks about fashions, inherited hats, the hat industry, Mad Hatters and much more. In the cover image for this episode you can see Joanna in her fedora and some of my family photos from a 1960s wedding.
Wed, June 09, 2021
A conversation about adoption with Anna White
Anna White was adopted in England in 1960 and she shares her journey with us, through the ups and downs and what the future holds. It touches on AncestryDNA, American GIs, helpful Facebook groups and other tips for anyone who wants to find out more about their own adoption.
Thu, May 13, 2021
Clothes and our ancestors - A conversation with Steph Wood, fashion exhibition curator at the V&A Museum
Steph Wood is the co-curator of the Mary Quant exhibition setup at the V&A Museum in London and now travelling around the world. We discuss clothes, fashion, styling, how clothes can help date a photograph and how clothes reflect trends and empower people. Steph shares some of the personal stories from the Mary Quant exhibition. Plus tips on how to look after inherited garments including freezing garments and using paper sausages.
Wed, May 05, 2021
Conserving Books and Photographs - a conversation with Anne Bancroft of the V&A Museum
Anne Bancroft is a Senior Book and Paper Conservator at the V&A Museum in London. We discuss when to wear gloves when handling objects, what to do with books, papers and photographs you have inherited and how to ensure they are cared for appropriately and Anne has lots of tips to help you with your own objects.
Tue, April 20, 2021
Southwark Park - a green oasis in London with a fascinating history
Southwark Park was the first major park for South London. Setup in 1869 to give 'fresh air' and help with the health of the local residents, it has hosted temperance meetings, political rallies and local sports events. Pat Kingwell, secretary of Southwark Park 1869, talks about how and why it was setup and what difference it made to the local population including stories about the people who backed it and how it has evolved over the last 150 years.
Thu, April 08, 2021
Researching military history with Graham Bandy of Living Military History
Graham Bandy shares lots of tips and insights into how to research your ancestors' military history including how to use military uniforms to identify regiments, medals and more. Major-General Philip de Fonblanque was one of my own ancestors and Graham found out lots of interesting facts about him including how he was very successful at Dunkirk.
Tue, March 30, 2021
A conversation about conservation and curation of children's toys with Will Newton of the V&A Museum
Will Newton takes us behind the scenes of the Museum of Childhood (part of the Victoria and Albert Museum) and shares plans for the future of the museum and its collection. Family toys connect us with previous generations plus we catch up with Pumpie the elephant and discuss conservation and donations and what to do to ensure your toys survive the decades.
Wed, March 10, 2021
Inherited or Ancestral Trauma - a conversation with Kimberly June
Did you know what you experience may not be 'yours'? It might be something carried down from a previous generation. Kimberly June explains how inherited (or ancestral) trauma works and how you can clear or stop this going onto future generations.
Mon, February 22, 2021
A conversation with Helen Tovey of Family Tree Magazine
Helen Tovey explains why rabbit holes can be useful when researching your family tree, how Family Tree Magazine got started, how it has changed over the decades and who it is aimed at. We talk about why she setup the Family Tree Study Club and much more. Plus the chance to buy the March 2021 digital edition of Family Tree Magazine for just 99p.
Wed, February 10, 2021
Stories: a conversation with storyteller Sas Huntwood
Stories are powerful, they connect the past with the present and bring our family to life. Storyteller Sas Huntwood explains why we need to record stories and gives us tips on how to get started.
Thu, February 04, 2021
A conversation with Charlie de Wet of the Huguenots of Spitalfields
Charlie de Wet setup the Huguenots of Spitalfields charity several years ago and is one of the leading experts on Huguenots in the UK. In our discussion we cover how and why the Huguenots came to England from France and Holland (they were the original refugees), what they did when they got here and how they are still influencing society today.
Thu, January 28, 2021
An interview with Libby Copeland about DNA testing
Have you considered doing a DNA test? If you have then listen to this podcast. Award winning author and journalist, Libby Copeland, explains how DNA tests work, which one is best and what you need to consider and do before you take the test. She shares some of the stories from her book "The Lost Family: How DNA testing is upending who we are", the good and bad surprises people discovered after their tests. We discuss genetic genealogy and how it helps find missing people and how DNA is not who you are.
Wed, January 20, 2021
A conversation with author and publisher Amanda Davey
Amanda runs a family business, Tilia Publishing, and has published her grandfather Sir Harold Harding's autobiography. In this episode we discuss inherited research, publishing a memoir, dissenting religions including the Sandemanians, and the importance of fact checking.
Thu, January 14, 2021
A conversation with Ken Toll of the Guild of One Name Studies
Ken Toll is a former President of the Guild of One Name Studies. He shares some of his expertise and gives us tips for starting our own one name studies. And if you don't know what a one name study is then please listen to the podcast! It's a very useful way to record some of your family history.
Thu, January 07, 2021
A conversation with Jacqui Larsson - gemmologist and diamond specialist
Jacqui Larsson is an expert on diamonds and other precious stones. She can create a brand new personalised piece of jewellery for you. Or she can repurpose an inherited family heirloom. In this conversation she shares stories and tips on what to do with your inherited jewellery and how to look after it.
Fri, November 27, 2020
A conversation with Kerry Baldwin, expert in old handwriting and wills
Kerry is the Sussex Genealogist and specialises in Sussex research, paleography (the study of ancient writing systems) and transcription of old documents such as wills. In our conversation we cover family history researching in Sussex and resources available to help online. The history of handwriting plus lots of tips on how to read old handwriting, the format and contents of wills and how to make sense of an old will.
Tue, November 24, 2020
An Interview with author Kath Kirkland
Successful author Kath Kirkland shares her inspirations, stories, family history and tips for getting started with writing your family history.
Fri, November 20, 2020
A conversation with Jane Muddle - funeral celebrant
Jane Muddle is a funeral celebrant and helps families with planning funerals/celebrating the life of their loved ones. She shares stories and a few suggestions on how to make funerals memorable for the right reasons and how the celebration can be saved as an heirloom for the future.
Thu, November 05, 2020
Welcome to Journeys into Genealogy
Welcome to Journeys into Genealogy In this brief introduction I mention the different topics we will be covering on our journeys into family history across the world. They include tips, interviews, stories and guidance from local genealogy experts.
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