After finding a link to royalty, the Holy Grail for any family historian is to track down their ancestors in records predating parish registers. It's a tall order, but Margaret Smith has achieved both – and more. Along the way she's uncovered intriguing literary connections, more wealthy families than you can shake a stick at, and a royal mistress, using some fascinating records that might not be on your radar.
Margaret, who lives in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, explains that she started researching her Pegg(e) tree back in 1968. “My initial interest was sparked by my father's pride in his Pegge line based on family stories about how we were once very wealthy and owned lots of land.” She began a career in local studies and archival research the same year, based at Derby Borough Libraries, qualifying at Loughborough University and returning to Derby to head up the Local
