The First World War upended thousands of families. For one Surrey family, a soldier's disappearance on the battlefield slowly unravelled an entire household, scattering its children across institutions, counties and, eventually, an ocean. Nearly a century later, family history records helped stitch those pieces back together. An ordinary family: In 1911, carpenter Albert Edward Bance married Caroline Ratcliff in Surrey. Within a few years they had three children: Frances Elizabeth, Daisy Maud, and Albert Edward. The family of five never appeared…
When we picture the Industrial Revolution, we tend to imagine scorching blast furnaces, foundries worked by men, and the famous bridge stretching across Ironbridge Gorge. And yet, across places like Coalport, Broseley, and Jackfield, women spent long days in factories, workshops and family businesses. They painted delicate china by hand, packed goods for transport, made pipes, raised families and helped keep household finances afloat. Their work shaped the communities around them, yet many have largely disappeared from popular histories of…
The world of 1926 looked very different from what we know today. Internet speeds mean we can video chat and send files in seconds, AI increasingly powers technology, and there’s talk of another mission to the Moon. We could go on. Innovation keeps evolving. The year 2026 would have seemed like a far-flung prospect for those who lived a hundred years ago, even though many would have already experienced great change. The 1920s were an age of flappers, fancy, and economic uncertainty.…
We've released three new record collections this week. Two cover monumental inscriptions for Germany and Czechia, and the third will help you delve deeper into the 1921 Census. Plus, peruse every edition of Jackie, the go-to magazine for teenage girls for three decades. Czechia, Commonwealth War Graves and Monumental Inscriptions: Explore this collection to learn more about your military ancestors buried in the Czech Republic. Did your ancestor serve bravely as a trooper in the Royal Armoured Corps or as a…
Discover the stars and stories of telly's golden era and relive your favourite childhood memories with iconic television listings magazine TV Times, the latest addition to our ever-expanding newspaper archive. The most comprehensive digital archive of TV Times from 1955 to 1980 is now fully searchable online on Findmypast and our sister site, the British Newspaper Archive. We'll add issues from 1981 to 2009 in due course, extending this unique insight into British history and culture into the 21st century. TV Times joins Findmypast…
What will life be like a century from now? We ask this question today, and it’s long perturbed our ancestors too. Our newspaper archive is full of predictions for the future – some hugely off-piste, and others scarily true.But in 1925, one man was making the headlines for his 2025 prophecies… Who was he, and did any of his predictions come true?Professor Archibald Montgomery Low was born in 1888 and became an engineer, research physicist, inventor and author of over 40 books over…
Over Ireland’s history, famine and hardship has forced countless families to make heartwrenching goodbyes, as loved ones travelled overseas to chase new fortunes in foreign lands. The Irish story is one of migration and resilience. This is reflected in a fact that may surprise you: more people of Irish heritage live outside of Ireland than within it. Over 80 million people worldwide claim Irish ancestry. Whether they fled the devastation of the Great Famine or sought out religious freedom overseas, your…
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…
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…
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…