whats your reason?

[Daonnachd]

Some years after my father died, I began to wonder who his parents were. They both died when he was a child. He had said very little about them, and there was no one else to ask. Also, I had been named after my dad (an unusual name), and he after his dad, and wondered how far back it went.

This was 5 years ago. I've found out so much about them, and about several more generations going back, that I wouldn't know where to start if I tried to tell anyone their story.  The truth about my family's past has been so very much more interesting than my assumptions were.

[Daonnachd]

.... tracing a "Jones" in Wiltshire is quite a challenge to say the least.  Still, I am making progress.   

just try chasing one in Wales .... 

especially when all you know is they were from Monmouthshire!

[Rena]

Some sixty years ago my mother remarked that my cousin was researching his family tree and suggested I do mine.  I had a busy social life and at the time I thought I knew everything (but now know I knew nothing) about our large family, so I demurred.   A thought has passed through my mind .... "flutter by, flutter by, pretty little butterfly.....

I started feeling guilty when, at the start of this century, my daughter took me to a medium where I learned a family member had died in the Great War.  I knew nothing about this but an aunt confirmed that my maternal grandmother's oldest brother had been killed in action WWI.

My journey through past generations has been one of joy, excitement and sadness.