S11EP07 - 'The Overlooked' with Olwen Moseley Artwork

The Family Histories Podcast

The Family Histories Podcast is a show that celebrates those of us sat in archives, libraries, and spare bedrooms all around the world, tirelessly piecing together our collective social and family history.

Join British family historian Andrew Martin as he interviews a fellow genealogy fan about how they got hooked; listen to his guest tell the life story of their most fascinatingly good, bad, or plain ugly relative; and then it's time to face 'The Brick Wall' - where it's over to the listeners to see if they can help solve the guest's family history puzzle.

As a parting gift, Andrew offers each guest a surprise that no family history fan could possibly turn down.... a trip in his secret time machine.

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The Family Histories Podcast

S11EP07 - 'The Overlooked' with Olwen Moseley

June 16, 2026 • Season 11 • Episode 7

0:00 | 48:58

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In this final full episode of Season Eleven, host Andrew Martin meets genealogist, writer, and storyteller, Olwen Moseley. She tells him how she got hooked on researching family history and how she inherited lots of research, she shares her love of death certificates, and explains how she feels like a detective when researching.

THE LIFE STORY - MARY ANN BOWLER

Olwen has chosen to tell the life story of Mary Ann Bowler - but it took Olwen a long time to realise that Mary Ann existed.

This is a case of a group of young women - all cousins - united by the care of their grandmother and the fact that they were mostly all orphans, and died as young adults.

When research hints keep flagging a connection to Bristol in England, rather than Llangybi in Wales, Olwen kept dismissing them... but... a newspaper article caught her eye, with Olwen assuming they'd made a mistake with the name 'Mary Ann Bowler' rather than Mary Jane Bowler.

Further investigation was needed when the references started to stack up... resulting in Olwen discovering Mary Ann Bowler existed, and that her story was just as fascinating as the others.

THE BRICK WALL - ELIZABETH BOWLER

An Elizabeth Bowler (another of the cousins) is what is giving Olwen a research headache - particularly when it comes to her life after the 1851 census.

Where did Elizabeth go after appearing on the 1851 census with her parents Joseph and Elizabeth at Market Street, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales? Olwen knows that Elizabeth (her mother) dies in 1858... so what becomes of the family by then?

If you think that you can help Olwen with a clue or a research idea, then you can send her a message via her Substack account, or via the email address she gives in the episode. Alternatively, you can send us a message and we'll pass it along to her.

In the meantime, Olwen is happy to accept Andrew's offer help, but they're in for a bit of a shock...

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