Some reflections on my work as a researcher on the Papal Dispensations for Marriage project at the University of Strathclyde (featuring a cameo appearance from the Princes in the Tower, and the Pope enjoying some French cheese): jenniphillips.home.blog/2026/04/10/t... #Genealogy #Medieval #History
Excellent news for genealogists & historians in South Wales (and visitors from further afield) - there are some very useful records on FamilySearch that can only be viewed at affiliate libraries … #Genealogy #Glamorgan #FamilyHistory #History
I suspect the father may have been a National Land Company shareholder (on my to-do list to check next time I’m at Kew). He was a sailcloth weaver, emigrated to Australia, acquired land, and lobbied for Parliamentary representation for farmers, which strikes me as aligning rather well with Chartism.
The sole entry in the dataset from Yeovil registration district is my great-great grandma’s cousin, Feargus O’Connor Randle. He sadly died young in 1848 (Ancestry have unhelpfully indexed his burial record with his forename as Hergusolomor 🙄). His sister Grace also had O’Connor as a middle name.
Family tree image/screenshot from The Traitors UK 2026. Latin text at the bottom reads: “Inter amicas intimas latent hastes occultisimi cave ni fiducia tua fiat causa tuas ruinas atque exitii”
I screenshot it last week to read the Latin at the bottom: “Inter amicas intimas latent hastes occultisimi cave ni fiducia tua fiat causa tuas ruinas atque exitii” - essentially, a warning against misplaced trust in ‘close friends’ that may lead to your downfall … make of that what you will!
I’m also a fan of Histpop. I’ve found that using www4.histpop.org provides access to the website without the frustration of frequent timeouts.
I think GRO may be missing a chunk of entries for Auckland RD in that quarter - I can’t find other people with same vol & page number in that quarter on GRO website either (but they’re on FreeBMD/FMP), nor those on some adjacent pages. I’d suggest sending message or calling them to flag the problem.
How did an unqualified Irishman become a Government Medical Officer in Papua New Guinea? The story of John Taaffe, my great-great grandfather’s cousin, who forged a successful medical career thousands of miles from home, despite never qualifying as a doctor …
jenniphillips.home.blog/2025/12/05/j...
Discover new insights and future trends in #genealogy and talk to qualified genealogists at the RQG 2026 Conference in Birmingham, UK — open to everyone eager to explore #familyhistory and connect with leading experts. More information: www.qualifiedgenealogists.org/2026-confere...
Our next Exploring the Past public lecture is taking place soon. This fascinating and free talk will be online.
Title: Caribbean and West African Lives in British Ports
Date: 12.11.25
Time: 19:00
bit.ly/4hubwQH @webstermedieval.bsky.social @cuhistarchrel.bsky.social
Excerpt from handwritten late 17th century Chancery document stating: “paid Willm Mason for mason worke”
Always pleasing to find someone with an occupational surname employed in the appropriate line of work (C 5/619/99, Mason v Mason, TNA, 16 Dec 1699) #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #EarlyModern #Chancery
This week’s events:
Aberkenfig Resource Centre open Tuesday 14 Oct 10am-2pm - visit to explore our extensive library & research collection, with help from friendly volunteers: www.glamfhs.org.uk/home/aberken...
Merthyr branch AGM: Tuesday 14 Oct, 2pm, Soar Centre, Pontmorlais (members only)
🥁The Winner of the 2025 Gwobr Archaeoleg Cambrian Archaeological Award is Fiona Gray-Davies for her dissertation 'A genealogical study of Welsh immigrants to the United States of America' (MSc) University of Strathclyde. Well done, Fiona! 👏🎉
More here > bit.ly/3KKRtwL
@unistrathclyde.bsky.social
I associated it with being a magazine my mum & aunties used to read, but had a brief period of readership post-Bunty … once I had autonomy over magazine choices I was more inclined towards Just 17, Smash Hits, Mizz, More, etc. - I think poor Jackie was too wholesome for the 90s!
03 April 1971 - another Jackie genealogy reference:
“Take a tube to the Strand and walk down the Strand until you come to Somerset House. A must for all egotists. Look up the record of your own birth, check that Grandpa really married Grandma in 1921. Browse to your heart's content completely free.”
Teenage nostalgia spoilt by the issue of Jackie dated 16 April 1988, page 27, which has genealogy listed in an A-Z of boring hobbies in an article titled ‘Do you bore for Britain?’
Huge congratulations to fellow Strathclyde alumnus Fiona Gray-Davies. More details about her excellent dissertation research here: cambrians.org.uk/grants-and-p... - great to see research from a genealogical perspective being recognised in the wider academic history sphere. #Genealogy #FamilyHistory
We’ll be at Kempton Park this Saturday (4th October) for The Family History Show. Visit our stand to find out more about the society, ask our volunteers for help with your research, or just stop by to say hello! thefamilyhistoryshow.com/london/ #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #Glamorgan
A busy and enjoyable day on Saturday fielding research queries for @glamorganfhs.bsky.social - from absolute beginners to some unusual & complicated scenarios. Pleased to see lots of interest in the archive tours, and great to have an engaged audience for my talk, with lots of questions afterwards.
REMINDER: we’ll be at Glamorgan Archives for Open Doors this Saturday (27th September). Get help with your research from our genealogy experts, and join us for two FREE talks on using the census (11am) and breaking down research brickwalls (1.30pm). #Glamorgan #Cardiff #FamilyHistory #Genealogy
📸 A snapshot of the people and activities shaping our programme at the Society of Genealogists!
Talks, visits, book club & more — always something to inspire family historians. 🍂
👉 Explore what’s coming up: portal.sog.org.uk/ev...
Congratulations John!
Come along to Open Doors at Glamorgan Archives on 27 September. I’ll be presenting a free talk at 11am, on behalf of @glamorganfhs.bsky.social, about using the census for family history research. Find out more about what the Society has to offer, and get help with your #Genealogy queries.
New blogpost, exploring the connection between my eighteenth century ancestors in Wiltshire, and General Sir William Howe ... #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #Wiltshire #RevolutionaryWar #EighteenthCentury
jenniphillips.home.blog/2025/08/25/m...
I will be giving a talk about mortality and how our Victorian ancestors died as part of this event. A great learning opportunity for anyone researching the lives (and deaths) of people who lived in Victorian London. #Genealogy #HistMed #FamilyHistory #Victorian #London
Front cover of Glamorgan Family History Society - A Fiftieth Anniversary Commemorative Edition. There are four photographs - two black & white historic images, a picture of two people consulting some documents, and a partial image of a birth certificate. The Society’s logo for the fiftieth anniversary is in a circular frame in the centre of the cover.
Our special commemorative publication for the Society’s 50th anniversary has been distributed to members, and can also be viewed in the members’ area of our website. It includes fascinating articles on the Society’s history. Thanks to all contributors. #FamilyHistory #Genealogy #Glamorgan #History
Next week’s branch meetings:
Mon 16th June - Bridgend, 7.30pm, Len Evans Hall, Aberkenfig
Tue 17th June - Pontypridd & Rhondda, 7.00pm, Pontypridd Museum - No Pasaran: Welsh Volunteers and the International Brigade - talk by Darren Macey
#Genealogy #FamilyHistory #Glamorgan #Bridgend #Pontypridd
Working ok for me, although I’ve had issues with it in the past. Have you tried the beta version to see if that works better for you? beta.thegazette.co.uk - I’ve not looked at it on a laptop yet, but I like the UX for mobile …
Following on from this post, I have written about Jane in more detail here: jenniphillips.home.blog/2025/06/01/j... #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #HistMed #Swansea
The June 2025 edition of the society’s journal has been uploaded to our website for members to access via the Journal Archive: www.glamfhs.org.uk/journal-arch... - it includes a variety of articles, letters, news from our branches, and more. #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #Glamorgan