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Review: Genealogy Methods and Techniques: A Practical Guide to Research, by Dr. Karen Cummings

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 12:36:23 GMT

REVIEW

Genealogy Methods and Techniques:

A Practical Guide to Research

by Dr Karen Cummings

It was a pleasure to receive a copy of Karen’s book to review.

No matter if you are just beginning your journey into genealogy research or are an accomplished researcher, this book is for you. I only wish this had existed when I first started it would have been so helpful. Despite the fact that I have been researching for numerous years, I still found it a refreshing approach to research methods, and learnt different ways of researching, some new methods, and it reinforced why you need to be methodical.

Written in a plain and easy-to-understand way, something that the UK market has been lacking. There are plenty of methodology books from the United States, but they seem very rigid. Karen offers a gentle approach, provides various options for doing things, and explains the different sourcing styles, etc.

The book is divided into 11 chapters, each building on the previous one, so to get the most from it, it is best read sequentially from the start. Explaining in a step-by-step process how to lay down and check the foundations of your research, Karen then suggests options to organise it, including the Mary Hill colour coding system. She then explains how to evaluate your research evidence and deal with conflicting evidence.

I found it very helpful to see how someone else handles these aspects, and I think that is the key to Karen's approach: not just stating “this is how it is done” but explaining various options where possible.

I thoroughly enjoyed Chapter 7 on research planning. Many people can easily lose sight of their research objective. This chapter guides you through a logical way to stay on track to answer your research question, explains this using case studies, and introduces mind mapping to help you clearly see the options for a task.

Karen has even included a chapter on DNA, my favourite! Explaining how it works in conjunction with regular research, genetic genealogy is such an important part of today’s genealogical research and continuing with the same case study brings the whole research process together.

Throughout the book, Karen uses personal case studies to explain research steps and includes relevant certificates and documents to help the reader follow the methods used. Each chapter concludes with a summary of the key points and action steps covered.

The case studies in the book focus on records from England; however, the research methods remain valid for research in any country and across all types of records.

I highly recommend this book for researchers at all levels and think it is a must-have on your bookshelf.

Genealogy Methods and Techniques: A Practical Guide to Research, by Dr. Karen Cummings (The Crowood Press, 2026; £16.99) ISBN: 9780719846083 https://www.crowood.com/book/genealogy-methods-and-techniques/

Visit to The National Justice Museum

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 14:46:33 GMT

Walking in my ancestors footsteps

I finally made a long-awaited visit to the National Justice Museum in Nottingham last week.

It was a very moving experience, my incentive to visit was my 2 x Great Uncle John Hutchinson was tried there in 1905 and found guilty of the wilful Murder of a young boy Albert Matthews and was executed by John Billington on the 29 ^th of March 1905 at Bagthorpe Gaol, but that’s a story for a future blog.

I actually got to walk in my ancestors footsteps! and walked from the ground floor and the cells that John would have been held in, up the winding stone stairs and into the dock where he would have stood for his trial and facing the judges chair in the criminal courtroom, the exact spot he stood on, seeing as he would have seen it.

The courtroom is very much the same as it was in 1905, the same wood panelling, the only change is the ceiling was then glass but has since been filled in.

A very eerie and moving experience to see what he would have seen all those years ago.

Your entry ticket to the Museum is a wrist band that contains your convict number, which relates to a specific convict.

Having walked through the criminal courtroom and down the steps you enter an exhibition area where you will find your convict number and their crime and punishment received.

My convict number was A1 – 561, which related to Daniel Clay, who was put in the pillory for one hour, in Market Place, Mansfield.

A pillory is a wooden framework that has holes in it for the head and hands, in which offenders were formerly imprisoned and exposed to public abuse.

Wandering around the different floors, it is very atmospheric of what it must have been like to have been on trial here or held prison here in the gaol cells.

The journey includes the capital punishment area, cells and the segregated womens cells, a dark cell, laundry and exercise yards.

There are also dungeons (watch your head when walking through these!)

There is also an area that is labelled as an area to be forgotten - an area over 20 metres below Street level, a dungeon dug out where prisoners were thrown and left to die of starvation.

My day concluded with the Monthly Crime Club which this month featured Nottingham's Edwardian Criminals, a very friendly evening with refreshments of your choice and a talk. A different theme every month next one not till March 2025 and 1920 criminals, as I enjoyed the evening I may well make the journey to see that.

And of course particular interest for me was the opening act John Hutchinson, followed by 3 other tales Nottingham criminals.

To see future events at the National Justice Museum CLICK HERE

And if you want to read more about my criminally insane executed relative I will be writing a series of blogs about him shortly

Edwin Cheetham Butcher

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 11:00:01 GMT

Edwin Cheetham Butcher

Edwin Cheetham Butcher also known as Edward was born in the 3rd quarter of 1890 in Sculcoates, Yorkshire.

Born to parents Robert Samuel Butcher and Sarah Blyth.

On the 1891 census, the family was living Hull Bank, Cottingham, Sculcoates, Yorkshire , Edward fathers occupation was listed as a Farm Foreman.

By the 1901 census, the family living at 16, Hardy Street, Sculcoates, Yorkshire and Edwin was listed as Cheetham. His father Robert's occupation was listed as a postal telegraph foreman.

By the 1911 census, Edwin's father had passed away , his mother Sarah was head of the house and they were living at 155 St Paul Street Hull, Sculcoates, Yorkshire, Edwin was listed as a Goods rulleyman.

In the 1st quarter of 1915, Edwin married Bertha Albertina Stephens at Sculcoates and their daughter Lena was born on the 9th of August 1915 and their son Edwin Cheetham Butcher born on the 28th of May 1918.

Edwin enlisted to the 1st/4th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, service number 205574.

Sadly Edwin was Killed in Action on the 27th of May 1918 and is remembered at the Soissons Memorial.

We Shall Remember

William Muggleston

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 11:00:01 GMT

William Muggleston

William Muggleston was born in the 1st quarter of 1884 in Shardlow, Derbyshire.

Born to parents John Muggleston and Phyllis Twells, William was baptised in Lockington, Leicestershire on the 6th of April 1884.

On the 1891 census, the family was living at Cavendish Bridge, Castle Donington, Shardlow, Leicestershire, William was a scholar and his fathers occupation was listed as a waggoner brewers.

By the 1901 census, still living at Cavendish Bridge and both William and his father John's occupation was listed as carter, brewery.

In the 1st quarter of 1905, William married Eliza Upton at Shardlow, Derbyshire and their only daughter Phyllis Elizabeth Muggleston was born later that year. Phyllis was baptised on the 24th of September 1905 in Shardlow.

On the 1911 census, they were living at Wilne Lane Shardlow Near Derby, and William was listed as a Brewers drayman.

William joined the London Regiment, 22nd (County of London) Battalion (The Queens), Service number 5195.

Sadly William was Killed in Action on the 16th of September 1916 and he is remembered at the Thepval Memorial, Pier and Face 9D 13C and 12C.

We Shall Remember

Can You Help Identify John Murphy

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 10:58:45 GMT

Can You Help?

John Murphy

It has been impossible to identify the correct soldier for one of my death penny’s – John Murphy.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website has 117 options when searching for John Murphy, who was killed in action in World War I.

Some can be eliminated by their age and whether they were Army or Navy. I also have a photo that is supposed to be John Murphy on the left and his brother in the middle. If this is indeed John in the photo he was quite young so some of the older soldiers can ruled out, as can the ones who served in the Navy.

From my earlier blog ‘ The History of the Death Penny ’ the Plaque was made at the Acton factory and therefore died before December 1920, and the numbers are stamped behind the rear of the back leg of the lion.

Do you recognise the photo?

Can you help to attribute this to the correct John Murphy?

Private Charles Daniel Moon

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 11:20:36 GMT

Private Charles Daniel Moon

As well as collecting WWI death penny’s, I also collect family bibles that have a family register in them and currently have about 145.

One of my Bibles contains details of a soldier called Charles Daniel Moon, who was killed in action in World War I.

Charles Daniel Moon was born on the 13 ^th of September 1885 in Burwash, Rother District in East Sussex, and was baptised on the 18 ^th of October 1885 at St Philip church in Burwash Weald.

He was the fourth child of seven born to Samson Gallup Moon and Ellen Barden.

On the 1891 census, the family was living at Challenzor Farm, Burwash, and Samson was listed as an agricultural labourer. The family had moved to the Weald, Burwash, by the 1901 census. The family had been mistranscribed as Moors, and Charles’s occupation was detailed as a labourer on a farm.

There was no change to the family on the 1911 census.

Charles joined the Royal Sussex Regiment, 8 ^th Battalion Pioneers, service number G/2212.

Charles was killed in action on the 20 ^th of September 1916 in France and was buried at Aveluy, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France.

Charles is also commemorated on the War Memorial at St Philips Churchyard, Burwash.

We Shall Remember

Corporal Herbert Butler Greensmith

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 11:00:01 GMT

Corporal Herbert Butler Greensmith

Herbert Butler Greensmith was born on the 17th of October 1894 in Lady Bridge, Babworth, Nottingham. His mother was Clara Greensmith a domestic servant, there is no father listed.

On the 1901 census Herbert was living with his Grandmother Ann Greensmith a widow, and washerwomen at Front Street, Brant Broughton (Lincoln), Newark.

His mother Clara married Ernest Alonzo Hardy in 1900 in Mansfield Nottingham and they went on to have 6 children together - which would have been Herbert's half siblings.

On the 1911 census Herbert was living with his uncle Frederick Greensmith at Brant Broughton Newark, Lincolnshire and was listed as a bakers assistant.

In the 2nd quarter of 1915, Herbert married Dora Massey in Lincoln.

Herbert and Dora didnt have any children

It is not known when Herbert attested to the Lincolnshire Regiment "B" Coy. 1st/4th Battalion, service number 201227.

Sadly Herbert was killed in action on hte 2nd of August 1917.

He is remembered at Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe.

We Shall Remember

Private Arthur Percy Foster

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 11:00:02 GMT

Private Arthur Percy Foster

Arthur Percy Foster was born on the 16th of February 1882 at 40 East Street, Northampton and baptised on the 11th of April 1882 at St Edmunds Church, Northampton.

Born to parents William McLenaghan, who at the time of Arthur's birth was a corporal in the 48th Foot, based at Northampton Barracks, his mother Annie Maria Foster, born in Northampton, married William at the age of 17 years old. The last known record for William was Percy’s birth certificate.

Annie remarried on the 6th of November 1885 to John Francis Foster, and stated she was a widow, no death has been found for William.

Arthur’s birth was registered as Arthur Percy McLenaghan but he had changed to Foster by the 1891 census, the family was still living at 40 East Street, Northampton and Arthur was listed as Percy Foster. It is not known if he was adopting his mothers maiden name or his stepfathers name, both being Foster.

Arthur married Ada Ellen Green on the 2nd of March 1907 at the register office in Edmonton, Middlesex, his occupation on his marriage certificate was listed as a window cleaner.

They had 6 children together;

Ellen Ada born 1908
Victor Arthur born 1909
Arthur George born 1910
Doris Mabel born 1913
Harold Albert born 1914
Sydney William born 1917

On the 1911 census Arthur and Ada were living at 28 Rectory Road Hornsey and Arthur was now working as a lamplighter.

Arthur attested to the 1st/7th Bn., Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Service number TF/200551, it seems that Arthur's service record has not survived.

Sadly Arthur was Killed in Action on the 16th of August 1917 at Passchendaele, Arrondissement Ieper, West Flanders, Belgium.

He is remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial panel 113 – 115.

We Shall Remember

The History of the Death Penny

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 13:18:00 GMT

The History of the Death Penny

Several years ago, I started collecting World War I Death Penny’s. So far, it’s only a small collection of 5 Penny’s, but I am very proud of them and what they stand for and will be featuring them individually.

Also known as Dead Man’s Penny, Widow’s Penny or Memorial Plaque’s.

First issued after the First World War to the next of kin of all the British Empire personnel who were killed because of the war or died later from causes related to service.

The Penny plaques are made of bronze and measure 120mm (4.7 in) in diameter. 1,355,000 were issued, and it took 450 tonnes of bronze to make them all. Only 600 plaques were issued to women.

The Design

The design of the plaque was chosen from a public competition with over 800 entries; the winner was Edward Carter Preston the sculptor and medallist, who used the pseudonym Pyramus.

The design includes an image of Britannia holding a trident and standing with a lion. Britannia's outstretched left arm shows her holding an olive wreath above a tablet that gives the deceased's name, no rank was listed as it was thought that there was no distinction between the sacrifices made by the individuals of different ranks.

There is an oak spray with acorns, to the right of the lion; two dolphins are swimming around Britannia, which symbolises the sea power of Britain and at the bottom under the lion, there is a second lion that is tearing apart a German Eagle.

From early 1919, the penny was made at The Memorial Plaque Factory, 54-56 Church Road, Acton, W3, London. The early plaques made at Acton did not have a number stamped on them, unlike the later ones that had a number behind the lion's back leg.

In December 1920, the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich took over the manufacture. All plaques produced there had a circle with a combined W A stamped on the rear side. Carter Preston altered the design slightly to amend the space of the lion's back paw and the H so He to allow an S to be added to the heading, which can read SHE for female plaques. The number that later Acton plaques had was moved, when produced at Woolwich to between the lions rear leg and tail.

Plaques manufactured at both Acton and Woolwich also have Edward Carter Preston initials on them near the front paw of the lion E.CR.P.

It is easy to tell where a penny was made by the stamps and numbers.

Acton – may have no numbers or stamps, or if it has a number it will be behind the lions rearmost leg.
Woolwich – will always have a number stamped between the lions tail and leg, and will always have the WA stamp on the rear.

Knowing where the penny was made can be very helpful, especially if there was more than one soldier with the same name killed in action. If it was an Acton plaque, then the soldier must have died before December 1920 and no Naval casualties where known to have been made at Acton.

There is also a difference in the H where it says’ HE DIED’ the plaque from Acton will always have a wide H , but Woolwich can have both the wide and narrow H to allow it to be amended to SHE for womens plaques..

The reason for the change in the width of the H when it was manufactured at Woolwich was that they started to produce plaques for women and didn’t have enough room to add an S before HE to make it SHE DIED. All the SHE DIED plaques were cast at Woolwich and have the number 11 stamped between the leg and tail.

Plaques were still issued to men who died from causes attributed to their service upto the early 1930’s

So Whats Been Happening

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 10:34:37 GMT

Since my last blog, a lot has changed.....

2020, I became a Trustee on the Board of the Society of Genealogists, which was very exciting as they prepared to find new premises and a new CEO.

In September 2020 I was the proud winner of the Prestige Award 2020 -2021 Winner of Family Tree Researcher of the Year- Central England, Northamptonshire. And then again in 2021 I won for a 2nd time, the title of Family Tree Researcher of the Year- Central England, Northamptonshire.

As part of my Continued Professional Development, I decided I was going to take a ProGen course, a self-study program, enhanced by peer review, of assignments based on chapters from Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards, edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills. ProGen Study Groups are organized to support both professional and aspiring genealogists who want to build upon their existing research methods and skills, as well as gain an understanding of business practices, ethics, and opportunities in the field of genealogy. So, in September 2021, I started the 15-month course, completing it in December 2022.

In 2022, I became an Associate member of AGRA (Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives) and working towards full membership.

And in late 2022 I was approached by the American PBS TV show ‘Finding Your Roots’ to research for one of their shows, this is done blindly and you do not know the celebrity until the show is about to be aired, I only found out 2 days before the show aired on the 23 ^rd of January 2024 that I had been researching for Sammy Hager, also known as the Red Rocker, lead guitarist for Van Halen.

I joined the Census Detectives in 2023. They are a small troupe of family historians from the Society of Genealogists who have travelled to various family history fairs and conferences in England and Wales over the last twenty years, showing people how to best use the internet for their research.

As detailed in the April 2024 edition of Family Tree Magazine, I became the vice chair of the board of the Society of Genealogists in December 2023.

With so much happening, it will be interesting to see whats next.

The Roller Coaster Ride Begins

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 13:52:44 GMT

As my tree progressed, I started to find relatives I never knew I had. After losing my Mum, I didn’t have any family, and suddenly, I was finding cousins everywhere.

It’s very overwhelming now to have quite a large family, but I wouldn’t change it for anything, and I love learning about all the different aspects of my family tree.

I now also have a lot of contact with my biological paternal line, although not with my biological father, as he has long since passed, and to be honest, I am not too sure if I would have made the contact had he still been living.

It’s lovely to be able to find details to enhance the family tree, especially with old family photos and stories from the older generations that would typically have been lost. Listening to the old family stories and tales and then setting out to find more details to try and discover the facts and proof to confirm them or not is a great experience, and sometimes that’s how it turns out.

And so my rollercoaster ride began…………

Initially posted 11th September 2018

Where do I go from here

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 13:52:38 GMT

After I picked up my laptop and typed my name in….. I still sat there the following morning; the night had just disappeared in a flash.

But the addiction had already set in.

I wasn’t brought up with my biological paternal family. I didn’t know much about them other than my biological father's name, I was offered information, but it was my choice not to know.

From the age of 2, I had the most amazing Dad. He might not have been blood, but he was my Dad, my hero, and I thought it was disrespectful to him to acknowledge anyone as my Dad, as that was his place.

My family tree started with my biological maternal line and my dad's line. It might not have been my bloodline, but he was my family. It was only years later, after my introduction to DNA, that I realised that I also had to consider my biological paternal line, as this made me who I am.

Initially posted 28th July 2018

How it all started for me

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 13:50:24 GMT

I was brought up in a dysfunctional family. We weren’t close and didn’t have many cousins or aunts and uncles that we were in touch with. So, I never really had any interest in my family history, and I wasn’t that keen on history as a subject.

I had heard a few family stories handed down, including my grandad being a bigamist and getting caught. As a child, I found my maternal Nan, quite a nasty woman. We later found out she had had early-onset Dementia, but she wasn’t diagnosed until she was in her 70s. My mum always used to say to make allowances for her, as she had a hard childhood. The family story was that she had found her father, who had hanged himself behind the bathroom door when she was young.

My turning point, like many people, was the death of my Mum; apart from my own family, that was it, it was just me………. one evening about two weeks after her death, whilst sitting watching TV, I picked up my laptop and did exactly what the TV advert said…… I typed my name in.

That was it. I was addicted, and from that point on, my life changed in so many ways. My blog is the story of my journey, discoveries, and bombshells!

That has all helped to mould me into the Genealogist I am today.

Initially posted 27th July 2018

f1bc51ac

Review: Genealogy Methods and Techniques: A Practical Guide to Research, by Dr. Karen Cummings

REVIEW

Genealogy Methods and Techniques:

﻿ A Practical Guide to Research

by Dr Karen Cummings

Visit to The National Justice Museum

Walking in my ancestors footsteps

Edwin Cheetham Butcher

Edwin Cheetham Butcher

William Muggleston

William Muggleston

Can You Help Identify John Murphy

Can You Help?

John Murphy

Private Charles Daniel Moon

Private Charles Daniel Moon

Corporal Herbert Butler Greensmith

Corporal Herbert Butler Greensmith

Private Arthur Percy Foster

Private Arthur Percy Foster

The History of the Death Penny

The History of the Death Penny

The Design

So Whats Been Happening

Since my last blog, a lot has changed.....

The Roller Coaster Ride Begins

Where do I go from here

How it all started for me

A Practical Guide to Research