Following my ancestors through the places they knew.
I enjoy exploring family history, visiting historic places, and finding unexpected connections in archives. This is where I share the stories I’m piecing together, the places they lead me, and the questions I’m still following.
If a name, place, or story here connects with something you know, I’d love to hear from you.
Kresen Kernow · RD/1149 · 5 May 1795
Featured Digital Exhibition
Sawle, Fox & Co.
Tin, capital and kinship in industrial Cornwall
A Cornish tin-smelting enterprise documented through an eighteenth-century lease and a surviving co-partnership agreement. The exhibition brings together the manuscript, its eleven signatories, their capital and the family relationships surrounding the company.
- 1781 Documented origins
- 11 Named signatories
- £52,347 Recorded capital
A visit to Heligan led me to an eighteenth-century family diary—and an entry recording my ancestor coming to dinner.
Following my Rashleigh connections brought me to Menabilly and Polridmouth Cove, exploring the landscape around a place woven into my family history.
A family surname change connects Bath to Montreal, while a visit to Cornwall brings me together with a Cleaver relative in Padstow to share stories and compare family trees.
A little about me
My interest in family history began with a binder sent by my great-aunt when I was nine. The unanswered questions caught my attention, and I’ve been following them ever since.
I enjoy spending time in archives and exploring the places connected to my family. Sharing what I find here is a way to meet others with overlapping interests—and perhaps discover something neither of us knew.
A squadron diary reveals the everyday realities of Allen Howell’s service in Egypt: camp duties, an air raid alarm, and the night before his final recorded combat sortie.
A visit to Heligan led me to an eighteenth-century family diary—and an entry recording my ancestor coming to dinner.
Following my Rashleigh connections brought me to Menabilly and Polridmouth Cove, exploring the landscape around a place woven into my family history.
A family surname change connects Bath to Montreal, while a visit to Cornwall brings me together with a Cleaver relative in Padstow to share stories and compare family trees.
As I explore my family history, one name keeps emerging: Samuel Lemon. The Samuel Lemon I’ve been following in previous posts had a son who shared his name, often referred to as Samuel Lemon the ... Read the story
As I left my hotel on a January morning, I made my way toward Morrab Library in Penzance. The air was fresh, and the sunlight added a pleasant warmth, making the day feel more inviting ... Read the story
As I mentioned in my post about Germoe, Breaca was the sister of Germochus, a Celtic king. They were part of a band of Irish holy missionaries who arrived near the Hayle Estuary around 600 ... Read the story
As I left the serene Germoe Parish Church, I felt a rush of anticipation for my next destination: the Great Work Mine, nestled near the quaint village of Balwest. I entered the narrow Cornish roads, ... Read the story
In January of this year, I had the chance to visit one of my ancestral villages, Germoe, in Cornwall, England. The history of Germoe is closely tied to Germochus, a Celtic king, and his sister ... Read the story