General Chat

I've just got terribly excited because I've received some photocopies of Gloucester Gaol's record of prisoners, which feature my relatives. One of them was found innocent, having been charged with "stealing straps and chains". Two were "charged on the oath of" a witness that they "unlawfully entered into a certain wood in Chedworth aforesaid called Whealley wood and stolen & carried away a quantity of poles and underwood, the property of the Right Honorable Lord Stowell". And the one I'm most excited about is "charged on the cornoner's inquisition with the wilful murder of the said Sarah Moss", later acquitted on the grounds of insanity. He was kept in Gloucester Gaol "until her Majesty's pleasure be known" and then transferred first to London and then to Broadmoor, where he was on all the censuses from 1871-1901. Mad, bad and dangerous to know - and I'm pleased I'm related to him - so I'm sad!

No Amy, you're not sad at all! I can't believe that this hobby is so addictive and I've never been in the slightest bit interested in history in my life! My names are mostly a bit on the unusual side and I'm fairly new to this, so I haven't encountered too many problems yet. However, I do like to help people, so when my sister-in-law said that her paternal grandparents had died before she was born and that she'd love to find out about them, I jumped at the chance ... until I found out they were Smiths LOL. But like you Amy, I'm quite looking forward to the challenge! Mandy :)

Lots of people said I was mad to even attempt to trace the Smith line, but I've been relatively fortunate so far in that my direct line stays together in one or two small(ish) villages going back to 1600's. Easier than some of my more "unusual" names

So glad! It's not just me!! Amy x

You want some Smith's ? You can have a few dozen of mine if you like :) Paul (Smith)

mel,ime really proud of being welsh,but as you say,the name..jones..makes me want to fly over the cuckoos nest,just one example...i was looking for a living relative,hoping he could help,with some relatives,and a kind lady on the other board,looked him up for me...in a small town,like neath,she found about 15 addresses for raymond jones...now he would be about 68/72 yrs old,not really fair to ring on the off chance lol. its wonderful,but its frustrating as well lol.......bryan.

Hi Amy. I am researching Jones and it can be very frustrating but the challenge is exciting too. I have traced them back to Shropshire, which is nearly Wales although a Welsh friend of mine who was also a Jones said that it isn't actually a Welsh name as there is no J in the Welsh alphabet. Looks like mine did come from Wales at some point though. Mel

hi amy i find every names a challenge, especially my elusive tunstall birkbeck , i loathe double barrelled names and i was an addison jones, sandra

welcome to genealogyitus lol The next stage is muttering to yourself be warned lol Debbi

You sound pretty normal to me Amy!

Help! I really do think I may have been bitten by the Genealogy bug a bit too hard! I've just been soooo excited to get my first SMITH in my family tree. Is that worringly sad that I'm actually looking forwad to the challenge of trying to find them?! Think i'm starting to worry myself!! Amy x