Welcome to the ongoing story of my efforts to trace my family tree.
So far, so obvious.
The aim in setting up this blog was partly to keep track of and share ongoing research but also to start telling the stories of some of my ancestors. I felt that if I could give them a narrative beyond the bare BMD facts, then I would gain a greater understanding of their, and my, history. I also want to make it lively with regular updates on what’s been happening, as well as expanding the stories in number and detail as more facts are uncovered.
There’s also an element of wanting to make the site inviting to read. Too many genealogy sites look quite garish and contain lists of family members with little or no context, broken links, no story and consequently no interest beyond those directly involved. Hopefully this blog will, in time, be an interesting and readable history of how I came to be here.
And the title? The Robinson family in the nineteenth century stuck fairly rigidly to the naming conventions of the time meaning that I’ve had to come to grips with some fifteen people named Philip Robinson in my tree.
Comments are open but moderated and I welcome your feedback and, fingers crossed, your useful input.
Ric
Impressive. I guess there are a number of ‘geneasites’ around. But this is the first time I come across a ‘geneablog’ (one with style, at that). And the title.. ha..ha..!! Some idea indeed (there might still be more to come, maybe). Have a good time with your tracking. Cheers!
Thank you for your comments and encouragement!
Hi Ric, I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog. Like you I have been doing family research for many years and have an extensive tree with quite a few thousand members. However, although I enjoy continuing to explore the various branches of my tree, it’s the individual stories that really make the process come alive. I’ve been thinking a lot about how best to organise the stories and have been considering linking them with socioeconomic trends and events e.g. the movement of people from rural to urban settlements, the move to mechanisation and factories, the impact of wars, changes in attitudes to behaviour and the legal, criminal, religious and social context, the rise in emigration etc etc. Your blog has inspired me to take this forward – thanks!
Thanks Pete, given the number of brickwalls I’m running into back in time, I’m starting to think much more along those lines too – there are lots of stories to be told.
Well I am not sure who you are but welcome to the club. What a minefield we enter when we start looking for ancestors and especially their stories. (not easy to find details. I was born Van der Byl and I have a book with all my Vander Byl ancestors dating back to the first one in 1654 who came to the Cape with Oom Jan v R. Living in Cape Town it was fairly easy to find all about them and Stellenbosch is full of details about them, their wine farms e.g. Spier and Welmoed etc. (well why dont they still belong to us!!!) I then decided to start on my paternal grandmother (born Bold and the 1820 connection. Through Dr. Google I got as far as {Philip JOHN Robinson who married Charlotte Erith round about 1774.. One of their sons Robert John/Martha Strutt 1820 settlers ss ” Brilliant”. My ancestor was their daughter Charlotte who was a sister of Sir J B so very distant relative!! Charlotte m Alexander Macdonald and THEIR daughter Tabitha mJohn Southward Bold (lots of info about him). THEIR daughter Florence m James le Sueur van der Byl who was my grandfather (a very interesting and naughty adventurer. Think I take after him!
One becomes addicted to this research and if we are ever allowed to travel again, I would like to go back to the UK and do some research. I read that Charlotte Erith died in a workhouse from “General Decay” (horrific)
Hi Elaine, really good to hear from you. I’m decended from Robert’s son Philip (your Charlotte’s brother). I too have gone as far back as Philip and Charlotte’s marriage (and a little bit further with the Erith family) but can find nothing on Philip’s birth (I didn’t know his middle name was John though, where did you find that?). Charlotte did indeed die in the workhouse, I have her death certificate if you’re interested.