The Settlement Project
The Chronicle
Investigating the people, places, and mysteries of the past.
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Case Files — Mysteries & Cold Cases
Genealogical investigations into unsolved crimes and historical mysteries
Tracing Mary Buckingham: place, family, and community in nineteenth-century Cornwall
A real case study in how geographic context transforms scattered records into a coherent life story.
The FAN method in genealogy: how friends, associates, and neighbors unlock your family history
When your ancestor seems to disappear from the records, the answer is often hiding in the people around them.
How to Find an Ancestor’s Exact Address (Even When Records Are Vague)
Struggling to find where your ancestors actually lived? Learn how to find an ancestor’s exact address using census clues, maps, and historical records.
Why Census Place Names Change (And Why You Haven’t Lost the Trail)
Confused by changing place names in your family tree? Learn why ancestors seem to "move" in census records without ever leaving home, and how to use these shifting labels as clues to find the truth in your genealogy research.
What Is a Parish in Genealogy? (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)
Unlock your family history by mastering parish records. Learn why these church districts are the "true" maps for finding ancestors before the mid-1800s.
How Mapping Your Ancestors Changes Everything (And the Stories the Census Misses)
Mapping your ancestors reveals a hidden truth. What looks like constant movement in the census is often just a change in place names for the same cottage. Visualising these records uncovers the stable roots and close-knit communities behind the data.