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Articles by Ellie Ayton

Explore articles written by Ellie Ayton

teenager doing school work

Inspire young minds with our free family tree template for kids

19 February 2021

We’d all like our genealogy research to be continued by our descendants. But more importantly, our children and grandchildren deserve to know their history in a way that isn’t overwhelming for them. There are only so many board games you can play in a day. When you run out of arts and crafts projects, what’s next on the list to entertain young minds? Exploring kids’ family history: This printable activity pack is a great way to introduce children to their

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Members of the Bridgeman family

Who were the real Bridgertons?

10 February 2021

The short answer is, no. The Bridgertons are a fictional family, with their story set during Regency era London, the time of Jane Austen. But there were many families just like them, navigating the marriage market, the London season, and of course, the scandal.The Netflix series follows the lives and loves of the Bridgerton family. The eight children are all named alphabetically. If you need to know who’s who, we created the Bridgerton family tree for you.Just for

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old photo of schoolchildren

How to find incredible old school photos in our family history records

6 January 2021

Perhaps you’ve come across your ancestor in our 19th-century school registers, or you want to know how to find examples of old school photography from a bygone era. Either way, you’ve come to the right place. On Findmypast, you can find iconic photos in a variety of our historical records, from our incredible Photo Collection to our collection of newspapers. Here’s where you can look. How do I find old school photos?: In our Photo Collection, there are wonderful photos

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princess diana

Princess Diana’s family tree shows regal connections long before she married royalty

1 December 2020

In The Crown on Netflix, the 'people's princess' is played by Emma Corrin, and later Elizabeth Debicki. Known for her extensive charity work, lasting fashion sense and tumultuous marriage to Prince Charles (now King Charles III), Diana Frances Spencer was born on 1 July 1961 to parents John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, and Frances Roche. She was the fourth of five children and grew up near Sandringham Palace, even playing with the young princes Andrew and Edward. Princess Diana's family tree tells

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Immigrants on board a ship generations ago

What was life like on board a ship for our emigrant ancestors generations ago?

9 September 2020

Picture it. Until now, you haven't travelled further than your local village. Now you face an arduous, weeks-long journey across the ocean into the unknown. Life in steerage is tough. You're sharing a cramped space with dozens of strangers and spend your nights awake and homesick, remembering the family you've left behind. As you approach Ellis Island, you wonder what awaits you on the other side. A new country brimming with opportunity or more of the same strife you are

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How to find long lost family

Here's how genealogy can help you to find long lost family

30 July 2019

You might know your close family, your aunts, uncles, and cousins. They might be on the family tree you’ve already made a good start on. But what about your grandmother’s cousin, for example... do you know what happened to him? Or perhaps you never knew your birth family. Maybe you have a half-brother you’ve never met. If you’ve ever thought about how to find lost relatives, let us help you, just how Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell reunite family members

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