Past Tense

02/03/2023

Another thought for the day after another 'Research Battle' I have had in recent days!! What do you all consider 'WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE' to mean? The situation I have faced is this........ a person I have found has plenty of records to back up when and where she was born, who her parents were, who she married and so on. Yet 1 record (a marriage certificate in my possession) gives a different name for her father to that which is already in place!
Do you think 1 record can 'top trump' the other 30 or so that we have access to? OR does weight of evidence come into play? I believe errors can be made on certificates and censuses and if not careful we can chase down blind alleys after red herrings. Common sense should prevail and let the evidence be the decider :)

26/02/2023

My thought for today, and maybe this is a thought that you have had as well. WHY? Why do I love researching families? Both my own and those of other people. On one level I love to meet the challenge of finding names, places and years...... like trying to fit a puzzle together. However I think it is so much more than that. Many people want to find out about 'themselves' by researching the past of their ancestors. What did they look like? What life experiences did they have? What careers, jobs and opportunities did they have? Has this in some way shaped anything about my life? So to answer the question WHY? I think it helps us to know ourselves a little better too :)

24/02/2023

My thought for today (based on some research I have been doing over the last few days). 'DON'T ALWAYS TAKE DETAILS YOU FIND AT FACE VALUE'. Let me explain. A persons birthplace was given as Bradford, Yorkshire and we'd had no joy in finding this persons parents. I decided to look with a pair of fresh eyes........... I found every census that this person appeared in and yes 1 said Bradford, Yorkshire was the birthplace. The others gave Bradford Abbas, Dorset. This overlooked detail means I have been able to find parents and siblings that were otherwise hidden. Finding that this person had a child who they gave their mothers first name as a middle name completed the circle and confirmed my findings! So, USE FRESH EYES - TAKE A CLOSER LOOK!

18/02/2023

Always wanted to build your own Family Tree but don’t know where to start? I am putting the finishing touches to my video for beginners and invite you to test the course – I NEED YOU to join the trial and give your feedback so it can be fine tuned for the official release in May ‘23.

You will be able to learn at your own pace and in your own home, and I’ll be available to answer questions throughout the process. The goal is that by the end of the course you will be equipped to complete a tree of at least 4 generations and beyond.

I’m confident that you will love the Past-Tense Family History video course for beginners so much that you will want to continue with the Intermediate course for parts 6 through 12 discounted of course as a thank you for your input.

Come and learn… https://past-tense.co.uk/beginner-video-course

Looking forward to meeting you on the course. Nicola Phillips.

11/02/2023

Exciting news! I've decided to bite the bullet and get a website up and running so that my Genealogy Services are available and can be booked online. Many Thanks to those who have helped me achieve this :) Looking forward to helping you wherever you are on your Family History journey!

Build Your Family Tree Bespoke Family Research For You Learn how to research and build your own Family Tree over a 6-session course Learn More A bespoke service where Past Tense do the research for you! Learn More Complete tree with ‘descendants’ view. An ideal gift for proud Grandparents. Learn...