Matthew Lee worked as a farm labourer on his uncle John Lee’s farm, then had his own farm (albeit a smaller one) but then was the first of the family line to go down the Ironstone mines of North Skelton, in Yorkshire.
The Stuarts’ Shropshire Connection
The Royal House of Stuart can be traced back to an 12th century mercenary who became Sheriff of Shropshire.
The Miners of Derbyshire
Annette’s great great grandfather began a mining tradition in the Clamp family – but in the nineteenth century, mining was hard work and deadly dangerous.
Both sides of the War of the Roses
John Sutton, a canny soldier, fought on both sides of the Wars of the Roses – and picked the winning side.
The Royalist Soldier
A staunch royalist, Sir Timothy Featherstonhaugh’s support for King Charles cost his family everything and his own life.
Nineteenth Century Baker
Our great-great-grandfather, Joseph Guyer Beard, was a baker – and a successful one at that – putting him in a pivotal position in society.
Flodden Field
A battle that did not go well for us. The Battle of Flodden Field, which happened on September 9th 1513, did not go well for […]
First World War Diaries
Grandfather Allan Lee joined the Grenadier Guards in World War 1, and kept a diary of what happened to him.
The Methodist Connection
Was the Rev John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, the man who baptised our 3rd great grandfather?
The Lead Miners of Alston
The Irwins, Tatters and Trathans Three branches of our family tree lived in the area around Nenthead and Alston in what was then Cumberland (now […]