A tantalising find in an online archive reveals a family conversation hidden in plain sight for nearly 200 years
Cracking a 19th Century Cross-Written Letter
Category: 🏡 Women’s Lives & Social History
The Brevoort Family Commonplace Book
A beautifully illustrated 1837 commonplace book kept by the Brevoort children reveals their distinct personalities, youthful ambitions, and family tragedies
New York’s First Grand Costume Ball of 1840
In February 1840, New York hosted its first grand masked ball, organised by Henry and Laura Brevoort, captivating society and setting a new standard for extravagant celebrations
Poor Cottages in the Wilderness
John Coolidge (1604–1691) left Cambridgeshire in 1630 to help establish the Puritan settlement of Watertown in early colonial Massachusetts
Understanding PTSD Through Ted Mayhew’s Story
A FamilyHistories podcast explores Ted Mayhew's experiences as a POW and the lasting effects of trauma, featuring insights from Prof. Walter Busuttil on veterans' mental health
Discovering the Missing Mayhew Child
Lily Violet Dorothy Mayhew (1907–1942) vanished from the records as a baby, only to re-emerge as a young woman whose life was shaped by loss, work, and war
What’s in a name
Julia Lane? (c.1840–1925): Illiterate but resilient, she rose from famine-era Ireland to hardship in London, through her inner strength and determination
Not just a pretty face
Ellen Kirby (1851-1924) whose humble origins in rural Berkshire contrasted sharply with her later success as a respected housekeeper, wife, and businesswoman
Things are never so bad
Lil Coolidge (1857-1906): Jul 1896 to Oct 1906: doing the best she could
He Answered the Call
Alfred John Payne (1899-1916) He was a son, a brother, and an underage soldier of WW1
