In this final episode of Series Four, host Andrew meets professional genealogist and author Simon Last. Andrew will find out about Simon's love of War Memorials, his work with the Western Front Association and the Commonwealth Graves War Commission, why he turned professional, and his love for collecting postcards.
The Life Story - Tadeusz Bialosiewicz
Simon tells the story of his grandfather, Tadeusz Bialosiewicz of Poland, whom he discovered over 20 years ago, after Simon was researching his mother's adoption in 1949.
With a desire to track Tadeusz's family down, he used his research skills to locate a Bialosiewicz overseas that very swiftly led to him picking up the phone and discovering that he was actually talking to his biological Grandfather.
What follows is a wonderful story of reunion, as Simon and his mother welcome Tadeusz and his family in both England and Poland.
The Brick Wall - Edith Rosa Sinclair
We're now on the trail of Simon's Great Grandmother, Edith Rosa Sinclair, who has proven difficult to research, not just because her age seems to be wrong by about 10 years, but because documents give her father different names.
Whilst Rosa appears to have been born on 5th November 1881 (confirmed by a birth certificate and her 1939 Register entry). Her mother is noted as Clara Martha Boys, and her father is noted as William Henry Sinclair - lamp maker. Her sister Alice's father is noted as William Henry Poulett - 'a gentleman'. By the time Edith marries in 1915, her father is noted as 'deceased' and as Edward Sinclair - commercial clerk.
DNA has yet to yield any matches for this branch, so Simon is stuck with this brick wall for now.
Can you help Simon work out who Edith's real father was?
If you think that you can help Simon with a clue or research idea to help break down his brick wall, then you can contact him on Twitter at @CharnwoodGenie , at his Charnwood Genealogy website, or via the email address he mentions in the episode. Alternatively, you can send him a message via our contact form and we'll pass it on to him.
In the meantime, Simon accepts Andrew's offer of help, but there's an unexpected warning...
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Episode Credits
Series Four, Episode Seven:
Show notes and more at: familyhistoriespodcast.com
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