Blog

Thank you for visiting my blog. I should like to post articles on this page about genealogy, and news of the Stockden, Rayner, Spurgeon and Diss families in the blog before I accumulate enough for an annual update to the named sections ion the site.  As a filler I hope to add a few words on subjects that are mostly of interest to me but may also be of interest to this Web site’s readers.

Please bookmark http://www.rayner-stockden.co.uk/blog/ and drop by now and again to see if I’ve added anything.  I’m going to try to post something at least once or twice month, so please let me know if there’s anything of similar to your interests that we can talk about.

If you’d like to be kept informed when there are updates to my blog, please register as a user by following the Register link on the right above the Search… box. Please don’t hesitate to let me have your (constructive!) feedback by emailing me using the address at the bottom of my Home page: I’ll always try to find the time to reply, even if it takes me a day or two.

  • 18-Jan-2023 : MEMORY
    This little ‘BLOG’ is called “Memory” and its lack of mental and physical space.  Yes, mental because after some 12 years since I last worked on the names of SPURGEON and DISS, it is hard to remember what I did, what information I had to compile whatever I did, and due to economics, and to ...
  • 16-Mar-2022 : DNA in Family History
    The use of DNA in family history has been discussed on the web for many years. I used to read about it on a web site back in the late 1990’s. Admittedly, I did not understand much of the discussion…
  • 04-Mar-2022 : LOCKDOWN ! LOCKDOWN !! LOCKDOWN !!!
    Hopefully we are nearing the end of our third lockdown of this Corona-virus epidemic. Anyone remember the smallpox and polio vaccinations…
  • 11-Jun-2021 : Some time out
    About mid-May I woke up with the ‘heebie-jeebies’, shakes, shivers or tremors and it was not a nice feeling. There was no pain so I did not know what to think…
  • 30-Apr-2021 : More thoughts on Family History
    More thoughts on Family History.  When I began researching my wife’s family history it seemed like a good idea at the time.  We found less than two hundred and fifty names living around the world.   I had completed the immediate family line within three weeks of starting a search.  Although my wife’s line was now Welsh, ...
  • 20-Mar-2021 : What to do during ‘Lockdown’
    Making a change: Lockdown !!  Lockdown !!!  LOCKDOWN !!!! Hopefully we are nearing the end of our third lockdown of this Corona-virus epidemic.   Anyone remember the smallpox and polio vaccinations carried out for the same purpose –  to save your life from those ghastly diseases – as today’s vaccinations should?  Those vaccinations took place nearly sixty ...
  • 17-Feb-2021 : More on the Halstead RAYNERs Family History
    1810 Will of Robert RAYNER (1735-1813) I am still on a Family History line here with the last of the Wills of which I have a copy of and can write about. This Will is by Robert RAYNER (1735/6–1813) written on the 21 Jul 1810.   He had been widowed twice.  This creates a little mystery.  ...
  • 20-Jan-2021 : More on Old Family History Pt 3
    Notes on the Will of Rebecca RAYNER (1829-1800) Rebecca was the widow of Joseph RAYNER (1727-1787) and after his death remained on at the farm and did not remarry.   She wrote her Will on the 18 September 1792 and added a codicil on the 20 December 1798.   When her Will was proven she had apparently died ...
  • 30-Dec-2020 : More on Old Family History Pt 2
    Last Will and Blog write-up of 2020 Here is my third deciphered RAYNER Will of five available from years ago.   I decided that I could only work on what I hold at the moment so it is taking the easier route and find the older material later.  As I have mentioned before it appears that most ...
  • 05-Dec-2020 : The NEW LOOK
    Some of you of a certain age group will remember far back into the dark post war period of 1947 when a French couturier came up with a clothes design which was immediately christened ‘the New Look’.  Everyone thought it was fantastic.  It did not take long for the public to applaud this attractive new ...
  • 20-Nov-2020 : More on Old Family History Pt 1
    After my last few words on old family history research which referred to Wills made in the days of the quill pen, I have been able to ‘decipher’ a Will of 1743, made by Joseph RAYNER the Elder.  (1667-1747). Now this was one that had scanned and printed very well and was quite readable.  The ...
  • 22-Oct-2020 : Plan, Prepare and Produce
    In my last little write-up I spoke of the problems you can encounter when you research your family tree.  The worst search result of course is the “dead-end”.   This is when there is no apparent course to follow to get back to another generation.  This situation suggests, logically, that the last person you found must ...
  • 25-Sep-2020 : Starting your family history
    For quite a number of years now, getting to investigate your family history has become the fastest growing pastime. But for anyone over 60 years of age, what did you know about your family and close relations as a youngster? Probably very little. You may have observed several facts while growing up, ...
  • 22-Sep-2020 : First steps
    The first steps in starting your family history begin at home. If you still have parents or older siblings, ask them what they know of the family. Uncles or aunts on either side may be a great source of information – if they are willing to help. When you can construct the ‘roots’ of your tree ...
  • 25-Aug-2020 : Bruce’s Occasional Blogs
    Hello Reader, After more than twenty years of researching family history and drawing up family trees, perhaps a few words on the side-lines would be of interest on perhaps any subject. I am sure we all find that Family History never ends – once started. Did we start in the right place, the ...