We start with the answer to the coded message sent by Forensic Genealogist ‘Morton Farrier’ in April’s edition of ‘Dear Paul’. Did you manage to break Morton’s code? If not, the answer to the puzzle set by Morton is:
MORTON COME QUICK MY LIFE IS IN DANGER P
Author Nathan Dylan Goodwin, who writes the wonderful Morton Farrier series of books, has very generously donated a signed copy of one of his books, to the first two code breakers who successfully solved his puzzle and our lucky winners are: Phil Isherwood and Linda Cripps. Congratulations to you both. I’m sure Bletchley Park will be in touch sometime soon! If you enjoy a great read with a genealogical twist then I can highly recommend Nathan’s books: www. nathandylangoodwin.com
Gravestone clues
When we’re researching our family histories, we spend a lot of time looking at the key sources.
We track down records of our ancestors’ births, marriages and deaths, we try to find them on census returns and we look for their wills. We wouldn’t necessarily consider a gravestone as containing the vital clues that could help us break through a brick wall, but here are a few examples that might make you reconsider and look a little more closely at your ancestors’ graves.
Janet Freeman offered some good advice when checking gravestones, after visiting Sowerby Bridge municipal cemetery, trying to unravel clues on family headstones. Janet’s advice is to remember to check the wives’ maiden names on the headstones. Had she taken her own advice, she would have realised that buried in three neighbouring graves were three sisters:
• In the first grave were James and Hannah Bedford (née Helm) and their son-in-law and daughter William and Martha Crossley (née Bedford).
• In the second were Mary
