Welcome

I’ve got a confession to make. All these years of family history and I still haven’t broken into the 1600s. My earliest record is a baptism for the helpfully named Ambrose Green in 1729. I can see hints from other trees that connect to mine but I’m nervous about accepting other people’s research, especially for these early years. I’ve also got so much to occupy me on my tree with 300 years of family that it’s tempting to put off those earlier generations for another day. But not any more! Janet Few has inspired me to get stuck in and step back into a world of civil war, plague and puritans ( page 16).

For those of you not quite ready to make that next step, there’s plenty more in this issue to keep you busy during lockdown, from baptisms ( page 61) to Freemasons ( page 52) – and if you’ve really got time on your hands then there has never been a better time to start a one-name study ( page 24). Even if you don’t feel up to launching one, you can find out the projects that other family historians are already running and connect with the organisers.

Talking of connecting with others, we are really looking forward to RootsTech Connect and The Family History Show ( page 13). We will be attending both, so come along and say hello. With lockdown continuing, these online events offer a fantastic opportunity to learn and discover something new. Happy hunting!