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This is the book for you... if you are descended from Archibald or Jessie Orr Hill! My guess is that there are about 100 of us... so if you are (or if you are not!) you can preview and order a copy or two from the link below. Archibald and Jessie Orr Hill by Mark Stephens | Make Your Own Book This is a story about a family who are on the sidelines of (or perhaps are sidelined by ?) a successful business and their struggle to create a separate business life which involves adventure, tragedy and sadness and finally some success. 

Occasionally over the next four years I will record the actions of some of my ancestors during the First World War. 100 years ago today, on the 7th August 1814, a great great Uncle of mine, Charles Robert Stephens, enlisted with the Royal Engineers (Territorials) in Falmouth aged 42. He was comfortably employed in the Family rope making business and enlisted the second day after Great Britain declared war on Germany without telling his brother and business partner. This probably caused some tension between them because Charles was the company Engineer and in addition the family was prominent amongst the Cornish Quaker community. After building defensive positions around Falmouth his unit was attached to the Hampshires and Wiltshires and served in France building bridges and water supplies for trenches and hospitals. He was awarded the Military Cross in June 1917 having been twice mentioned in dispatches.

I have just found out how to post a links to books published via Blurb. Here is one I put together based around the memoires of my Scottish Grandmother. If you really would like a copy (or two?) you should be able to order through this link. Memories of Two Scottish Families by Transcribed and Edited by Mark Stephens | Make Your Own Book

Another gem from my genealogical work. Astonishingly my father was the fourth generation of eldest sons to die younger than their fathers. I am very happy to say that the next generation has at last stopped a 100 year decline in longevity! The last direct male ancestor on my father's side who lived longer than his father was;                           John Stephens IV who lived to 89 yrs (1786-1875). his son               John Stephens V lived 83 yrs (1819-1903) his son               John Gilbert Stephens lived 79 yrs (1862-1942) his son               John Sturge Stephens lived 63 yrs (1891-1954) his son.              John Christopher Stephens lived 47 yrs (1928-1975)

During the time away from my blogging I have progressively been sucked into the 'Who Do You Think You Are' fad and have been searching for an exciting history hidden away in my ancestral lines.  Try as I might, and I have tried, I have failed to spice up the family history with tales of murder, crime, infidelity (not much recorded anyway), heroics, fame, or any other form of notoriety!  But what of tragedy you may be asking? Until now I had come across one case, of a sad suicide, perhaps a story for another blog as it reportedly involves a passing acquaintance with the historian AJP Taylor, but that will need some more research before I write it up. However, I did come across a truly tragic story of the death of a 1st cousin twice removed. My great great aunt Gertrude Violet Todman was the youngest of seven children and was born in late 1879 in New Church Rd, Camberwell. Her parents were 40 and 38 when she was born but her father, who had worked as a die sinker, died soon afte...