Just like a magic trick, our ancestors sometimes have the habit of disappearing into thin air. In this article, I am sharing how I discovered what happened to my third great grandparents, James Rudman, a labourer, and his wife Hannah, née Shepperd. They initially had me flummoxed when I couldn't find any trace of them…
When tracing our ancestors back through the years, all can be going well until we hit the 1700s. Suddenly, sources seem to dry up and it's easy to lose heart. Maybe you have found your ancestors' names in a parish register, but know little about them as people: they remain faceless and anonymous. Perhaps you…
Ancestors who got into trouble with the law will feature in most family trees. Undoubtedly, some were hardened criminals whilst perhaps others committed crimes out of desperation, or were just foolish. Some of those convicted may even have been innocent. Whatever the circumstances, to be arrested, imprisoned, separated from your family and accused publicly of…
Editorial When I'm asked why I spend so much time researching my family tree, I often tell people that one of my main motivations is to bring to life those who would otherwise be forgotten. I love to learn about my ancestors' lives and in doing so, I have found quite a few unsung heroes…
Editorial Valentine's Day card 1860-1880 digital image copyright Museum of London The dark days of January are now past and with Valentines's Day fast approaching, the shops are filled with red hearts, flowers, cards and chocolates. It's the season of love or as The Illustrated London News on 11 February 1871 put it, the "silly…
With the start of 2024, I have decided to write some blog posts in a different format. It's good to try something new, right? Naturally, each one will still be packed with useful stuff, all relating to family history. My plan is that each Jude's Gen post will contain the following features: Editorial: my thoughts…
Genealogy Jude 