One of the UK’s leading genealogy companies, Family Wise, has been named among the UK’s 100 most inspiring businesses for 2025 by the Small Business Saturday campaign. The Wiltshire-based firm helps people & organisations to explore their heritage

One of the UK’s leading genealogy companies, Family Wise, has been named as one of the UK’s 100 most inspiring small businesses for 2025 by the Small Business Saturday campaign.  

Family Wise, founded by Kirsty Gray and based in the town of Calne in Wiltshire has been selected as part of this year’s SmallBiz100 line-up, which showcases the most innovative and admired small businesses across the nation, as part of the count-down to Small Business Saturday on December 6. 

Running for over a decade, Small Business Saturday is the UK’s most successful small business campaign, which encourages the public to support and spend with independent firms throughout the autumn, winter and over Christmas.  

“We’re delighted to have been selected this year as one of many amazing UK small businesses as part of this annual campaign,” Kirsty said. 

“We are an unusual High Street business! We take pride in being part of our community in Calne and also nationally and internationally in showing that heritage plays an important role in our everyday lives.” 

Family Wise will be profiled by the campaign on Monday September 22 as part of the 100-day countdown to Small Business Saturday UK.  

“Small businesses are the nation’s favourite businesses – bringing immeasurable value to our local communities and powering the wider economy,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business Saturday UK.   

“Firms like Family Wise represent some of the UK’s most-loved small businesses. It is so important we encourage public support for small businesses up and down the country, as many are still facing a host of challenges as they enter this critical final stretch of the year.” 

Small Business Saturday is a grassroots non-commercial campaign that was originally founded by American Express in the U.S. in 2010, and the brand remains the campaign’s principal supporter in the UK. 

Dan Edelman, General Manager, UK Merchant Services at American Express, said: “We are proud to champion the UK’s small businesses. Congratulations to this year’s SmallBiz100, which once again showcases the incredible vibrancy and innovation of small firms and the valuable contribution they make to local communities.” 

Since the campaign started, millions of people have been involved and billions of pounds spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday itself.  

On Saturday December 6, many small businesses will be hosting events and offering promotions.  The Family Wise team will be no different. Family Wise will be opening the office for visitors to come in and experience what we do. Visitors will have the chance to meet our case managers, take advantage of exclusive promotions, and hear some of the incredible stories we’ve uncovered over the past 13 years! 

Last year, the campaign saw support from the Prime Minister and the Mayor of London, as well as the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Over 90% of local councils also supported the campaign, which trended across social media on the day.  To learn more about Small Business Saturday’s SmallBiz100, visit https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com 

Scientists are closer than ever to reconstructing Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA, thanks to a 30-year genealogical study, descendant DNA testing, and excavations of a Da Vinci family tomb. The findings could illuminate the genius’s life in ways never before possible. 

For over five centuries, Leonardo Da Vinci has been celebrated as a visionary artist, scientist, and inventor, known for his extraordinary talent and groundbreaking experiments. Today, an international collaboration known as the Leonardo DNA Project is closer than ever to uncovering the biological secrets of the greatest genius of the Renaissance.

In their new book "Genìa Da Vinci. Genealogy and Genetics for Leonardo's DNA," published by Angelo Pontecorboli Editore, experts Alessandro Vezzosi and Agnese Sabato of the Leonardo Da Vinci Heritage Association, Vinci, present findings from 30 years of genealogical research that have culminated in groundbreaking insights. Published with the support of the Municipality of Vinci, the book documents an elaborate family tree tracing back to 1331, spanning 21 generations and involving over 400 individuals. The work lays the groundwork for one of the most advanced historical-genetic investigations ever undertaken: the reconstruction of Leonardo's genetic profile.

Through meticulous analysis of sources and archival documents -- now published in the book -- Vezzosi and Sabato successfully reconstructed branches of the family to which Leonardo belonged, including the identification of 15 direct male-line descendants related genealogically to both Leonardo's father and to his half-brother, Domenico Benedetto.

This allowed David Caramelli, the Leonardo DNA Project's coordinator for anthropological and molecular aspects, and Director of the Department of Biology at the University of Florence, along with forensic anthropologist Elena Pilli, to subject six of these descendants to DNA testing. Their analysis revealed that segments of the Y chromosome -- used for individual identification -- matched across these men, confirming the genetic continuity of the Da Vinci male line, at least since the 15th generation.

The authors also confirmed the existence of a Da Vinci family tomb in the Church of Santa Croce in Vinci, currently under archaeological excavation in collaboration with the University of Florence. This may be the burial site of Leonardo's grandfather Antonio, uncle Francesco, and several half-brothers -- Antonio, Pandolfo, and Giovanni.

The excavation leaders, University of Florence anthropologists Alessandro Riga and Luca Bachechi, recovered bone fragments, some of which have been radiocarbon dated. One specimen, consistent in age with Leonardo's presumed relatives, has undergone paleogenomic analysis. Preliminary results from Caramelli and molecular anthropologist Martina Lari indicate the individual was male.

"Further detailed analyses are necessary to determine whether the DNA extracted is sufficiently preserved," says Caramelli, who is also President of the University Museum System. "Based on the results, we can proceed with analysis of Y chromosome fragments for comparison with current descendants."

If the Y chromosome of the living descendants is also found in the older remains in the Vinci church tombs, it would support the accuracy of paternity records, the historical reconstruction of the lineage established through death registers, and would allow for a more in-depth examination of the biological material attributed to Leonardo, as well as traces left on his original manuscripts or other works, potentially leading to the reconstruction of his DNA.

Launched in 2016 and coordinated from The Rockefeller University, New York, the Leonardo da Vinci DNA Project involves the J. Craig Venter Institute of California, the University of Florence and other institutions, with support from the Achelis and Bodman Foundation (New York), the Richard Lounsbery Foundation (Washington, D.C.), and other public and private partners.

The team's scientific starting point was a hypothesis as simple as it is crucial: to trace the Y chromosome, which is passed unchanged from father to son.

"Our goal in reconstructing the Da Vinci family's lineage up to the present day, while also preserving and valuing the places connected to Leonardo, is to enable scientific research on his DNA," says Vezzosi. "Through the recovery of Leonardo's DNA, we hope to understand the biological roots of his extraordinary visual acuity, creativity, and possibly even aspects of his health and causes of death."

"Even a tiny fingerprint on a page could contain cells to sequence," says Jesse H. Ausubel of The Rockefeller University and director of the project. "21st-century biology is moving the boundary between the unknowable and the unknown. Soon we may gain information about Leonardo and other historical figures once believed lost forever."

Surprising revelations

The book's revelations extend beyond genetics. In 21 chapters, it takes readers on a rigorous and fascinating journey through genealogy, history, and geography to rediscover the environment that shaped Leonardo.

Through analysis of ancient land registries, the authors identified seven Da Vinci family homes in Vinci's village and castle, as well as two properties owned by Leonardo himself, inherited from his uncle Francesco and contested in a long dispute with his half-brothers.

The authors devote special focus to two key figures in Leonardo's life: His paternal grandfather Antonio -- not merely a farmer but a merchant who traveled between Catalan Spain and Morocco -- and Leonardo's mother, Caterina. Through careful examination of existing research, sources, and archives, a clearer, non-romanticized picture of Caterina emerges. Increasingly plausible is her identification as a slave in the service of wealthy banker Vanni di Niccolò di ser Vanni. A series of wills and donation records from 1449 onward document the relationship between Vanni and his executor, the young notary ser Piero, Leonardo's father.

A "Unicorn Dragon" ... by Leonardo?

Among the most intriguing revelations: The authors publish for the first time a study hypothesizing that a mysterious charcoal drawing of rare expressive intensity may be attributed to Leonardo. It was discovered on the fireplace mantle of an old building in Vinci (formerly the Bracci house), now owned by the Municipality.

The fantastical creature features several striking iconographic elements, though worn by time: A spiral horn on the head, elongated snout and curved beak, hooked teeth, flaming tongue, clawed limbs, pointed ears, pronounced scales on the back and neck, and a fan-like membranous wing with fingered extensions -- anticipating Leonardo's later studies of bird and bat flight -- along with a serpentine tail.

Due to these features, Vezzosi and Sabato have named the work "Unicorn Dragon." Particularly compelling is a comparison with a detail from Windsor sheet RL 12370, dated to the 1470s.

The attribution hypothesis is currently supported by Roberta Barsanti, Director of the Leonardian Museum and Library, and by Vinci's Mayor, Daniele Vanni. The Municipality has planned scientific analysis and restoration of the large drawing (about 80x70 cm), under the supervision of the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Metropolitan City of Florence and the provinces of Pistoia and Prato.

Leonardo: Epigenetics Pioneer?

The book suggests that Leonardo may have intuited concepts we now call "epigenetic." In his writings on heredity, he reflects on the influence of diet, blood, and parental behavior on offspring -- observations still relevant today.

"Leonardo questioned the origins of human life not only biologically: in his studies on generation, conception becomes a complex act where nature, emotion, and fate intertwine -- anticipating themes now central to the genetics-epigenetics debate," explains Agnese Sabato.

Towards a genetic portrait

The final chapter explores evocative similarities between some current descendants and Leonardo's famed self-portrait, offered as a reflection. Nonetheless, the project's scientific ambitions remain paramount. If enough DNA fragments can be sequenced, researchers could reveal new insights into Leonardo's genetic heritage, physical traits, and perhaps even vulnerabilities that shaped his life and work.

"This is not just about the author of the world's most famous painting," concludes Ausubel. "It's a challenge to redefine the limits of historical knowledge and cultural heritage."

Reconstructing Leonardo's genetic profile represents a milestone of international significance -- for both science and the valourization of historical identity.

For the small Tuscan town of Vinci, which once welcomed a very special illegitimate child named Leonardo, the echo of his "genetic voice" across the centuries is now a source of deep pride and renewed wonder.

The historical research will also support an upcoming documentary and an international film production.

And one thing is increasingly clear: our understanding of Leonardo Da Vinci is far from complete.

Key Points:

• Leonardo da Vinci DNA Project: The first scientific project aimed at reconstructing Leonardo's genome, through indirect and comparative biological sources
• Art meets genetics: DNA found on manuscripts or drawings could confirm artwork authenticity, and techniques developed through the project could revolutionize how contested works are verified
• Forensic analysis: Leonardo's genetic profile could reveal biological traits like left-handedness, visual perception, diet, possible health predispositions, and physical appearance
• 21 documented generations: The reconstructed family tree has been updated from 1331 to the present, including the documentation of extinct family lines
• Rediscovered heritage: Over 400 individuals analyzed, including 219 Da Vinci/Vinci (119 males and 100 females)
• 15 male descendants identified belonging to the direct patrilineal line, crucial for the study of the Y chromosome
• Y chromosome: 6 direct male-line descendants successfully involved in comparative DNA analyses
• The "Unicorn Dragon": The hypothesis that a large drawing in Leonardo's hometown may be attributed to him
• Archaeological excavation in Vinci: First effort to identify remains in a Da Vinci family tomb documented in the Church of Santa Croce
• Digital Archive "GenìaDaVinci": A genealogical and documentary database for scholars, genealogists, and enthusiasts, based on traceability and historical verification criteria
• Residences of Leonardo's family: A new map of Da Vinci homes in Vinci village and countryside, including two of Leonardo's own properties
• Maternal mystery: A historically updated reconstruction of the hypotheses about Leonardo's mother's identity

Explore an archival institution near you in October for American Archives Month, starting with a tour of the Library of Virginia! Archives Month celebrates those institutions and individuals that help to preserve and make accessible the important records of our actions as residents, businesses, religious groups, government and society. This work can give us a sense of being part of a larger picture and helps us begin to recognize our connections to others — family, community, nation or a group defined by ethnicity, religion, work or play. 

This tour is offered at 2 p.m. Reserve your spot soon! Archives Month tours are also offered on Oct. 4 at 10 a.m. and on Oct. 25 at 10 a.m. & 2 p.m.

This year’s Virginia Archives Month theme is “Oh Snap: Photography in the Archives.” We invite you to arrive early to take part in additional Open House programs:

11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. (hourly) | Archivist Talks
Library staff members will share information about photographs, their care, and where to find them in collections. You’ll have the opportunity to engage directly with archival material. 

12:00 & 2:00 p.m. | Workshop: Creating Cyanotypes With Em White
Separate registration required. [link to Calendar events] 

10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. (ongoing) | Makers Station Activity
Get creative at our makers station using images found in archival collections from across the Commonwealth.

Programming assistance is provided by the Friends of the Virginia State Archives, a 501(c)(3) organization. 

For more information, contact Mary Ann Mason at maryann.mason@lva.virginia.gov or 804.692.3648. This tour is free, but registration is required. Limited free parking is available underneath the Library at 800 East Broad Street.

New Mexico State University’s Archives and Special Collections has acquired the papers of Frederick Nolan, the pre-eminent historian of Lincoln County, the Lincoln County War and Billy the Kid.  

 The collection, shipped from London to Las Cruces, marks a highly anticipated addition to the university’s holdings on the history of the American West.  
 
The collection was received in early August and arrived in carefully organized boxes containing correspondence, research files, manuscripts, photographs and copies of Nolan’s many published books. Now open to researchers, scholars and the public, the materials highlight Nolan’s lifelong dedication to the Lincoln County War, Billy the Kid and the history of southern New Mexico.  
 
“The NMSU Library Archives department has long been an important repository for primary source information related to the Lincoln County War, one of the most colorful and well-known episodes in the history of the West,” said Dennis Daily, department head. “The addition of Frederick Nolan’s papers makes NMSU the essential destination for researchers in this field.”  
 
Nolan’s papers take their place among other recently acquired collections that focus on Lincoln County, including the papers of Nora Henn and Lewis Ketring.  

“Fred Nolan spent a lifetime researching and publishing on New Mexico's Lincoln County War and especially the life and death of the charismatic young outlaw William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid,” said historian and author Mark Lee Gardner. “His numerous published writings on the violence in 19th century southern New Mexico and the Kid's short but action-filled career have benefited countless later historians and authors, including myself, and now that his voluminous research papers and correspondence will be at NMSU, they'll benefit countless more in the future.” 
 
Nolan, who was born in England, wrote more than 20 Western novels in addition to his historical research and non-fiction publications. His work included groundbreaking access to the letters of John Henry Tunstall, a key figure in the Lincoln County War.  
 
“Frederick Nolan is widely considered one of the leading experts on Billy the Kid and the cast of characters who played roles large and small in the Lincoln County War,” said Rick Hendricks, former New Mexico State Historian. “The acquisition of his papers with a focus on the American West will constitute a very significant addition to the Archives and Special Collections department’s already unrivaled holdings of materials that document the history of livestock raising in the Southwest.”  

For many, Nolan’s impact was both scholarly and personal.  
 
“Frederick Nolan was – and is – a notable authority on Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War,” said Richard W. Etulain, historian and author. “And those of us who had the opportunity to hear him speak and journey with him through the town of Lincoln will never forget those experiences. Nolan's manuscripts and research materials are of monumental importance for those who want to study and write about the Kid and Lincoln County.”  

The acquisition has generated excitement among historians and enthusiasts alike.  
 
“Fred Nolan was the nimble prince of the Billy the Kid field,” said Bob Boze Bell, executive editor of True West magazine. “Generous to a fault, gracious and kind, he gave a decorum and first-rate scholarship to our efforts that is sorely missed.”  
 
Nolan’s papers are now available at NMSU’s Archives and Special Collections. For more information, visit https://lib.nmsu.edu/archives/. 

The Col. David Hall Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will host a program on genealogical research at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 4, at Lewes Public Library, 111 Adams Ave., Lewes.

Guest speaker Joe Sullivan of the Delaware Public Archives will offer expert insights on lesser-known resources for researching family trees, including supply tax records, oaths of allegiance and pay schedules that may identify women and African Americans or Native Americans who contributed to the revolutionary cause.

Space is limited. The deadline to register is Saturday, Sept. 27. To reserve a seat, send a name, phone number and email address to Mary Alice Kelly at makelly.dar@gmail.com.

The program is part of the chapter’s initiatives to commemorate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. The chapter also recently procured the Library Edition license to Ancestry.com, now available at no charge to the public at the Lewes library. Community members are encouraged to take advantage of this resource to explore their family histories.

Genealogists from the DAR chapter will be available following Sullivan’s presentation to assist attendees with research on the Ancestry platform.

“The upcoming 250th anniversary is not only an opportunity to celebrate America’s founding, but also to reflect on the diverse stories and contributions that shaped our nation,” said Beth Bowersock, Col. David Hall Chapter regent. “Through this series, we hope to inspire curiosity and learning while offering meaningful tools for genealogical research.”

One single day. 

That’s all it took for citizen scientists to solve a cold case that left police stumped for more than 40 years.

Using revolutionary new technology, a team of volunteer genealogists recently connected a set of bones found in a Canadian forest to a Northeast Ohio man who went missing more than a half century ago.

Eric “Ricky” Singer was just 22 years old when he vanished without a trace in the fall of 1973.

Before he went missing, the Berea native had moved back in with his parents and younger sister after spending time traveling abroad.

“October 3, 1973, was the last time I saw him,” said Merry Singer Lugasy. “Ricky had been exploring Canadian options after dropping out of college in 1970 and receiving his draft card for Vietnam. He did not get drafted, but he continued to spend time in Canada over the next few years. Suddenly, he disappeared on his bike with a backpack and we never heard from him again.”

Eric "Ricky" Singer with father and sisters, Ruth and Merry

(Ontario Provincial Police)

Singer’s family filed a missing persons report and hired a private investigator to try to find him. They even conducted their own searches through various missing persons organizations without any luck.

In April 1980, a hiker found a human skull after veering off a trail in Algonquin Park in Canada.

Investigators searched the area and uncovered more bones, along with some camping gear and clothes.

Forensic experts determined the remains belonged to a young white male, likely between 18 and 21 years old, and they placed his time of death between 1971 and 1978. Despite public appeals, nobody came forward to identify the John Doe.

On July 26, 2017, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) unveiled a three-dimensional, clay reconstruction of the unidentified male’s face. Tips poured in but no match was found.

After exhausting all other available investigative techniques, the OPP submitted the male’s DNA to the DNA Doe Project in 2022. 

The non-profit organization uses investigative genetic genealogy to identify unidentified remains.

DNA Doe Project took up the case in 2023 and in just 24 hours their volunteers were able to match the John Doe’s genetic profile to DNA from distant relatives, leading to the his presumptive identity as Eric “Ricky” Singer.

Investigators needed to locate Singer’s family members to confirm his identity. They were able to track down his sisters, Ruth and Merry, in the United States.

“On September 19, 2023, I was contacted by an unidentified caller,” said Ruth Singer. “Feeling strongly guided to take the call, the caller introduced himself as a detective from the OPP. He said he had some difficult news for me and asked whether I had time to listen. Immediately, my tears began to fall and I knew that they had found him.”

“The next step was to submit our DNA samples, after which more information could be shared with us from police files collected over the past five decades,” Merry said. “This turned out to be a lot more complicated than just matching DNA. It took almost two years, the exchange of many emails, texts and phone calls with our dedicated detective and various members of the forensic team.”

Algonquin Park John Doe was officially identified as Eric “Ricky” Singer on February 14, 2025.

Over the summer, Ruth and Merry traveled to Canada to retrace their brother’s final steps alongside some of the investigators who worked on his case.

“Eric Singer’s remains were found before I was even born. The fact that I’m involved in supporting his family in understanding what happened to him feels a little surreal... This was one of the most rewarding investigations of my career,” said OPP Detective Sergeant Philip Holmes, the lead investigator on the case.

“I’m grateful to stand here right now and I hope that this gives somebody hope,” Ruth said.

“Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up,” said Merry. “You just don’t know what other people are capable of and technology changes. You know, he was eventually found, he was identified, and we were able to put him to rest and put ourselves to rest.“

Right now there are dozens of John and Jane Does in Ohio who are still waiting to get their names back. 

Check out our ongoing Unidentified series to see if you recognize anyone and find out how you can help solve cold cases like Eric Singer’s by uploading your DNA profile to public websites.

DIGITIZED EDITIONS OF ‘THE QUILL’ AVAILABLE THROUGH S.J. MCKEE ARCHIVES AT BRANDON UNIVERSITY

Brandon University’s S.J. McKee Archives has completed a landmark project to digitize more than a century of The Quill, the student newspaper at Brandon College and Brandon University. Alumni, researchers, and the campus community can now browse issues dating back to December 1910 online through the Archives’ website.

The project makes 1,733 editions of The Quill freely available to the public. This includes not only The Quill itself but also related publications such as The Feather, The Daily Quill, The unQuill, and The Swill. In total, the collection represents approximately 19,000 pages of student writing, photographs, and artwork.

“The Quill is a remarkable achievement,” said Christy Henry, University Archivist. “For more than 110 years the students of Brandon College and Brandon University have successfully produced a student publication regardless of external events or internal upheaval. As such, The Quill is the single greatest record of the student experience at Brandon College and Brandon University.”

Founded in 1910, The Quill is (by a whisker) the second-oldest student newspaper in Western Canada. As a publication from both the Brandon College and Brandon University eras, it is invaluable when it comes to understanding the history and development of the institution. Historical issues also provide a rare perspective on co-educational student life during a formative period for higher education — a time when women were just being admitted into most men’s universities in English Canada.

The digitization project took more than four years and nearly 1,000 hours of archival work to complete. Each issue was microfilmed, scanned, described, and assessed for long-term preservation.

The McKee Archives is unveiling the project during BU’s Homecoming, a fitting occasion for alumni who contributed to The Quill over the decades. The Archives hopes the online release will spark memories and encourage Quillies and other former students to help fill gaps in the collection.

“Leafing through old editions of The Quill always brings back fond memories for me. More than memory, it’s no exaggeration to say that The Quill changed the trajectory of my life,” said Grant Hamilton, currently BU’s Director of Marketing and Communications, but off-and-on Editor of The Quill in the late 90s and early 2000s. “My grades suffered, but I learned a tremendous amount. When we talk about the lifelong connections that students make on BU’s compact, cozy campus, we’re talking about student groups like The Quill — freewheeling, open, and energetic in memorable ways.”

While BU’s S.J. McKee Archives holds the most complete run of The Quillknown to exist, some issues remain missing or survive only in fragile condition. Alumni and community members who have old copies are encouraged to contact the Archives.

Issues can be accessed by visiting Archives.BrandonU.ca, checking the “Special Collections” box, and searching for The Quill. Individual PDF files can be searched by keyword.

This latest milestone follows other major digitization projects completed by the McKee Archives, including the first 50 years of The Alumni News(1930–1971) and the Westman Oral History collection, which features more than 300 interviews with Brandon College faculty, alumni, and local residents.

The Archives’ next large-scale project will focus on the first 45 years of The Manitoba Co-operator, a critical collection for understanding rural Manitoba’s development in the 20th century.

As a busy archive with substantial collections and ambitious goals but only a single staff person, the McKee Archives rely heavily on grants, donations, and community contributions to undertake large-scale preservation projects. Financial donations can be made through BU’s Office of Advancement & Alumni Affairs, while offers of records or Quillcopies or other records that might be worth preserving can be directed to the Archives at McKeeArchives@BrandonU.ca or 204-727-9634.

“Archives are sites of memory,” Henry said. “They preserve the voices and experiences of past generations, and make them available to enrich our present and future. This project ensures that The Quill and the student voices it carried will always be accessible.”

ABOUT THE MCKEE ARCHIVES

The S.J. McKee Archives is committed to acquiring, preserving and making accessible records of long-term value that are related to the history of Brandon College/Brandon University, as well as records related to the city of Brandon and the southwest region of Manitoba, and Manitoba Pool Elevators. These historical traces speak to the world about life on the eastern prairies since 1880.

The McKee Archives are located in the McKee Archives on the mezzanine floor of the John E. Robbins Library and their collections can be searched online at Archives.BrandonU.ca.

‘THE QUILL’ THROUGH THE YEARS

Read any edition of The Quill since 1910 online at the S.J. McKee Archives — simply search “The Quill” in the Archives’ special collections.

The following is a press release written by the folks at the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania:

Street Genealogy at PARK(ing) Day Philly 2025

• Who: Genealogy QuickStart TV in partnership with African American Genealogy Group, The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• What: Genealogists will give free 15-minute consultations to anyone interested in growing their family trees plus resources from the partners to help visitors to find their family.
• When: Friday, September 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Where: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust Street,
  Philadelphia, Pa.
• Why: As part of an annual global event called PARK(ing) Day in hundreds of cities on 10 continents, metered parking spaces become mini parks as businesses and organizations reimagine these spaces for creating, socializing, and educating.
• How: Visitors can bring their questions and even family documents to experts who will help them on their family history journey.
• Genealogy QuickStart TV was created in 2017 at PhillyCAM, Philadelphia's Public Access station, to provide the public with easy steps to tell their families' stories. That is why these groups and institutions are partnering to heighten awareness of the multitude of free resources available to find enslaved, immigrant, military, religious, and other types of ancestors whose stories are often muted or left untold.

The following is a press release written by the folks at TheGenealogist:

Available online for the first time, discover properties, owners and occupiers across Sussex, with linked books and maps

TheGenealogist today announces the release of Sussex Lloyd George records in partnership with The National Archives, bringing together the Valuation Office Survey field books (“Lloyd George Domesday”) and georeferenced historical maps for Sussex in a single, searchable resource.

This significant addition allows family and local historians to pinpoint where ancestors lived or owned property in Sussex in the early 1910s, then click straight through to the corresponding survey book entry for details such as ownership/occupancy, property description and assessed value.

Bateman’s Kiplings Sussex Home

What’s included

• 269,211 Occupiers, Owners & Organisation

• Georeferenced historical maps that link properties to the exact location on the ground

• Owner and occupier details, addresses, plot numbers and descriptive notes (where recorded)

• Map-to-book and book-to-map links for seamless research across records

Among the newly released entries is Rudyard Kipling, whose Sussex home appears in the records. To mark the launch, TheGenealogist has published an accompanying feature article exploring Kipling’s connection to the county and how these records illuminate his footprint in Sussex.

“From the Downs to the Weald, this addition reveals Sussex in remarkable detail. You can explore a county of independent smallholders, traders, and householders rooted to their place.” said Mark Bayley, Head of Content at TheGenealogist.

Working with The National Archives, TheGenealogist continues to expand access to this landmark property survey for England and Wales, rolling out county coverage with both digitised books and linked, layered maps.

Why this matters

• Place your ancestors on the map: Identify the precise plots where families lived or held property.

• Context at a glance: Understand neighbourhoods, land use and changing streetscapes in the years just before the First World War.

• One-click discovery: Move effortlessly between a mapped property and details of the owner and occupier.
  
  

The Sussex Lloyd George records are available now to TheGenealogist’s Diamond subscribers. 

Don’t miss out! 

For a limited time, you can subscribe to TheGenealogist for just £118.95

Not only will you get a lifetime discount, but you'll also receive a 12-Month Subscription to Discover Your Ancestors Online Magazine -  a total saving of over £75!

Explore these new records and start your genealogical journey today with TheGenealogist by claiming this offer here:https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/MGBLGD925

Offer expires 31st December 2025. 

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist is an award-winning online family history website, who put a wealth of information at the fingertips of family historians. Their approach is to bring hard to use physical records to life online with easy to use interfaces such as their Tithe and newly released Lloyd George Domesday collections. 

TheGenealogist’s innovative SmartSearch technology links records together to help you find your ancestors more easily. TheGenealogist is one of the leading providers of online family history records. Along with the standard Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records, they also have significant collections of Parish and Nonconformist records, PCC Will Records, Irish Records, Military records, Occupations, Newspaper record collections amongst many others.

TheGenealogist uses the latest technology to help you bring your family history to life. Use TheGenealogist to find your ancestors today!

If you read a lot of online obituaries, here is one you should be aware is not what it seems. The obituary at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/richard-eastman-obituary?id=59414134 for Richard Wayne Eastman. You see, that is also my name but it's not for me.

I read a lot of online obituaries and that one was really a surprise for me. That's my name, even the correct middle name. But I can assure you that's not me. I am still alive and kicking.

What really surprised me is the name of (this other) Richard Eastman's nephew as listed in the obituary: "He was preceded in death by ..., a nephew, Christopher Eastman." That's the name of my son (who also preceded me in death).  

So please disregard this obituary (unless you are a friend, acquaintance , or relative of this other Richard Eastman). I plan on sticking around this old world for a long time yet.

As Mark Twain said, "The reports of my death were an exaggeration"