Articles by Daisy Goddard

Last year, we took a member of our community on an epic journey to trace the footsteps of her 2x great-grandmother Janet. We traced Janet’s life – from her birth in 1830 up to her life as a ship captain in Liverpool by the 1860s – and uncovered a tale of tragedy and perseverance. Watch Finding Janet.We’re back with yet another moving real-life tale. Growing up, Laura Collins knew that her great-grandfather Eli had lost an arm during the First World War.

Before becoming the Labour Party leader in 2020, Keir Starmer had a long legal career. Keir often refers to his parents during political speeches - particularly his father, Rod, a tool-maker. But what else is known about the Labour Leader's heritage? This isn't all we've uncovered about the genealogy of Britain's most prominent politicians - to learn even more surprising discoveries, why not delve into Boris Johnson's family tree? We've also researched Rishi Sunak, Theresa May and Liz Truss, so there is so

Family history fans will be delighted to hear that everyone's favourite genealogy show, Who Do You Think You Are?, will return to screens for a new series in 2025. Previous episodes have seen everyone from Dame Judi Dench to Danny Dyer discover the stories of their ancestors. The celebrity line-up for 2025 includes:BAFTA-winning Spiderman actor Andrew GarfieldWriter and comedian Diane MorganSoap star and documentary maker Ross KempAward-winning actor and writer Aisling BeaPop icon Will YoungTV personality

We’re all familiar with Kate Middleton and Prince William’s love story – but how much do you know about Kate’s background? Although she doesn’t have royal blood, her family has some surprising connections to the British aristocracy.Explore even more of our royal history discoveries via the History Hub. From King Charles II’s family tree to the Royals in the 1921 Census, there is so much fascinating history to explore.Kate Middleton before she was the Princess of Wales Catherine Elizabeth Middleton

Winifred Lamb was an interesting character who worked in a range of fields throughout her life. She wasn't just a respected archaeologist and museum curator - during both the First and Second World Wars, she worked in intelligence for the British government and the BBC. Read on to learn more about Winifred's remarkable story. Winifred's progressive parentsWinifred was born at Holly Lodge in West London's Campden Hill on 3 November 1894. Aged 28 when she had Winifred, her mother Mabel Winkworth was a

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Elizabeth Heyrick fought for everything from higher wages to the immediate abolition of slavery. She earned a reputation as one of the most outspoken philanthropists of the day, with her writings influencing future generations of activists.As part of our mission to rediscover the lives of women that have been lost to history, we’re sharing her story. But we need your help. Discover five inspirational yet overlooked women via our Herstory Hub.Elizabeth Heyrick’s

If you think about famous astronomers, it’sprobably Renaissance figures like Galileo and Copernicus that spring to mind. There aren’t many female figures associated with space science – let us introduce you to Catherine Octavia Stevens, or C.O.B, as she liked to be known. Catherine’s early life Catherine Octavia Stevens was born in Berkshire on 23 January 1865. Her father Thomas Stevens (1809-1888) was the Rector of Bradfield and the founder of Bradfield College. Catherine’s family was religious on both sides. Her mother Susanna Marriott (1824-1866)

If you've ever wanted to delve into the stories of the past - whether those of your very own ancestors or those of whole communities - look no further than historical newspapers. Digitised for easy online accessibility, old newspapers provide a detailed window into the past. In unlocking even more discoveries about your ancestors, newspaper pages can help to add colour and detail to your family tree.Thanks to Findmypast's partnership with the British Library, we have over 70 million digitised pages for

If you're at the beginning of your family history journey, it can be tricky to know where to start with growing your family tree. But once you've mastered the basics of genealogical research, there's really no limit to the exciting discoveries you could make. This guide will teach you all you need to know to get your tree flourishing. From births to burial records, you'll be uncovering surprising stories and must-know details in no time. Building your family tree When

As every genealogist knows, we’re all the product of our family’s history. But genetics aren’t the only thing that we pass down the generations. Used to identify our familial bonds, surnames link us to even our most distant ancestors. Where do our surnames come from? There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to our surnames. Naming has been done differently throughout history, and across different cultures.In England, surnames became widely used after the Norman Conquest in 1066. At this point,