Illegitimacy

                                                                                             
Francis Owens Hughes and Mary Elizabeth Roberts

Two Welsh-speaking children born illegitimate in rural Denbighshire, only twelve miles apart. Did they meet in the countryside or later in Wrexham? The story of Francis Owens Hughes and Mary Elizabeth Roberts spans farms, collieries, Canada, tragedy at Gresford, and a pocket watch that survived when its owner did not.

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Breaking Down a Brick Wall: How a Facebook Group Helped Me Find Martha’s Twins

A long-standing family mystery about my mum’s great-aunt, Martha Parry, and the twin daughters she gave up during the First World War seemed impossible to solve. It was only when I turned to a Facebook genealogy group that the pieces finally came together, proving that collective knowledge can break down even the strongest brick walls.

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Emma Boliver: A Life Between Secrets and New Worlds

Linda's 1st cousin 4 x removed Emma Boliver was born in Liverpool in 1869, the daughter of David Boliver and his wife Emma, née Smith. Her name might not be found in history books, but her life reflects the quiet complexities faced by many women in Victorian England—stories of love, loss, and starting over that […]

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Forbidden Love or Legal Loophole? The Story of Elizabeth Craven and Her Controversial Marriage

When Elizabeth Craven’s husband died in 1854, she tried to marry his brother—but the Church called it “illegal.” What followed was a quiet act of defiance, a hidden wedding, and a glimpse into how family, faith, and survival collided in Victorian Britain.

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