Family Tree Talk

Tune in to this week’s Family Tree Talk with podcast cohosts Nathan Ward and Helen Tovey. As we’ve mentioned a few times, back in autumn 2024 Nathan took a DNA test, wishing to prove his Viking origins. Any thoughts of censuses and even building a family tree hadn’t entered his head. Two years on, what has he learned? And what are the ways in which family history can change you? To celebrate the 1...

This week in Family Tree Talk it’s all going on for podcast cohost Nathan Ward who stumbles upon another pair of records relating to a pair of brothers who, it seems, may have led one another astray – and been duly sentenced for it. Plus he finds himself whizzing forwards in time, tracing a many times great-aunt who was still alive when he was a lad… if only he’d known. And he continues his quest...

Tune in to this week’s Family Tree Talk podcast as cohost Nathan Ward continues his quest to locate every last piece of the Hearn Family 1911 Census puzzle. With two of the sons found ensconced in an Industrial School, Nathan is getting the ‘colourful’ ancestors he’s hankered after. But what can he find about their parents and siblings? Tune in with cohost Helen Tovey to see how he’s getting on.

Tune in to this week’s Family Tree Talk podcast as we speak to reminiscence pioneer Rick Voight. Discover how those old family photos and memories are not just precious to you, but can also be transformative – in helping to improve the quality of care of older people in our lives, who may be experiencing memory loss. With a life-time of working in photography and a deep respect for the value of re...

Tune in to this week’s episode as podcast co-host Nathan Ward scrutinises a First World War service record, which luckily was saved from the infamous fire (scorch-holes to prove it!). From tattoos, to children’s nicknames, he’s uncovered a wealth of info about his forebear and his forebear’s family. Join with cohost Helen Tovey to find out what Nathan’s been up to this week on the family history r...

Hot on the heels of his first cousin 4x removed, podcast co-host Nathan Ward’s family history findings grow only more fascinating. From getting married in Sydney in 1888 to serving in the First World War at the grand age of 49, Elijah Hearn junior is one of those family members with a lot of story to tell. Far from being a rabbit hole, however, Nathan is relishing both the discoveries, and the fac...

Tune in to this week’s Family Tree Talk with podcast co-hosts Nathan Ward and Helen Tovey. Nathan’s genealogy journey continues apace as he’s now racing along the side branches of his family tree tracing the life on the high seas of his 4x great-uncle Elijah. Helen, meanwhile has got a little lost in Lego and nostalgia. But it’s not all bad – as it turns out that trips down memory lane can be just...

Family Tree Talk podcast co-host Nathan Ward has been digging for weeks now, trying to find his Elizabeth Thing on the 1851 Census. While she’s remaining elusive, his family history is in no way standing still… In fact, being ‘forced’ to stick in one place, and one time period, has provided Nathan with time to look around him - to discover more about some of the other people in her life… her broth...

Cohosts Nathan Ward and Helen Tovey catch up on their family history discoveries. Erstwhile tree-tracing newbie Nathan is now at the point of adding 5 th (and maybe even 6 th ) times great-grandparents to his tree. Helen thinks that he should just go for it; he’s not so sure however, and wants to accrue more evidence before proceeding. Have a listen – and we’d love to hear your views.

Nathan’s busy researching his 4x- great-grandparents in the early/mid 1800s. Helen is, slowly, getting on with her digital filing. Progress is being made by both of them, but things aren’t progressing as quickly as perhaps they should… Podcast cohosts Nathan Ward and Helen Tovey chat through their family history and mull over what good research looks like, which thorough steps to take, and also wh...

This week on Family Tree Talk podcast cohosts Nathan Ward and Helen Tovey chat through Nathan’s recent research forays as he works to find records for his family in the early 1800s. What might those baptism, marriage and burial records reveal for him. Tune in – we’d love you to join us.

Tune in to Family Tree Talk as Nathan Ward shares details of his forays into the 1841 Census. Turns out it wasn’t half as scary as he’d thought and he’s now busy piecing together the puzzles of a potentially blended family. In the process he’s encountered eight (or more) children (two of whom are called James), he’s deliberating on merging two duplicate ancestors, and he’s begun collecting ancesto...

Tune in to this week’s episode of Family Tree Talk as podcast cohost Nathan Ward shares the details and delights of picking up his family history research again. The past few weeks have seen him researching context; now he’s super-happy to be back to tree-building and dusting off his core family history skills. Join him and cohost Helen Tovey as they discuss what Nathan’s been up to and the best w...

Where to start with this most complex of topics – our memories? Perhaps the best place is the kitchen of Janna Helshtein’s grandma, where – half a century ago – we see her preparing her much loved pickle recipe, with little Janna looking on. Perhaps you too have memories you keep with you, some happy, some not so. Tune in and take a trip down memory lane and take a look at the unique place that me...

Tune in for this week’s Family Tree Talk with podcast cohosts Nathan Ward and Helen Tovey. When doing our family history there is so much to discover isn’t there!? Sometimes it’s easy… and sometimes less so... But learning from other family historians is always a valuable experience. This week Nate and Helen take their hat off to some awesome pod-listener advice, share some of the tidbits from the...

Tune in to the latest episode of Family Tree Talk as podcast cohosts Nathan Ward and Helen Tovey chat family history. Nathan’s been hunting for an elusive WW1 airfield and delving further into his grandfather’s life. Helen’s been dusting off research notes from a few years ago… and deciding that this time she really is going to solve the puzzle of her 6x great-grandfather. We’d love you to join us...

What makes you tick? What are the experiences that have changed the course of your life … That have made you who you are? How did you pick yourself up when times were tough? Those who come after us would love to know the answers to these things…. But are you in danger of leaving the story of your own life a blank chapter in your family history. Tune in this week as podcast cohosts Nathan Ward and...

Family Tree Talk podcast co-host Nathan Ward loves aeroplanes. Long has he wished to have an aviation connection in his family tree. And it was when he recently got the family talking that the clues – which would lead to his wish becoming true – gradually came out into the light. Tune in to hear about his recent family history discoveries and the power of chatting to parents, aunts, uncles, siblin...

Join podcast cohosts Nathan Ward and Helen Tovey for this week’s Family Tree Talk chat, as Nathan shares where he’s got up to in his research. He’s looking at 4x and even 5x great-grandparents 🙌, but is feeling a bit unsure about the details he’s finding… Has he got it right or not? Together they mull over ideas to help with clarity and confidence about putting the pieces together and making sure...

You know the feeling when you’ve been researching all those great-great-grandparents… but you’ve not really looked into the generations that are closer at hand, because you ‘already know them’. This is the spot that Family Tree Talk podcast co-host Nathan Ward found himself in this week. Tune in as he and Helen Tovey share ideas for gathering clues about those family members that people remember…...

‘Don't beat yourself up for not doing as much family history as you want,’ says podcast cohost Nathan Ward. ‘Yes, even if you're doing a little, you're still winning,’ agrees Helen Tovey. Join Nathan and Helen this week for your next dose of family history chat - and encouragement to keep going, even when it can feel as though you have the world of genealogy tasks you’d like to do. When that sense...

Join podcast cohosts Nathan Ward and Helen Tovey for genealogy chat. This week Nathan Ward is continuing on the trail of his great-grand uncle Alexander MacKay. Feeling a little stuck where to turn next, he tentatively asked listeners for help… and they have come up trumps. Tune in for family history discoveries, learning points, and to see how a family history helping hand makes all the differenc...

Once we start on family history we all soon realise that it’s not that easy-breezy experience that we sometimes see portrayed on the telly. But, nonetheless, it can shake our confidence in our ability if we can’t find the info we need. This week on Family Tree Talk, cohost Nathan Ward weighs up the info he’s found, and not found, with Helen Tovey. Has he forgotten those family history search skill...

Tune in for family history chat as Family Tree Talk podcast cohosts Nathan Ward and Helen Tovey discuss 'negative space', how to work out whether you've searched high and low enough, and the way in which Nathan's Excel sheet may be just what you need to keep your research in order. Plus Nathan dives into the whisper of a family mystery, a possible child, and the question of 'Who Was Dolly?'.... We...

Tune in for this week’s genealogy chat with podcast co-hosts Nathan Ward and Helen Tovey … who are joined by a very special guest – Family Tree publisher Matt Hill. He’s got some exciting news to share about our BRAND NEW website, which is, though we say it ourselves, as delicious as a box of genealogical chocolates. Tuck in! PS Has Nathan been visited by The Family History Angel?