The first 32 short chapters introduce the 32 families from which I am descended. Being born around 1788 (1757-1818), mainly in the reign of King George IV, this generation lived before compulsory registration, so we don't know much beyond the family size, lifespan and location, as gleaned from church records. Sometimes, a baptism or marriage record will reveal the father's or husband's occupation.
I've tried to add a flavour of what it was like to live in that place at that time. The church was generally the centre of the community, and there is great variety in their construction, so I've included a photo where I can. For context, I've briefly described the family's town or village too.
Note that the very first chapter is a step/adopted family. There are many other instances further down the tree: I've always included step-children but not always traced their descendants until recent generations.
In addition to the paucity of information on the older records, it is worth noting that due to the way DNA is passed down the generations, there may be little or nothing inherited from people born much before this generation. Nevertheless, I'll outline any earlier history we have of the families. I've also included the derivation of each of the 64 surnames. And commented on known DNA relationships where they add value.
For the record, I note the oldest known relatives in the line for which there is any reasonably credible evidence. This is provided with the caution that, as the records get older, they become harder to verify and rare survivals can distort the context. In time, perhaps we will discover wills and DNA links which provide better verification. The years of birth are estimates based on baptisms or, failing that, on the youngest they could reasonably have had their children.
If there is an audience, I may add more information about the family and the context in which it has existed. Feedback is welcome.
Copyright is mine, except where credit given. Of course, I will bless family reuse of my own material. Please note that much of the material which is not mine has been shared on a Creative Commons licence, so please follow the links to check the conditions.
Support WikipediaThis narrative is intended to accompany the family tree, which has 12,000+ individuals, and is currently available on Ancestry.com, where a free trial is available. Contact me for downloads and lookups.
Part II, and subsequent parts covers the descendants of this first generation. Part IV includes a summary of the five generations in scope. Part V provides a snapshot of the family, as revealed by the 1939 Register, taken in England and Wales on 29 September of that year. The 1921 census will be published in January 2022. The 1931 census was destroyed by fire whilst in storage in Hayes in 1942.
Dedication. This history is dedicated to the memory of all those family members who went before me, and those they lived amongst. To those whose lives were cut short, and those whom they left behind. To my amazing grandparents. To Dr Edmond Adedeji, who made the ultimate sacrifice for the people of Swindon while I was writing this history.Next
Or you can skip (you will miss some great stories, and I don't introduce places twice).
Skip to Lambert | Larard | Brittain | Squire | Le Brun | Lewtey | Beale
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