As with any military cemetery, the St Symphorien military cemetery near Mons in Belgium tells the harrowing stories of men who lost their lives too soon. There are 284 German and 229 Commonwealth soldiers buried at St Symphorien – but two of these men are linked by a strange coincidence. They were the first and last British soldiers to be killed in the First World War. As revealed by our military and census records, these are their stories. John Parr: the first British:…
Researching this WW1 grave helped honour a forgotten hero and reunite a family from across the world
When historians discovered the forgotten grave of World War 1 serviceman Harry Dunn in 2004, they had no idea who he was. They had no clue about his life, military service, or family. Was there even anyone still alive to remember him?Then in 2023, our friends at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission created a new headstone for Harry, who is buried in the Arnos Vale war cemetery in Bristol. They appealed to the public for help, searching for long lost family connections,…
Delving into our family history is a journey that connects us to our roots, allowing us to understand the stories and experiences that have shaped our identity. In the digital age, technology plays a pivotal role in aiding researchers, and one tool that's gaining prominence is ChatGPT. In this blog post, we'll explore what ChatGPT is, its limitations, and how it can be a valuable asset in the realm of family history research. What is ChatGPT?: ChatGPT is a state-of-the-art…
Whether you've got relatives who fought in World War 1, World War 2 or another global conflict, it's so important to honour their stories with acts of remembrance. More than just wearing a poppy each Remembrance Sunday, this means preserving their stories for generations to come. Using our record collection, learn more about the servicemen who were captured as prisoners of war (POWs) between 1914 and 1918.Although France had always been Britain’s traditional enemy, not Germany, by August 1914, as a result of the…
Although family history is deeply personal to each of us, it's also a valued form of historical research. Together, we're illuminating the forgotten stories of the past, connecting with our ancestors and the world in which they lived.We're passionate about supporting research in all of its forms, which is why we've partnered with the Women's Prize Trust to sponsor the new prize for female writers of non-fiction. You can read more about this exciting partnership here. Of course, non-fiction…
As smoke rolled across the North Sea, steel decks trembled under thunderous gunfire and thousands of sailors waited at their posts, unsure if they would see another sunrise. For many families, the Battle of Jutland is not just a chapter in British history, but the moment an ancestor's life was forever changed. With Royal Navy stories now at your fingertips, you can delve deeper and understand their experiences as never before.The 1916 Battle of Jutland was the largest naval battle…
The census is an incredible resource. It not only gives us those biographical details that help us trace our ancestors every ten years, but it gives a snapshot of the entire country. As any keen genealogist knows, it is like peeking into the windows – and the portholes – of every home and ship in the country. Back in 2018, Findmypast began the landmark project to digitise the 1921 Census of England and Wales in partnership with the National Archives. This began my keen
If you’re Catholic or you have potential Catholic ancestors, keep reading. After all, Latin isn’t a dead language. It’s just Roman around.And don’t worry, we won’t ask you to conjugate a verb.While Latin is no longer a spoken language today, it survives in countless archives and libraries in many countries. Whether you were subjected to a spot of Latin at school or not, any genealogist needs to know the basics of Latin in family history records to research…
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…
When we take time to look at ourselves, both individually and as part of the bigger picture, it's important to address the position genealogy and Findmypast takes within Black and non-white history.I am a white person writing this article and if you're a white person reading it, it's not a coincidence. Genealogy is a whitewashed industry, as a result of both overt and covert racism that occurred over centuries. Being able to tell somebody the exact percentage of Italian,…