Articles by Ellie Ayton

As World War 2 raged overseas and the devastation of the Blitz took hold at home, many women across Britain kept calm, carried on, rolled up their sleeves and stepped into men's roles. Amelia King did not expect to be prevented from joining the Women’s Land Army simply because of her skin colour, even at a time when racism was prevalent in society.While segregated African American troops stationed in Britain were largely welcomed by the public, newspapers from the time

And because we love a spot of local scandal, here's how the Littlehampton Letters Scandal, or the Seaside Mystery, played out in the real-life press - the tale is just as intriguing and just as shocking as the film it’s based on.Our story begins in the English seaside town of Littlehampton in Sussex in late 1920, when Mrs Rose Gooding (played by Jessie Buckley in the film) was summoned to the Littlehampton County Bench for criminally libelling her neighbour, Edith Emily

The true horrors of the Holocaust weren’t fully realised until after the Second World War. Several trials took place, where extensive evidence was given, to bring those who had been involved in such brutal crimes to justice.One of those who stepped forward was Harold le Druillenec, a political prisoner and the only British survivor of Bergen-Belsen. After finding his image by chance in the Findmypast Photo Collection, we knew we wanted to tell his story: to remember him, and

Female soccer players were having a ball in the early 1900s.During the First World War, women’s football hit a turning point. As women stepped up to the plate in the workplace, particularly in factories, they quickly turned their hands (or feet) to the beautiful game. Some would even argue women’s matches attracted more spectators than the men’s, detailed in newspaper reports of the time. But some were disturbed by the shining success of the women’s game and deemed it

Many people had their lives cut short by war. But for others, war is only a part of their story. My family tree discoveries have changed how I view my military ancestors and made me feel immensely grateful for their bravery and sacrifice. Knowing my paternal grandfather served with Monty’s Eighth Army during the Second World War fills me with pride. My maternal great-grandfather, Ralph Overthrow, enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in 1916 aged 20 while working as a chemist for

Do you know how unique your surname is? Read on for all the must-know information about British surname trends, from the earliest last names in the 11th century to the modern day. Way back in 1836, the law in England and Wales changed. Every birth, marriage and death had to be recorded with the General Register Office. Fast forward to today, birth, marriage and death records are the bread and butter of family historians. They're a great starting point for beginners,

Whether you’re after some old-timey names for your newborn, or you’re just curious about historical trends, we looked to civil birth records and census records to find the most popular names throughout the ages.  Did your ancestors follow the trends when naming their children? Read on to find out.  Remember, royal baby names often set the trends for everyone else, and they’re easy to spot if you know the royal family tree.Take a look at your family tree and

The Olympics, worldwide tennis tournaments and the Euros have inspired us to explore historical records for sporting female firsts. Have you heard of Nettie Honeyball or Dick, Kerr Ladies? Read on for the first women tennis champions, golf superstars and the female football trailblazers who came before Harry Kane and Gareth Bale.Be sure to check out our other blog articles for tips on how to trace women in your family tree, by using maiden names and social history. Who:

Princess Diana’s family tree boasts many illustrious branches, and the Spencer family of Althorp is just one of them. Back in 1765, Diana’s ancestor John Spencer was made the first Earl Spencer. But the history of Althorp House dates back even further when an earlier John Spencer bought the estate during the reign of Henry VII.  This Tudor-era John Spencer was also an ancestor of Robert Catesby, leader of the Gunpowder Plot. This means Princess Diana shares ancestry with actor Kit

Unfortunately, chances are you’re not related to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones or singer Tom Jones. But there is a rich history behind your Welsh surname, a history that will be important to know about when you’re tracing your ancestors. What’s in a name?: There’s a reason why many people with Welsh heritage share the same surname without even being related: patronymics. Back in times of old, Welsh people didn’t have surnames as we consider them today. In the past, instead of