Family history and milestones

People often turn to family history when they reach big moments in their lives. The birth of a grandchild, for example, can trigger the urge to compile a record of the past for the new arrival. It's about being aware of the passing of time and the desire to find one's place in its endless stream.

As it happens, this blog is being launched at the start of a new year, which is also a milestone. I've been building my family tree in private, but now that I have some material to share, people are asking about what I know. I could have gone with a newsletter to my immediate family members but i decided on a blog so I could reach out further. It would be great to connect with second and third cousins whom I've never heard of and exchange information about our respective branches of the family.

I should also add that I've reached a sort of milestone in my own life, which was what got me interested in family history in the first place. With both my daughters living overseas and the prospect of spending more and more time there myself, I decided to take advantage of a window of opportunity provided by the British government, whereby I can apply for UK citizenship through my mother's line. My daughters were excited at the news, and so were my cousins who can also make use of the opportunity. All we needed was to fill in the forms, provide the necessary personal information, and produce a copy of my grandfather's original birth certificate.

But that wasn't as easy as it sounded.

So began a hunt against the clock for the missing article. There's lots to tell, so I'll tell it in bite-sized entries. Just to say that the challenge has truly inspired me and introduced me to a field of amateur research that I never knew existed before!

Finally, I want this blog to be a collaborative family effort, so please send me any stories, questions or photos that you think may be of interest to other readers. All I ask is that you label any images clearly and with as much detail as you can so i can upload them easily. let's make this space as representative of our grandfather's rich legacy as we can!