The twin forces of society and the law had a huge impact on the lives of our illegitimate ancestors. This talk will begin by examining the language of illegitimacy and considering some of the terms used to describe those who were born to unmarried parents. It will then explore the ways in which the lies and half-truths that they told in an attempt to cover up their ‘spurious’ origins can, in turn, have an impact on our ability to trace their lives. Finally, it will look at how we can learn to spot the tell-tale signs that suggest that the information supplied by our ‘baseborn’ ancestors may be less-than reliable.
- You can attend in-person at our Resource Hub in London where the presenter will be live or watch online via Zoom. The option to choose either online or in-person appears before checkout
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About the
Dave Annal
Dave Annal is a professional researcher with over 40 years' experience. He is a former Principal Family History Specialist with the National Archives and worked at the Family Records Centre. He is a Fellow of the Society of Genealogists and of the Royal Historical Society. Dave has written family history books including the bestselling “Easy Family History”, “Birth, Marriage & Death Records” (with Audrey Collins) and is the co-author of “Census: the Family Historian's Guide”. He has spoken at major events including Who Do You Think You Are? Live and Rootstech. Dave has been researching his own family history since the mid-1970s and he hasn't finished yet!
06/08/2026
14:00 - 15:00
Society of Genealogists / Online
In Person talk with the option to watch Zoom by Dave Annal, professional researcher with over 40 years’ experience