Family history

Many of the more snooty historians - you know the type - look down their noses at Family History. They view it as parochial stuff, fit only for amateurs.

They are wrong.

Handled with care and close attention, family history can often be as good as any slice of academic history. Plus, it also involves detailed examination of sources and a nuanced understanding of records and archives, something that is sadly lacking among many historians today.

	Click on images to view articles     Ernie fought in WW2 as a flight engineer in a Halifax bomber. His last mission in June 1944 remained a mystery for over 60 years.       Alfred Adams was a successful record salesman and father of two young boys when he went to war. He never returned.     The story of William Drake: sailor, boatswain and, no doubt, a complete bastard.         RETURN TO HOMEPAGE

Supreme sacrifice

Two family members who greatly affected my life and my thoughts I never met. Both died long before I was born and both died for their country: Alf in the First World War and Ernie in the Second World War. In recent times, the idea of sacrifice for the nation state is unfashionable among the chattering elite. But visiting their graves and fully appreciating what this word really means was one of the most important moments in my life.