Who Do You Think You Are?

Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine not only explores the stories behind the popular BBC genealogy TV series, but also helps you uncover your own roots. Each issue is packed with practical advice to help you track down family history archives and get the most out of online resources, alongside features on what life was like in the past and the historic events that affected our ancestors.

Welcome

SARAH'S TOP TIP • Even unusual names might have been shared by more than one person

CONTRIBUTORS

Letters

FAMILY ALBUM DISCOVERY

Who Do You Think You Are?

What's On

Troubled DNA firm 23andMe 'committed' to family history • Rosemary Collins and Sarah Williams report on data releases and genealogy news

NEWS IN BRIEF

Scottish WW1 pension indexes suffer new delays

CAN YOU HELP?

Over 3.5 million directory records released online

TNA publishes new guides

Ancestry adds Gwent workhouse records

ALL HANDS TO THE PUMP • Alan Crosby explains how our ancestors got their water before modern plumbing

10 EASY STEPS TO GROW YOUR OWN FAMILY TREE • Laura Berry from Who Do You Think You Are? shares her expert advice for uncovering your ancestors' stories

BLOOD ON THE TRACKS • Mike Esbester of the Railway Work, Life & Death project explains how to find out if, like Rose Ayling-Ellis, you have an ancestor who was injured on the railways

FIND YOUR RAILWAY WORKER ANCESTORS • Mike reveals the essential sources for researching railway workers

JAMES WELLAND • Mike shares the story of an injured railway worker featured in Rose Ayling-Ellis' episode of Who Do You Think You Are?

RESOURCES • More recommendations to uncover the experiences of railway workers

KNOW YOUR PLACE! • Else Churchill from the Society of Genealogists, the organisation behind the online event All About That Place, explains why focusing on location can give family historians a different perspective

'GEORGE WAS A SECRET AGENT IN EGYPT IN WW1' • A collection of medals, postcards and documents has enabled Ash James to uncover his grandfather's military service as an intelligence operative in Cairo.

RESOURCES • These resources were essential for Ash's meticulous research

JAMAICAN ANCESTORS • Who Do You Think You Are? genealogist Laura Berry reveals the crucial resources if, like Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, you have Jamaican roots

SLAVE REGISTER, 1817 • The first slave registers list every slave on each estate. This example from Water Mount Estate in St John Parish, where Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill's ancestor lived, is held by The National Archives (nationalarchives.gov.uk) and on Ancestry (ancestry.co.uk)

DAME JESSICA ENNIS-HILL • Laura helped to trace the Olympic gold medallist's ancestry

EXPERT PICKS • Laura recommends these online resources for researching Jamaican roots

RESOURCES • Take your research further

SECOND BOER WAR • Jonathan Scott shares online resources for researching the conflict and its participants

EXPERT'S CHOICE • Dr David Biggins, co-creator of the website AngloBoerWar.com

GO FURTHER • More websites that can help your research

BRITISH HOME CHILDREN INSPECTION REPORTS • Albertan researcher Gemma Noon explains how to trace an ancestor sent to Canada as a child

INSPECTION REPORT, 1927 • This record is held by Library and Archives Canada (https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng) and available digitally on Findmypast (findmypast.co.uk) in the collection 'Canada, Home Children Inspection Reports'

RESOURCES • Don't miss these websites

Did my 4x great aunt Amelia have a daughter called Harriet? • Our team of experts offers...