Welcome to my family history site. To the left you will see links to different pages on this site that are dedicated to the geneology of the branches of my family. Under "tree" you will find a link to the family tree of each branch, under "family" you will find further information and details about various generations and family members and under "pictures" you will find pictures of people and places associated with that branch. Please ignore the 'cover page' as this is a dead link which I cannot remove. The site is always evolving as I gather more information and photographs so do revisit to check whether there is anything new and of interest from time to time.
I was born and raised in Shaftesbury in Dorset. The picture above is of the Blackmore Vale towards Melbury Hill from Shaftesbury. My family have been based in the counties of Dorset and Somerset (with a number of connections to Wiltshire and Devon and even abroad - Cornwall) for centuries. My father's family (Wareham and Hiscock) were Dorset folk whilst my mother's (Horler and Talbot) were Somerset people. Being agrarian counties my family have generally been associated with the employment and trades associated with the rural economy from farmer to farm labourer and some rural trades. In addition there have been quarrymen on the Talbot side from Somerset and some ancestors have seen military service. There is even a very probable link back to ancient royal ancestry on the Wareham side. In recent years the association with the countryside has generally become more remote however the love and understanding of rural
England is not something people lose.
I hope that you find your visit to this site to be of interest. It is interesting to discover the names of ancestors who have long been forgotten and revealing at least some of the story of their lives. Recording the names, places and history ensures that they are recorded for posterity. This has been a common practice throughout history probably back to the ancient Britons. I think our ancestors influence us in later generations, through the obvious transfer of our genes but also from culture, class and experience. We are not necessarily like our ancestors however I think there is an influence somewhere in all of us. Doing family history has helped me place my family in the context of the history of this country and my understanding of this history, it helps the past come alive in a very personal sense. If you have watched the BBC TV series where celebrities find out their family background 'Who do you think you
are?' you will have seen a glimpse of the fascinating hobby and journey that it can be. If you are part of the wider family described on this site I hope that the information has helped you in your study into your branch. I am interested in hearing from relatives, however distant, so please do drop me a line.
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