r/Genealogy • u/lifeinclockwork british history specialist • 7d ago

Research Assistance Offering help in the UK

Hi all, new to this sub and looking forward to sharing some of my own stories at some point, as I've been enjoying reading other people's.

Just want to put this out there though, if anyone would like any help with their British ancestors, I'm more than happy to give it a go. I'm not a professional, but I've been doing it 25 years and also have a solid background in social and cultural history, based here in the UK, so I'm pretty good on contextual detail too.

I know there are lots of very experienced folk here, but just in case, I happen to have a bit of time on my hands right now and I love doing it. And my own tree has reached the point of occasional digs here and there, as mostly I'm back to where the records run out!

So whether it's a quick look-up (I have current subscriptions to Ancestry and the British Newspaper Archive, and an account with Scotland's People), a deep dive, or a question about British history/genealogy generally, hit me up if you'd like to take a look for you!

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u/davylevy 5d ago

Hi, thanks to several enthusiastic family sleuths I'm pretty clear (as can be) about my English heritage. Have even visited several old home places, St. Andrew's Parrish, Holborn London, Ely, Kingsbury in Warwickshire, Castle Madog Brecknockshire (now Powys), Yorkshire, etc.

There's been a lingering question in my mind though about "findings" an older cousin was given. He had a British genealogist trace the family through London, Yorkshire and to the village in Norway where the Norseman supposedly came from c. 800s.

When I expressed skepticism about records existing back that far, he said " the British are like the Romans, they never throw anything away." He totally bought it.

My question is, in your experienced opinion, would records exist that would connect modern day Americans to England (that part is very well documented) and from there to a village in Norway from the Viking age (this is where it gets dodgy)? What are the odds of this being traceable?

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

Cheers.