Meeting Family and History

Cardiff Castle - 29 July 2013

The sun was shining as our train pulled into Cardiff on July 29th.  Shortly after arriving, I received welcome emails and texts from my cousins - which were delightful and made me feel at home. One of them sent a list of pubs near our hotel that we could try - knowing my husband wanted to sample UK lagers and ales and I was on a bit of quest for the perfect pint of cider.

As we explored Cardiff and the Castle, I kept thinking about what the city would have looked like to Thomas before he left in the late 1890s. Why had he been the only one of six siblings to have left Wales? It's still a mystery, but I think that he must not have left willingly - Wales is such a  beautiful place.

We had been invited to Penarth for dinner on the day of our arrival. My cousin arranged to meet us in the lobby of our hotel that evening. As I stepped out the elevator, I instantly recognized him - the first thing I noticed was his blue eyes - a trait common to my siblings and myself. He drove us to his home, where we met his family and father.  We had a lovely meal and shared many stories of our upbringings, ancestors and life in general.  When it was discovered that my husband was originally a Nottingham lad, they forgave him for being English (actually, he's more Canadian than English as he grew up here). I have to say that it felt like family.  I brought copies of my current research and photos to share - and learned many new stories and some possible clues to mysteries yet unsolved. It was a lovely evening, made all the more special by our hosts.

A perfect first day to our Welsh adventure.

Cheers, Karen

Why start doing your family history?

We all have many different reasons for starting out on the journey that is family history. For some, it is a matter of faith and duty. While for others, it is the challlenge and thrill of the hunt. 

In my case, our Ball family was precariously flung across a continent. My Dad came to Ontario to work and raise a family, while his only sibling and parents remained in British Columbia.  When Dad died, it was one less string that tied us together. The stories of his childhood and upbringing would no longer be heard.  I started this journey, as many of us do, too late to ask all the burning questions that trouble us now. I do this research to better understand who we are, to keep connected with my western cousins, to share our stories, and to pass along our history and stories to future generations.  While it is fun to collect name and dates to build the family tree, I am more interested in the stories behind the individuals.  What motivated them to stay or go, their lives and how they were connected to the places and events that surrounded them.

What are your reasons for doing family history?