Tracing Your Georgian Ancestors 1714-1837

John Wintrip • £14.99
Pen & Sword

The Georgian period was a key stage in our modern history so some understanding of it is essential for family historians who want to push their research back into the 18th century and beyond. John Wintrip’s handbook is an invaluable introduction to it. In a sequence of concise, insightful chapters he focuses on those aspects of the period that are particularly relevant to genealogical research and he presents a detailed guide to the variety of sources that readers can consult as they pursue their research.

The Wicked Trade

Nathan Dylan Goodwin • £8.99

When Morton Farrier is presented with a case revolving around a mysterious letter written by disreputable criminal, Ann Fothergill in 1827, he quickly finds himself delving into a shadowy Georgian underworld of smuggling and murder on the Kent and Sussex border. Morton must use his skills as a forensic genealogist to untangle Ann’s association with the notorious Aldington Gang and also with the brutal killing of Quartermaster Richard Morgan. This is the seventh book in the Morton Farrier genealogical crime mystery series, although it can be enjoyed as a standalone story.

The Welsh at War

Steven John • £25
Pen & Sword

Subtitled ‘From Mons to Loos and the Gallipoli Tragedy’, this third volume in a series records the gallant work of Welsh units and servicemen during the period between the declaration of war in 1914, to the aftermath of the battles of Loos and Gallipoli at the end of 1915, covering the outbreak of war and the response in Wales, the Battle of Mons; the Home Front and the expansion of the Army and more.

England’s Forgotten Past

Richard Tames • £8.99

A well-known populariser of English history offers an entertaining exploration of the bits of English history that have been sidelined, lost or somehow overlooked. Written in an engaging, easy-to-read and often humorous style, Tames brings to life the various colourful characters, famous in their day, who have now sunk into obscurity – from St Cuthbert and Nicolas Breakspear to Octavia Hill and the Marquis of Granby.

Life & Death in the Battle of Britain

Guy Mayfield • £9.99
Imperial War Museum

This is the powerful and moving, unpublished diary of Guy Mayfield, chaplain at RAF Duxford during the Battle of Britain, a defining moment of the Second World War and one of the greatest aerial battles ever fought. Through Mayfield’s engaging and evocative writing, readers are transported to life in early 1940s Britain, as the Battle of Britain raged in the skies above. Mayfield spoke, at length and in intimate detail, to pilots who knew they might not survive the next 24 hours. His documenting of these conversations in his diary provides a unique insight into the lives of the young men who risked their lives. Mayfield’s powerful words are accompanied by poignant photographs of the airmen he describes.

Keeping their Beacons Alight: The Potter Family of Barnsley and their Service to Our Country

Jane Ainsworth • £25

This is a comprehensive family history inspired by the surviving letters and other memorabilia of two young brothers who were killed in action in the First World War. It concentrates on the military service of many of their relations during the first half of the 20th century. The author has uncovered an impressive number of relations who joined the Territorial Army before 1914 and who served during the First and Second World Wars in a wide variety of roles.

Who We Are and How We Got Here

David Reich • £20

The past few years have witnessed a revolution in our ability to obtain DNA from ancient humans. This important new data has added to our knowledge from archaeology and anthropology, helped resolve longexisting controversies, challenged long-held views, and thrown up remarkable surprises. The emerging picture is one of many waves of ancient human migrations, so that all populations living today are mixes of ancient ones, and often carry a genetic component from archaic humans. Geneticist David Reich, whose team has been at the forefront of these discoveries, explains what genetics is telling us about ourselves and our complex and often surprising ancestry. Reich describes the cuttingedge findings from the past few years, and also considers the sensitivities involved in tracing ancestry, with science sometimes jostling with politics and tradition.