Goodstadt Genealogy

Through the Looking Glass

22 May 2010 in Family History - UK, Personal Research | No comments

On 2 April 1911 my grandma Alice, aged 7, was not in at home. In the Census taken that Sunday evening her name is started and then scratched. So where was she? Out playing, at church, at a relatives house, down a rabbit hole…?

To quote the guidelines for the Head of Family:

NAME AND SURNAME of every Person, whether Member of Family, Visitor, Boarder, or Servant, who

passed the night of Sunday, April 2nd, 1911, in this dwelling and was alive at midnight, or

arrived in this dwelling on the morning of Monday, April 3rd, not having been enumerated elsewhere.

No one else must be included.

It is as if the author, her father Thomas Doherty, remembered that she was staying elsewhere and so should not be noted down. The inscription error is understandable as to exclude his child may have seemed counter-intuitive.

I am currently looking at some other records to see if I can spot her in another household. I will update this when I have checked them out. Any other suggestions would be most welcome!

Genealogy or Gardening

21 May 2010 in Genealogy Techniques | 1 comment

Online genealogy guru Dick Eastman asked for proof that

“Genealogy is the second fastest growing hobby in the United States, next to gardening.”

As a quick method for such comparisons I check out Googles Trends

First enter Genealogy. Above we see proportional volume and below appearance in the news. From total volume, is what we see initial excitement or just hobbyists overwhelmed by the masses? The news shows a steady increase.

Next enter Gardening. This is cyclical but also increasing. Try adding similar topics: vegetables is steady, organic and farmers market are popular.

Google Trends: Genealogy versus Gardening

Now enter ‘gardening, genealogy’ to get this result which shows genealogy as more popular but figuring less in the news.

The results are most probably skewed by the on-line nature of research and the off-line essence of growing but given this, the relative presence of the former and the strength of the latter is certainly interesting reflection on the growth in the importance of the internet in all aspects of our lives.

So of the two try and guess which is my preference…!

Leo’s Memoirs

22 June 2009 in Family History - UK, Leo's Family history | 2 comments

Leo Goodstadt, my grandfather, was in many ways the person who stimulated my interest in Genealogy. This was not only as it was from his family that I inherited an unusual surname but also because he himself had a great interest in both the name and his family’s history. Indeed the first item on the wall upon entering the living room of his bungalow was a classic family tree. It was this information and his associated notes that formed the base of my initial research but in addition to bare dates and names he typed and annotated this brief but fascinating memoir.

NOTE: Viewing the following document is restricted to protect copy-right and privacy but please contact me if you require access.

Read the rest of this entry »