New additions - yes its a boring title!

Can you cope, or can I, two entries within a week !

The other day I told you of my Family History Diary and today I have to mention a new addition - the Interview Diary and that can also be found on the shop at www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk. The booklet is an easy way to keep your interview records together, forget about using the shorthand pad ! Included are 21 relative questions that will add family and social history to your growing information + a list of things not to forget and extra questions. A good add-on to the Family History Diary.

Tonight the following have been uploaded either as new files or amendments

Oct 2010

Pihen le Guines CWGC Military Cemetery, France. Photographs of all the headstones. This a quite small cemetery set in the main part of the village. You enter via a grassed path to the small section behind village houses, then pass down a further grass path behind further houses and the cemetery is set behind the village school - peaceful and poignant, the quietness of resting souls and the happy laughter and chatter of children floating on the breeze

Oct 2010

Esquelbecq CWGC Military Cemetery, France - every headstone set into 7 galleries. NOTE : this will take time to load due to the large number of images contained.

Oct 2010

Extra information incl a military citation + images for Woburn War Memorial.

At the moment am working on 2 war memorials that were photographed on Heritage weekend and they will be uploaded soon - well once I have copied the information and handed it over to the church/village group.

Well, I think that's enough for now

See you all later

More additions

Yes, I know it's been a while since I put fingers to keyboard but I have a good excuse, well I think it's good !! You know the saying 'tomorrow never comes', well its true it never does, as I've been saying that I will do an entry on my blog tomorrow and you're still waiting for my tomorrow to come...........well it is finally tomorrow!

There have been a few entries to the site including the following war memorial transcripts :- Taddington ; Chinley ; North Duffield Methodist Church and Appledore.

There are 3 full CWGC cemeteries awaiting their final process to put them into a photo gallery and still a lot of more transcribing sat in files on my pc awaiting their transcribing turn.

But, the most important addition is the Family History Diary - An A4 or A5 Family History Research Booklet

These A4 or A5 40 page booklets are printed on quality 120gsm paper offer a simple and easy way to organise your research. They are handy and an easily transportable way to keep your information at hand when visiting Archives, Libararies and even relatives.

No longer is there the need to be laden down with files and lose papers while researching.

The centrally held family tree forms the core of your work with each 'couple' having a unique page number - a simple and quick way to find who you need without flicking through the pages.

The page for each couple has sections for the name of the couple with dates and places for birth, death and burials with 'tick boxes' so you can see at a glance if you have a birth, marriage and death certificate for the couple.The marriage information also has a section along with spaces for 12 children and their relevant details.

The census is the next important fact to be included from 1841 up to the current 1911 census - space is also available for the address and the census reference, which is also a boon when wanting to follow up or print the information at a later date.

As well as a notes section at the front of the booklet the back of the booklet has pages for monumental inscriptions, including such information as where the headstone is, a brief description and most importantly, the wording.

The booklets are in a choice of colours and size - if using more than one booklet for different sides of the family you can now have a specific colour to a family.

Now it's even easier to transfer the newly found information to your main way of storing your family history, be it a computer, database or card system.

All in all a good tool for the beginner or more experience researcher.

The Family History Diary is available from the shop and there are discounts for family history groups/ societies or classes - email me for these at carol@wakefieldfhs.org.uk

So you can see even though the site has not been added to greatly, somethings have been going on in the background.

So keep a look out for the CWGC galleries that are coming soon and a new booklet that is coming very soon.........as they say watch this space

Additions to websites

Since I added my last update at the beginning of April there have been quite a few additions, updates and new 'stuff'. Some you may find is related to your research, but if not, I do hope you will find it of interest.

Here goes :=

26 Apr 2010

Swillington War Memorial - additions to information for casualties

26 Apr 2010

Allerton Bywater War Memorial

26 Apr 2010

Lewes WW1 and WW2 War Memorial

23 Apr 2010

New addition to Shop - Ancestral File - a record book for family history research. An A4 36 page booklet offers a simple and easy way to organise your research. A handy and easily transportable way to keep your information when visiting Archives, Libraries and even relatives.

17 Apr 2010

Gaugnies-Chaussee War Memorial

16 Apr 2010

Reningelst War Memorial, Belgium

Haveluy War Memorial, Nord, France

Tranent War Memorial

Prestonpans War Memorial

Forgandenny War Memorial, Perthshire

15 April 2010

St Marys War Memorial, Wakefield

St Andrews War Memorial, Wakefield

Musselburgh War Memorial A - Li ¦ Lo - Y

St Andrews WWI Memorial and WWII Memorial

Newhaven Memorials - WWI Memorial ¦ WWII Memorial ¦ Canadian Engineers ¦ HM Transports

Tillicoultry War Memorial, Clackmannanshire

15 Apr 2010

Dunning War Memorial, Perthshire

Pool of Muckart War Memorial, Perthshire

Tillington War Memorial + private memorials inside church

Twineham War Memorial

St Peter's War Memorial, Wisborough

15 Apr 2010

Wisborough Green War Memorial, Sussex

Woodchurch War Memorial, Kent

13 Apr 2010

Salmeston & Alciston War Memorial

Broadbridge Heath War Memorial

Warnham War Memorial, Sussex

9 Apr 2010

Lodsworth War Memorial & Lodsworth Roll of Honour

Tenderden, St Michael's War Memorial

Withyam War Memorial + private memorials on church walls

Whitley War Memorial

8 Apr 2010

Barcombe War Memorial

War Memorial in the cemetery close to Strathmiglo and Edenshead Parish Church

Kingussie War Memorial

Fortrose War Memorial

All these memorials were photographed last year - it takes a while for a one man (woman) band to get all things done, but we get there in the end !!!

April and May jaunts

Easter time normally sees us nip over the channel to France, but this year I was told '....it's too cold and the bar is shut....' What can you say to that and therefore just before the May Day weekend we set off.

Our first day, as usual, we ventured to the supermarket to stock up the fridge with meats, cheeses and lots of salads + a few little luxuries. The weather was very good and an afternoon of reading and sitting in the sun followed.

When away at anytime, regular followers will know that I photograph war memorials etc, my family and friends say I can spot a memorial or a church at 2 mile, I think that is a slight exaggeration !!!! We did on this visit to France and I include my hubbie in this, photograph 3 complete CWGC cemtereries, namely - The Canadian War Cemetery of Calais about 700 photographs, The Pihen-les-Guines War Cemetery with about 150 images and finally, Le Baraque Military Cemetery, Bleriot le Plage with over 1000 images and eventually will be put in a gallery style web section.

When photographing the Canadian cemetery, the sun shone but it was bitterley cold and I was alone on this excursion as Ben said it was toooooo cold. I was joined after a while by 3 young girls who looked at the headstones, took photographs of the memorial cross and then left me alone again. As I neared the end of my task the shelter of the fir trees was very welcome and left me without the wind chill.

Pihen-les-Guines was a very peaceful place, as are all the cemeteries, even with a school playground a matter of yards away, is in two sections. The first section being more a part of the Communal cemetery, while the larger part is accessed via a grass path.

The largest of the cemeteries had the majority of the headstones laid out in the usual format but with many forming a border along the boundary wall. There was also a section for the Chinese Labour Force.

While in France I photographed the War Memorial in St Omer, so many names and so many civilians from WW2, all in date order - a great help for researchers. One date for May, off hand can't remember the date of the year, but there were so many civilians who lost their lives, must have been nearly 100 people - What happened on that day to cause such a loss the the town ? Does anyone know ?

Back in England we followed the coast for a while and found a few more memorials along the way - including: Appledore, Dymchurch, Headcorn, Lynn, Lypne and Snargate. So as they say Watch This Space for them all being added to GenealogyJunction.

If you are looking for a specific memorial photograph or transcription, please email me - you never know it may be just waiting to be transcribed and added.

Happy hunting

Latest additions to websites

Latest additions to GenealogyJunction

I've started taking the transcriptions from my photographs of memorials during the evenings, while on holidays - hopefully it saves me time when I get home... you know part of the work is done and all I have to do is add some additional information and a photograph and up into space it goes.

Well, I've done that many that I have had a back log waiting to be sent into a virtual world and after last weeks episode, thought I had better do something about it.

As a result of today's efforts the following have been added to GenealogyJunction, my site for anything outside of the Wakefield area.

I hope you find something of interest

Barcombe War Memorial

War Memorial in the cemetery close to Strathmiglo and Edenshead Parish Church

Kingussie War Memorial

Fortrose War Memorial

Petty Tornagrain War Memorial

Port of Glasgow WW1 and WW2 War Memorials

Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay War Memorial

Inverness Memorial to those who were KIA, died of wounds or disease in Egypt or the Sudan in 1882-1887

Sissinghurst War Memorial, Kent

Lhanbryde War Memorial - with some additional information

Inverkip War Memorial, Renfrewshire

Hopeman War Memorial

Gourock War Memorial

Braco, Perthshire, War Memorial

Gullane War Memorial with some additional information

Turner's Hill War Memorials (WW1 & WW2) + original wooden crosses from the fields of WW1 France and Belgium

Seaford War Memorial - South African War 1899-1902 ; WW1 and WW2

Rothes, Morayshire War Memorial

and the following on Wakefield Family History Sharing

New additions to forms and charts - a couple of charts have been uploaded that were only available on one of my cd's before.

The moral of this tale

Over the past few one of the hard-drives on my pc has had a 'ticking' noise. So, spent some money buying a BIG external hard-drive to back up all my info and an internal drive to replace the one that was on its last legs.

I arrived home, put the kettle on, and then set my husband to work - hopefully backing up before changing drives over...............too late.........as I sat and watched one of my hard-drives crackled and then set on fire. I was assured by hubby that all was well and that it was not my main drive.

After a while, I got a little bored, made another cuppa, then our evening meal and I went out as I normally do on Thursday. Returning home a couple of hours later I was told all was well and that I had a cloned hard-drive.... you know what's on one was now on the other, so all my stuff was safe - the day was as good as it was going to be today (Thursday 25th April 2010)

I could not wait to try out my new back-up drive, even though I knew it would take an age to transfer. You know how it is, you know how it works but you still just want to check - you do don't you !! So, click on 'D' drive looking for my website and all my photographs of memorials, churchyards etc collected over many years of days out here and there and a few holidays, but none were to be found. At this point panic was turning into P.A.N.I.C. and a rather large shout downstairs enquiring where all my stuff was, only to be told quite calmly 'it's all there, look in the right place'. After that I shouted again and asked if it had been all put inside another folder? I seem to remember a series of mutters as he climbed the stairs, still don't know exactly what was said.

The day at this point had only two hours left and was seriously going into melt down as hubby finally admitted or realised the 'flaming' circuit board had been my main drive.

Nothing could console me as I fell into silence and a state of mourning for my website, family tree info and all my thousands of war memorial, cemetery images that had been part of my life for so long.

After a while I checked 'C' drive as that was where Windows was placed and all my programmes ......my family tree was safe and well and so were a small amount of my pictures.

I watched television, but took nothing in, flicked from chanel to chanel only to find nothing that could make the situation even the smallest amount better.

By Sunday I had become resigned to the fact that the drive would be sent away for ressurection and I would be a little lighter in the bank. Ben, must have known something was wrong as by Sunday afternoon he popped his head around the door and told me he had read on the internet, so it must be true, of a possible answer to my plight and he set to work.

Later that evening, the world was a beautiful place as all was restored to its former glory, everything was backed-up and my state of mourning had gone.

So take note..........

From Cradle to Grave Exhibition

Friday and yesterday an exhibition was held in a vacant shop in the Ridings Centre, Wakefield, the second in the series of 'A Window to your Past' organised by Allan Black - sorry to let you know after the event but I did promote on the messageboard and mailing list that Wakefield & District Family History Society (www.wdfhs.co.uk) were involved with the libraries, archives and museum and Christine Ellis with her displays of costumes.

Anyway, with one of my other 'hats' on I manned our section with a few other stalwarts. What a couple of days. The doors opened at 9.30 but eager beavers were waiting outside. Many people came only to see the exhibits, but many, many more were shoppers and passers-by who just 'dropped in'. Or, visitors to Wakefield that had come to the City to see the Yorkshire Regiment being granted the Freedom of the City. But either way, all from the young to the old enjoyed their stay.

The young played with toys from a past era, wrote with a quill pen or tried to put money into a money box. While, the more mature person looked at the photographs or looked for relatives who were killed in mining disasters. Many of those visitors were ex-miners who brought in their own memories and photographs.

At all the stands people asked questions and listened eagerly at the replies. I recognised faces from my childhood and caught up on years lost. I remember in particular one lady came in and said she had some glass photographs hanging on the wall, she knew who two were but not the other, although it was a family member. She went on to explain that her late husband had tried to clean them but the image came off as a powder and he quickly left them alone. I told her I thought they could be late 1800's from the costumes she described but could not be sure. I told the lady she should keep them safe and pass them on to someone who would appreciate and care for them. I called the lady from the museum over and she confirmed what I'd said but again would need to see them. The lady went away happy as she did not realise that glass photographs were rare - you can drop a paper photograph, but drop a glass one and its more than likely destroyed.

Another visitor I spoke to stated he had a small display of old photo's where he worked but did not know who many of them were. He went onto explain how he had a number of military pics and again was not aware of who they were. At this point my 'hat' changed into Wakefield Family History Sharing mode and I spoke of how sad it was that no one knew who they were and could I loan the images to put on the internet and see if anyone was recognised. At this point he also told me there were letters included in this batch and I could have them. So watch this space for the soldiers info.

After two days, many of us had aching feet and backs and really wanted to sit down with a good cuppa but the high of the past two days and the fact that nearly 3000 people had come through the doors all made it worth while.

The snow has gone !!!

As I sit writing to you, the sun is shining and it is a glorious spring day. The snow has gone, which means my car can come out of hibernation and Ben's car (the fire engine) can now have a rest.

During the past few months the bird feeding station has been working overtime and it was on occasion funny to watch the poor birds hunting for dropped seed in the snow and the squirrels hunting for their secreted dinner. Oh! and the foxes, they are back after being away for years. It was so nice to look out of the kitchen window and see two foxes playing in the show - running around the garden, stopping and then charging off chasing each other.

The snow was a godsend to the website as during the past few months I have uploaded quite a few memorials gathered from last years visit to Scotland and a few days on the south coast. The new pages can be found on the 'What's new' page of Wakefield Family History Sharing. But I will list a few examples :- Dewsbury South African War Memorial ; Carrbridge, Inveress-shire War Memorial ; Forest Row War Memorial and memorial from inside Holy Trinity Church + memorials from East Grinstead, including those inside the church ; Beauley memorials ; Blair Atholl ; Advie, Avoch and many more + there are many more to do - keep me busy.

Since Christmas I've moved my 'office' into the loft and Ben has now taken over my old space for his 'music' room. I still cannot believe how much stuff I managed to squeeze into a small space. I still have to sort some things out but I have books I now can see, printers I can reach and scanners also within easy reach. I have also a work table to house my sewing machine, a big tv with dvd and a large settee for visitors - not that I get any in the loft, but if I did they would be very welcome and I would supply oxygen !

A couple of weeks ago we made a trip to London for our daughters London engagement party and just while we were there I managed to snap a few memorials from around the Staines, Windsor area. The following week I drove down for a girly weekend - you know mum and daughter days.

We caught the train into London and it just so happens that as I walked out of the station there were a couple of memorials - well what luck and I just had to photograph them, it would be a shame to waste the opportunity.

But after that it was a trip to the London eye and then afternoon tea just off Leicester Square - sandwiches, fresh scones with jam and clotted cream + other fancy cake, what more could you ask for ?

Last weekend the children, sorry that's wrong, but you can't say 'the adults came up for the weekend' can you, came home to celebrate three birthdays. Up until the evening before we had no idea where we were going - a quick google for 'fine dining in Wakefield' came up with just the right place - yes, you can fine dine in Shakey Wakey!! I won't tell you where it is as I don't want it to get fully booked when we go again, but I will say its a 10 minute drive from the town centre. The pate was superb and the lamb, done to a tee with pickled walnuts. Pudding, I have never seen Eton Mess on a menu before. I've made it at home, but it was so nice to see it in a restaurant and it was fantastic.

Yesterday evening another photo gallery, Hensall, was handed over to one of my technical directors - Ben, for him to do his bit to make it web-ready. While he was doing that I started and completed the Dallow Gill churchyard photo gallery.

I'd better go now, there is a cup of tea awaiting me and so are a lot of partially completed web pages, so keep checking in on Wakefield Family History Sharing as things are always being added too.

See you later

Carol

Additions to site

New additions since yesterday afternoon include :-

Chiddingford War Memorial, Surrey

Chainley War Memorial, Sussex

Carrbridge War Memorial, Inverness-shire

Braemar War Memorial including RAF Wellington Memorial

Blair Atholl War Memorial, Perthshire

Billinghurst War Memorial Surrey

Biddenden War Memorial

Berwick, Sussex - War Memorial

Beauley War Memorial, Inverness-shire

Beauley South African Memorial, Inverness-shire

Ballindalloch War Memorial

Avoch, Ross & Cromarty War Memorial

Advie War Memorial, Morayshire

Aberlour War Memorial, Morayshire

I hope you find them of use in your research and if you know of any info about these people or infact, you have a photo of them, please let me know

Happy New Year and happy hunting

C

End of 2009 new pages to website

As I said before I've been transcribing the information, you know names etc, and I am pleased to say that 75 new memorial additions will be coming to either Wakefield Family History Sharing or Genealogyjunction very shortly. In fact, some are already there, as I've just added a couple for Morayshire, Ross & Cromarty and Inverness-shire - as I hope you appreciate getting the transcription into a format that matches the rest of the pages takes a little while, but they are on their way.

When those pages are complete there are many more memorials that I have to do including to name a very few :- Gullane, Dunning, Braco, Lodsworth, Sissinghurst, East Grinstead and a number from Newhaven. So I do hope you keep popping back to see whats new - you never know you may find a family member or someone of interest.

As I've said before, if you are looking for a certain memorial you can always contact me via Wakefield Family History Sharing and see if I have it in my 'to do' file

May I now wish you a Happy, Healthy, Peaceful 2010 full of good family history finds

Carol

Christmas Update

The past month has been quite hectic - with Christmas and all that comes with it to transcribing over 85 War Memorials.

I thought it made sense, well to me anyway, to sit and transcribe the images and then upload the resulting pages - at least they can then be seen by either family, friends or researchers and then do the hard and time consuming bit - finding out who they are, what they did in their lifetime and whose children they were, you know the important stuff, the bit that makes them a person and not just a name on a slab of stone or in a book hidden behind glass.

In this batch there have been some interesting and unusual memorials from the small village memorial to quite large towns and one in particular, hidden from the road and only identified by a small roadsign, that was damaged beyond repair and replaced by a new memorial only a few yearsago - the original now rests in the local churchyard. Some memorials are informative and give full rank, regiment and full name - easy ! While others only tell of an initial and surname - not so easy but we keep on trying to get as much information about these people as possible.

Sometimes the memorials are in plain sight, on main road, churchyards, outside prominent buildings but sometimes they are hidden away and you would be surprised how many people when asked where the war memorial is simply look very vague. But a few questions later i.e. where is the churchyard, where do the villagers or townspeople lay the poppies and its found. Many people seem a little embarassed that they do not know where their memorial is but with a smile and a brief explanation as to why I want to know and all is well - and then another memorial is added to the awaiting transcriptions listing.

So, within the next few weeks there will be over 30 Scottish Memorials including 21 pre WW1 memorials and over 45 from Sussex and Kent, there are also a large number of French and Belgian memorial also awaiting transcribing.

If you want to know if a memorial has been photographed ready for transcribing please email me and I'll have a look in my listings.

Have a Happy, whats left of Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful 2010

Carol

October activities

I seem to photograph War Memorials a lot quicker than I can transcribe the wording and find out who the young men were. But then again, I don't tend to venture far when the nights draw in and the outside gets cold, windy and either very damp or wet, so that gives me some time to gather all the info together.

I've spent some photographing time in Sussex via Kent with bits of Surrey thrown in for good measure.........and some parts of the south are not all that bad !!!!!!!!!! I only found one place that I would avoid like the plague.......Crawley......what a place and the worlds rudest driver.

Saying that it was nice and a very pleasant surprise to find churches open, but I'm still amazed to find that the churches in towns that have volunteers to keep an eye on them do not know what is on their walls. I went to find one war memorial, place shall remain nameless, and asked a lady walking towards the parish church where it was....I was told....and I asked is the church open and is there any memorials inside. She did not know but after photographing the memorial went inside and asked.........as I walked in I saw some wording on the panelling behind the doors - guess what it was a pair of private memorials. I continued on inside and saw my lady from the outside and after being greeted asked were there any memorials inside..... Oh! no idea was the answer. I said I had found the ones behind the doors. It was then that one lady said Oh, yes we have those ! Sometimes I wonder why I ask and don't just walk around myself.

I did on my quest find two very nice memorials, both I think in East Grinstead.

Anyway, while ever I sit and write this its not getting the transcribing done, now is it ??

I have hundreds of War Memorials photographed but not yet transcribed, if you want to contact me to see if the memorials with a family connection are in my 'waiting folder' etc., I'd be happy to make that a priority

Happy hunting

New idea

While manning a family history help desk I was talking to 2 people who were total beginners but had brought some family information with them namely a couple of certificates.

As I was explaining what information, very useful information was included in certificates I was also sketching out a rough, very rough, family tree based on the info given on the certificates. My sketching, without a ruler was not good and it was hard for them to follow as from the census we had found a child with grandparents - so a generation was missing. This made it even harder.

How could I make it easier to explain and more importantly make it easier for beginners to understand. Well, not always beginners as sometimes even more experienced family historians need to draw a tree to understand who goes where and how they all fit it.

Paper came out along with pencils and a vry big rubber, oh and don't forget a non-dogearred ruler ! The first few attempts I kept missing out a generation on one side - silly me ! Time to concentrate. Eventually I had a good enough prototype to take to my better half and say draw that for me on the computer.

Less than 24 hours later I have a workable mainline with siblings tree and uploaded it to the charts and forms section of my site.

Now it should be easier to follow generations and add siblings as children of siblings are also family members - there's not a lot of space for dates and if you run out of space for siblings, start another sheet, with a ref no. that way you know who fits into the great scheme of things.

Back to the transcribing, I've lots of things in the pipeline and I've been working on a war memorial for a church in Whitby. Not only did the church include those who died but also those who fought, which is very interesting but sad when you see brothers who went away and not all came home. That will be uploaded soon.

Now the nights are drawing in I will, I promise, transcribe a great deal over the winter and add lots for you to peruse.

Royston Cemetery

Yes, a good title for a Blog.

My cousin and I have been doing a joint effort on the family trees of his close relatives spouses - Shephe(a)rd from Royston/Barnsley.

Well, we found them in the census of 1911 and followed them back in the previous decades. It was then that we came across an Albert Edward Shepherd V.C. who died in the 1960's. The trail lead to a family member originating in Shropshire - coming up to Yorkshire following the coal fields, as a lot of our relatives who were miners did.

As the trail was getting cool and it was a nice day on Sunday, off I went to Royston, killing two birds with one stone, snapping the memorial and looking for Shepherd and Lees family in the cemetey. But..... finding our Albert Edward was a daunting task as I knew the headstone was quite small and white. When you want a white headstone, what colour are all the headstones, yes.... white !!

I accousted..oh ! asked a few people if they knew of Albert E, most said yes but where he was, they had no idea. But I did find a small leaning headstone, rather dark in colour to Rosezillah, the wife of A E Shepherd V.C. But where was Albert. Then I struck gold..... a lady who I had asked had been looking at the headstones on her way back to the car, she asked a gentleman if he knew where A E was.....no he replied and she very kindly came all the way back to me, just to tell me what she had done and confirm the name......... How nice some people are.

As the gentleman walked down the path I too spoke to him. He wondered why I was looking for his headstone, I passed on my reasons and bid him farewell. I was meant to speak to him for as I turned and walked away, he called me back and I turned .....well whose grave was I stook next to.. You've got it, good old A E's. It all turned out that he knew A E, he was older than my new friend, who told me he was a small man but had a good heart. What a better way to be remembered.

We again parted and I wondered off to photo the memorial with its new plaque to A E. At the back of the town memorial stood a gate. I knew of A E's grave and his shiny new plaque but the gate was a surprise, a nice surprise as it was given by his regiment in the 1960's in remembrance of Albert and his V.C.

A quick chat to the verger in the church and I learnt that both the memorial and the gate had been moved from their original position to within the church boundary. She said that the gate was now beginning to look its age, but they had felt that it should be left to age gracefully and hence the new plaque.

That was my Sunday lets hope the Heritage Weekend next week will be just as nice. You can find out whats on in your area by a simple google search for Heritage Weekends.

Happy searching

Heritage Weekend 2009

Well, it dosn't seem like 12 months since I was out and about last September and I must admit that I've not completed some of the memorials or headstone I photographed then.

This year my plans to go to new places have been scuppered and my weekend seems to be limited to Sunday.

The places that open locally are the same year after year - we need new local places to open their doors.........PLEASE as I look forward to this time of the year.

Help from others

Over the past few days I've received very nice emails from people who have taken their time to find info on casualties of WW1 that that have been missing from a few war memorial transcripts.

This has been very good for me as there is only so much time I can spend looking for a name - sometimes its not always that obvious and the emails that have been received have enabled me to add full names, dates and other into to these men.

I've also had an email saying I had the wrong info for one man - we all make mistakes. I looked into it but with no additional info on CWGC it was hard to pin point this man in the census. I basically worked on the average age of a casualty having him born around 1895 +/- 5 years or so. Only one person with that name fell into that criteria. His information on death, burial and birth were correct but his parents according to a relative were wrong.

I did another search for this man and laid out my case for his parents in my email to the relative, but did point out how I had come to that conclusion.

A reply came and included info that I could not have known - info from certificates giving dates and names - I then went onto the census armed with this and gottcha found him straight away. Only to find him as being born a lot earlier than is the norm.

So thanks to this email, I was able to correct the parents of this man. I appreciate the time that people take to email me with alterations and additions and try to amend info where possible.

I've just been working on a couple of war memorials for North Yorkshire - Egton, Egton Bridge and St Ninian's Catholic Church, Whitby. It's nice to work out of area, seeing new birth places for people and new names, many names being confined to small areas.

New Start

After all the times I've said I WILL keep up with my blog and keep those of you informed on what I get upto in finding new info to add to www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk Wakefield Family History Sharing - and then I digress and something else takes priority.

I PROMISE now that a new blog has been sorted, there should hopefully, be no more problems in uploading and saving our little chats.