Whatever our family names are, we have all come across branches that seem to lead to a dead end when we encounter the dreaded John Smith, George Brown or Mary Jones. It’s then necessary to dig further around the roots to get results: in other words, research all the siblings of the subject, look at all their vital documents and note every detail on them - including marriage witnesses, godparents at baptisms and informants at births and deaths.
Beginning with an introduction to the challenges presented by this particular family line, I will share the steps taken to break through an apparently impenetrable brick wall. The discovery of the unusual name Ethelinda as a witness to a marriage ultimately unlocked a further five generations in my husband’s family tree, leading back to a family of distinguished 17th century German artists and sculptors.
- £10 to attend this event
- Join Gold (£15 per month, cancel anytime), to attend this event, access a recording, get free tickets to all other Gold talks AND catch up on 200+ previously recorded sessions
- Not a Gold Member yet? Existing members upgrade here. Non-members, find out more about Gold here.
Click here for information about our events. Contact events@sog.org.uk if you have any questions.
About the Speaker
Patricia Sears
Patricia Coveney Sears has spent most of her adult life working in education and the arts. Researching her own family history began as a fulfilling pastime which grew into an obsession and, ultimately, a vocation. Committed to providing the best possible professional service to clients, she took the online Diploma in Genealogy at University College, Cork, Ireland and holds an MSc with Distinction in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies from the University of Strathclyde. Her personal research interests include London in general, East London in particular; Ireland, especially Co. Cork and Co. Fermanagh, but has successfully traced families from other areas of the UK and further afield. She has given talks and written articles about historical buildings and their occupants, from manor houses to cottages, pubs and slums, including Queen Catherine Court, Ratcliff, which was the subject of her UCC Diploma dissertation.
