DNA testing is proving to be a transformative tool, not just for verifying our family trees but also for solving long-standing family mysteries. We also need to be prepared for the unexpected, as DNA testing can throw up surprises. It's easy to work with your matches once you know how, and case reports are often the easiest way to understand the methodology. I have drawn here on an example from my own family tree to show how, while trying to solve one family mystery about the parentage of my mother's grandfather, I uncovered instead a long-standing family secret. The techniques demonstrated will be equally applicable for family historians faced with similar scenarios.
One of my goals when I first entered the world of DNA testing of my mum's paternal grandfather James Lymer Ratty.
According to the censuses, he was born about 1860 in St Luke's or Bermondsey in London, but I have been unable to find a
