How do I get a more detailed view of my ancestors??

[Darcy2016]

Hello all!

I  have sort of a strange question I guess that might not really have an easy answer. As I read through some of the posts (and just in general from reading other people's histories) it seems that some people have a very good idea of their families and what they did etc...  They have more than just names, dates and an occupation from the census.  Ex:  people sometimes know what stores their relatives worked at or what inn they owned, ideas as to why a relative may have moved to another town  etc...  How do you find out stuff like that?  For example: I have a relative who was a "publican" according to the census, but I don't really know what that means...a tavern, an inn...a publican where?  How do you find out more about where they worked and things like that?  Do you have to go to that town and look up the history of it or are there ways to do so online or in books (I'm in Canada and all my relatives are from England)?  I'd love to have more of an idea of my relatives lives, more than just names and dates. I don't know if that is always possible for everyone, but I figured I'd ask and see if anyone had any ideas.  Thanks!!

Kathy

 

[legs11]

hi Krowe,


don't know whether this will help or not but this site is all about finding ancestors who owned/ran a pub/inn/tavern.


http://www.pubhistory.freeserve.co.uk/phs/ancestors.htm

[Sylviaann]

A publican was a man who ran a public house or inn or tavern.

If your ancestor was a publican the public house or inn will probably be the address where he lived in the census.  Where was it?  What was the address?

I'm sure the site legs11 provided will be of use but someone here may also be able to help.

Sylviaann

[Little Nell]

Hi Kathy,

I don't know about anyone else, but if I ever find an address from the census or from a parish register for an ancestor/relative, then I go straight to the atlas for the general area and street maps (modern) and the old maps site for a good look. 

If I get an occupation, then I try to find out a bit more in general about that occupation.  In the 19th century, if they were a little more well-to-do, then they may appear in street directories, which also provide addresses. 

If they left a will, however long ago, I still look at the maps to see if the places mentioned still exist.  I have never travelled to most of the places I have discovered.  I have taken photographs of churches if I have been lucky enough to get there and of houses and places associated with my husband's family in Scotland, but then we still go there to see the in-laws. 

I have also searched the online catalogues of archives on the a2a site and found a wealth of information about places that my Sussex ancestors lived and owned (and mortgated!), but I have not yet seen many of the actual papers. 

Typing a place name plus the word history into Google will often bring up an enthusiast's local history site.  Lots of information to be gleaned from some of these.  And old pictures.  A lot of it may not be directly relevant to your ancestors but it is similar enough to give you a good impression of what their lives were like.

Admittedly some of these people were a few steps up the social ladder and so left more records, but I know a reasonable amount about my humble shipwrights from Portsea and the smallholder in Surrey, who left his 1.5 acres awarded him by an enclosure act to his younger son in his will.

I'd be interested to read how others have found the flesh to put on the bones.

Nell

[Sylviaann]

That it in a nutshell.  Search, search and search. And use a search engine for people, places and occupations.  It's amazing what turns up.

Sylviaann

[Fitty]

Have just found out that my Baxendales hailed from a small village in Lancashire called Heapey.  I did a google search and found the website of the village along with some lovely photos.  It seems that the majority of the people who lived there were weavers.  Off to google again and found out lots about the Cottage Industry.  William at 14 /16 in 1821 he probably at that time went to work in the mills. In another 10years or so he was married and moved to Yorkshire where he became a miner.

This is all due to Google and some very kind people on this site.

[Boongie Pam]

Just as FAmily History has taken off on the internet so has local history there are loads of peole proud of the towns they hail from and have set up information sites.

You can get lucky an dfind your family but at least it'll help enriching the fabric that the BMD & census skeleton gives you.

The most unknown portion of my family the Somerset lot, appear on census schedules as glove patterners, cutters, sewers and finishers as did loads of other people in Stoke sub Hamdon.

A quick google search for glove making history in the area found me loads of good websites..

http://www.country-breaks.com/general/yeovilhistory/  Is a good example of a site that puts it into political, historical and economical context.

Best of luck searching,
Pam
 

[Darcy2016]

hello again!

I've been able to find some information about my great great great grandfather who helped build the united church in Bere Alstone, Devon.  He was a mason that worked on it and it even gave how much he was paid to do so.  It was on a webpage written about that church and the history of it that I found on google.  It's so interesting find information like that!!  I can't wait to find more on my other relatives (hopefully!!) . I just love this hobby!

Kathy

[kaja]

Hi Krowe79,

Don't give up on the pub thing. Pubs are like castles they last forever. The problem that you have is that they often change name but that is soon sorted out if you have an address.

If your pub existed in the last 150 years someone has taken a photo of it.

I understand your problem. There are three pubs in my tree

But it is certainly true that local history or town web-sites can lead to something.     

                            Kaja [Steve]