Why it pays to read the paper

[Vicky the Viking]

I have been spending time this afternoon on the Gale newspapers site, and I'm entranced by some of the trivia I've found, such as my gt grandfather's brother-in-law winning prizes for his poultry at the local agricultural shows in the 1870's LOL

Its also helped solve a mystery

My gt grandmother, when she married, said her father was a butcher. Having never found any evidence of this, I thought she'd just invented something that sounded a bit more acceptable than a coal miner.

Well, I've now found evidence that he WAS a butcher, at least for a few years before going down the pit LOL

On the census before he married he said he was a gamekeeper, and this is also his occupation on his marriage certificate in 1862. But I found an announcement of the marriage in the Newcastle Courant, saying he was a butcher. I suppose in those days, it would be easy to combine both jobs.

I also found a notice two years earlier appealing for "information leading to the whereabouts of a missing dun and white spotted pointer [female dog]" - as well as giving his address, this also gives his occupation as butcher.

Its easy to forget when you are looking at census entries or the odd marriage or birth certificate that these are only snapshots, and a lot can happen in between.

[Uncle John]

I found the Newcastle Courant fascinating for its social history. The only bummer was a missing 5 year run during which the person I was tracking moved his business premises.

[Kath nr the Crooked Spire]

Yes Vicky I found evidence that my g grandfather was a real live person, other than his name being on my grandmother's birth certificate and baptism certificate, I have nothing else, not even a census entry.

[Little Nell]

It's always good to find another source. My husband's gt gt gt grandfather doesn't appear on any of the 3 censuses in which he was around, and nor can I find his death cert.

But he is on his children's baptism records, in an insurance policy, in a street directory and i recently found him in the Old Bailey Proceedings giving evidence in favour of his son.

[taffyfrog]

Trivia has a special place. My ggg (perhaps one more g) grandfather was reported in the Bristol Mercury for having received a prize for raising 9 children beyond the age of 7 (without asking the parish for relief) among other bits of trivia.

[borobabs]

Oh I found two in Gales newspaper wish I hadnt a murder and a desertion;;;sob