Who Do You Think You Are? Live: Day Three

The third and final day of Who Do You Think You Are? Live 2010 got off to a rather damp start (more rain), but at least I didn’t have to get up quite so early today.

As expected the crowds were smaller today, but still plenty of people about. I arrived a few minutes late for Josh Taylor’s (from the NEHGS) talk on "Online tools for learning US research strategies", this was really interesting for someone who hears/reads a lot about US research, but hasn’t really been actively doing any. You will be pleased to hear that Geneabloggers got a mention!

Next up were the three talks that were part of the one-day conference:

• Peter Christian on Where is the Genealogists’ internet going? – a look at what could or should happen in the genealogy field in the coming years.
• Julian Litten on The English way of death – a fascinating talk on the history of funeral arrangements and coffin design over the years.
• Nick Barratt on The mists of time: researching your medieval family history – a whirlwind tour of the sources available for medieval and early modern family history.

Then I had an appointment with Ancestry.co.uk to scan some documents, that was a lot quicker than I expected, and I came away with a memory stick of images of some larger documents and one large photo which had previously been scanned by me in sections.

As things had quietened down at the Ask the Experts area I decided to give them a try. Picking their brains on Mercy TROWER and her missing marriage and dying husband. I was relieved to hear that I had pretty much covered all options, they could suggest no further avenues of research.

Then all that was left was a final walk around the stands, many of which were starting to pack up and go home, as had most of the visitors. I had a quick chat with a gentleman from My History about the virtues of the Family Historian software and then made my way home.

Another great show, I felt I gained a great deal from my visit, probably more than last year, but I wonder if I could have been better prepared. It is hard to get away from the commercial side of things and remember that there are literally hundreds of experts (including the attendees) willing to share their knowledge.

My genealogy to-do list for the week ahead (week 9)

I think I am going to rename this weekly post, to reflect the fact that it is becoming more about what I have done, rather than what I want to do.

Last week was very busy with emails from people who have been reading my blog, it took the focus off of my own research, which wasn’t really a bad thing. There have been some very interesting and challenging queries raised by my readers, and it has really been very stimulating, so thank you to all of you who got in touch.

So, I didn’t get much of my own work done last week, or that is how it appeared. I did however go through some ideas about so future projects, including more pub history research. I also tried to get my head around my mental block over the BATEMAN family, and think I have an idea how I am going to get myself interested on working on the family.

• Continue working through my digital files updating Family Historian and sorting out folders and standardising my filenames.
• Create a research plan for the GEERINGs of Hailsham, Sussex. I really want to find a connection with Thomas Geering and prove the connection with “the old druggist”
• Conduct a review of Gloucestershire sources available online and at the Society of Genealogist’s library and the London Family History Centre (to help with my BATEMAN research).
• Create a trial “Sussex pub history profile” to see how much work is involved and how much information I can find online, the intention being to make it a weekly feature of a (new?) blog.

Who Do You Think You Are? Live: Day Two

The second day of Who Do You Think You Are? Live was another successful and enjoyable experience.

The crowds didn’t seem too bad today (or was it just me getting used to lots of people), perhaps a little busier than yesterday, but not as busy as I had expected, especially in the later afternoon.

There were some great talks today, first I attended the celebrity interview with Kate Humble, then a talk on the resources of the Imperial War Museum and the UK National Inventory of War Memorials. Michael Gandy spoke on problems with London ancestry and Mark Pearsall on Apprenticeship Records at The National Archives. Again I shall probably go into more detail next week.

I spent a bit longer talking to some of the exhibitors, I got some useful answers, places to look and people to contact, as well as some clues to identifying one of my unidentified photos.

Tomorrow should be a bit more laid back, there are still a couple of stands I need to visit and hopefully I will have time to get Ancestry to scan some of my documents, that are too big to fit on my scanner.

Inside the old druggist’s shop

Thomas Geering provides us with a glimpse inside the shop where Mrs Gearing worked. It really makes me hope that I can prove that she is 6x great-grandfather, because it provides a glimpse into the life and workplace of an ancestor, that is rarely seen.

From the street outside, the High Street in Hailsham, Sussex we find that

The front of the house was shut off from the public road by a brick wall, and a gate had to be opened to gain admittance to the shop door.

The shop front featured a window

One small bottle of blue liquid was the only show in the window, across which, reaching about half-way up, stretched a faded green blind, which also added to the melancholy of the interior.

Entering the shop

The door creaked on its hinges, and the floor beneath the feet yielded to the weight as one entered, showing cracks and holes which led one’s thoughts to the cellar; but our dear old lady regarded none of these as blotches. She, her shop and the contents had all grown old together.

The shop had a counter

At the window end of the counter were three slots, or slits, into which dipped the three ointment and plaster knives, which knives were of varying sizes and lengths, to suit the work to be done.

It was apparently plainly decorated

If not poor, it was meagre to a degree, pots, jars, and bottles all being of the plainest pattern. There was a good array for number, but I have always supposed many to have been dummies.

Some of the bottles were labelled

POISON might be read in plain English on a few bottles and jars, to impress her visitors, we will suppose, with a dread of her power; while “Paregoric” and “Soothing Syrup” show in faded gold, to give confidence and to show all was not lost, nor hope entirely fled. The majority of the labels were covered with a mysterious combination of letters, too learned for the general public, but which served to strengthen our faith and to give reverence and confidence to the one, and the only one, person who could unravel their meaning.

But it wasn’t just bottles and jars

There was also a department for dolls and wooden horses, and the house of the cruel, weather-wise old man who would turn his wife out of her door when it rained and keep in himself, had a place on her shelves.

Now sadly the druggist’s shop has gone

Our old druggist’s shop, with the small front sitting-room which the Captain occupied, has now for the last fifteen years been turned into a bookseller’s shop, and the place altogether has undergone a complete transformation. New windows, fittings, counters, etc., have replaced the very old ones.

Who Do You Think You Are? Live: Day One

Today was the first day of Who Do You Think You Are? Live 2010 and although it was tiring, I picked up some useful information, was entertained and it was extremely rewarding.

As you can see it was pretty busy, but not too crowded (it was a Friday after all). There appeared to be more space, but I am not sure if that is down to fewer people or fewer stands.

One noticeable absence was The National Archives, probably not surprising considering the cut in services they have already suffered in the name of financial cost-cutting.

The talks I attended were quite diverse, first an interview with celebrity Rory Bremner, then Ian Waller talking about 20th-century research. Michael Gandy’s talk on breaking through brick walls was inspirational and Celia Heritage on interpreting churches and gravestones has opened my eyes to some of the features in parish churches, which I would otherwise pass by in my rush to get at the monumental inscriptions.

The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering the stands, see what was on offer and trying to work out how I can benefit from them when I return tomorrow.

Tomorrow should be a lot busier, I only hope the crowds are not too bad. For a simple country boy used to wandering alone in the countryside, so many people can be a bit overwhelming. Plus it was a bit too warm in the hall for my liking.

Over the next week I shall try and write in a bit more detail about the talks and stands, and what I learnt from my visit. Now I must go to bed, it is going to be another long day tomorrow!