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Lisa | Regency Relatives

@regencyrelatives.bsky.social
274 followers 629 following 167 posts

Hello, I'm Lisa. Family historian with a love of the Regency era, strong tea, and research rabbit holes. Honest about the chaos of genealogy. Founder of Regency Relatives: regencyrelatives.co.uk

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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
📍Sarehole Mill, Birmingham. There has been a mill here since 1542, with the present building dating largely from the 18th C. J.R.R. Tolkien grew up just across the road and explored the mill and countryside, which later helped inspire the landscapes of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Sarehole Mill beside the millpond on a bright, sunny day, with the red-brick mill and tall chimney reflected in the still water and surrounded by lush green trees and vegetation.
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Currently rewatching #Bridgerton for the [insert embarrassingly large number here]th time, which seems as good an excuse as any to reshare this. I know it’s historically inaccurate. I simply do not care. Historians are allowed to have fun. And Benedict Bridgerton exists ☕️
regencyrelatives.co.uk
Confessions of a Family Historian: Why I Love Bridgerton Anyway
I should probably begin with a confession: I am a Bridgerton fan. This fact will surprise absolutely nobody who knows me. My friends have reached the point where any mention of Bridgerton is often …
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I thought I'd finished researching my #ancestor King Charles. Then I found a prison sentence, a fatal accident, some questionable family relationships and possibly another King Charles. Back to Frampton-on-Severn for a royal reprise. 👑 Read the latest investigation #familyhistory #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
King Charles: A Royal Reprise
In revisiting the life of my fifth great-grandfather, King Charles, a Gloucestershire labourer, I uncovered significant details about his family and life challenges. Key findings include his impris…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Hello #familyhistory friends. I have taken some time away from #genealogy for personal reasons, but I am slowly starting to creep my way back into the records. Another #mugshot discovered today... 6M hard labour for larceny in Apr 1874. Digging deeper into this one...
Sepia-toned Victorian prison photograph of a woman facing the camera with a serious expression. Her dark hair is centre-parted and pulled back, and she wears a long, dark dress with a high neckline. She holds a slate bearing a handwritten name and prisoner number, 255. Above the image is the printed heading “Photograph of Prisoner.”
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
After dragging the family around Gloucestershire and Warwickshire in pursuit of dead relatives, I’m back from my #genealogy road trip. Did I find the graves I was looking for? No. Did I accidentally acquire another person to investigate? Obviously.
regencyrelatives.co.uk
The Genealogy Road Trip: Results from the (Literal) Field
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about my plans to take the family on a genealogy road trip. My husband had a week off work, the children were still on their summer holidays, and rather than disappea…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Have spent the week on a #FamilyHistory road trip, mainly to see if I can find final resting places, but also to see where they lived, their communities and the paths the may have trod 150 years ago... #RoadTrip #Ancestry
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Dragging the family on an #Ancestry road trip this week, looking for the final resting places of my Regency Relatives in Gloucester and Warwick. Anyone else spent their summer hunting dead relatives? Any success? #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #Ancestry
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Greetings #GenHour friends! A question... have any of you continued to research someone you have long since discovered is not your ancestor, just because they had an interesting life? #familyhistory #genealogy
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Every family historian hopes to find a photograph of an ancestor. I did. It just wasn't where I expected. My latest article introduces Harriet Watts, and the discovery that has sent me down my latest historical rabbit hole. #FamilyHistory #Genealogy regencyrelatives.co.uk/2026/08/05/t...
regencyrelatives.co.uk
The Harriet Watts Investigation: Part One
People often ask me whether I’ve uncovered any family secrets whilst researching my ancestors. The answer is yes. Not the sort of secrets that television programmes promise, with aristocratic…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
This desk has witnessed more rabbit holes than I care to admit. Every Regency Relatives article starts here, usually with one question, and ends with twenty more. #FamilyHistory #Genealogy regencyrelatives.co.uk
A wooden writing desk set up for family history research, with an open laptop displaying a draft article, handwritten research notes, notebooks and reference books. Family photographs, a lamp and shelves of books create a warm, personal workspace where genealogy research and writing come together.
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
If you've hit a brick wall, have conflicting evidence, or simply don't know where to look next, I offer evidence-based #genealogy research to help move your #familyhistory forwards. From quick ancestor snapshots to in-depth research, every project is led by the evidence.
regencyrelatives.co.uk
Research Services
Need help uncovering an ancestor, solving a family history puzzle, or bringing a forgotten life back into focus? I offer bespoke genealogy research and ancestor profiles, combining historical recor…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Most family historians know where to look for soldiers, sailors and apprentices. But what if your ancestor worked for the Excise? After researching my own exciseman at Kew, I've written the guide I wish I'd had. #FamilyHistory #Genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
Navigating Excise Records: A Beginner’s Guide
Discovering an exciseman in your family tree is both exciting and slightly intimidating. Unlike agricultural labourers or blacksmiths, excise officers generated thousands of pages of official paper…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Yesterday at TNA, a handful of Excise records helped join together pieces of John Hardwicke's life I'd been collecting for weeks. Still plenty of gaps, but the picture is finally starting to make sense. Part 3 of the Curious Domestic Arrangements of John Hardwicke... #familyhistory #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
The Curious Domestic Arrangements of John Hardwicke c.1755 – c.1826 (Part Three)
The search for my 4th great grandmother Elizabeth Harris has gradually evolved from what appeared to be an entirely ordinary piece of family history research into something resembling a Regency det…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Back on the train to Kew. Today's mission is John Hardwicke (again). I'm hoping somewhere in the Excise records there's another piece of the puzzle waiting to be found. If history has taught me anything, I'll probably leave with three new questions instead. #FamilyHistory #Genealogy
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
"I'll just check one thing..." Famous last words in #FamilyHistory. My latest article is about why some of the best discoveries begin when we stop searching for people and start searching for places. It's also a thank you to the volunteers who make those discoveries possible. #Genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
The Family History Resources We Don’t Talk About Enough
I have spent the last few weeks immersed in a family history mystery that has reminded me why I find this hobby endlessly fascinating. It has everything I enjoy: conflicting evidence, unexpected tw…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
I completely forgot about #AncestryHour tonight while trying to crack my latest #FamilyHistory case. Two possible ancestors. One has to go. Time to eliminate one from my enquiries... Actual footage of me this evening. 👇
Black-and-white publicity photograph of Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau. Dressed in the character's signature detective outfit—a deerstalker-style hat, light trench coat, dark leather gloves, and moustache—he peers intently through a large magnifying glass while looking upward with a thoughtful, slightly suspicious expression. The close-up composition emphasises Clouseau's comic detective persona.
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Every #FamilyHistory article starts life as something much messier. Notes. Questions. Dead ends. Contradictory evidence. A few educated guesses (hopefully corrected later). I've shared a behind-the-scenes look at how I used an #EvidenceMatrix to organise one investigation. #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
Behind the Research: Revisiting John Hardwicke through an Evidence Matrix
When I published The Curious Domestic Arrangements of John Hardwicke, readers were introduced to a man who sits at the centre of one of my current family history investigations. By the time I finis…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Apologies for being AWOL. The day job has been staging a hostile takeover, so my evenings have involved little more than negotiating with the sofa. #FamilyHistory resumes soon. Next: how I used my #EvidenceMatrix to unravel the life of my Wiltshire ancestor, John Hardwicke. Coming soon! #genealogy
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Reposted by Lisa | Regency Relatives
Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Who doesn't love a bit of gossip?
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
A glorious weekend solo camping in the #NewForest, including a visit to #BucklersHard, an important 18th C. shipbuilding community, where HMS Agamemnon - reportedly Nelson's favourite ship - was built from 1777 and launched in 1781.
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Yesterday's trip to see #LukeThompson in #WhiteRabbitRedRabbit left me with an unexpected question: have people always travelled extraordinary distances to see their favourite actors? My latest article explores the answer. #Regency #History #Theatre
regencyrelatives.co.uk
What Waiting Outside a Stage Door Taught Me About Regency Celebrity
A few weeks ago I wrote an article about why historians are perfectly entitled to enjoy Bridgerton. It seemed to strike a chord with quite a few people, perhaps because so many of us feel we have t…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Yesterday I posted that the evidence matrix would be available next week... Apparently I underestimated my own enthusiasm 😂 The article is now live, along with a FREE evidence matrix to help you organise your research, compare evidence, and keep your research moving. #familyhistory #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
How I Use My Evidence Matrix (and Why I’ve Designed It This Way)
The article shares insights on employing an evidence matrix in family history research, emphasising critical evaluation of records, organisation of findings, and the importance of questioning evide…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
I'm gradually turning the way I approach #familyhistory research into a series of articles. The latest looks at why I use an evidence matrix to organise my research and why it's one of the most valuable tools I have. Next week, I'll share the template I actually use as a free download. #Genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
Why Every Family Historian Should Keep an Evidence Matrix
Family historians can enhance their research by creating an evidence matrix, which helps organise findings, track sources, evaluate reliability, and formulate research questions.
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Hello everyone joining #AncestryHour! This week, I've mainly been focussing on revisiting an ancestor who may or may not be an ancestor. Keeping an open mind and thinking outside the box for finding elusive baptism and burial records... What's been on your to do list this week?
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Well, that's a lovely surprise. 200 followers on Bluesky. Thank you all for making this such a friendly place to share my enthusiasm for family history and social history 😊
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
I've been falling down another historical rabbit hole... This time: the mysterious causes of death that appear in our ancestors' records, and what they really meant. 📖 New article below. #familyhistory #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
When the Register Says “Fever”: Understanding Illness in Family History Records
One of the most frustrating aspects of researching our ancestors is how little surviving records sometimes tell us. We spend hours uncovering baptisms, marriages and burials, yet when illness enter…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
I've realised over the past few years that I spend far less time looking for new records than I do trying to understand the ones I've already found. That shift has completely changed the way I approach family history, so I've written about it in my latest article 👇 #familyhistory #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
What Family Historians Can Learn from Professional Historians
One of the biggest misconceptions about history is that historians spend their lives memorising dates and collecting facts. In reality, facts are only the starting point. Historians are interested …
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Morning coffee under the parasol, with chilled music and #familyhistory sleuthing. Is this the perfect morning? #genealogy
A silver laptop sits open on a dark outdoor table in a sunny back garden, displaying genealogy resource files on Google Drive. Beside it is a peach-coloured mug labelled "MUM" and a drinking glass. The garden features a neatly mown lawn, paved patio, flowering shrubs, a small greenhouse, string lights overhead, and comfortable outdoor seating beneath a bright blue sky with a few clouds.
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Maybe of interest to #GenHour friends 👇
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
This may be helpful to my fellow #GenHour fans 😃
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
A little late for #GenHour this week. Just wanted to wave hello to all 👋 This week, I've been following up on my trip to The National Archives and trying to get to the bottom of who the father of my 5 x GGM really was - and trying to ignore the little green leaves that are very wrong!
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Complaining about the weather is a long-standing British tradition. Regency Britons had plenty to complain about too. From heatwaves and droughts to freezing winters, failed harvests and the Year Without a Summer, weather shaped everyday life in ways that are easy to overlook today. #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
Heatwaves, Frost Fairs and Failed Harvests: Weather in Regency Britain
The Regency period’s weather profoundly impacted agriculture, food security, and social dynamics, illustrating the historical significance of climate.
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
I appreciate this is a niche topic. Most people don't spend their free time wondering about eighteenth-century tax officials. If you've found an exciseman in your family tree, or are curious about one of Regency Britain's least popular occupations, this article is for you. #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
The Excisemen: the Regency officials no-one wanted to meet
A few weeks ago, I introduced you to my ancestor, John Hardwicke, a man whose family arrangements proved considerably more complicated than his occupation. While trying to untangle the various wive…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Organising all those sticky notes and scraps of paper on your #familyhistory desk today? Why not head to the RR website and give the *FREE* resources a go? #genealogy #chaos
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
I travelled to Kew to answer three questions about an ancestor. I came home with one possible lead, two unanswered questions, several photographs of 18th Century tax records, and another archive visit booked. A fairly typical day in family history. #familyhistory #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
The Curious Domestic Arrangements of John Hardwicke - Part Two
An Adventure at The National Archives This week I made my first visit to The National Archives at Kew. My mission was straightforward enough. I wanted to find out when my ancestor John Hardwicke jo…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Morning all. I'm heading to @natarchivestrust.bsky.social at Kew today to look at tax records from 1785. I realise this may be a niche enthusiasm, but if old records and forgotten stories make you smile too, then you'll understand exactly why I'm looking forward to it. #familyhistory #genealogy
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Think the cost of living crisis is a modern problem? Regency families paid taxes on windows, soap, candles and beer while navigating war, rising prices and economic uncertainty. Perhaps our ancestors were not so different after all. 📖 New post on RR 👇 #familyhistory #genealogy #socialhistory
regencyrelatives.co.uk
The Regency Cost of Living Crisis
Family historians sometimes have a habit of making assumptions based on occupations. A labourer sounds poor. A farmer sounds comfortable. A shopkeeper sounds respectable. Yet occupations tell us re…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
As someone who spends far too much time researching the real Regency period, I am occasionally asked how I can possibly enjoy #Bridgerton. The answer is quite simple: historians are allowed to have fun. Also, Benedict Bridgerton. New post below ☕️ #FamilyHistory #Genealogy #RegencyEra
regencyrelatives.co.uk
Confessions of a Family Historian: Why I Love Bridgerton Anyway
I should probably begin with a confession: I am a Bridgerton fan. This fact will surprise absolutely nobody who knows me. My friends have reached the point where any mention of Bridgerton is often …
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
The name matches. The age is close enough. There are 37 online trees that agree. What could possibly go wrong? My latest article explores the most dangerous phrase in family history: "That looks about right." ☕👇 #familyhistory #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
The Family Historian's Most Dangerous Phrase: "That Looks About Right"
Family historians are a curious group of people. We spend our spare time examining centuries-old records, debating whether a smudge on a parish register is a letter “n” or a letter &#82…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Genealogists: "I shall carefully follow the evidence wherever it leads." The evidence: Baptised in Birmingham. Married in Hampshire. Census says born in Gloucestershire. Died in Somerset. Buried in Wiltshire. Military records suggest Plymouth. Excellent. That narrows it down to England.
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Most #familyhistory problems can be solved with patience, persistence, and a vat of tea. For the rest, I offer #genealogy research services designed to uncover the stories behind the records. 📜 Ancestor Snapshots 📖 Ancestor Stories 🔎 Brick Wall Research regencyrelatives.co.uk/research-services
regencyrelatives.co.uk
Research Services
Need help uncovering an ancestor, solving a family history puzzle, or bringing a forgotten life back into focus? I offer bespoke genealogy research and ancestor profiles, combining historical recor…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Researching my family tree often reminds me that ordinary lives can tell extraordinary stories. My 5x great-grandfather, Francis Anderton, went from tenant farmer to milkman, and endured more than his fair share of hardship along the way. ☕ Story below. #familyhistory #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
From Tenant Farmer to Milkman: The Life of Francis Anderton
Buried within the parish registers of Burton Dassett is a story that begins with sheep farming, village life and a large Warwickshire family, before unfolding into something far more complicated. W…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Have your census findings somehow ended up spread across three notebooks, several browser tabs, and a scrap of paper whose origin remains a mystery? I've created a *FREE* Census Tracker to help keep everything in one place. Click below to get your copy...👇 #familyhistory #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
A Most Useful Collection of Research Resources
A growing collection of worksheets, planners, guides and tools designed to help family historians organise their research and tackle those inevitable brick walls. Family history rarely progresses i…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Want to be a guest author on Regency Relatives? I share articles on local and social history, ancestors living in Regency times, and research guides to help others on their #familyhistory quests. If these topics align with your interests, get in touch - hello@regencyrelatives.co.uk #genealogy
Regency style engraving featuring a gentleman writing with quite a large quill in a record book
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Next week, I'm visiting @natarchivestrust.bsky.social in Kew to review some records from the Regency period to try and dismantle one of the brick walls I've had for a while. What trips have you been on in the name of ##familyhistory research?
The entrance to The National Archives. The building is largely made of glass squares, with concrete pillars.
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Does your #familyhistory research consist of 17 browser tabs, 2 contradictory census entries, and a growing suspicion that your ancestor is actively avoiding discovery? I've created an Ancestor Case File workbook to help bring order to the chaos. Click below to get your *FREE* copy... #genealogy
regencyrelatives.co.uk
A Most Useful Collection of Research Resources
A growing collection of worksheets, planners, guides and tools designed to help family historians organise their research and tackle those inevitable brick walls. Family history rarely progresses i…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Ooh, there's a #GenHour on Thursday nights?? I missed it this week! Will follow along next week. #genealogy #ancestry #familyhistory
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Found an ancestor in 47 online trees. Fabulous. 46 copied from the other one. The original one cites: "Trust me, bro. No cap". #familyhistory #ancestry #genealogy
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Thinking of starting your family tree? Excellent. You'll begin by looking for a grandparent. Three weeks later you'll be emailing an archive about an illegitimate child born in 1785 and arguing with an enumerator who has been dead since 1841. A beginner's guide to #familyhistory websites 👇
regencyrelatives.co.uk
Beyond the Hint Leaves: Choosing Family History Resources as a Beginner
One of the questions I am asked most frequently by people beginning their family history journey is deceptively straightforward: which family history subscription should I choose? It is usually ask…
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Lisa | Regency Relatives @regencyrelatives.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Ok. One more post before retiring for the evening. #Genealogy peeps, do any of you have any information on whether there was a place in Devon called Oldworthy, or Old Worthy? This place of birth features in the 1851 census for my ancestor Elizabeth (?Harris) Felton... 1/2
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