Computer Says No

I read about Wales Online's research tool in today's Western Mail and decided to see how good it was by typing in the name of a relative I already know was a Welsh WW1 soldier. Nothing happened. There was no search, no results, no sign that it was even doing anything.

For now, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that so many people have been trying to use it that it's crashed or something. I'll try it again soon and let you know what happens.

Friday Quick Tip

And so Friday's Quick Tip comes rolling around again. This week I will tell you this: never underestimate middle names, if you are looking for a Jane Emily, try looking for an Emily Jane, a Jane E, or even an Emily J, or a just plain Emily. You'd be surprised how often people change the preferred order of their names.

Looks Like A Job For A Woman

Image courtesy of dan/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The British Red Cross' Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) were an integral part of the medical system for wounded soldiers of the first world war. Many VADs were women, ready to help the wounded. 11,000 women of the general service section of the VADs took over the jobs of men who went abroad to fight - this included cooks, clerks, and storekeepers. VADs also undertook air raid duties in London (there were air raids in the First World War as well as the Second.)

So the women kept the country moving, and when the men returned, they were expected to go back to being wives and mothers (much as like the Second World War.) There was a step forward for women's rights however, women would soon by granted the vote. Their voices would soon be heard.

If you want to know more about VADs, you can take a look at the Red Cross website.

Friday Quick Tip

OK, here's this Friday's quick tip for helping you look at family history from a different angle: your ancestors were only human, sometimes they made mistakes - as all people do. Try looking at things from their point of view.

Christmas Orders

It may seem early to be thinking about Christmas, but as I've already had interest in orders, I thought I'd start early.

And as a bonus, all packages are £5 off when you order before September 5th (excludes Leaves Hourly Research, deposit amounts remain the same.)

TV Shows - Long Lost Family

The new series of Long Lost Family started last night on ITV1, proving once again that research into family members can have a huge bearing on the present day. These are people who have a direct link to their own histories and who want more than anything to be reunited with a piece of themselves.

The only thing is that I usually want to give at least one person per episode a good old-fashioned Welsh 'cwtch!'

Friday Quick Tip

Ok, this Friday's quick tip is short and sweet - cats will sit on your research, you have to accept this. If you have a cat it's going to happen. If they sit on your laptop or scratch your research however, stop them!

Those Who Fail To Learn From History...

'Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.' - Winston Churchill


Our history can make us who we are - even though we shouldn't bind ourselves to it. If it wasn't for my ancestors making their way through one thing and another to Glamorgan, then I wouldn't be here. Although, Mr. Churchill will always have a downside in my mind for sending the army against the Rhondda minors, but no-one is perfect - and he certainly was the right man for the job in WW2.

Friday Quick Tip

Sorry I haven't posted anything this week, but here's your Friday Quick Tip, right on cue.

Ever think, 'I'm sure there are books that could help me learn more about the social/local/parish history that I'm interested in?' A lot of these books are out of print - some of them by more than a hundred years - but with a little ingenuity you can track some of them down. Abebooks provides a platform where you can track down and order copies of old books, while Hathi Trust and Open Library provide searchable scans of books held by universities etc. I'm not a fan of eBooks in general - so please don't see this is an endorsement for reading books in electronic formats - but for the purposes of research, these online libraries can be very valuable in allowing access to information which would otherwise be too difficult to find.

Happy searching - and remember, if you need any help you can always give me an e-mail or check out my website www.familyhistorybycerys.co.uk to browse my range of services.