I’m Susan Morris and I’ve been having family history adventures since 2004. Now I’m a Gal (genealogist at large) going where the family history fancy takes me or, sometimes, directs me.

When I was thinking about writing this introduction, I found myself quietly singing an old Jim Reeves song and I realised that the words neatly summed up what I want to write about: my world, my family history world. So, in the words of the song: “Welcome to my world. Won’t you come on in?”

Other words of the song seem appropriate too:

“Knock and the door will open. Seek and you will find.
Ask and you will be given the key to this world of mine”.

I’ve knocked on many family history doors. And, most of the time, I have found the key to opening them. Occasionally, I’ve found myself up against stubborn doors which have refused to open and brick walls which take ages to dismantle, brick by brick.

There are no guarantees in the world of family history and genealogy. Sometimes what is expected to be the easiest search turns out to be the most difficult and vice versa. And occasionally we can’t get past that brick wall and we have to give up hitting our head against it because it hurts too much. But when we do get results, when we reach the Eureka! moment, it’s an awfully good feeling.

I’ve been on many adventures as I’ve tracked my ancestors and the ancestors of others across the years and centuries, across the seas, continents and countries. And I have spent many hours unravelling mysteries and unknotting complicated threads, resulting in surprising discoveries about my own and other people’s ancestors. I have made contact with and have met distant and previously unknown relatives and have introduced other people to their distant relatives.

Please join me as I introduce you to this fascinating world, share my adventures, talk about some of the useful techniques which I’ve learnt along the way, relate anecdotes and swap research stories with you.

Susan – the Gal