Family Tree Magazine: April 2024

Here are the contents of this latest issue, plus a couple of comments.

FAMILY HISTORY NEWS
Rachel Bellerby reports on the latest from the genealogy scene.

[It includes that “Sarah Bush, previously chief product officer at FindMyPast, has been named as the genealogy company’s new managing director; as part of closer integration with its parent company, DC Thomson”]

DISCOVER THE POWER OF A RESEARCH LOG
Professional genealogist Dr Sophie Kay explains why a research log is the family historian’s best friend and how to create one you’ll love to use.
[Sophie Kay uses the analogy between a research log and fastening one end of a ball of string at the entrance to a maze and unwinding as you proceed as a way to get out. Your genealogical maze may have more than one entry/exit that opens up the options of different approaches. Perhaps these days, repeating an online search may be more efficient than recording the previous search and searching the log.]

BILL EVERLEY’S WAR
Family Tree reader Mike Everley shares the story of his research into his father’s WW2 Royal Air Force war years

SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION – IT IS POSSIBLE
Stuart Valentine shows how to separate family tales and documented history to get to the truth of the matter

MAKE DNA DISCOVERIES
Discover the information you dearly seek about DNA at the upcoming DNA Discoveries event

DEAR PAUL
In this month’s genealogy gems, Paul Chiddicks takes a closer look at our ancestors’ last wishes

EDUCATING A NATION
Researcher Gaynor Halliday explores how the passing of the Elementary Education Act of 1870 sparked major disagreements.
[Interesting background]

BOOKS & CO
Rachel Bellerby & Helen Tovey share thoughts on a selection of family-history related reads. They are:
[Uncrowned: royal heirs who didn’t take the throne, by Ashley Mantle.
A Woman’s Will: The changing lives of British women, told through the things they have left
behind, Viki Holton.
From a rock to a hard place: the 1984-85 miners’ strike, by Beverley Trounce.
Family History Research Skills Workbook, by Dr Sophie Kay.
The Heavy Water War: beating Hitler to the bomb, by John Sadler.
Becoming a Historian: An Informal Guide, by Penelope J. Corfield & Tim Hitchcock. Downloadable as a free pdf from https://uolpress.co.uk/book/becoming-a-historian/.
The London Bookshop Affair: A Novel of the Cold War, by Louise Fein.]

RESEARCHING 19TH CENTURY MERCHANT SEAMEN
Family Tree Academy tutor David Annal shares the know-how you need to tackle a perhaps daunting set of historical records

HOW TO PRESERVE YOUR FAMILY HISTORY PHOTOS
Photogenealogist Ann Larkham looks at how to preserve those precious originals

IS THIS ‘BRIDGERTON’ CONTINUED?
Tree-tracing diarist Gill Shaw shares the latest slice of her deliciously entertaining family history research

ACCESS TO WILLS
Professional genealogist Richard Holt, the man behind the petition to #SaveOurWills, shares reflections on the situation so far

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE FAMILY HISTORY FEDERATION
We shine a spotlight on this remarkable genealogy organisation, going strong since 1974

PHOTO CORNER
Photo-dating expert Jayne Shrimpton helps to date and identify family photos from the past

YOUR QUESTIONS
Experts Dr Sophie Kay & Dr Simon Wills are on hand to help

DIARY DATES
Discover events to look forward to this April: online, in person & hybrid

YOUR LETTERS
Take a look at the heirlooms cherished by readers

THOUGHTS ON …
Diane Lindsay ties up the loose ends on a genealogical mystery and reminds us of the value of remembering