There was huge excitement among many genealogists this week with the publication of the 1921 census for England & Wales. I didn't expect to find any direct ancestors living in England, apart from one set of great-grandparents. Patrick and Teresa Wynne had emigrated to Newcastle-upon-Tyne during the previous decade. This census could show: whether my grandad Kevin, born 1909, was still with the family, or if he had already been sent back to Dublin, to live with his Aunt Mary An example of my great-grandfather's signature the family's home address the name and address of Patrick Wynne's em ..read more

So, yet another year has passed. Looking back, using fellow blogger Jill Ball's annual meme and prompts, here are some of my 'positive' genealogy experiences in 2021. My main focus was on DNA. I've been happily analysing my DNA matches, and those of my extended family too. It is a great way to discover forgotten branches on my family tree and locate those I couldn't trace with paper records alone. It hasn't led to any 'new' ancestors YET, but I'm sure that's only a matter of time. For example, last year, with the help of genetic genealogy, I discovered and wrote about a great-great-granduncl ..read more

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas!? My Ancestors' Surnames on a Christmas Tree, made at Word Art ..read more

Charles Francis O'Neill is my longest standing and most frustrating genealogy brick wall. He was named as my Dad's grandfather at the time of Granny's baptism in 1895. The earliest record of his existence, so far found, was dated a mere twenty one years earlier, 19 April 1874, when he married [Mary] Agnes Donovan in the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin city. There, his parents were named as John and Margaret O'Neill of Dominick Street, Dublin. The goal is to obtain every surviving piece of paper mentioning his name and perhaps one piece might prove be the key that opens the window to his past. All ..read more

For many of my ancestors, there are no photographs, no treasured heirlooms, not even a funeral card to remember them by. But of those who could read and write, a few left their signatures behind. They often signed historical census returns, for example, copies of which still survive. Apart from their descendants, a signature may be all that remains of them today. So, it's my intention to feature a Signature Silhouette for each of my ancestors, whenever their signature is found. Surviving copy signatures in my family are few and far between. Here's one for my great-grandaunt Mary Carroll. Mar ..read more

I have to admit, I'm not generally into creating to-do lists. Why waste time writing about what has to be done, when you can just get on and do it? Plus, I don't feel that sense of satisfaction other people say they experience when they complete a task and tick it off their list. So I rarely make lists, except for my genealogy task list. This list makes sense. When I'm happily engrossed researching a family tree and have a brainwave moment about another line, or come across a promising new source that's not readily available online, it gets added to the list. Then it no longer distracts me ..read more

Periodically, I revisit each line of my family tree in turn to examine any documents released since my last round of research. This time, while checking my maternal third great-grandparents Francis Byrne and Jane Daly, I discovered a new branch on my family tree. Francis and Jane married in Dublin city on 11 October 1846 and had five known children: Name Birth date Death date Spouse, marriage year 1 Francis Byrne Bef. c. 1850 19 Dec 1912 Margaret McGrane, 1871 2 Hannah Byrne Oct 1852 3 Apr 1926 John Comiskey, 1869 3 Charles Byrne c. 1858 19 ..read more

This week I celebrate 8 years blogging at Black Raven Genealogy.  On 6 October 2013, I wrote my first blog post - Welcome to Black Raven Genealogy – where I  promised to share my ancestors’ stories with family and friends. My main goal was, and still is, to keep my ancestors alive in living memory. Now, as the 8th year ends, I’d like to say thank you. Thank you to my family and extended family, and all the other readers I have ‘met’ along the way. I really appreciate you leaving comments, sharing your knowledge and research stories with me, and returning to read my blog again and ..read more

Is a family tree ever finished? Even when you think you have found all there is to find for a branch of the family tree, someone or something else always crops up, eventually. This week, I came across a record for a Maria Radcliffe.[1] Maria died in Yellow Walls, the same townland in Malahide, Co, Dublin, where my Radcliffe ancestors lived. She was 56 years old when she died on 2 February 1888, indicating she was born about 1831-32. Death of Maria Radcliffe, Balrothery, 1888 My family tree shows a great-great-great-grandaunt, Mary Ratty, baptised on 9 July 1831.[2] She was the ..read more

When my mother was a little girl, she was eavesdropping on her parents and overheard them whispering about her father's Aunt Annie. Mam thought they said Annie had married her sister’s husband, with whom she’d been having an affair. Mam had got the wrong end of the stick. Annie was innocent. I told this story before - Annie Carroll – a tale of betrayal. However, back then, perhaps I told the wrong truth. Like I unwittingly hinted then, there was more to Annie's story, and maybe it did involve her little sister, Margaret Mary Carroll. Margaret Mary Carroll Margaret was born on 23 September 18 ..read more