WELCOME TO THE DAVIES FAMILY HISTORY WEBSITE
The basis of this website is a family history database containing information on over 15,000 individuals. Although this started as a family tree of my direct ancestors, it has expanded to include the descendants of their brothers and sisters, and, in many cases, the ancestors of those who married them. So every individual appearing in the database is connected, but that connection is often as the result of marriage rather than by bloodline. Strictly speaking, then, this is more than one family tree - the reason for the plural title.
The principle families appearing in the database - our main ancestral family lines - had their roots in several different parts of Great Britain. See Geographical Origins under "The Ancestors" in the menu bar above to find out more about the family origins in these different regions.
From the nineteenth century onwards emigration from Britain occurred in most of these families, with the result that living descendants are now to be found all around the world. I have been greatly helped in my research into the family history by first-, second-, and more distant cousins, around the world, who have provided me with photographs, documents and, where they, too, are engaged in genealogical research, the results of their own research efforts. All this has now been incorporated into the database and I am most grateful to all those who have contributed over the years. Some cousins have their own websites and I provide links to them where appropriate. See 'Other Closely Connected Websites' on this page.
The website uses kiwitrees, a derivative of the leading open-source genealogical software package webtrees, to provide access to the Family History Database. Using kiwitrees, you may access this data in a variety of ways, and produce lists, charts and reports, and members of the extended family who have user accounts may also download information in GEDCOM or other formats for inclusion in their own Family History files. Access to information on the living is restricted to members of the extended family, who may request a user account.
WHAT'S NEW
DNA testing has resulted in contact being established recently with several cousins whose lines I had previously been unable to trace. Please see 'DNA Relatives' in the What's New? section for more details. The kiwitrees 'stories' feature mentioned recently under 'What's New?' has attracted offers of input from several cousins. Two are still work-in-progress, but one has just been added. See 'New Content' in the What's New? section for more details.
Please note that although I am aiming to expand and improve the amount of narrative information that supports and supplements the database content, I am no longer actively researching the family history and have effectively frozen the database in the state that you now find it. That said, please let me know if you spot any errors or believe there are 'gaps' which should be filled, and I shall be happy to react accordingly.
Thank you for visiting the site. I hope you will find it useful and informative. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please don't hesitate to contact me using the 'contact us' link which appears at the bottom of every page.
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Most Common Surnames
b. 1 November 1824 Bodringallt, Ystradyfodwg, Glamorgan, Wales
d. 14 September 1893 (Age 68) Englefield, Berkshire, England
b. 1 December 1796 Holme Abbey, Holme Cultram, Cumberland, England
d. 6 March 1879 (Age 82) Holme Cultram, Cumberland, England
OTHER CLOSELY CONNECTED WEBSITES
There are a number of other Family History websites using similar software to this site (kiwitrees, webtrees or PhpGedView), and having links to our extended family tree:
GLAMORGAN LOVELUCK WEBSITE
The LOVELUCK family of Glamorgan is linked to our DAVIES and POWELL families through a number of different marriages. The Glamorgan LOVELUCKs have been extensively researched by James Loveluck of Meylan in France, and he has made them the subject of a very impressive website. James now also uses kiwitrees for his database section, so you may SEARCH THE GLAMORGAN LOVELUCK FAMILY DATABASE in just the same way as you can search the database on this site. James and I are attempting to coordinate our efforts and at many points in this website you will find direct links to individuals and families on James' website for whom he holds more comprehensive data than I do; similarly, on James' site you will find links to individuals and families on mine.
HARVEY FAMILY HISTORY WEBSITE
The HARVEY family of Wivenhoe in Essex, were a family of shipbuilders, some of whom emigrated to Melbourne, Australia. Our CHESSELL cousins' great grandfather Charles Bartholomew CHESSELL was also a shipbuilder who emigrated to Melbourne, Australia. Not surprising then that Charles' eldest son Charles married a HARVEY - Mary Ann HARVEY. Their son David Lawford CHESSELL married my father's sister Annie DAVIES. It was in checking out this connection a few years ago that I discovered the website of Ray HARVEY, the database section of which used PhpGedView, and subsequently webtrees. Sadly, Ray died in 2008, but his grandson Leigh, although not a geanealogist, has tried to keep Ray's site, with it's 21,000 individual database, up and running in memory of his father. You can SEARCH THE HARVEY FAMILY DATABASE here.
CUMBERLAND GRAHAM WEBSITE
The GRAHAM family who were the ancestors of Joan Dunmore, originally of Hexham, Northumberland, have several links to our Cumberland BROUGH family, in particular via the SPARK family of Edderside, Holme Cultram. Joan's Graham Family Genealogy Website also uses Webtrees so you may SEARCH THE GRAHAM FAMILY DATABASE in just the same way as you can search the database on this site.