The Family Histories Podcast is back for Series Seven!Once again, host Andrew Martin, and his 19th century assistant Sándor Petőfi, welcome seven more guests, each with a fascinating life story, and of course a pesky genealogy research 'brick wall' for listeners to try to solve.However, before they welcome their first guest, there's something in the garage that needs some maintenance.... from an expert.- - -Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host & ProducerEtienne Durandt - Charles BabbageJohn Spike - Sándor PetőfiSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In this first episode of Series Seven, host Andrew Martin meets Jackie Kohnstamm - a lecturer, author, playwright, and family historian. Jackie tells Andrew how she got hooked on researching family histories after hearing stories with missing bits, and then finding letters. She tells him what motivated her to write her book 'The Memory Keeper: A Journey Into The Holocaust To Find My Family', and...THE LIFE STORY - CHARLOTTE RYCHWALSKI Jackie has chosen to tell the life story of her maternal aunt, Charlotte Rychwalski (known as 'Lotte').  It's clear from Jackie's description of Charlotte, that she has some very fond memories of her aunt being the daring, and fascinating relative who would bring excitement into the family home after the Second World War, but through the memories Charlotte shared, and a cache of letters, Jackie has been able to discover more about her life.  THE BRICK WALL - JUTTA TOWNSEND Jackie is looking for one of her maternal cousins - Jutta - the surviving descendant of a family that was sadly murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Jutta Rychwalski escaped from Germany on one of the Kindertransport trains.Jackie knows that Jutta was married at least once, perhaps twice, but her last husband was named Frederick Townsend, and they lived in the Wakefield area of Yorkshire. Jutta is known to have died in the Wakefield area in 2012 aged 87 years, having been predeceased by Frederick in 1982. The couple had a son named Steven in 1955, but he died in 1973.Jackie would like your help to discover more about her cousin's life.If you think you can help Jackie with a clue or research idea, then you can send us a message via our contact form, and we'll pass the message straight on to her.In the meantime, Jackie is fascinated by Andrew's offer of help, but can he get her to the church on time?- - -Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerJackie Kohnstamm - GuestSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In this second episode of Series Seven, host Andrew Martin meets professional genealogist, author, lecturer, Fellow, and former Principal Family History Specialist of the National Archives - Dave Annal. Dave tells Andrew how he got hooked on researching his family, how he ended up working for the National Archives, his thoughts and hopes on where he sees the genealogy industry going next, and his love of Wills.THE LIFE STORY - MARGARET HOWLAND  Dave has chosen to tell the life story of his paternal Grandmother, Margaret Howland, who was born in Edinburgh in 1906 to an unmarried mother also named Margaret Howland.Whilst both Margarets were known to be hoarders, it seems that they both continued this behaviour when it came to the identity of Dave's Great Grandfather. However, one day, whilst on a walk to a cemetery, Margaret, then in her 80's, decided to reveal her father's identity... and the time she had shared with him.THE BRICK WALL - THOMAS FLYNN It's a research brick wall with Irish roots that is baffling Dave. Whilst Thomas Flynn and his wife Catherine have been found in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1851 and 1861, Dave is unable to find out about them before and after this date. Dave descends from one of the couple's sons, and he has that documented, but Thomas and Catherine - along with their marriage, births, baptism, and deaths, all remain a mystery.If you think that you can help Dave with a research idea or clue, then you can contact him at his Lifelines Research website, via his @lifelines_dave Twitter account, or via the email address he gives during the episode. Alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it straight on to him.In the meantime, Dave is curious of Andrew's offer of help, but is he really ready for what's in store?...- - -Episode Credits: Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerDave Annal - GuestSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In this third episode of Series Seven, host Andrew Martin meets professional genealogist, author, and host of The Filipino Genealogy Channel on YouTube - Todd Lucero Sales. Andrew hears how Todd got hooked on researching family history in the Philippines, the challenges of researching Filipino family history, the impact of hundreds of years of rule by Spain on records, and why he started his YouTube channel. THE LIFE STORY - FELICIANA MARIA CEBALLOS Todd has chosen to tell the story of his 4x Great Grandmother Feliciana Maria Ceballos who had two children with a old priest named Father Francisco Diaz in Argao, Cebu, Philippines.Family lore through the generations reached Todd with a story of Feliciana being so beautiful that she caught the attention of many priests travelling the area, but by using surviving records he's been able to verify the details and discover her life raising their children alone against a backdrop of stigma of being an un-married mother.Despite this stigma against her and the children, the church did appear to accept and provide for her and her descendants.THE BRICK WALL - MR TAN It's a research brick wall in his maternal tree that has Todd stuck - the identity of his Great Grandmother's father. Whilst he knows that he was Chinese (which is reflected in the percentage of Chinese DNA detected in his 23andMe test), Todd knows only the man's family name - Mr. Tan.Mr. Tan fathered Todd's Great Grandmother, and remained in Argao, Cebu Island, the Philippines to support his partner, until returning to his first family in China, and never being seen or heard from again.DNA tests have provided Todd with some results, and he thinks he may have come from the Fujian region of Southern China, but it's hard for him to isolate this branch. Researching in China and via China DNA results has proved to be difficult from outside the country.Can you help identify Mr Tan, who left China for Philippines circa 1882? If you think that you can help Todd with a research idea or a clue, you can contact him at the email address he gives in the episode or alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it on to him.In the meantime, Andrew is keen to offer help, but will Todd get the answers needs?- - -Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerTodd Sales Lucero - GuestSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In this fourth episode of Series Seven, host Andrew Martin meets Anglo-Belgian professional genealogist, and country manager at MyHeritage - Marie Cappart, and finds out how she got addicted to researching her family history, what made her a 'DNA geek', and what it's like to work for MyHeritage. THE LIFE STORY - MARGUERITE NICHOLLSMarie has chosen to tell the life story of her Anglo-Belgian Great Aunt Marguerite Nicholls, who she discovered in her teenage years was missing from her family tree.Marie tells how Marguerite remained in Belgium with her Swedish husband as war broke out, rather than returning to the UK with her own family, and how she ended up saving the lives of British and Canadian airmen as a member of the Belgian Resistance.Whilst Marguerite's story comes to a sad ending, Marie is adamant that she takes her rightful place in her family tree, and that her memory and bravery is never forgotten in Belgium.THE BRICK WALL - CORNEILLE DE LESTREIt's a baptism record for her husband's ancestor Corneille de Lestre, somewhere in the mid-16th Century, that has Marie puzzled. Marie has been trying to locate Corneille's baptism for some time, but she lacks both an accurate year of birth and location. She has searched in the 1540s-1550s, and after viewing some work in an archive that had no cited sources, she has attempted to research its theories of the identity of Corneille's father and the travelling that person did. However, there's no tangible evidence emerging yet that connects Marie's husband to that person - so it's a mystery that leads her on a process of elimination. Can you help Marie discover;Where Corneille de Lestre (or le Lettre) was baptised?Who are Corneille's parents?If you think that you can help Marie with a research clue or idea, then you can either send her a message at her @histfamilles Twitter account, or send us a message and we'll pass it along to her.In the meantime, Marie is curious of Andrew's offer of help... but can you smell burning?- - -Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerMarie Cappart - GuestJohn Spike - Sándor PetőfiSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In the fifth episode of Series Seven, host Andrew Martin meets anthropologist and Welsh professional genealogist, Dai Davies, and finds out how they got hooked on researching family history, the challenges of researching Welsh family history from afar, and their thoughts on how the genealogy community could become a better place.THE LIFE STORY - DAVID DAVIES Dai has chosen to tell the life story of their 8x Great Uncle, David Davies who was born in 1754 in a small parish near Lampeter in West Wales, and was the son of tenant farmers and Wesleyan Methodists. Dai was excited to discover this person in their tree, as David Davies was a highly influential educator, minister, and political poet in Wales during the 18th Century. He is known to have had a school in Castell Hywel, and was a minister at Llwynrhydowen Chapel. His work to translate English into Welsh for the newly literate communities, resulted in him even being described as 'improving into Welsh' on the popular poem by Thomas Gray - 'Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard'.  However, sometimes his political thoughts on the rapidly changing world around him, including the French Revolution, would cause controversy.THE BRICK WALL - DAVID THOMAS It's the family of Dai's 7x Great Grandfather David Thomas (brother-in-law of the above David Davies), that has them stuck for answers.Dai has found 76 records attributed to David Thomas, and knows about his life between 1757 and his death in 1816, Lampeter in Ceredigion, Wales, but Dai has found no trace of David Thomas' parents or siblings. Who were David Thomas' parents?Who were David Thomas' siblings?Where was David Thomas pre-1757? If you think that you can offer Dai a research clue or idea, then you can email them on the address they give in the episode, or find them at @GenealCymru at Twitter. Alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it straight on.In the meanwhile, Dai has concerns about Andrew's offer of help... will this source be reliable?- - -Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerDai Davies - GuestJohn Spike - Sándor PetőfiSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

Host Andrew Martin meets radio presenter and family historian, and host of the Extreme Genes radio show and podcast - Scott Fisher. He finds out how Scott got hooked on researching his family history, the lengths he goes to to solve genealogy puzzles, and how he ended up making his hit radio and podcast show. THE LIFE STORY - DONALD OLSEN  Scott has chosen to tell the life story of his maternal half-uncle Donald Olsen.Donald was one of several brothers who ended up serving in the Second World War, but it's a naval record that gave Scott a detailed account of Donald's time at sea in the Pacific Ocean. Whilst there, Donald experienced terrifying and harrowing events that would seemingly haunt him deeply until he decided to take his own life.THE BRICK WALL - JAMES STOCKS It's a Brick Wall in London, England, that has Scott stuck. Scott has managed to find a fantastically detailed description of James Stocks - right down to the state of his clothing, thanks to a detailed article in an old newspaper from 1818. Sadly, this article was published because James had abandoned his wife Catherine and their children.The article, and some US census records for the children (after they'd emigrated) state that he was from Scotland, but some also say he was from England.. so it's a little uncertain. This  is where Scott is stuck. Can you help?Where was James Stocks born?Where did James Stocks go in 1818?If you think you can help Scott with a clue or research idea, you can send him a message via our contact form and we'll send it straight to him.In the meantime, Scott is fascinated by Andrew's offer of help, but will it shine a light on things?- - -Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerScott Fisher - GuestJohn Spike - Sándor PetőfiSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In this final full episode of Series Seven, host Andrew Martin meets Morag Peers - an award-winning professional genealogist who specialises in researching the lives of the people of Scotland. He hears how she got hooked on family history, how she ended up going professional, and her love of using passport records to trace family and world history.THE LIFE STORY - JOSEPH CLARKEMorag has chosen to tell the story of her 2x Great Uncle, Joseph Clarke. He was born in Kelton in 1846, into a family with long roots in the area. However, when the 1861 census arrives, he's just 14 years old and listed on a sloop ship named 'George and Jane' and apprenticed to a wool merchant.Morag traces Joseph's travels from Liverpool in England, to Chilé, Australia, China, and countless trips between these locations. Whilst his wanderlust takes him around the world and back, sadly it didn't last for long, and Joseph is taken ill on board the ship the Dundonald. Despite the help of the Captain, his illness continues to develop and he died. Morag has been able to view the Captain's log of the voyage, and discovered that the exact latitude and longitude has been recorded, and being far away from home, the location of his burial at sea is recorded too.  THE BRICK WALL - MARGARET LAUGHLAN  Morag is looking for help with her 2x Great Grandmother Margaret Laughlan who was born in 1841 in Girvan, Ayrshire, Scotland to two Irish immigrants. Unfortunately, her last name has been subject to many variants which hasn't helped in Morag's research. Morag knows that Margaret had two illegitimate daughters - Margaret and Agnes, but there is no clue to the father's name (or names), and Margaret senior remains living with her parents through the censuses.Unfortunately, DNA testing has not provided many matches at all, and so that leaves Morag wonderingWere Margaret junior and Agnes sisters or half sisters?Who was/were their father(s)?If you think that you can help Morag with a clue or a research idea, then you can contact her at her website www.glasgowgenealogy.co.uk or the email address she gives in the episode or alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it straight on to her. In the meanwhile, Morag is fascinated by Andrew's offer of help, but neither of them are expecting it to be such a moving experience...- - -Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerMorag Peers - GuestSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

Series Six is ready! However, before we join our first guest, Andrew thinks there's just enough time to go out for some celebratory drinks... or perhaps shots - assuming no-one gets bard...Our first episode arrives on 7th November 2023 - see the full list of our forthcoming Series Six guests and episode schedule by checking out our Series Six page.- - -Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerRobert Neumark Jones - William ShakespeareJohn Spike - Sándor PetőfiSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

Series Six of The Family Histories Podcast begins with host Andrew Martin meeting family historian, storyteller, and author of 'Quilt Of Souls: A Memoir' - Phyllis Biffle Elmore. She explains what got her hooked on researching family history, the value of listening to our elders, and collecting oral histories.THE LIFE STORY - LULA HORN Phyllis has chosen to tell the life story of her grandmother Lula Horn, born in 1883 in Sandersville, Mississippi, USA, whom she met for the first time aged 4 when she was taken to live with her.Phyllis recalls how her grandmother made her feel welcome, which kickstarted an unbreakable bond over the telling of family history stories whilst making quilts from the clothes of ancestors. THE BRICK WALL - LULA HORN Returning to her beloved Grandmother, Lula Horn, Phyllis is keen to discover the descendants from Lula's aunts and uncles. Phyllis has explored DNA matches, but despite filtering out the DNA matches from other parts of her ancestors in GEDmatch, she's been left with a few matches that she's been unable to tie in to her research. Can you help?Who were Lula's parents?Are there modern descendants of Lula's aunts and uncles?Do you have matches against GEDmatch kit A331399?If you think that you can help Phyllis smash through her brick wall, or you can offer a clue or research idea, then you can contact her via the email she gives in the episode or at her website www.thequiltofsouls.com. Alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it straight on to her.In the meantime, Phyllis is concerned about Andrew's offer of help... but will she find it useful?- - -Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerPhyllis Biffle Elmore - GuestJohn Spike - Sándor PetőfiSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In this second episode of Series Six, host Andrew Martin meets Rick Glanvill - a family historian, author, and tour guide, who is also the official historian of Chelsea Football Club. Andrew will be finding out how Rick got hooked on researching his family tree, how his work as a tour guide is affected by this, and how he ended up being the expert of a football club's history.THE LIFE STORY - WILLIAM URMSTON SEARLE GLANVILLE RICHARDS Rick has chosen to tell the life story of his third cousin, three times removed - William Urmston Searle Glanville Richards.William, like Rick, spent countless hours researching family history, but unlike Rick, William began taking on the rich and well-to-do Victorian clients for whom he would be paid to research and write up their family history, having already written up his own Glanville family.This all sounds impressive, but then Rick started to spot cracks in his research. Upon further analysis, he found a case of William taking a creative route to his family history work involving the defacing of records in the British Library and the Bodleian Library. This landed him in big trouble. THE BRICK WALL - ELLEN TAYLOR Rick needs your help to solve a mystery that's been causing him problems for years - he's trying to find his 3x Gt Grandmother, Ellen Taylor, who appears to have married Henry David Linsell...  However, Rick can't find their marriage, and she can't find a correct registered birth for Ellen either.He has a few theories of why he can't locate her; maybe Taylor was a surname from a previous marriage, maybe Ellen was a middle name, maybe Ellen or Eleanor wasn't her first name. Fascinatingly, there is a cousin noted at the time of Ellen's death in 1890, called Harriet Copping - but where does she fit in the tree? Was she a first cousin? A second cousin? Or not even Ellen's cousin but her husband's cousin instead?  All this remains a mystery.If you think that you can help Rick solve his brick wall with a research idea or clue, then you can send him a message via his Twitter account @RickGlanvill or via the email address he gives in the episode. Alternatively, you can send a message and we'll pass it straight on.In the meantime, Rick accepts Andrew and Sándor's offer of help, but will there be penalties? - - -  Episode Credits: Andrew Martin - Host and Producer Rick Glanvill - Guest John Spike - Sándor Petőfi Send us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

Our third episode of Series Six sees host Andrew Martin meet professional genealogist Clare Kirk, and he'll be finding out how she got hooked on researching her family history, why she does it for other people, what she does for Friends of Friendless Churches, and her hopes for an unusual 18th Century record in Buckinghamshire that reveals who the local cake man, rat man, and pig poker were!THE LIFE STORY - HARRIET READClare has chosen her husband's relative Harriet Read - a 'cousin' of his grandfather. Family stories involving Harriet involved a nurse, the King, a silent movie star, a dancer, a private detective, a Baron, Joseph Merrick (known as 'the elephant man'), and a Royal pay-off to America. However, when these stories began to collide and conflict, it was time for Clare to delve into them to determine fact from rumour and to help her husband's family to learn exactly who Harriet was.THE BRICK WALL - THOMAS BOWEN MAULTBY It's a brick wall in West Ealing, London that has Clare stuck - her Great Grandmother's brother was Thomas Bowen Maultby, and whilst she knows that he was born in Newport Pagnell in 1867.Clare has been able to follow him through the census returns until 1881 when he appears as a ten year old. He then appears twice more - once, in 1915 named as a beneficiary in the Will of an aunt, and secondly as the person who seems to have lived in West Ealing, London when he purchased a plot at Hanwell Cemetery in London, where his mother was buried.If you think you have a clue or a research idea, then you can contact Clare at her website digupyourancestors.com or via her Twitter/X account @digupancestors, alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it on to her.In the meantime, Clare has concerns about Andrew's help, but is she wise to be worried....?- - - Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerClare Kirk - GuestJohn Spike - Sándor PetőfiSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In this fourth episode of Series Six, host Andrew meets family historian Sven Grewel, who has been tracing his German ancestry for many years and has since become a professional genealogist. He explains how he got hooked on researching his family history, and the challenges of researching in Germany - a country that has frequently changed its borders through history.THE LIFE STORY - JOHANN CARL MAX SABEL Sven has chosen to tell the life story of his 2x Great Grandfather Johan Carl Max Sabel who worked as a policeman in between the First and Second World Wars. This was a dangerous time, and unfortunately whilst delivering justice as a policeman, he is accused of a crime.He spends years fighting for his innocence against a backdrop of rising Nazism, which includes time in prison and a psychiatric clinic, as his crime gets bigger and evidence seems lacking. Something doesn't seem right!THE BRICK WALL - KARLSTADT RECORDS A puzzle in Karlstadt, Bavaria, Germany is causing Sven a headache, so it's time for us to try to help. Sven's research has been troubled by the destruction and burning of records that took place during The 30 Years' War that spread across what is mostly now Germany between 1618 and 1648. For many of his family branches, this is war causes his research to hit a dead end.One place in particular he would like to find records is the town of Karlstadt in Bavaria, but the records are either lost, mislaid, or destroyed. Sven is feeling lucky though, and hopes that a listener might just be able to help find some.If you think that you can offer Sven some help, then you can reach out to him directly at his website svengrewel.com. Alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it straight on to him.In the meantime, Sven jumps at Andrew's offer of help but will he get the information he's hoping for? - - -Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerSven Grewel - GuestJohn Spike - Sándor PetőfiSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In this fifth episode of Series Six, host Andrew is joined by family history tutor Jackie Depelle. He finds out how she got interested in family history, how she became a full-time family history lecturer, her thoughts on how genealogists and academic researchers are working together, and how the genealogy industry could evolve in future.THE LIFE STORY - JOHN HAYHURST DAWSONJackie has chosen to tell the life story of John Hayhurst Dawson who was born in 1841 in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. Thankfully, his middle name (which was his mother's maiden surname) allows him to be identified easily, as his father and grandfather were also John Dawson. John Hayhurst Dawson went on to work in multiple roles within his community, including a Justice Of The Peace (a 'JP'), a businessman, held many layperson roles at his church, and was also the churchwarden.  This has enabled Jackie to amass an impressive collection of documents to his name. THE  B̶R̶I̶C̶K̶ ̶W̶A̶L̶L̶   STUMBLING BLOCK - THE DAWSON FAMILYRefuting the existence of 'brick walls', Jackie has a Dawson family 'stumbling block' that keeps her perplexed - where did the Dawson family come from?Jackie has been able to identify a brother to the oldest John Dawson (the grandfather of John Hayhurst Dawson), named William Dawson, but beyond this, she's stuck. The earliest deed on the family home is signed on 12th December 1820, but prior to this - she's stuck in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England.Where did the Dawson family come from before 1820?Where did John Dawson get the money to build his house?If you think you can help Jackie with a clue or a research idea, you can contact her via her website www.yourfairladies.co.uk or alternatively you can send us a message and we'll pass it on. In the meantime, Andrew's offer of help results in some unexpected practical advice from Jackie.... will he take it all on board?Send us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In this Sixth episode of Series Six, host Andrew Martin meets family historian Teresa Vega and finds out how she got hooked on researching family history, how her background in anthropology has helped her research, her adventures with DNA testing to trace her Ramapough Lenape Nation ancestors, and her work on the Family Tree DNA Malagasy Roots project with TV's DNA Detective CeCe Moore.THE LIFE STORY - ANTONIA 'TUN' SNYDER Teresa has chosen to tell the life story of her 4x Great Grandmother, Antonia Snyder known as 'Tun', who was born circa 1790. Her mother's family had roots in Madagascar.Teresa found an 1815 advert in a New York newspaper for a runaway slave - Tun. Crucially, this gave Teresa the key to solving her father's identity. Having found him, she was able to find her mother and siblings too.Despite having been on the run from her enslaver, she does return to households of some of the big enslaver families in the area, where she is traded whilst having 13 children. She died in 1881. THE BRICK WALL - ROBERT HENRY FISHER It's a close-to-home brick wall for Teresa - her Gt Grandfather Robert Henry Fisher.  He was born circa 1898 but was legally declared dead in the 1930s after going missing.Whilst the death is not the point of interest, it's his origins that have spawned conflicting stories and theories - one tells of him being a descendant of Jewish traders in White Plains, New York, whilst others point to a Cuban connection. Despite her efforts to analyse the DNA for clues about Robert's family, fascinating gaps seem to hide the answer.Was Fisher/Fischer actually his surname?Who were his parents?Does he descend from the Dutch merchants?If you think that you have a clue or a research idea that could bring Teresa's brick wall crashing down, then you can contact her at the email address she gives in the episode, or alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it straight on to her.In the meantime, Teresa is keen for Andrew's help, but will he be able to get her to the right place?- - -Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerTeresa Vega - GuestSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In this final full episode of Series Six, host Andrew meets James Danter - a family historian who is also a professional archaeologist. Andrew learns about how he got into both of these areas, and how they overlap and help him with his research in both fields. He also asks James on his thoughts of how these two areas could work closer.THE LIFE STORY - DARCY FOWLER  James has chosen to tell the story of his wife's ancestor, Darcy Fowler (later known as D'arcy Fowler) who trained and worked as a solicitor. However, as James' research progressed he soon uncovered a story that led Darcy to move from the UK to America, and fighting as a loyalist in the American Revolution.THE BRICK WALL - GEORGE RICHARD CORDWELL  It's a First World War mystery that has James digging around for clues.His 2x Great Grandfather George Richard Cordwell, born in 1894, earned medals for his work in The Great War, and James has a photograph of him in his military uniform, but beyond this, he's been unable to find any conscription, army service records, medal cards, or discharge records. Somehow, he's missing.Which battalion was George in?Does a Cordwell surname variant hide the truth? If you think that you can help James with a research idea or a clue to turn that brick wall to dust, then you can contact him on his Twitter/X profile at @jdanter or alternatively, you can contact us and we'll send your message on to him.In the meantime, James is hoping to dig into some new clues in Andrew’s garage, but will he strike gold, and will Andrew take a trip of his own?- - - Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerJames Danter - GuestSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

Previously, on The Family Histories Podcast......  As last week's guest James Danter is zapped back in time via the (shhh: secret time) machine without any glitches, all seems well for the series' final episode. However, Andrew is knocked unconscious after tripping over a cable and causing something heavy to fall on his head.... Who are the ghostly voices he can hear, and what do they want? Find out now in this bonus episode inspired by Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'...- - -Episode Credits:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerDerek Scurll - The Ghost of Brick Walls PastJ P Wright - The Ghost of Brick Walls PresentHaley Banks - The Ghost of Brick Walls FutureJohn Spike - Sándor PetőfiSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

The Family Histories Podcast returns for its fifth series on 2nd May 2023, but before episode one arrives, there's just enough time for a spot of tea... in 1811... with Jane Austen!Host Andrew Martin returns for Series Five, along with seven more genealogy addicted guests, seven more fascinating life stories, and seven more annoying family history research brick walls that will need your help to demolish them. Of course, there's also a secret time machine in the garage, but we know you won't tell anyone else about that, right?Series Five begins on 2nd May 2023, and is available from wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe now to make sure you don't miss an episode!Meet the Series Five guests!- - - Episode Credits Series Five, Trailer Andrew Martin:  Host and ProducerPhoebe Batteson-Brown: Jane AustenSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In this first episode of Series Five of The Family Histories Podcast, host Andrew Martin meets genealogist Jenni Phillips, and finds out how she got hooked on family history, why she can't get enough of studying genealogy, her love of family and local history societies, and the lengths she goes to to research house history.The Life Story - John Spring Jenni has chosen to tell the life story of her 7x Gt Grandfather John Spring of West Cholderton in Wiltshire, England. John was a carpenter, baptised in West Cholderton in 1730 to a carpenter and parish clerk Thomas Spring and his wife Mary.  John would go on to inherit his father's carpentry business, and he also inherited a number of thatched cottages... with an  unexpected tenant - a British Army veteran of the American War of Independence - Sir William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe! How did this Viscount end up in a Wiltshire carpenter's cottage? Jenni had to find out.The Brick Wall - David Davies It's a birth and parental puzzle that's been bugging Jenni for a while now, so she's asking for your help to demolish her brick wall.David Davies is Jenni's 4x Great Grandfather, and she has traced him to New Street, Swansea, Wales during the mid 19th century's censuses. However, his place of birth is not consistent - sometimes Swansea, sometimes Carmarthenshire. Records point to him having been born between 1797 and 1801, but Jenni has found a lot of David Davies candidates in both Swansea and Carmarthenshire as it's quite a common name.Can you help her find out; Who David Davies' parents were?When and where was he born?Is there a baptism entry for him?If you think you can help Jenni with a research idea or a clue, then you can contact her via Twitter at @JenniPh, or alternatively you can send us a message and we'll pass it on.In the meantime, Jenni can't believe her luck when Andrew offers his help, but was it a wise choice?---Episode CreditsSeries Five, Episode One:Andrew Martin - Host and ProducerJenni Phillips - GuestJohn Spike - Sándor PetőfiSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.

In this second episode of Series Five - The Righteous - host Andrew meets Slovak professional genealogist, and host of the Slovak Ancestry Podcast, Michal Razus. Andrew finds out how Michal got into researching family history, the challenges of researching in Slovakia, and finds out about his work to assist people with citizenship.The Life Story - Michal Razus Michal has chosen his 2x Great Grandfather also named Michal Razus as his relative to tell the life story of. This Michal was born in 1908, and lived in Czechoslovakia (as it was back then). Amidst World War Two, Michal, who worked as a cabinet maker, took in, fed, and employed a young Jewish man in carpentry - thus helping to save him from the on-coming Nazi forces and the Holocaust.Years later, and after Michal's death in 1985, Michal the younger's family had been unaware of their ancestor's act until contact was made from a man in the USA. That man had been the young Jewish man who'd been taken in, and he came with news that he was being posthumously honoured with the Righteous Among the Nations award by the State of Israel.The Brick Wall - Juraj FrankoIt's a 2x Gt Grandfather, born in Chmelovec, Slovakia in 1890, that is causing Michal a headache.However, it's not the Slovak part that's the problem - Michal has traced his ancestor Juraj Franko to 150W, 104 Street, Manhattan, New York, USA on 25th April 1942, and that's where his trail ends.What happened to Juraj after this date?Did he stay in Manhattan, or did he travel elsewhere?If you think that you can help Michal with a clue or a research idea that might help him solve his brick wall, then you can make contact him via the email address he gives in the episode. Alternatively, you can head to our website where you'll find this episode's show notes, and be able to send a message which we'll pass straight on to him.In the meantime, Michal is intrigued by Andrew's offer of help - but will he stick to the rules?---Episode CreditsSeries Five, Episode TwoAndrew Martin - Host and ProducerMichal Razus - GuestSend us a Text Message.Thank you for listening! You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news. You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky. If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review.