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In this fifth episode of Season Eleven, host Andrew Martin meets Australian genealogist, tech and AI fan, and former school teacher Andrew Redfern - whom some of you may recognise from the podcast Ironclad Sisterhood which uncovers the lives of convict women in Australia.

THE LIFE STORY - WILLIAM MILLWOOD BESTWICK
Andrew has chosen to tell the life story of his 3x Gt Grandfather William Millwood Bestwick whose life has left a fascinating paper trail. William is born in 1818 in Derbyshire in England, but in the early 1830's his family migrated to the US. 

In the 1840s/early 1850s, William had been part of the Santa Fe Trail trade route, writes a letter who explains that he was captured during this and worked on a Man of War ship but escapes and eventually ends up in Australia. Meanwhile, his mother Amy was completely unaware that he was still alive.

William did leave Australia to return to the US, but the ship was turned around and William was escorted off the ship as he was bankrupt and trying to escape his creditors.

Andrew has worked hard to find the trail of documents scattered around the world, including a letter to the US President of the time. 

THE BRICK WALL - ROBERT REDFERN

Another globetrotting 3x Gt Grandfather is up next - this time Robert Redfern is causing Andrew a headache with his research.  

Robert was born circa 1770, and he ends up in jail, then finds himself in Portugal, then the USA, then the UK and eventually Australia... but Andrew is wanting to know about his early life, which stems back to Ireland.

However, Andrew can't find details about Robert's birth or baptism, and his cousins even consulted Australia's top psychic to help - who advised them to look for a slave trade connection.  DNA has also thrown some curious matches, and what seems to be a name change from O'Neil to Redfern...

Can you help find Robert Redfern's birth or baptism?

If you think you can help Andrew with a research idea or clue, then you can message him via the email address he gives in the episode or check out his website. Alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it right along.

In the meantime, Andrew and Sándor offer guest Andrew some help... but things are about to get complicated...

- - -

Episode Credits:

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• Andrew Redfern - Guest
• John Spike - Sándor Petőfi

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In this fourth episode of Season Eleven, host Andrew Martin meets Polish professional genealogist Eliza Karpińska - the co-owner of Genealogia Polonica. He hears how she got hooked on researching family history, the challenges of researching in neighbouring Ukraine, and how she ended up turning professional.

THE LIFE STORY - WLADYSLAW SIEMIONOW

Eliza has decided to tell the Life Story of her grandfather Wladyslaw Siemionow of Lithuania, who was captured by Nazis during World War Two and put on a train to do forced labour. Despite his father bribing the German station guards to let him off the train, Wladyslaw decided he wanted to stay on the train with his friends as he wanted to travel.

Things did not go well, and despite being shot at during the forced labour, he escaped. Unfortunately he fell into the hands of the Soviet Red Army where he was forced to sign-up to their army. Whilst here, he sustained another injury during an explosion - this time to his head - which caused him to be sent to multiple places for treatment. Miraculously, once he'd regained enough strength, he escaped again and made his way home - the long way round!

THE BRICK WALL - ANNA SIEMIONOW

Related to the Life Story above, Eliza is asking for help to find records for her Great Great Grandmother Anna Siemionow - who, as she has discovered, was a single mother seemingly from Dubki near Pskov in Russia.  The challenge for Eliza is that Anna was a peasant, and peasants in this area did not have surnames until the 19th century - meaning that it's hard to reliably find her in records (even just a birth record).

She does know, that Anna's father was an Ivan Siemionow, but apart from the Dubki connection, she's not managed to get any further back.

Can you help?

If you think you can help Eliza with a research idea or clue, then you can email her via the address she gives in the episode, or head over to her Genealogia Polonica website and use the form there. Alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it right along to her.

In the meantime, Andrew offers Eliza some help, but she decides it's time for war...

- - - 

Episode Credits

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• Eliza Karpińska - Guest

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For our third episode of Season Eleven, host Andrew Martin meets public historian and family historian Ulysses Swanson, and hears about his family history journey, his use of Wikitree, and his project Transgender Ancestors - tracing the lives and family histories of gender nonconforming people from the 1840s to the 1940s.

THE LIFE STORY - EDGAR WALES BURNHAM

Ulysses has chosen to tell the life story of organist Edgar Wales Burnham who was born in 1841 in Woodstock, Vermont, USA, as Ellen - the daughter of Milo and Ellen Burnham.

In 1859, Ellen married Luke Winthrop Powell, and by 1863, Ellen's father had renamed his drugstore to 'M. L. Burnham & Son', signalling the transition of Ellen to Edgar. 

In 1868, Edgar and Luke are found on a train, where Luke is noted as State Agent, and Edgar is arrested as a 'confederate spy in women's clothing'.  This soon leads to a string of newspaper articles that reveal Edgar's transition, and those articles would go on to be republished for more than 20 years. 

The author of the article.... happens to be Edgar's ex-husband, Luke Powell, now down on his luck. Did he write those in an attempt to raise money?

THE BRICK WALL - SALLIE TALBOY BINNS

It's a brick wall in Philadelphia, USA, that has Ulysses asking for help. 

Ulysses has identified a popular actor named John 'Sallie' Talboy Binns, who was famous for playing lots of female roles. However, there's hints in newspapers that Sallie had Irish roots... but Ulysses has not yet been able to confirm that.

He knows that Sallie was born in about 1812, and that she's reported as having been in the US since the 1850s, and that she possibly had Irish roots. 

Sallie is admitted to the Philadelphia Almhouses in 1853, and she dies there in 1882... but Ulysses wants to know about her life before 1853. Can you help?

If you think that you can help Ulysses with a research idea or clue, then you can message him via the email he gives in the episode, or edit Sallie's Wikitree entry, or alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it right along.

In the meantime, Andrew and Sándor's offer of help appeals to Ulysses, but can they help him find answers without mishap?

- - - 

Episode Credits:

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• Ulysses Swanson - Guest
• John Spike - Sándor Petőfi

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In this second episode of Season Eleven, host Andrew Martin is delighted to welcome the family historian, author, lecturer, historical interpreter, One-Place and One-Name studier Dr. Janet Few who amongst these roles is also the President of the Family History Federation.

Janet explains how she got hooked on researching family history, her passion for One-Name and One-Place studies and how they complement family history research, and her thoughts on the genealogy industry.

THE LIFE STORY - ANN STRATFORD
Janet has chosen to tell the life story of her 2x Great Grandmother Ann Stratford b.c. 1834, with whom Janet discovered a surprise extra connection to. Ann's family were based in a rural community in Buckinghamshire, England, and times were hard. Ann learned straw plaiting (something Janet wasn't as successful with) and this brought the family a valuable income.

However, plaiting was taught at an early age in specialist schools, and those who were good at it could earn sometimes twice as much as the men... and this seems to have been a problem! The plait girls and women were thought of as disreputable, and they were victim of lots of bad press.   

THE BRICK WALL - MARY CARDELL
An unusual surname gives Janet a long-term brick wall - Mary Cardell - her 2x Great Grandmother and the only one of her 2x Great Grandparents whose parents (her 3x Gt Grandparents) remain unknown.

Janet has found several references to Mary having been born in Highgate, Middlesex, England, with her 1841 marriage certificate giving her father as James Cardell, and the witnesses including a Catherine Cardell. Janet can't find a baptism record for Mary, but she can find references to other Cardells, but she isn't able to link them up. Is there a Worcestershire connection?

Can you help Janet;

• Find Mary and her husband Philip Woolgar in the 1851 census?
• Find Mary's baptism, with James Cardell as her father?

If you think you can help Janet with a clue or idea, then you can contact her at her Granny's Tales website. Alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it on.

In the meantime, Janet is curious of Andrew's offer of help, but has concerns over her safety...

- - -

Episode Credits:

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• Dr. Janet Few - Guest

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In this first episode of Season Eleven, host Andrew Martin meets family historian John Matheus. He hears how John only recently got hooked on researching his family's history, hears about his wonder of the spelling of his last name, and why he thinks Warren Zevon's 1978 song 'Lawyers, Guns and Money' describes his family tree well.

THE LIFE STORY - NOAH DAVIS

John has chosen to tell the life story of his 3x Gt Grandfather Noah Davis born in 1818, who went on to become a Judge and a significant figure in American law and politics after making it into the US House of Representatives in 1868. 

His success did not stop there, as after being nominated as the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York by President Ulysses S. Grant, he ended up convicting the notoriously corrupt and powerful politician William 'Boss Tweed' Tweed.

THE BRICK WALL - HULDAH TAYLOR

John is looking for help to find records of the early life of his ancestor Huldah Taylor, and her parents. He believes that her father may have been called Gad Taylor, but evidence is somewhat thin - as he can't find a suitable Gad Taylor, and he's seen a few other trees that suggest other names than Gad.

Huldah, born in 1758, is present in Suffield, Connecticut, but can you help John confirm her parents, and shed light on Gad Taylor?

If you think that you can help John with a clue or research idea, you can send him a message via his Bluesky account, or alternatively, send us a message and we'll pass it right along.

Whilst John is curious of Andrew's offer of help, can they Connect with the truth?

- - -

Episode Credits

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• John Matheus - Guest

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The Family Histories Podcast is back, and ready to share a whole load of brand new episodes from our eleventh season.

Join host Andrew Martin and the 19th Century Hungarian assistant Sándor Petőfi as they welcome another 7 guests to the show, each with 7 fascinating life stories to tell, and 7 annoying brick walls for you to help solve.

Find out more about this season and meet our guests.

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This is a special episode released as part of Podcasthon - an annual event for podcasters to produce an episode to raise awareness of a charitable cause. This year we have chosen to support the veterans' mental health charity Combat Stress. This episode contains references to trauma.

In this special Season Ten episode, host Andrew Martin meets family historian Natalie Mayhew who has spent more than 2 decades researching her family tree, has found a connection between her family and Charles Booth (of the poverty maps), and she shares her love of newspapers.

THE LIFE STORY - TED MAYHEW

Natalie has chosen to tell the life story of her Great Uncle, Ted Mayhew,  who fought in World War Two but was captured by the Germans after Dunkirk. He was sent to a Prisoner of War camp where he lived for almost 5 years. 

Whilst Ted survived, the horrific effects of war affecting him for long after - with him suffering from what we'd likely recognise now as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). To help us navigate this part of the episode, we're joined by Professor Walter Busuttil - the Consultant Psychiatrist and Honorary Advisor to the Board at Combat Stress.

If you're able to support Combat Stress' work, you can donate here. For those of you outside of the UK, there's a list of support organisations in other countries.

THE BRICK WALL - MARY ANN COOPER

Natalie's 3x Great Grandmother Mary Ann Cooper, baptised in Portsea, Hampshire, UK in 1820 is puzzling her.

By 1840, a George Cooper is baptised in Portsea, but surprisingly born at Stamshaw House - an asylum. 

This puzzle leaves Natalie with a few questions:

1. Where was Mary Ann Cooper in 1841? 
2. Why was George born at Stamshaw House in 1840? 
3. Was Mary Ann a patient, employed there (whilst pregnant) or just a visitor?

If you think you can help Natalie answer these with a research clue or idea, then you can contact her via her website Funny Where Life Takes You or via Bluesky. Alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it along to her.

In the meantime, host Andrew offers his help, but Natalie appears to know more than he expected… 

- - -

Episode Credits:

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• Natalie Mayhew - Guest
• Prof. Walter Busuttil - Guest
• Conor Walsh - PR Lead (Combat Stress)

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... following on immediately from our previous episode - 'The Glassworker', we find host Andrew Martin and guest Lene D. Kottal in the garage, where they've been interrupted by Andrew's old friend Santa. When Santa starts to act strangely, they find themselves fleeing for their lives...

- - -

Episode Credits

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• Lene D. Kottal - Guest
• Peter Baker - Santa
• John Spike - Sándor Petőfi

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In this seventh and final full episode of Season Ten of The Family Histories Podcast, host Andrew Martin meets Danish professional genealogist Lene D. Kottal. She explains how she got hooked on family history, why she turned professional, and how skills in researching patronymics can help researchers of Danish ancestry.

THE LIFE STORY - ANNA MARIA SÖDERLUND 

Lene has decided to tell the life story of her Great Grandmother Anna Maria Söderlund - someone that she has seen smiling in photographs but has since discovered led a hard life.

When Anna's father is fired for supporting a strike, the family fall upon harder times. Lene finds that Anna also worked in a glass factory too, but not within the glass blowing, but in the lesser skilled (and lower paid) jobs - much like her father had been forced into after being fired from his skilled job. 

The hardship continues as Anna marries and grows older, and with her husband, she ends up living in a convent. Lene likes to imagine that she lived here peacefully and in some comfort.

THE BRICK WALL - FREDERIK DRÆBY 

Lene is trying to find evidence that proves or disproves the paternity of her 2x Gt Grandfather Frederik Dræby, born in 1849 as the reputed son of customs official Frederik Dræby of Silkeborg, Denmark. 

However, Lene is struggling to find documented evidence, or genetic evidence that either confirms this, or points to a different paternity.

Frederik Dræby senior has plenty of other children, and Lene has traced their descendants but has not found them in her matches with MyHeritage. She has yet to take an Ancestry test, but hopes that a paternal match for this branch will prove it was Dræby or will point elsewhere instead.

• Can you help Lene find evidence of Frederik Dræby, or do you have that name in your tree?

If you think you can help her with a research clue or idea, then you can send her a message via her website, join her Dræby Facebook group, or alternatively you can send us a message and we'll pass it along to her.

In the meantime, Lene is happy to accept Andrew's offer of help, but they're interrupted by an old friend... or are they?

- - -

Episode Credits:

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• Lene D. Kottal - Guest
• Peter Baker - Santa

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In this sixth episode of Season Ten, host Andrew Martin meets New Zealand-based genealogist, author, storyteller and 'story listener', Simon Young. He hears how Simon got hooked on family history after a brown envelop was handed to him, and his thoughts on where the genealogy community may go next.

THE LIFE STORY - DR. JAMES LIND

Simon has chosen to tell the Life Story of his 5x Great Grandfather, Dr. James Lind, who was born in 1736 in Gorgie, Edinburgh, Scotland.

By 1766, he'd joined the East India Company as a surgeon, and two years later earned his Doctorate after completing his dissertation in marsh fever (malaria). 

However, James was somewhat a polymath, and surrounded by other polymaths in Edinburgh at the time. He missed out on a voyage with Captain Cook after asking for too much money, and instead headed to Iceland to study the stars.

He also mentored Percy Bysshe Shelley, and this clearly left an impression on Percy who wrote James as characters in some of his work. James was also perhaps an inspiration for Percy's wife - author Mary Shelley - who it's said, was inspired by James when she wrote Frankenstein, after one of James' 'scientific' tricks was to electrocute dead frogs so that they would twitch and jump, as if brought back to life!

THE BRICK WALL - WILLIAM and HANNAH SMITH

Yes, that's right... Simon is asking you to help him find some ancestors bearing one of the most common surnames from Britain - Smith! 

Simon knows that his ancestor George Henry Smith was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1859, but he has no further information about his parents William Smith and Hannah Smith (née 'Dardin').  When George Smith marries in the 1880s, his father is named, but the marriage takes place in New Zealand. Simon doesn't know if George's parents were alive, went to New Zealand, or stayed in Australia.

Can you help him find the correct William and Hannah Smith, parents of George Henry Smith?

If you think that you can offer Simon a research clue or idea, then you can contact him via his website, or alternatively send us message and we'll pass it on.

In the meantime... Simon is happy to accept Andrew's offer of help, but has a few questions first....

- - -

Episode Credits:

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• Simon Young - Guest
• John Spike - Sándor Petőfi

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In this fifth episode of Season Ten, host Andrew is joined by professional genealogist, adoption research specialist - Kathy Wilshaw. She tells Andrew about how she got hooked on family history, the challenges of researching as an adoptee, and her work to mediate for other adoptees and their birth parents.

THE LIFE STORY - IVY COLLISON 

Kathy has chosen to tell the story of her... shhhh.... Great Aunt, Ivy Collison who was born in Northamptonshire, UK in 1893. The problem for Kathy in researching Ivy, is that no-one was supposed to talk about her. Obviously, Kathy had to go rummaging as soon as she could...

What Kathy found was, at face value, a woman living a somewhat uneventful life, but then a turn of events leads Kathy to the newspapers... and suddenly Ivy's extravagant and criminal lifestyle began to appear.

Ivy was a con artist, a fraudster, and she managed to take large amounts of money from unsuspecting hopeful men, and from those who fell for her schemes. Of course, this landed her in trouble many times and this led her to prison sentences and a host of pseudonyms too.

Amongst Ivy's story, Kathy has found what is perhaps a woman who was unwell, or desperately sad and lonely, leaving her wondering who the real Ivy was. 

THE BRICK WALL - JOHN WILSHAW
One of Kathy's longest-running brick walls is in her husband's family - with his 3x Great Grandfather John Wilshaw born circa 1804.

Whilst Wilshaw is an unusual surname, it isn't unusual in Staffordshire, England, and Kathy wants to know where her husband's ancestor John Wilshaw was from. Sources seem to point to a birth circa 1804, and there's references to Cheddleton too, but despite there being John Wilshaw in the Cheddleton parish register, they don't appear to be him.

Can you help her find the correct John Wilshaw, son of John Wilshaw? 

If you think that you can help Kathy to break down this brick wall with a research idea or clue, then you can message her via her website or via the email address she gives in the episode. Alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it on to her.

In the meantime, Andrew offers Kathy help to break that brick wall... but she chooses a different adventure...

- - -

Episode Credits:

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• Kathy Wilshaw - Guest

Support the show

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