Since I’ve got stuck with ‘my’ Ashbrook line, I’ve started an attempt at an Ashbrook (and Ashbrooke) one name study in England and Wales. I’ve started with the 1911 census, using that to get a set of people on Ancestry, the 1901 census and am now working on the WWI military records to connect some families up and come a little bit later.
I plan on going through all the censuses and, since the family is mainly from Cheshire and Lancashire, parish records to match them up and try and make (hopefully) a couple of nice family trees.
The military records are really enjoyable, since some of them give you a real sense of the person, from the 4’10” flat footed asthmatic (who managed to injure himself working in stores), to the 38 year old who signed up at the start of the war to serve a whole 90days before being found unfit for duty, to the soldier who had died after being mentioned in dispatches, winning a medal and was written up in the roles of honour. Unfortunately none of these are my ancestors!
Any help or advice greatly appreciated and I’m happy to share with any Ashbrook(e)s that want to.
