Writing up family histories

[Ed McKie]

Hi

Does anyone think this subject my be worth a section of its own ?
[ADMIN - I just created a forum for this topic, and have moved this thread there]

I have written up several of my families in small half A4 format and so far had no great problems in deciding the way to do it. Each one has been different, although I must confess that two of them had the same theme in following the families from the place that they started to where they finished up in another country or another town.

However I am a bit stuck on my current one in that I am writing up a family which stayed in the same village for over two hundred years. So in trying to avoid the biblical format (Walter begat William, William begate William et al)
I am in need of a theme idea to start me off with a readable way. I know that my immediate family would probably be happy with they way that I did it before, but perhaps it is just the feeling of getting too samey that worries me. Anyone care to throw in some suggestions , or tell me how they did it themselves.

Cheers..Ed

[mary elms]

However I am a bit stuck on my current one in that I am writing up a family which stayed in the same village for over two hundred years. So in trying to avoid the biblical format (Walter begat William, William begate William et al)

Hello Ed,

I like the way you have structured your other lines. Perhaps you could use some of the local history in your account. How has the village changed? Are there any major events in village life? Is there anything in the village history that might provide you with a structure?

Mary.

[busyglen]

Ed, I think you have made your lines so far, very readable and interesting.

I don't know where you go to obtain the local information, or what actual period you are looking at for the next challenge, but I have found the Post Office directories very informative. Not only do they have a list of people and their trades, there is also a brief history of each area as well. There's quite a lot of knowledge to be gleaned from them.

Good luck.

Glenys

[Peter Goodey]

Ed

I read your Duffield-Bethnal Green write-up and I reckon that's spot on in the general approach (at least, that's the sort of approach I try to adopt). We’ve all got different perceptions of history and different ideas about what’s significant so the theme that one person chooses isn’t going to be the same as someone else’s.

So far as your anonymous village is concerned, without knowing where and when it’s hard to make any helpful suggestions. But surely something happened? Changes in the manorial system? Changes in the class system? The enclosures? Changes in the population level and composition? Plague and pestilence? Influence of any nearby industrialisation?

Tell us where and when and I’m sure people will come up with some ideas.

[Ed McKie]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I have acquired most of the specific history about my village. Falmer in Sussex, Peter. However apart from two directories and the tax returns for 1826 there is not a great deal of specific information on line. I also have a copy of a small locally produced history of the church. and an extract from the Victoria History of Sussex, (Dont forget I dont have access to "local" libraries).

The population in 1815 was 381 and had risen to 437 by 1821.
In 1831 the populations was 435. So you can see there is not going to be a great deal of personal stuff to include.

However, whilst I have considered going down the track of including more local history than I have in the past, I dont want to end up with a History of Falmer rather than my family history if you know what I mean.

Anyway, I am open minded and am grateful for any suggestions.

Cheerts..Ed

[Ed McKie]

Forgot to mention
The period I am going to be dealing with is 1676 to 1900 !!
I also have the full census for 1861 and 1871 and could no doubt extract 1881 from my LDS Cds and 1891 and 1901 from Ancestry.

Cheers..Ed

[Peter Goodey]

Falmer isn’t an area that I’m familiar with but it looks like one of those places that have always been overshadowed by a larger, wealthier and more powerful neighbour (Lewes then Brighton). Lewes has got an interesting history (strong radical/non-conformist tradition) - this surely must have influenced Falmer. The family’s social class and status and changing fortunes over the years will surely point to a theme. Were they copyholders? Leaseholders? Artisans? Non-conformists? What effect did the enclosures have on them and the village? Evidence of migrations to the cities? All might be tied in with an interesting historical theme.

As Falmer isn’t one of ‘my areas’, I’m afraid I can’t suggest anything specific but I would have thought that pretty much any well researched family will suggest some theme which might with luck provide an insight into some aspect of history.

This isn’t a criticism of your write up, but if I was doing the Duffield - Bethnal Green story, I would have said something about Luddite activity in the region in the early 19th century and seen a connection between the ultimately doomed struggle of frame work knitters to retain artisan status against the encroaching factory system and with the printing trade with its own strong artisan tradition. But that would only reflect our different interests and outlooks. Actually, I have nothing but admiration for anyone who has actually written something up as opposed to my own jottings and scribblings!

[kath]

Having read the threads I would be really interested in reading Eds' account, especially as I had family in the Duffield/Milford area in the early 1800s.
I am trying to put my history together as a story rather then a list as it the people who got me to this stage in my life that I am most interested in. With this in mind I realise I have to be organised( I can hear the laughter from behind me) and as I have not given each individual a number may I ask is this neccessary and where do I start with no.1?
Happy New Year to everyone

Regards
Kath

[Geoffers]

Bearing in mind the starting date, for this 1676 - do you have a copy of the Hearth Tax Return for about this time?.........or perhaps begin with the 'Act for raising money by a poll' in which E179/191/411 includes entries for Falmer, it is dated 1678 - you should be able to order a copy from TNA.

Can you compare this against any early maps of Falmer and show how the place has grown over time - contrasting this against the fortunes of your family?

Did they leave wills and if so can properties be identified?

The population in 1815 was 381 and had risen to 437 by 1821.
In 1831 the populations was 435. So you can see there is not going to be a great deal of personal stuff to include.

There are suggested rough means of estimating the population of a parish over time from the numbers of baptisms; if you can access the registers and analyse the entries over a period of time.

Do the registers contain any notes? - some clerics include interesting snippets about prices, weather, the local and general situation

Lewes has got an interesting history (strong radical/non-conformist tradition) - this surely must have influenced Falmer.

As a matter of interest, I had a quick look at my copy of the Compton Census; this shows

Kingston juxta Lewes as having 73 conformists and 7 non-conformists
St.Michael in Lewes: 251 conformists, 67 non-conformists
South: Over. in Lewes:43 conformists, 24 non-conformists
All Saints in Lewes: 237 conformists, 23 non-conformists
St.Johns in Lewes: 96 conformists, 32 non-conformists
St.Mary Westout in Lews: 60 conformists, 27 non-conformists.

No papists in any of the above.

As Peter mentioned, obviously a strong non-conformist tradition.

By contrast, Falmer is shown as having 50 conformists and no papists or non-conformists

[MarkJ]

Having read the threads I would be really interested in reading Eds' account, especially as I had family in the Duffield/Milford area in the early 1800s.
I am trying to put my history together as a story rather then a list as it the people who got me to this stage in my life that I am most interested in. With this in mind I realise I have to be organised( I can hear the laughter from behind me) and as I have not given each individual a number may I ask is this neccessary and where do I start with no.1?
Happy New Year to everyone

Regards
Kath

You can get the address of Ed's website by clicking his name in the posts above and then selecting contact info.
The bit you mention is on the left, near the bottom of his webpage and entitled "From a Valley to the Green"

Mark