The weeks seem to be moving so fast, I don’t get time to think, let alone research. With that in mind this week 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, post is going to be more than a little different. For one this ancestor is living, which throws up lots of issues to do with privacy and the 100 year law.
So why would I even begin to think about writing about a family member who still walks, talks, and enjoys life?
Well that’s an easy one to answer.

Many of you will know that we tragically lost our dad back in 1997. My two sisters and I, were only just 19 and 21.
His death changed not only our lives, our futures, it changed us as people.
After seeing the horrors we saw over the 4 months it took for him to die, how could we be the same people we once were.
Grief engulfed every waking minute, heartbreak stole our innocence and our youth.
How we managed to get through it, I will never know but here we are fighting the good fight, living a life with a loss so deep, it suffocating.

Our Dad, Christopher John Newell, was the reason I started researching our family’s history, and he’s the reason I still continue to research. Somehow it makes me feel close to him and a sense of pride when I learn something new about his family, a family I knew very little about.
With all the generations before him gone, there are only a few of his immediate family left and they are our only link to him.
That’s a hard pill to swallow.

Our Dad, was very lucky to have two brothers, Richard and Stephen Newell and a sister Gillian Mary Newell, who is no longer with us. Gillian heartbreakingly died before her three brothers were born.

Since Dads death, I’m ashamed to say that we haven’t had the closest relationship with his family, something I’m trying hard to change, to put right.
But with that said, Uncle Steve and Uncle Richard have a huge part of my heart and when we do get together it’s like we saw each other yesterday.

My Uncle Steve, as does his wonderful fun-loving wife Liz, have me in stitches, they are such a great laugh and I love them dearly, as I do Uncle Richard.

Uncle Steve, kindly agreed to take a DNA test for me and his results are in. 😀
His results are extremely important to me, they are the closest I can get to my dads heritage, to discovering what my dads DNA might have been. I will be forever thankful to Uncle Steve for taking the test for me.

I can’t even begin to explain to you, how excited I was when I realised Uncle Steve’s, results were waiting for me to view.
Not only are they fascinating, they could hold the answers to those skeletons that are hiding in cupboards. 💀
You see my Great-Grandfather Frank Rudgley, was illegitimate, no father was named on his birth certificate.

And even though Frank’s Mother Estella Rudgley, married Alfred Newell, shortly after Frank was born, we have no idea if Alfred Newell was Franks Father.
I’m hoping that Uncle Steve’s DNA will help solve the mystery.

So, the long awaited results are in, and they show that Uncle Steve’s Ethnicity is estimated as –

54% Europe West.
Primarily located in Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein.

35% Ireland/Scotland/Wales
Now this is really interesting, and explains my 29% Ireland/Scotland/Wales.
So far I have only found links to Scotland, but they are rather interesting links as if my research is right we descend from Scottish Lords and Ladies.

11% Great Britain.
Southern England.

I’m not really that surprised about the Europe West result, as my dad had the most beautiful Green eyes and bright blonde hair. I’ll admit that I’m a little surprised at how low the Great Britain percentage is.

Now the confusing hard work begins, shifting through the 176 4th cousins, who match with Uncle Steve’s DNA.

Though this weeks post is totally different from previous posts, with no documentation, dates, census or even a date and place of birth, it’s been a pleasure to give you a glimpse of a different side of genealogy.
I’ll hopefully see you back here next week, for the next instalment of my 52 week challenge.
Have a fantastic week.