Our unique research finding forgotten Island aviators lost in the Great War

The value of Commonwealth Family History Research has been recognised in its partnership with the Wight Aviation Museum in remembering the four hundred Isle of Wight airmen from the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force who took part in the Great War exactly one hundred years ago today.

Locating family of aviator killed 45 days before the end of the Great War

https://www.islandecho.co.uk/once-forgotten-isle-of-wight-aviator-commemorated/

The family of a Great War air ace killed only a month before hostilities ended in the Great War have been traced by the Commonwealth Family History Research, and invited to come back to the village where he grew up and to commemorate him at his local church, along with the local school, Royal British Legion RAF association and our research partners, Wight Aviation Museum. Our research is described on the online newspaper Island Echo.

Are you related to the president of America, Donald Trump or his British ancestors?

Donald Trump is the son of a Scotswoman, Mary Anne MacLeod, from the hebridean Island of Lewis, off the west coast of Scotland. His mother was brought up in a thatched croft and emigrated to America in 1930 on aboard SS Transylvania and met and married Frederick Trump, of German origin when she was a domestic servant.

Mary Anne was born in the village of Tong, in the parish of Stornoway on 10th May 1912, to a fisherman named Malcolm MacLeod and his wife, Mary Smith. This couple had been married in 1891 and both were Gaelic speakers..

Our Footballing ancestors

Perhaps you have an ancestor who distinguished himself as an amateur or professional footballer, and want to find out more. Two of our recent clients had close cousins or grandparents who played national football, played for England or even survived the Manchester United air crash at Munich. It may be possible to trace their career through contemporary newspapers, club records and published histories. Looking back 100 years football offered the possibility of a better standard of living than factory work or mining for a lucky few, and even afforded the opportunity to become local and even national heroes. Want to find out more contact us.

Happy Birthday America! July Fourth and American War of Indendence

Happy Birthday America!

Independence Day, also referred to as the Fourth of July or July Fourth, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, and the forming of the USA, and eventual separate creation by fleeing Loyalists of Upper Canada and the Dominion of Canada after the American War of Independence (1775-1782).

•the population of America in 1776 was 3 million

•45% of colonists fully supported the war

•20% of colonists were outright loyal to Britain

•80,000 militia and Continental Army soldiers served at the height of the war

•56,000 British soldiers fought at the height of the war

•25,000 Revolutionary Soldiers died during the war

•24,000 British Soldiers were killed during the war

•100,000 Loyalist fled to Canada, the Bahamas and England during the war

There are many fascinating tales of the veterans who lived through those times either from the defending British and Canadian troops and the British settlers as well as from the Revolutionary army and their families who fought for indepence. We would love to hear more about your Revolutionary and British American continental ancestors?

Canada day and 151 years of Canada

Canada day is July 1st. Canadians come together and celebrate their nation's birthday every July 1, marking the country's formation on July 1, 1867 by the country's three colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. They came together to form one single Dominion that was part of the British Empire and is now a member of the Commonwealth. Many people take to the streets to celebrate Canada Day with parades and festivals. In the 150th anniversary in 2017 Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall travelled to the country to celebrate the holiday.

In 1867, there were nearly 4 million people in Canada, 2.6 million were born there and called “Natives of British America.” As for the rest of the population, nearly 1 million Canadians were of French origin, and the remainder of English, Welsh, Irish, Scottish and “Foreign” origins.

 

Meeting WW1 and WW2 soldiers at Wight Military and Heritage Museum

The Commonwealth Family History Research was on hand to guide visitors about their military ancestors at the recent open day, and to hear stories from families about the wartime heroism of their great grandparents who survived WW1 having been in the trenches from 1914 till 1918, through to fathers and grandfathers who survived the WW2 nightmares of Burma campaign and Arctic convoys in WW2, to the postwar Suez campaign and even the Falklands and Iraq war.