Book of Me, Written by You, Prompt 52

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Julie Goucher


Today is week 52 of what is going to be a 15 month project. Each Saturday, at around 12.30 am UK time I will release the prompt for that week’s Book of Me, Written by You.

If you are new here, welcome! The details, background flyer and Face Book link to the Book of Me can be found HERE.

This week’s prompt is – Inherited Items

There is something very special about inheriting an item from a family member. It doesn’t have to be the riches, in terms of monetary value, or in the finest condition. Sometimes, just knowing that an item has stood the test of time in whatever shape it is now, is enough.

That link between the past, present and future as you in turn pass it along.

This week share those thoughts, memories and pictures. Lets having a trip down memory lane as with the passing along of each item there is always memories attached.

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Guildford Halfpenny Token

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Julie Goucher

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Surrey Photograph Company – 32 High Street – Circa 1870

Posted on August 17, 2014 by Julie Goucher

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Book of Me, Written by You, Prompt 51

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Julie Goucher


Today is week 51 of what is going to be a 15 month project. Each Saturday, at around 12.30 am UK time I will release the prompt for that week’s Book of Me, Written by You.

If you are new here, welcome! The details, background flyer and Face Book link to the Book of Me can be found HERE.

This week’s prompt is – Your First Home

This can be either or a combination of any of the following

  • Your parent’s home – the first home you can probably remember
  • A home away from home – perhaps collage
  • Your first big purchase
  • The first home with the love of your life and perhaps your descendants
  • Perhaps talk of the excitement, stress and emotional attachments to locations
  • Was your home in your family for lots of years, was it an old house or a new build?
  • Can you visualise the rooms, or have photos?
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Rosemary Alley, Guildford Circa 1920

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Julie Goucher

This is such an unusual card. Rosemary Alley is, I believe located on the right hand side off the High Street. As you can see, a rather small passageway. When I was growing up the white building at the top of the picture was a cheese shop and the entrance to the alleyway was just by a well known bakers.

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Excel for Genealogists

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Julie Goucher

A little earlier this week +Cousin Russ asked a question in the Cousin Russ Community about research logs. I responded that I kept a log in a journal and now keep in as a spreadsheet and store it in Google Drive. (I use Excel, but if you store as a Google Sheet it uses less space in your Google Drive!)

Having made my comment, I was then asked to spend a little time with +DearMYRTLE in a hangout on Tuesday afternoon.

Here is the hangout

At the end of the discussion there is the link to my website where you can download a copy of the spreadsheets.

I should point out that whilst I have allowed editing facility and downloading please respect my copyright. You are welcome to share, forward and develop but please leave my name as the source and creator.

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Cyder House – Circa 1905

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Julie Goucher

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Alex Haley – Genealogy Hero or Heel?

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Julie Goucher
image courtesy of
http://www.alexhaleymuseum.org/biography/

Yesterday, Thomas who writes Geneabloggers wrote a post with the title Genealogy Hero or Heel? in recognition that the author of Roots would have celebrated a birthday, had they been alive.

In 1977 I watched with my family the serialisation of Roots based upon the life of Alex Haley’s ancestors. I recall, even my Grandmother who very much had the opinion that history was simply life yesterday, was enthralled with the programme. I can recall being allowed to stay up and watch the program. For some strange reason I recall it being on the TV at 8pm (probably BBC) on a Thursday. Why I recall that I have no idea, but I do, whether that is accurate or not, is another matter.

Of course, since then there have been various statements that the story was not true, that it was plagiarised. There was a court case and a financial settlement made.

Regardless of that, Roots was inspirational to lots of people, whether you were black or white. It was the story of a family, which is something that everyone can relate to. More importantly, it dealt with the issues of slavery. That subject that is emotive to many people on different levels. It gave people hope, that even if you you descended through slavery you could, if you wanted to or tried to trace your Roots.

So, Hero or Heel? I think perhaps a little of both.

Heel because you never, ever take someone work as your own. If you do, your secrets will surely out!

Hero, because from that book it gave an opportunity for some people, who had dreamt of their ancestry to be reassured sufficiently that perhaps, just perhaps, they could research their past.

……and perhaps that was the point.

Other sites of interest

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Book of Me, Written by You, Prompt 50

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Julie Goucher


Today is week 50 of what is going to be a 15 month project. Each Saturday, at around 12.30 am UK time I will release the prompt for that week’s Book of Me, Written by You.

If you are new here, welcome! The details, background flyer and Face Book link to the Book of Me can be found HERE.

This week’s prompt is – Godparents

  • Did / Do your Godparents feature a great deal in your life
  • Do you know your Godparents?
  • How do they link in to your family?
  • Other stories or influences from your Godparents
  • Are you Godparents to anyone?
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Video: Thousands of Years of Human Migration in Five Minutes

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Julie Goucher

One of the things I love the most about the internet is the facility to share fascinating material, which opens our eyes to some interesting concepts, and some basic ones at that.

Yesterday on the Guild of One-Name Studies mailing list, a member shared this video.

This video, in a gentle and yet quick fashion shares with us the migration of people, from across the globe. spreading surnames and simplifying some of the core aims of a One-Place Study – understanding why people from “our places” migrate or arrive at our chosen place of study.

The scientific study paper was identified by another member of the Guild and that can be read here.

I was enjoyed watching the video, noticing the cultural magnets in various cities and why some places became fashionable after exploration in another. Whilst, as researchers we already knew some of these things the video puts the data together in such a visual manner it enables us to have some context and gives us further scope for increased understanding into our research, whether our own, or our specific name and places studies, or perhaps all three.

Other sources
Discover Magazine
FreeBase

Thanks to Guild members, Jim and Debbie who shared the various data.

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