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Rowena Abbott

@rowena-abbott.bsky.social
242 followers 100 following 971 posts

Professional Genealogist | Devon-focused British family history | Historical handwriting enthusiast OPEN FOR CLIENTS #palaeography #Devon #transcriptions rowenagenealogy.com

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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 2h
Delighted to find Free Access to Newspapers.com sitting in my inbox! Ending on Monday, though, so I hope I find the time to have a gander. #GenHour #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #HistoricalNewspapers
newspapers.com
The past: read all about it.
The largest online newspaper archive. Used by millions every month for historical research, family history, true crime, journalism, and more.
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
You know it's time to move away from the desk when your brain thinks you should write 'co inkydink' instead of 'coincidence'. #TakeABreak #Genealogy #FamilyHistory
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Digging into collateral lines is extra satisfying after focusing on direct for so long. New names! New places! New occupations! #GenHour #Genealogy #FamilyHistory
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Mark Walters @mark-walters.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Nothing quite prepares you as you descend the rocky slope to the west and suddenly see the ruins of the mid 19th c. to 1920 Llanlleiana Porcelain Works below you with the curving sea defences, factory and chimney above. China clay was extracted to the west and east of the works.
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Lost village alert! Retew in #Cornwall was demolished for an expansion to the nearby china clay works. Former resident, Mike Ford, has written 'The History of Retew and its People' to keep memories of the village alive. #LostVillage #LocalHistory #OnePlaceStudies www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Lost Cornish village Retew remembered in 15-year labour of love
The hamlet, owned by English China Clays, was demolished in the early 1960s as the company expanded.
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
It's been lovely to finally get back to some personal research recently. I particularly enjoyed the postal worker occupation records for my 2x great-grandfather, William Herbert MARTIN. #GenHour
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The Surrey History Centre has instituted an online system to call up documents in advance of your visit. #Surrey #History #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #HouseHistory #LocalHistory www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
New online tool to help search archives at Woking history centre
From the comfort of home, users can locate and order up items from the vaults prior to their visit.
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
When the bride and groom have the same surname. #PedigreeCollapse #Genealogy #FamilyHistory
static.klipy.com
Monkey Puppet Side Eye Look
Alt: Monkey Puppet Side Eye Look
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
I've enjoyed the bitesized talks from @pharostutors.bsky.social this week. Snippets of inspiration from Ag Labs to Secretary Hand, Powerpoint family trees to Inquisitions Post Mortem. @janetfew.bsky.social @joesaunders1.bsky.social @drkarencummings.bsky.social #GenHour #Genealogy #FamilyHistory
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Abandoned village alert! I can't get enough of them, such mystery... #LocalHistory #Scotland #OnePlaceWednesday #OnePlaceStudies #FamilyHistory
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Quick question for #Ancestry tree users: Is there a way to prevent couples who were engaged but didn't marry (or stay together) from appearing as spouses in the tree? #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #FamilyTree
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Just got back from the #vote. In #Sweden, women gained the equal right to vote in 1919 and first enacted that right in 1921. #History #Swedish sok.riksarkivet.se/historier/kv...
sok.riksarkivet.se
Om kvinnlig rösträtt i Sverige - Riksarkivet - Sök i arkiven
Riksarkivet bevarar samhällets arkivinformation och ser till att den kan användas. Sök i arkiv från statlig förvaltning, privata företag, föreningar och personer.
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Happy to finally be back doing some #palaeography after a tough summer. #GenHour
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Kate Strasdin @katestrasdin.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Now I’m not saying that I wish summer were over but as an autumn girl at heart I do spot signs of seasonal change and look forward to golden days ahead. This #1890s gown glows with the burnished hues of September #fox_historic_costume #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡
A partial view of the upper half of a deep orange satin dress with a floral woven pattern. It has long full sleeves and deep orange velvet collar and cuffsA fabric detail of the 1890s deep orange floral satin dress, gathered centre back when the  bow and velvet detailFull length view of the front of the 1890s deep orange floral satin dress
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
#GenHour #Genealogy #FamilyHistory
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
"You've got two empty halves of coconut and you're..!" shorturl.at/tv9Ed
shorturl.at
An octopus was filmed carrying two halves of a coconut shell across the seafloor to reassemble them later as a portable suit of armour, one of the only clear cases of a wild invertebrate using tools.
The eight-armed engineers of the ocean floor may be more clever than we thought—this one just invented mobile shelter.
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
All right #Ancestry, so if I left-click on a person in my tree then click on the three dots and then Quick Edit, I can change their basic info. However, if I right-click, I can select Edit Person, which brings up the same box as Quick Edit, yet takes one less click... So what makes Quick Edit quick?
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Lost village alert! Nether Hambleton, Rutland: Deliberately destroyed ahead of purposeful flooding. #LostVillages #LocalHistory
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
So glad we got to see some of the #eclipse here in #Sweden despite clouds floating in and out. A brief glimpse of the max totality for the area; the glasses were worth it. An event to remember!
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
For anyone interested in #Swedish #genealogy, website #ArkivDigital is now offering an annual subscription that you pay monthly. It works out as a little bit more expensive than paying for the year in one go, but much cheaper than paying monthly. #Släktforskning www.arkivdigital.se/subscriptions
arkivdigital.se
ArkivDigital: Störst i Sverige på släktforskning
ArkivDigital är Sveriges ledande leverantör av historiskt källmaterial via internet till historiker, släkt- och hembygdsforskare och andra som vill studera källorna i original.
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Sue from SE5 @suefromse5.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Can anyone recommend any reading - books, articles, websites all welcome - about burials in England 19th to mid 20th C please? I've just started to look at this topic for my tree and everyone up to say 1950s is buried with up to a dozen strangers. #GenHour 1/2
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
#LocalHistory #OnePlaceStudy #OnePlaceWednesday
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Family History Federation @federationfhs.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
The Devon Family History Society's objects are to promote the study of genealogy and history, especially of Devon families and places,. www.familyhistoryfederation.com/societies-de...
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
#Palaeography #HistoricalTranscription
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
I always find these ghostly foundations fascinating. It doesn't have to be as dramatic as a Roman fort or WWI trenches, indeed, I actually find old field outlines more interesting (all those ag lab ancestors, I reckon!). #Archaeology #History #Wales
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Since reading @chiddickstree.bsky.social's article on the village of Tyneham, lost villages have been on my mind and in my news feed. This example was due to coastal erosion at Easton Bavents in #Suffolk. #LostVillages #CoastalErosion #OnePlaceStudies bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
'We stopped fighting nature and adapted to erosion'
Rather than fighting the forces of nature - and the law - one family has chosen a different path.
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
#RomanMosaic #Devon #Archaeology
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
A rainstorm! What a relief. #Heatwave #SummerRain
static.klipy.com
Woodstock Splashing in the Rain
Alt: Woodstock Splashing in the Rain
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Burnout is apparently - and unsurprisingly - not a modern affliction: this article describes mediaeval 'therapy priests' and philosophies regarding Acedia (sloth). #MedievalHistory #Burnout #History #Health bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
What the Middle Ages can teach us about preventing burnout
Stress and mental exhaustion aren't new – in medieval times, they were prevalent. And the wisdom of the Middle Ages about how to deal with burnout still rings surprisingly true today.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Who doesn't love a bit of gossip?
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
An excellent showing from the people of Buckfastleigh! Volunteering to document Holy Trinity gravestones and get the information online for all to find their ancestors. #Devon #FamilyHistory #Genealogy #Gravestones
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
For the 25th anniversary of the King Edward Mine Museum in Cornwall, a wooden mining headframe from the 60s has been erected. The KEM was a training mine developed by the Camborne School of Mines in 1897 that taught for over 100 years. #Cornwall #CornishMines #Museums bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Mining museum celebrates 25th birthday
Cornwall's King Edward Mine celebrates its birthday and volunteers restorating a headframe.
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Emily Randall Paz @emilyrandallpaz.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Early post for #GenHour and other UK genies: One of my ancestral villages is Landbeach, Cambridgeshire. I SWEAR the original parish books were previously in the FamilySearch catalog and now they are gone, completely wiped from the catalog as if they were never, ever there... 😡 #genealogy
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
If there's a list of names, I'm there! #Anthroponomastics
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
This should be required reading for all new genealogists and prospective clients! :) #Genealogy #FamilyHistory
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Welcome, July. Here's hoping you'll be as filled with good fortune as June was with misfortune.
Deep orange on the horizon framed by trees in silhouette.Gentle pink clouds lightly strewn across the dusky sky, a dark treetop visible at the bottom.
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
#Devon #History
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
En härlig Midsommar till alla! It's going to be a hot one; I'm eyeing the bbq with trepidation but either way, good food will be had, chilled elderflower gin imbibed, and flower crown worn. #Midsommarafton #Midsommar #Sweden
A Midsummer pole woven with leaves and flowers amidst trees, a Swedish flag flying atop it.

(CC by 2.0 athttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Swedish_midsummer_(9112233823).jpg)
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
The National Archives has a guide for researching those hard-to-find LGBTQIA+ ancestors, including recognizing the hints that could identify their particular circumstances. #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #PrideMonth #tNA www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-yo...
nationalarchives.gov.uk
How to look for records of gay, lesbian and bisexual history
1. Why use this guide? This guide will help you find records relating to sexuality and gender identity history at The National Archives, including finding records relating to people who we might now c...
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
#Berkshire FHS looking for a volunteer to help with their socials, no need to be on-site. #FamilyHistory #Genealogy #Volunteering
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Happy Devon Day! I spent the first 25 years of my life in Ilfracombe, yet growing up I had no idea how many generations of my family lived in Devon before me. Most of all, I miss living by the sea and #Exmoor. #DevonDay #FamilyHistory #Genealogy #GenHour northdevonresort.com/whats-intere...
northdevonresort.com
Ilfracombe History
Besides landscapes and an authentic city vibe, Ilfracombe is also well-known for its rich history which dates back to the iron age.
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Free access to Swedish and Danish records on #MyHeritage until 7 June to commemorate Swedish National Day and Danish Consitution Day. #Genealogy #Familyhistory #NationalDagen #Släktforskning #Swedish #Danish blog.myheritage.com/2026/06/enjo...
blog.myheritage.com
Enjoy Free Access to Swedish and Danish Records - MyHeritage Blog
Whether your family came from Stockholm, Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Aarhus, or a small village in Scandinavia, now is a great time to explore that part of
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
There are all sorts of opportunities for volunteers in your FHS, whatever kind of person or family historian you are. If you're an introvert like me, based in another county or even country, you could inquire about transcribing or digital organisation. #VolunteersWeek #FamilyHistory #Genealogy
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Lisa Constanti - Chronicology @chronicology.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Reason #341 why taking Ancestry transcriptions at face value is always a gamble - always look at the image too! This was the correct record I was looking for - I might have ignored it based on the father's name being transcribed as James when it is, in fact, Thomas. #genealogy
1911 census record SHAW - transcription error (noted as James when Thomas is clearly written)1911 census record SHAW - transcription error (noted as James when Thomas is clearly written)
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Too many Death Certificates this afternoon. Anyone got any jolly genealogy finds? Or fluffy creatures? ... Maybe some flowers? 😳 #FamilyHistory #Genealogy
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
If your site only offers yearly subscriptions, you should also offer pay-as-you-go. Even if it does work out as less monthly than competing sites, not everyone has £100 to spend upfront. Don't gatekeep ancestral records from the less fortunate. #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #AncestryHour
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Happy Sunday, all.
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Enjoying the last twenty minutes of International #Tea Day...
A large white mug with a floral design in black and the words "Tea is always a GOOD idea!"
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Dai Davies of GenealCymru @genealcymru.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
If you like #Genealogy and videogames, I played this one today. It's basically you have to figure out people's names & main trait based on looking through papers in an archive with the added challenge of not being fully fluent in the language. Took me about 1.5hrs to finish. jamwitch.itch.io/trevosa
jamwitch.itch.io
The Archives of Trevosa by jamwitch
Translate terms to untangle the history of a strange kingdom
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Rowena Abbott @rowena-abbott.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Always a delight to come across broader history in a parish record: an earthquake hit England in November 1795, here felt in Loughborough, Leicestershire, a few days after my 4x great-grandmother, was baptised. ...Who can tell me what a 'house bell' was? #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #History #GenHour
Text reads: "At about half an hour after eleven O'Clock this Night here the Earth quaked so as to awake several people and caused some house Bells to Ring."
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