Making assumptions

…. is a very dangerous game to play. In genealogy terms, you could end up barking rather loudly up completely the wrong tree by connecting the dots in a random order and not ensuring that you have documentary evidence that your links are correct. How many times have you seen those Ancestry trees (and on other sites as well) which could not be right in a million years? Do you sit and marvel at how ludicrous it is that people have children born of individuals at age three, and other people who were married before they were born? We all have to start somewhere but seriously?! Common sense must prevail at some point, surely?

As Heir Hunters, we sometimes have to start with educated guesses and then prove our assumptions right or wrong. Two potential candidates for someone’s parents? We have to work out which one is the correct one! How? Billions of techniques…. and I am certainly not giving away those trade secrets!

There is a saying, “When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me” and it’s true in every profession/trade. Asking is a much better option. Call on someone who might be able to help with advice, guidance or information. Who knows where that might get you?

Every day is a fascinating day at FWL. I really should write a book in a few years time about the work we do and the cases we have cracked …. it might even be a best seller, as popular as the Who Do You Think You Are? series (12th edition soon out in the UK, don’t you know!). When our current cases are resolved, we’ll be able to share some amazing stories. Please watch this space!

Tomorrow evening, I will be travelling to London after a visit to the local Women’s Institute to wow them with the awesome hobby/pastime/obsession that is family history. London….? Thankfully, no assumptions made on a case we signed in April and we have a house to put on the market as administrators of an intestate estate. As I often say, never a dull moment….