I started this blog back in 2008 after I became fascinated and then obsessed about family history. My older brother Hugo and I had been trying to see if we could get any further back than our great great great grandfather George Goldsmith Kirby. We’d actually only found out about his existence not that long before. We now know from the Lincoln Inn Records that his father was a gent called George, and according to Dr Timothy L Alborn at City University of New York GGK had probably been up to no good from about 1860 until his death 8 years later (see more here).
This blog has now become a repository for a random selection of anecdotes, discoveries, encounters, observations and reflections as I try and find out more about my ancestors. It’s also become part family newsletter. It’s called descent from adam: a tale of downward social mobility because I once told my wife that I had just found out via a search on Google that I could trace the Kirby family back to Adam and Eve. She pointed out that at least my slide down the social mobility snake helps someone else step onto a ladder. I actually think the descent from Chaos of Greek mythology seems to make more sense ;-)
As part of my research I’ve been coordinating with cousin Hamish Maclaren, who has been gathering information about the Birtwistle and Maclaren families for a family tree he has been putting together. It also includes information on other related families, such as, Marwood, Mclachlan, Abney-Hasting/Loudoun, Compton, Pritchard, Kirby, Barnewell/Trimleston, Farrel/Preston/Gormanston, Craig, Wall, Sandys, Tsuan, de Cerrini, Gaselee, Shaw, Finlay, etc.
Apart from just names and dates, which could well be seen as very boring by some (maybe even most), we were hoping to get more information about the individual relatives, such as family stories (perhaps not too personal, but then again…), life histories, obituaries, press cuttings, etc. So any contributions will be very welcome.
Lastly, my blogs acts as a lighthouse for others also looking into their family histories and I’m regularly contacted by distant relations from around the world. Without them getting in contact then I’d have given up ages ago, so please feel free to contact me via the comments on this blog.
Hi, a friend pointed me towards your site (I think she said you’re her husband Steve’s fifth cousin) – Maitland came up as a common name whilst chatting about family history with her. It looks as if you’re related to William Maitland (d. after 1450) son of Sir Robert Maitland of Thirlstane and Maria Scrimshire, my link is through his younger brother James eventually down to Anna Gertrude Fuller-Maitland (my gt-gt-grandmother b. 27 Feb 1844) who married Rev. Adam Henderson Fairbairn in 1864.
Kind regards, Sue
Hi Sue … great to hear from you. My closest Maitland relative was my great grandmother Alice Marie Maitland aka Elsie. She was born on the family tea plantation in what was then Ceylon and died in around 1950. That was a few years before I was born, so I never met her but I have recently made contact with some of her brother’s grandchildren who are about the same age as me. They send me some fantastic photographs. I’m having a bit of a pause on the family history front as I seem to have so much else to do, but I’m sure I’ll be back to some more research soon.
Best and cheers
Justin
I came here because I was looking for information about my uncle Godfrey Bird and his architect forebears in the far east, and what I found was your picutre of my first cousin Derek’s christening – my mother, too , was born in Hong Kong.
How are they related to you?
Stephen … Derek Bird is not related to me. His godparents were my great aunt Valda (née Kirby) and her husband Sandy Godley. They are also in the photo. Valda died in a Japanese POW camp. Sandy escaped, re-married, and his son Simon has been in touch through this blog.
I met Derek again recently at the funeral of my nephew, who was killed in Afghanistan. There’s another connection because Flavia Nunes is the mother of Derek’s wife. Flavia is also my younger sister’s godmother.
A small world indeed.
Best Justin