If you're reading this webpage, the chances are that you and I are related in some way or you are another researcher looking for a connection between our families.  You may be a close relative that I know very well and see reasonably often (hopefully, only at simchas).  We may have been unknown to each other until I started researching into the family tree. I hope that I can share with you a little of my enthusiasm for the research and even stimulate your own interest to build on the information here and start developing your own family tree, perhaps exploring branches of your family which I haven't covered.

I am aware that some of my family and friends regard this hobby of mine with some amusement and one or two have asked why I'm doing it.  Since I started in  March 1994, I've been trying to analyse why I find the whole process so interesting - some reasons, I'm sure, are things with which you could identify; others are probably peculiar to me.

Those who know me well will understand when I say that I got into this through my interest in computers. I got hold of a computer program that allowed you to record information on your family and print/order it in a number of different ways. I knew that different members of my family (the Milstone branch, for example) had kept a family tree for years but this was on rolls of paper and had to be updated and corrected manually which was a time-consuming job.  The computer program simplified the process and would work out things like the number of recorded descendants and your relationship to any blood relative in the list (no more arguments about whether someone is a first cousin or a first cousin once removed).

Once I had recorded the basic information that I carried in my own head, I started to pester other members of the family for information.  That the whole project grew so quickly was a tribute to their patience and good-humour. I'd like to record my thanks to the Segals, Doris Klinger, Hilda Pankhurst, Reg and Tony, Gertie Harris and lots of others who all gave me bits and pieces of information to add to the jigsaw.

So why do it?  Well, if I were to list the reasons, some would seem important and others quite trivial

.... it puts me back in touch with members of the family that I don't see or call as often as I used to

.... it's like studying history (which I've always liked) but it's much more personal and immediate

.... the detective work aspect of it is really fun ....

.... it puts down a marker about who I am and where I fit in ....

.... it gives me a sense of being part of an extended family.  As people became more prosperous and moved away some sense of family togetherness has been dissipated.  "People used to live within pram-pushing distance of their parents," Shirley Milstone's mother once said.  Talking with family about my childhood and their childhood and our common ancestors brings it all back ....

.... I was aware that, as Jews, we don't always have access to a long history of parish records and accessible documentation about our past.  Much of the information has been passed on from stories told by parents and grandparents.  As the older generation passes on, this information can be lost and never recovered ....

.... I was also aware of a sense of honour at being part of the Jewish tradition.  Despite everything, we are still around and flourishing - a monument to the tenacity and courage of our ancestors and all Jews who went through traumatic and murderous times ....

Some of the information I've collected can't be put down. In particular, one memorable Sunday lunch with my father Gerry, his sister Joyce and their cousin Gertie revealed stories, nicknames, jokes, impersonations and comments so witty and scurrilous that, were I to publish them here then I would either be offered a fortune for the comedy script or sued for defamation of character.

I'm now some six years into the process and know that there is still a lot more to be explored.  It is not enough just to collect information; the bare facts/dates of people's births, deaths and marriages.  This hobby has led me to read William Fishman's book East End 1888 which shows what life was like in the place and at the time when my grandfather, Morry Milstone was born; Konin by Theo Richmond gives a detailed picture of daily life in a town in Poland near to where the Fifer and Shurek families originated.

How the information is presented

In the trees shown here on the Web, details of any persons living (other than name and position in the family) have been excluded for privacy reasons. If a date of death is not known, the computer usually takes 100 years as a cut off point.

Names

People are recorded by their full name if possible.  If there is a nickname or a short form that they are usually known by, this may be recorded elsewhere in my computer program.  If a name comes up more than once and there is no other way of distinguishing them (eg by a middle name or a short name) then I put 1 or 2 after the name.

Married women are recorded by their maiden name, where known.  If this is not known then the married name is followed by a  symbol of some kind. Other missing information may be similarly recorded eg (second son) Lewis.

The family tree covers "blood relatives" and their immediate, spouses.  To restrict the size of the tree I have not traced back any of the families of those who are only relations by marriage (their children and grandchildren will be included as they are related to me.)

Dates

These are made as full as possible.  If you have any missing dates from birth, marriage or death certificates these can be useful in ordering the lists and can also be used to look up more information.  Birth certificates may give the names of the parents, including maiden names, occupation of father and address of parents.  This all helps to track down other family members.  If the date is not known in full it may be recorded as c. 1890 or BEF 1870 (before 1870) or AFT (after).  Naturalisation records, kitubahs, passports, army paybooks and discharge papers, social and personal messages saved from the Jewish Chronicle, alien registration papers all of these can provide not only dates but also names and towns of origin.

Computer Programs

For those interested I started with Family Tree Journal. I now use Brothers Keeper as my main program.  I also use Family Tree Maker for Windows. I use all three programs as each has different report formats that I like. I transfer between programs using GEDCOM, though use Brothers Keeper as the main repository of information as some information fields don't always convert well. I would be happy to share a GEDCOM file with anyone in the family also pursuing this as a hobby.