Names from the past

Earlier this year I added several school group photographs to the site - some of which were from my own family archives. Although I invited people to identify individuals - or even the date in many cases - I wasn't too hopeful of learning anything about the early 20th century groups.

I had forgotten though, that I had asked my mother the same question about 25 years ago - and, over Christmas, I found her notes which I have now added to the Church Street School groups which are tentatively dated 1910 and 1914.

I am pleased to say that as a result, most of the girls on the 1914 group and some on the 1910 picture, are now identified for posterity.

It's a reminder to us all that now is time to put names to all those family photographs we can identify now but will be more difficult - perhaps impossible - for future generations if we don't do it now.

Useful to know

Wednesday found me on my way down the M1 - through driving rain, as it happens - to visit Leicestershire Archives to follow up a few aspects of the life of Samuel Theodore Bunning. I had corresponded with the staff there and they were most helpful in providing details that confirmed that a visit would be useful. Once there, the efficient service continued and, I was able to check all the sources, -both originals and microfilm - and get the details and copies I wanted all within a three hour visit. As is always the case, it has taken much longer to follow up the genealogy and write up the detail that arises - but its almost done now and will appear today on the site.

One source they do have which I found most useful and convenient was a set of microfiche of the wills proved at Leicester Probate Registry which run up to comparative recent years. Up to now, many of us have used the Postal Searches & Copies Department at York to get copies for a relatively modest fee but now, at least for Leicester wills, these details are even easier to obtain. I don't believe that a similar facility resource at Nottingham Archives yet - lets hope that we will see them there soon.