Looking into the past...

On and off for quite a while now, I've been dabbling with genealogy. I've become quite good at finding and using free resources. Lately I joined the ranks of the FreeCEN transcribers for Derbyshire. Once my current OU course finishes I aim to put more effort into transcription. I also joined the Derbyshire Family History Society and am considering joining the Huddersfield FHS. 

Being curious, I also took a look at the family trees of some of my English friends. How different they are to mine! For one thing, some people's ancestors seem to have followed the same occupation and remained in the same area. So, someone born in Lancs. has forbears living in Lancs. Not my lot...they range through at least three counties with some emigrating to Canada, the USA and New Zealand. 

I'm having problems with the maternal side as they were / are Roman Catholics.

Thankfully my paternal side were Wesleyans or / and Church of England. For that side of the family there's a wealth of information. I even have (somewhere) some birth and death certificates as useful evidence. 

Those that lived in Derbyshire included Aldermen and other local worthies. The newspaper shop in the village owned by one of my forbears is still a newsagents, but the owner is not a relative. 

Newspaper excerpt, early twentieth century

Here, I need to explain that although the clipping uses the term 'Liberal... in those days being of the Liberal persuasion bore no relation nor resemblance to any party using that term today.