Jenny Redman talks about the availability of wills and probate records in England with emphasis on the Midland Counties. Susan Wight examples how she used wills and probate records when researching her ancestors.
Jenny Scammell outlines her research into the life of her ancestor John Moushall who was an ivory turner in Birmingham and Manchester in the first half of the 19th century.
Susan describes the life of Booth Hodgetts, 1758-1822, a nail ironmonger and industrialist, from Dudley, the capital of the Black Country. She also discusses various sources of Staffordshire records.
Whitmore Hall is one of the few properties in England that has remained in the same family for over 900 years. Anne Young speaks about her family’s connection to the house dating back to the reign of William the Conquerer.
Diana describes her life of her ancestors who lived and worked in the potteries in Staffordshire. She also outlines the resources available for family history research in the area.
Samantha explores the social and economic history of Birmingham from a reference in the Domesday Book to the modern metropolis. She also comments on some of the challenges to researching families in Birmingham and provides many helpful resources.