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Funny where life takes you…

Stories from beyond the family trees

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Author: Natalie Mayhew

Originally a London girl, now living in Rochester, Kent. Fascinated by social history and passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion

A ‘blue on blue’ disaster

Black and white photo of Winston Churchill and other military personel

A tragic wartime incident during a military demonstration when a pilot mistakenly fired on spectators, causing the deaths of dozens of Army and Home Guard officers and men

Natalie Mayhew 👥 Beyond the Family Tree, England, Second World War February 14, 2024June 24, 2026 8 Minutes

Echoes of Christmas

Live candles, each with a flame, clipped to a Christmas tree decorated with baubles and dried fruits.

During the 1960s, spending Christmas at our family home in Fulham was rare as my mother’s mental illness usually manifested itself in autumn and culminated in her being admitted to hospital around December, so my brother Nick and I were often sent down to stay in our grandmother’s house on the Dorset coast near Portland. … Continue reading Echoes of Christmas →

Natalie Mayhew England, Recollections January 3, 2024June 24, 2026 8 Minutes

Music and records

This story is not about a human ancestor, but about something else very close to my heart: popular music. Nowadays, anyone with access to the internet can listen to their choice of music instantly via a streaming service like Spotify or Apple Music, or via YouTube. Long gone are the days when the only way … Continue reading Music and records →

Natalie Mayhew England, Recollections December 12, 2023June 24, 2026 9 Minutes

Off and on the beaten path

The turquoise waters of Lake Louise with mountains in the background

Reflections on the relative wilderness and popular destinations in and around the Banff National Park, Canada

Natalie Mayhew Canada, Recollections November 26, 2023June 24, 2026 12 Minutes

Alberta’s playground

Gravel road and landscape in the Spray Valley Provincial Park with forest on each side of the road and mountains in the distance

Following the path less travelled through Kananaskis Country, with a hike to Karst Spring a scenic drive through the mountains

Natalie Mayhew Canada, Recollections October 30, 2023June 24, 2026 6 Minutes

A snakes and ladders life

William Mayhew (1882-1918): Against the odds, a disadvantaged Englishman embarks on a journey to secure a better future for his family in the US

Natalie Mayhew Canada, 🌐 Migration & Emigration, England, Other States, Poverty, Hardship & Resilience October 25, 2023June 24, 2026 13 Minutes

Exploring the Yoho National Park

photo of the Emerald Lake, British Columbia, looking more pale greenish blue with pine forest and a mountain in the background beneath a partly cloudy sky

A visit to Yoho National Park reveals a remarkable array of both natural wonders and man-made creations

Natalie Mayhew Canada, Recollections October 9, 2023June 24, 2026 12 Minutes

A prairie roadtrip to the Badlands

Image of 'hoodoos' a rock formation made of sandstone capped with a rock in the middle of the Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada

A roadtrip across the prairie to explore the stunning Badlands of Alberta, Canada, followed by an unforgettable steak lunch

Natalie Mayhew Canada, Recollections September 26, 2023June 24, 2026 11 Minutes

Protected: How it all began

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Natalie Mayhew Canada, Recollections September 19, 2023June 24, 2026 10 Minutes

My visit to Canada 2023

photo of a red and white Canadian flag set against a blue sky

While the stories from my recent visit to Canada may initially appear unrelated to family history, they are, in fact, deeply intertwined

Natalie Mayhew Canada, Recollections September 18, 2023June 24, 2026 1 Minute

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Funny Where Life Took Them
Some of the surnames on this site — click one to find stories behind it

Bailey Baker Banfield Banfield aka Wackrill Barrett Baynes Booth Bovill Bowes-Lyon Brevoort Bristow Brock Carson Chaldecott Collingwood Conway-Gordon Coolidge Cooper Cotton Daley Dibben Dowman Down Earle Finch Fitzgerald Gordon Hall Harvey Hill Irving Kirby Krug Lane? Levens Mayhew Mayo Napier Obee Payne Poulton Rose Saumarez Sheldrake Todd Twohey Wackrill Whetten

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