Mary Dorothea Phillips, heiress to the Slebech Estate, married Charles Frederick, Baron de Rutzen, a Baltic nobleman whose extraordinary life took him from imperial Russia and Regency Rome to Victorian Pembrokeshire.
From rural Welsh farms to new lives in America, this fascinating family history project uncovered generations of farming heritage, migration, tragedy, and resilience – bringing the Davies and Jones family story vividly back to life.
I only ever intended to buy a couple of vintage postcards of Newport to add some visuals to a family history story. Fast forward a year, and I now have over 50 vintage postcards – some posted, others never sent.
A collection of postcards sent to Cardiff in the early 1960s offers a glimpse into a lost world of seaside holidays, long journeys, and friendships maintained one message at a time.
We first began researching All Saints Church as part of our work for the Skinner family. What started as a focused piece of genealogical research soon grew into something far more absorbing. Before long, we found ourselves drawn into the story of this largely forgotten church.
For many family historians, research begins at the kitchen table scrolling through records- yet some of the most valuable discoveries are not found online at all, but in churchyards, cemeteries, and quiet burial grounds.
Ancestry and sites like it have transformed family research, making it easy and accessible for thousands of people to get into genealogy. However, the ease of creating an account on Ancestry and quickly importing information from other family trees has had the unintended effect of multiplying error-filled trees across the platform.
Researching your family history is one of the most rewarding journeys you can take. Whether you’re curious about a whispered family legend, an unusual surname, or simply want to understand where you come from, tracing your roots can uncover fascinating stories and surprising connections.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, thousands of Welsh men, women and families crossed the Atlantic in search of opportunity, freedom and survival. Their journeys helped shape communities across North America, while leaving a lasting imprint on Welsh history, culture and identity.