A Family History Of...

Findmypast

Join host Jen Baldwin and special guests to uncover hidden stories from the archives that reveal the human side of British and Irish history. Each month, follow one story across several gripping episodes, and experience history through the eyes of those who lived it.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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30 episodes
Updated Monday

Episodes30

Newest first

Monday · 46 min
A Lawful Assembly? | Peterloo: Britain's Forgotten Massacre (Part 1)
with David Olusoga OBE
July 29 · 1 min
Peterloo: Britain's Forgotten Massacre | Trailer
with David Olusoga OBE
July 28 · 27 min
From the Postbox | Your Somme Stories (Bonus)
A heartfelt look at your stories and questions sparked by our Somme series. What does the Somme mean to you? How do you go about researching a First World War ancestor? In this bonus episode, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin is joined by her producer and history-lover, Ellie Ayton, to explore your questions and stories from the most recent series. From fresh perspectives on the Attenborough brothers’ experiences to some very poignant personal remembrances, their conversation is led by you, the listeners. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Social media: Sarah Cornes Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 27 · 45 min
Family Serving Side by Side | The Somme (Part 5)
A deeply personal story of sacrifice, brought into focus by the fragments that remain. In this special episode, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin turns to a wartime story that’s closer to home - one discovered within the family tree of her guest, Harvey Henson, Somme specialist and volunteer with the Commonwealth Graves Commission. Harvey joins Jen to trace the story of his ancestor, Private Harold Ranson, who was killed during the Battle of the Somme. What did he experience during the First World War? What did his family endure after his tragic death? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 20 · 27 min
What Remains? | The Somme (Part 4)
Three brothers. A legacy of love and loss. The war has transformed life on Druid Street. After the Armistice, how does the Attenborough family navigate the lasting impact of years of conflict? In this final chapter of their story, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin and her guest Harvey Henson, Somme expert and Commonwealth War Commission Communications Coordinator, explore some poignant moments of remembrance. The fighting had stopped, but not before leaving a painful mark on the Attenboroughs. While navigating unimaginable loss, how does an ordinary family carve out a new normality for themselves? Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Harvey Henson (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Social media: Sarah Cornes Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 13 · 30 min
Two Tragic Telegrams | The Somme (Part 3)
The Somme offensive unfolds, and life upends for the Attenborough family. September 1916 marks another devastating chapter for the Attenborough family. As the fighting on the Somme intensifies, the war’s reach into one Midlands household becomes impossible to escape. Host and genealogist Jen Baldwin is joined by Somme specialist and Commonwealth War Commission Communications Coordinator, Harvey Henson, to examine how this heartbreaking story unfolded, from the shattered landscape of Ginchy to the first tanks that appeared at Flers-Courcelette. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Harvey Henson (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Social media: Sarah Cornes Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 6 · 28 min
The War Comes Home | The Somme (Part 2)
With the Battle of the Somme almost a year away, tragedy hits the Attenborough family for the first time. One Attenborough brother faces weaponised gas at Loos – the biggest battle of the war so far. Will he make it home? Join host and genealogist Jen Baldwin and her guest Harvey Henson, Somme specialist and Commonwealth War Commission Communications Coordinator, to examine the chaos that unfolded at Loos, and its effects on one ordinary Leicestershire family. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Harvey Henson (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Social media: Sarah Cornes Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 29 · 32 min
What really happened at the Somme? | Part 1
Did the headlines tell the whole story? In this episode, we’re joined by Somme specialist Harvey Henson to uncover the real stories behind one of the First World War’s deadliest battles. Using British military records, wartime evidence and expert insight, we follow three Leicestershire brothers who went to war - and reveal what happened to them beyond the history books. Start listening now. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Harvey Henson (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Social media: Sarah Cornes Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 24 · 2 min
A Family History Of... The Somme | Trailer
with Commonwealth War Graves Commission
June 22 · 16 min
What Naval Records Reveal | Gallipoli (Part 4)
Gallipoli may dominate the history books. But the records tell the rest of the story. Gallipoli is one of those moments in history that can seem enormous when we look back at it now. But when we delve into the naval records of the men who actually experienced it, something surprising happens – it barely interrupts the page at all. In this bonus episode, host and expert genealogist Jen Baldwin steps back from this defining First World War campaign to explore what family history records can reveal when we look beyond the big moments we already know. Through the wider context of Gallipoli, this episode dives into the careers, continuity, expertise, and everyday labour that kept the Royal Navy afloat during wartime. As more naval records become accessible online, Jen explores how they help family historians and researchers alike. Moving past the headline news and reconnecting with Navy ancestors in ways that simply weren’t possible before. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Social media: Sarah Cornes Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 15 · 31 min
Aftershocks of the Campaign | Gallipoli (Part 3)
Gallipoli is over. But its effects ripple on. After the chaos of the Dardanelles, HMS Prince George limps into Malta, a harbour strained by wounded men, damaged ships, and the unrelenting work of repair. For Nelson Langsford, the danger gives way to a different kind of pressure, as engineers and dockyard crews work around the clock to keep the fleet afloat. Joined by naval historian Charlotte Ward‑Kelly, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin explores how these quieter weeks appear, and often disappear, in the records. Back home, as Nelson moves from frontline service into instruction and training, his story shifts again. This final episode traces how one man and his family carry the aftershocks of Gallipoli forward, shaping work, identity, and remembrance long after the guns fell silent. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Charlotte Ward-Kelly Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Social media: Sarah Cornes Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 8 · 29 min
Into the Dardanelles | Gallipoli (Part 2)
The battle for Gallipoli begins. As war comes knocking, Nelson Langsford moves from routine service into active conflict aboard HMS Prince George. Tasked with carrying troops and patrolling hostile waters, the ship turns toward the Dardanelles, a narrow strait Britain hopes to force open and end the war quickly. But it won’t be that simple. Joined by naval historian Charlotte Ward‑Kelly, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin delves deeper, uncovering what it was like to experience this gamble far below deck. As mines detonate, shells strike, and ageing battleships strain under impossible pressure, survival in the engine room comes down to seconds, skill, and instinct. In this episode, one ordinary man witnesses naval confidence collapse, the strategy shifting, and the Gallipoli campaign taking its most fateful turn. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Charlotte Ward-Kelly Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Social media: Sarah Cornes Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 1 · 33 min
The Calm Before the Storm | Gallipoli (Part 1)
A childhood shaped by industry. A Navy on the brink of change. Nelson Langsford grows up at National Trust’s Cotehele Mill, as part of a family rooted for generations in skilled work. Beyond the mill, Britain is entering a new industrial age, and the Royal Navy is transforming with it. Joined by naval historian Charlotte Ward‑Kelly, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin explores how Nelson’s early life prepared him for a very different world. As steam power replaces sail and engineering skill becomes vital to Britain’s global reach, Nelson steps into the engine rooms of a modernising Navy while the First World War looms on the horizon. How does an ordinary upbringing prepare one man for the dangers of conflict, and a campaign that will leave a lasting mark on his family history? Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Charlotte Ward-Kelly Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Social media: Sarah Cornes Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 27 · 1 min
A Family History Of... Gallipoli | Trailer
Gallipoli thunders on the waves. The engine room endures below deck. Gallipoli was one of the First World War’s most devastating campaigns; it’s a story usually told through strategy, maps, and failure. But for thousands of families, Gallipoli was experienced through service in the Royal Navy, far below deck and far from the history books. In this series of A Family History Of..., follow the story of Nelson Langsford, who grew up at National Trust’s Cotehele Mill before joining a rapidly modernising Royal Navy. As the First World War begins, Nelson’s technical skills take him into the engine rooms of battleships bound for the Dardanelles, and into the heart of the Gallipoli campaign. Across four episodes, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin and guest naval historian Charlotte Ward‑Kelly trace Nelson’s journey through the war. A First World War story told through the eyes of one man, and the family history he left behind. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 25 · 14 min
The Battle for Public Opinion | The General Strike (Part 5)
The General Strike wasn’t just fought on the picket line. It was also fought in the headlines. In this bonus episode, host and expert genealogist Jen Baldwin explores how newspapers shaped public understanding of the 1926 General Strike as it unfolded. Drawing on contemporary press coverage and the words of union leader Will Lawther, she examines how competing narratives influenced opinion, legitimacy, and memory, and why the story of the Strike can look very different depending on who was telling it. This reflective final chapter shows why newspapers don’t just record history. They help decide how it’s remembered. Host: Jen Baldwin Researchers: Jen Baldwin and Barry Kline Oral History Credits: Northumberland Archives Editor: CM87Edits Script Editors: Niall Cullen, Madeleine Gilbert, and James Plumb Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 18 · 29 min
The Strike's Long Shadow | The General Strike (Part 4)
In the wake of defeat, one man does what he’s always done: he keeps going. In the long aftermath of the 1926 General Strike, the banners are folded away, but the hardship isn’t over. As unemployment bites and the Means Test humiliates families across the country, Will Lawther steps once more into the halls, meetings, and street corners where miners gather to make sense of a world that suddenly feels smaller. Joined again by historian Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum), host and genealogist Jen Baldwin explores how Will rebuilt his life after defeat, rising from local organiser to national union leader, and eventually to a knighthood that never quite pulled him from his roots. This final chapter follows a man shaped by struggle, anchored by community, and defined by the dignity he fought for long after the General Strike ended. Host: Jen Baldwin Researchers: Jen Baldwin and Barry Kline Oral History Credits: Northumberland Archives Guest: Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum) Editor: CM87Edits Script Editors: Niall Cullen, Madeleine Gilbert, and James Plumb Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 11 · 30 min
Enemy of the State | The General Strike (Part 3)
The General Strike begins. Britain comes to a standstill. It’s 1926, and the nation is unrecognisable. Trains idle, newspapers fall silent. In the middle of it, Will Lawther, councillor and trusted voice of the miners, finds himself pulled into confrontations charged with fear. Joined once more by historian Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum), host and genealogist Jen Baldwin follows the evidence that traces Will’s sudden collision with state power. In a week when authority is contested at every crossroads, Will becomes a symbol of something larger: a community standing firm as the country tilts into crisis. But raising his voice comes at a cost. Host: Jen Baldwin Researchers: Jen Baldwin and Barry Kline Oral History Credits: Northumberland Archives Guest: Jonathan Kindleysides Editor: CM87Edits Script Editors: Niall Cullen, Madeleine Gilbert, and James Plumb Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 4 · 27 min
The Gathering Storm | The General Strike (Part 2)
A boy raised in the shadow of the mines. A world forged in defiance. Will Lawther grows up in Northumberland, in a vast mining household where every day begins and ends with the rhythm of the pit. But his life will take an unusual turn. Joined by historian Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum), host and genealogist Jen Baldwin walks us through terraced streets, dark mines, and the rise of early labour politics. They explore how danger, community, and responsibility shaped Will’s life long before the chaos of the 1926 General Strike. How does a childhood forged underground prepare a young man for leadership during one of Britain’s most historic moments? Host: Jen Baldwin Researchers: Jen Baldwin and Barry Kline Oral History Credits: Northumberland Archives Guest: Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum) Editor: CM87Edits Script Editors: Niall Cullen, Madeleine Gilbert, and James Plumb Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
April 27 · 31 min
Born to the Pit | The General Strike (Part 1)
A boy raised in the shadow of the mines. A world forged in defiance. Will Lawther grows up in Northumberland, in a vast mining household where every day begins and ends with the rhythm of the pit. But his life will take an unusual turn. Joined by historian Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum), host and genealogist Jen Baldwin walks us through terraced streets, dark mines, and the rise of early labour politics. They explore how danger, community, and responsibility shaped Will’s life long before the chaos of the 1926 General Strike. How does a childhood forged underground prepare a young man for leadership during one of Britain’s most historic moments? Host: Jen Baldwin Researchers: Jen Baldwin and Barry Kline Oral History Credits: Northumberland Archives Guest: Jonathan Kindleysides Editor: CM87Edits Script Editors: Niall Cullen, Madeleine Gilbert, and James Plumb Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
April 22 · 1 min
A Family History Of... The General Strike | Trailer
with Beamish, Living Museum of the North