One of the more obvious places to go for information on service personnel is The National Archives. And although I had visited the site a number of times at the start of my research I had somehow overlooked this resource when it came to finding the service card for William Cammish He had served in the Royal Naval Reserve, Trawler section, or RNR(T). I had already found his medal card, but hadn’t looked up his actual service card. So for £3.50 I got hold of the RNR(T) service

I had booked a stand-up comedy gig in Hull many months ago, not just because it looked fun to do but also because I realised it could conveniently help fund a family research trip, as my grandfather and great uncle were born in that city. As the months have gone on the focus of my research has turned more towards Scarborough, where both my great uncles lived before they went off to serve in World War 1. So Scarborough was now going to be the main destination for the second ha

I was hoping to get more information on Fred Cowling's bankruptcy. The National Archives seem to point back to the Durham Records Office when it comes to looking for bankruptcy records. So for £32 and an hour’s research I requested the Office to find out what they could for me in the 1913 entries in the Durham County Court Bankruptcy Register. Unfortunately although an entry was found in the register, the information it shows is pretty much that which is reflected in the entr

I was trying to find out more information on Fred Cowling’s bankruptcy using ‘old-fashioned’ internet searches when I chanced on a mention of him in the London Standard newspaper which I had never seen before. The edition of January 17th 1913 reads: “Frederick Watkin Cowling, a baker and confectioner told the Official Receiver at the Durham Bankruptcy Court that he had walked from York to attend his public examination because he had no money to pay his railway fare.” This was

I decided to post another question to #AncestryHour on Twitter this week, on the vague off-chance someone might be able to identify anything from the mysterious two photos in the old family album, which may or may not be of my serving great uncles. For the photo of the seated soldier - the one used in the poster for the website and talk - the key seemed to be in being able to decipher the cap and shoulder badges. But this seemed like a hopeless task, given the lack of any vis

I had a stand-up comedy gig in Liverpool last night so thought I could stay overnight in the city, then call in at the Durham Records Office on the way back up to Scotland the following day. I booked a place to do some research in advance and hoped I would find out more about my great uncle Fred Cowling who had served with the 5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. As I was on my way up from Liverpool I saw that the A66 was completely closed and by that stage the only way I cou