Hello and a bit about my research so far

[flyingbrick]

Hello!

Cant believe I haven’t found this website before – what a find!

Thought I’d say hello and detail what I’ve found so far in the hope of maybe finding more info and distant rellies!

I did some very basic research about 6 months ago having become addicted to ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ then stopped. However my brother in law bought my husband the WDYTYA software for his birthday in September and I have barely lifted my head from it since – especially as it came with the free Ancestry access. Best gift I ever didn’t get!!

I have been astonished at what I have discovered so far; its totally absorbing and has been a very emotional journey so far. From royalty to workhouses - its fascinating.

I have traced my fathers side back to the 1700s so far; we are from Birmingham and as is not surprising there hasn’t been much movement in the family. With one side originating from Bromsgrove, nailers from Catshill (world HQ for nailers at the time!) and another from Wolverhampton. I need to take a trip up to Wolverhampton to look at their archives. Three generations were named Obadiah Oates so while it’s an easy name to find its also confusing as to which Obadiah they’re referring to. Initial thoughts were a Jewish connection but I think it’s just biblical rather than Jewish.

It’s fair to say my dad was a bit of a rogue so finding out one of his ancestors was a policeman has tickled us all no end!

My mother’s side has been fascinating. Initially we traced one line back to Barton under Needwood then I linked in with another family on Ancestry and she had got her info from another lady on there. This lady and her mother had been doing genealogy for many years and has traced the line back to several Plantagenet Kings, Queens of Spain and France, Princesses of Palestine, and numerous Lords and Sirs!

It was hard to imagine how this could be but further research shows that my farming ancestors used to own land and sold this to various members of royalty so they certainly seemed to mix in the right circles. There are definitely a few holes from what I can see but at least the royal families are well documented so a lot of it will be fairly easy to check out – when I get time!

It’s made my families year I know that much!

The first lady I linked in with (a now identified distant cousin) sent me photos of our ancestors’ gravestones from the mid 1700s at Barton under Needwood’s cemetery – I found it strange how emotional I felt. Anyone else felt like that or just me?

I hit a bit of a brick wall so while I was waiting for more certificates I got started on my husbands family. His mothers side is Scottish so that was a bit hard but the census info has been transcribed on Ancestry and some unusual names in the family meant is wasn’t too hard to get back to the early 1800s. I need to join Scotland’s People to take it further. It seems her family originate from the McCreaths of Maybole who apparently were shoe magnates!?!

His fathers side is from Birmingham and then Shrewsbury on one line but appear to be some skeletons in that closet and its not proving easy! We did however take a trip to Weymouth this month as there was supposed to be a link there with his gran. The wonderful lady at their registry office pulled off his grans birth certificate for me in less than two hours and we discovered she was born on Portland. The house was still there and it was quite emotional to go and see it and take photos as he was very close to her as a child. He had always wondered why she took him to Weymouth and had caravans there and now he knows!

Anyway, for info these are some of the lines I am tracing:-

Orme
Oates
Dalton
Smith
Humpage
McCreath
Williams
Warrington
Costin
Sheppard
Sergeant
Adams
Newbold
Astle
Audley
Beddow
Dafydd
DeBowdler
DeClare
DeCamville
DeFulleshurst
DeLacy
DeRixton
Lawrence
Middleton
Mottram
Shorthose

I am especially interested in any info regarding Shorthose (around Barton under Needwood/Burton upon Trent) and Middleton; in particular Sir William Middleton and/or his daughter Ann Middleton – this is the link that joins my ancestors to the royal line and I am keen to prove this.

I look forward to helping others and making new friends.

Kind regards, Lisa

[pipsqueak]

That's some impressive research there! Welcome!

[Roz Welch]

Hi Lisa, I've just stumbled on a message you left back in 2008 and you mentioned "Obadiah Oates". I'm researching that family for my husband's auntie. Her mum was called Violet Oates and her grandfather was Obadiah Oates. I have so far traced back 5 generations bearing the name Obadiah. An Obadiah married Ann Harris in 1778 in Oldswinford but I can't seem to get any furthur back. I think this is the same branch as yours. Have you had any better luck than me? Since your message was 3 years ago I'm not sure if you still check this site so I hope you get this eventually.

Roz Welch

[Procat]

Hi Roz,

Lisa has nor been on the forum since 2009 so may not see your post. You could try sending a Private Message or email. To do this, left click on her user name then select the appropriate option.