Henry Percy, ‘Hotspur’, is one of Shakespeare’s best-known characters. And he’s our 19th Great Grandfather.
Abducted by Native Americans
Mary Jemison – our first cousin eight times removed – was captured by Shawnee Indians as a child, adopted into the Seneca tribe, and chose to live her life as a Seneca woman.
Lay on MacDuff
We’re descended – a long way back – from the Earls of Fife, of the clan MacDuff. The most famous MacDuff appeared in Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ – though he may not have existed at all.
American migrant
Edwin J Beard, our second cousin twice removed, left for the new world in 1904
The Swedish Bishop – and Torturer
Annette’s 11th-great aunt married a man who seems to have been… well, let’s just say he wasn’t husband of the year.
The Victorian Bobby
London’s Metropolitan Police Service was formed in 1829, the first modern police force in England – and Annette’s third great uncle John Glayzer became a ‘Bobby’ in November, 1857.
The Scottish Diplomat
Sir Adam Otterburn, 15th Great Grandfather Thanks to the Dictionary of National Biography, we know quite a lot about Sir Adam. He was an important […]
Illustrious cousins
Annette’s 18th Great Grandfather, Sir Hugh de Clitheroe. The thing with genealogy is – the further you go back, the more ancestors you have. And […]
Here Comes the Cavalry
Fifth great grandfather Thomas Bails served in the army for nearly 20 years Thomas Bails was born in Garrigil in Cumberland in 1759, at a […]
The Norman Invader
Robert I de Vaux of Pentney was a prominent 11th century noble who took part in William of Normandy’s invasion of England in 1066.