May Newsletter Edition – 1st May 2026
The LostCousins newsletter will be published once or twice a month while we are in transition. To access the previous issue click here.
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In This Edition
Condolence Messages: thank you again
Sharing the Passion
1926 Republic of Ireland Census published on April 18th
Nathan Dylan Goodwin’s The Hop-Picker Murders is out NOW in Paperback and Audiobook!
Feature Article: Garden history research leads to a find for family history…
… And a further surprise connection
In case you missed it:
Not receiving your Newsletter Emails?
Sian’s Tips
Condolence Messages: thank you again
Following the publication of the first newsletter since Peter’s death, I have yet again been blown away by the sheer volume of emails received from members, and by the many reminiscences and kind thoughts conveyed in them. I apologise for not having replied to everyone individually- there is just not enough time - but I have certainly read every one of them. There have also been several members who shared news of their own losses in recent months and years – for sure, Peter and I have not been the only ones to have gone through a painful parting over the past year or so. Sometimes it is easier to tell someone else who has experienced a close bereavement themselves- sometimes it takes a bit of courage to come straight out with it.
Sharing the Passion
If you would like to see your own research tips or family history story shared and read by other members, do contact me with a summary (just a few sentences) and I will reply. We all have stories and discoveries to share, so don’t be shy! Given the thousands of messages that have been flooding in since Peter died, please use a different email header like “Newsletter Story” so that I can spot it straight away. If you’ve already emailed me and I haven’t replied, do try again with a different, more specific email header.
1926 Republic of Ireland census published on April 18th
This is an important census release, being the first of the Post-Independent Irish Free State (now known as the Republic of Ireland). The main homepage is here:
https://nationalarchives.ie/collections/search-the-1926-census/
For members who are relatively new to Irish ancestry, it is important to recognise that the timing and scope of the censuses were heavily influenced by the Irish War of Independence. The last Census covering the whole of Ireland was in 1911; the 1921 Census was not taken in Ireland because of the War of Independence, so the 1926 Census represents a 15-year jump.
A Census was also taken in 1926 covering the 6 counties in Northern Ireland. While the household returns are understood to have been destroyed, there are reports and more information about that Census here:
https://www.nisra.gov.uk/statistics/2011-and-earlier-censuses/1926-census#toc-2
Here is a list of all key Irish Census Years; sadly, quite a few were destroyed.
- All-Ireland (pre-Independence): 1821, 1831, 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911.
- Missing Records: 1861-1891 records were destroyed by the government; 1821-1851 records (except some fragments) were destroyed in the 1922 Public Record Office fire
- Free State/Republic (Post-Independence): 1926, 1936, 1946, 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1979 (held late), 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2002, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2022.
- Most Recent Release: The 1926 Census was released to the public on April 18, 2026.
WDYTYA Magazine has an in-depth article about the newly published Census which you can read here: https://e.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/c/1pf67GwD4FQgffi2krbPsyS5xYe
This short video by Claire Bradley explains how best to search the 1926 Census and interpret the results- it’s well worth 7 ½ minutes of your time BEFORE getting into your research!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6viUgy7vUsk
Nathan Dylan Goodwin’s The Hop-Picker Murders is out NOW in Paperback and Audiobook!
The paperback edition of The Hop-Picker Murders—the eleventh book in Nathan Dylan Goodwin's Forensic Genealogist series, already available in hardback and on Kindle—is now out. The novel centres on a century-old water-damaged journal, found hidden in a Kent cottage attic, which contains the chilling claim that four hop-pickers were murdered in 1920. Morton Farrier is brought in to investigate, working through the fragmentary evidence — libraries, archives, personal interviews, and the readable portions of a notebook that has kept its secrets for a hundred years. As ever, genealogical research is woven into the heart of the story rather than sitting alongside it. The novel works equally well as a stand-alone for readers new to the series.
'...as gripping and fascinating as the previous stories...as ever, unputdownable' - Family Tree magazine
Kindle link: https://getbook.at/HopPickerEbook
Hardback link: https://getbook.at/HopPickerHardback
Paperback link: https://geni.us/IBtAmGf
Nathan has now sent me the links for the audiobook version on Amazon Audible, just in time for this newsletter:
Many congratulations and thanks to Nathan. Peter and I both shared a love of detective stories, both written and televised. I’d love to know if Nathan’s Forensic Genealogist series will end up on TV one day. Who would play Morton Farrier? I have already added The Hop Picker Murders to Peter’s collection of Morton Farrier books, and it will be a real treat to read it.
Feature Article: Garden history research leads to a find for family history …
By Liz Lake. Chair of The Friends of Bridge End Gardens, Saffron Walden, Essex (UK).
Bridge End Garden is a delightful Victorian garden situated in the heart of the medieval market town Saffron Walden. It is owned by the Fry family, Quakers with historic associations with the town, and is leased to, and managed by, Saffron Walden Town Council. The Friends of Bridge End Gardens is a small charity that supports the Town Council in the care of the Garden. Our volunteers help with the upkeep of the fabric of the Garden, but we also have an archive and are always interested in finding more about its history.
At the end of the eighteenth-century Atkinson Gibson (1763-1829), a prominent Quaker businessman in Saffron Walden, began making a garden on land that he owned behind the family brewing and malting business in Bridge Street. Little is known about this original garden, but it was modest in scale. What is certain is that in the late 1830s, Francis Gibson (1805-1858), Atkinson’s youngest son, enlarged and developed the Garden. It is largely due to Francis’s knowledge, enthusiasm and attention to detail that the garden we enjoy today was created.
It is possible that Francis consulted with William Chater, the Saffron Walden nurseryman and landscape gardener, who became renowned for the development of the double hollyhock. To what extent any collaboration took place is unknown, but they would have undoubtedly known each other well. Chater and Francis were born within three years of each other, and both were founder members of the Saffron Walden Horticultural Society. In 1829 Francis married Elizabeth Pease from Darlington, daughter of the Quaker businessman and railway entrepreneur Edward Pease 1767-1858. They lived all their married life in Saffron Walden, together with their children Elizabeth and Francis, known as Bessie and Frank to avoid confusion with their parents. They also had a summer residence near Cotherstone in County Durham.
There is evidence that Francis Gibson created the Garden but like family history we are always looking for more written references. When we were recommended a book, The Diaries of Edward Pease. The Father of the Railways which covered the years from 1824 to 1858, we really hoped there would be descriptions of his visits to Saffron Walden with references to the creation of the Garden. The Diaries were edited by his nephew and first published in 1907. Cambridge University Press reissued the Diaries in 2013.
Edward Pease travelled many times to Saffron Walden; indeed, he was a great traveller and visited his family and friends all over the country on a regular basis but there is not a word about the Garden. There is however, and this is the point of this article, extensive recording of the births, marriages and deaths of his family and his friends in the wider Quaker circle. He even records those who married outside the Quaker family. At the back of the book is not a family tree but a ‘Pedigree Table’ setting out all his relatives. So, we have confirmation of family members but nothing on the Garden. A useful reference for Quaker family history but not for garden history.
Some good news came for us however through an old letter. The Fry family occasionally send the Friends old photographs and documents for our archive. Always welcome, these all add to our knowledge of the Garden and the Gibson family. When a bundle of letters and documents arrived, all quite delicate, we thought they should be made available online so others could see them. With a grant from the Essex Heritage Trust, they have been digitised by Essex Record Office and will be online at some point. In the future they will also be electronically available at the Gibson Library in Saffron Walden. Eventually the originals will be placed in the Gibson Library.
Among them was a letter from Edward Pease to his granddaughter, Bessie Gibson dated 1840 in which he wrote about his son-in-law, Francis Gibson: ….” I hope the time is not very far distant when himself, thy precious mama, dear Franky, [probably Frank, Francis’ son] thou and I may have to rejoice together in seeing him point out to us all the new beauties his skill, designed, and which his hands have executed in your farm garden”. We were so pleased to get this confirmation – I am sure you know that feeling when new information arrives about your family history!
We hope you will come and visit Bridge End Garden; it is a hidden gem in Saffron Walden. The Walled Garden and Maze are shut at night, but the rest of the Garden is open 24/7 and it is free to visit. There is always something interesting emerging each season so make time to visit our lovely Garden.
For more information about Bridge End Garden, visit the Friends website:
https://www.bridgeendgarden.org/
The Diaries of Edward Pease. The Father of the Railways was published by Cambridge University Press in 2013. To find a free copy go to: https://archive.org/stream/thediariesofpeas00peasuoft/thediariesofpeas00peasuoft_djvu.txt.
The Gibson Library in Saffron Walden has an interesting range of historic documents. For more information visit: www.gibsonlibrary.org.uk/.
…and a further surprise connection!
I mentioned in my previous newsletter that Peter’s interest in genealogy had been sparked after he bought several boxes of correspondence at auction which had once belonged to the wife of an MP based near Doncaster. Her name was Mary Stables Wright Aldam and her husband was the Liberal MP for Leeds, William Aldam (b.1813). They married in 1845 and lived at Frickley Hall near Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
Liz told me about the Pease connection with Bridge End Garden several months ago. Because Peter was much more interested in family history than garden history, he challenged me to research Elizabeth Pease’s ancestry. It took me roughly an hour to discover that Mary’s husband William Aldam shared the same great-grandfather (Edward Pease, born 1711) as Elizabeth Pease, making William and Elizabeth second cousins. Edward Pease had two sons; Elizabeth was the granddaughter of the elder son Joseph, whereas William Aldam was the grandson of the younger son Thomas.
Elizabeth’s grandfather Joseph was the first Quaker MP to take his seat in the House of Commons in 1833, having asked to be affirmed instead of taking oaths which would have conflicted with his religious beliefs:
However, one might ask how William Aldam could be directly related to Edward Pease despite having a different surname. His father (William Aldam né Pease, b.1779) changed his name by Royal Assent in 1810 so that he could inherit a substantial property from his great-aunt, Katherine Aldam. Thereafter, his descendants continued to use (or include) the surname Aldam.
Peter and I later visited the Doncaster Archives to browse the diaries of William Aldam MP; it was fascinating to compare his very detailed entries against what we had gleaned from the correspondence collected by his wife- including several very brief, intimate notes sent from him to her via overnight train, rather like today’s text messages. We also drove past Frickley Hall to visit the nearby graveyard at All Saint’s Church in Frickley where William, Mary and several of their descendants were laid to rest. One day I will reopen and reexamine the boxes of correspondence collected by Mary; doing so will bring back good memories of our very first Christmas together.
Perhaps AI can help to unravel the tiny “crosshatch” handwriting in many of the letters she received- and before the sceptics decide that that this would be impossible, read on…
In case you missed it:
A 540-year-old love letter has been decoded with the help of AI:
The letter itself is intriguing and well worth reading, especially for the feminists among us. I would be interested to know whether any of our readers who are more familiar with decoding very old documents would be willing to offer an opinion on how accurate the AI effort is!
An interesting paternity dispute has been the subject of a legal case in the UK where the Court of Appeal could not rule on which identical twin fathered a child born to a woman who had slept with both men. But apparently there is a DNA test which might have been able to identify the father. The test is probably quite expensive, but the court case has undoubtedly been costly- and by the time the child comes of age, DNA testing will have become even more sophisticated:
A new book on Scottish Surnames by David Ross was published in April. It covers about 400 names; David Ross has written a lot of books with a Scottish theme, and this book might be of interest to family historians who haven’t yet dug that deep into their Scottish roots. It is available on Amazon for just £6.99 (Paperback) / £3.99 (Kindle):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scottish-Surnames-Traditional-Scotland-David/
Actually, I noticed David Ross’s new Scottish surnames book while searching for something comparable on Welsh surnames. Members “in the know” might already have a copy of The Surnames of Wales by John and Sheila Rowlands on their bookshelf, and I have now bought a copy – noting that the hardback is currently available from Amazon for half the price of the £34 paperback. Given the family history pedigree of the authors, I am looking forward to reading my (hardback) copy!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Surnames-Wales-John-Rowlands/dp/1848517750/
Not receiving your Newsletter Emails?
Receiving our newsletter emails seems to have become a hit and miss affair for some members. This should not be the case, and sometimes the problem can be easily remedied. There are four main reasons, any of which might require some action on your part. Firstly, the email address registered on your Lost Cousins account must be still valid and in use, so please check and let me know if you’d like me to update it with a different one. Secondly, your mailbox will reject new emails if it is full up, so you might need to periodically free up space in your email inbox to keep receiving new inbound messages. Thirdly, your Lost Cousins account needs to have been freshly accessed every year or so to maintain your place on the mailing list. To do this, completely logout of Lost Cousins and then login again.
Finally, some emails might be dumped into your spam folder if they are automatically filtered that way by your email provider. If you have discovered any Lost Cousins emails in your spam folder within the last 6 months or so, please move them to your inbox; hopefully this will lead to future Lost Cousins emails being delivered straight into your inbox. If they still end up in spam, please let me know.
Sian’s Tips
Still no jam recipes; just plenty of “admin” to do and the gardening to keep on top of. I have no idea what “normal life” will look or feel like, but a little attention to Lost Cousins each day is proving helpful by providing consistency and keeping Peter very close in my thoughts.
When time permits, if possible, I’d like to visit some of the local family history societies within reasonable travelling distance, just to get a better feel for what is happening and how our website might add value for members and societies alike. There is always plenty of work to keep me at home, but meeting other family historians is surely the most vital source of inspiration and learning. If any societies would be happy for me to drop in later in the year, please let me know (I’m not looking to promote Lost Cousins, but to meet, listen and learn).
Our garden is looking beautiful, yet it’s the woodland bluebells which have stolen the show this April. They have bloomed early and long, and it must be one of the best displays in decades. More have spread into areas of the ancient woodland where we have never seen them before. A new bluebell can take 5-7 years to bloom from seed, so this is not an overnight phenomenon even though it looks that way! Even a weedy area of garden which Peter was determined to clear down to bare earth last summer is newly carpeted in impossibly vivid bluebells. I had some “patio fruit trees” which were productive enough but struggling in pots, and planted them in that area where they are now a lot happier. Bluebells and fruit trees- Peter’s all-time favourites now fill that corner of our garden. I also plan to create a rose bed underplanted with herbs and snowdrops, right outside his study window- but I suspect he’d be less impressed!
Spring is traditionally a time of equipment renewal in the garden. This year, after having seen so many potting benches bite the dust, I decided to buy this folding picnic table for when there never seems to be enough room to manoeuvre:
I also buy a large bag of Growmore every Spring; it’s an excellent all-rounder and lasts for the whole season – but be warned, it’s very heavy:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elixir-Gardens-Growmore-Special-Fertiliser
There are quite a few public holidays in May around the world including two Bank Holidays in the UK, Ascension Day on May 14th/ 17th, various memorial days in Europe, Memorial Day in the USA and Victoria Day in Canada.
May 1st is also World Tuna Day, and for the Jedi Knights still among us May 4th is International Star Wars Day. May the Force be with you (and your research) this month!
Sian Lloyd
LostCousins
© Copyright 2026 Sian Lloyd
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