I can't tell you the exact day that I caught the "genealogy bug", but I believe it came on slowly throughout my 20's, and hit me full force in my mid 30's. I would dabble a bit, then put the papers away and not touch them for a year or so. I really don't think I could have appreciated everything as much back then. I think age gives you some perspective and clarity, and also a respect of what your ancestors must have gone through in their lifetimes. Even now, sometimes it's difficult to really understand the hardships these people faced, with the death of infants and children, two wars, a depression, the lack of medical care, living conditions, and so on. Now, in this day and age, we have practically everything we could possibly need to live a good life.

Anyway, enough rambling.... onto the Adlam's. The first traces I had of the Adlam family were from a typed out family chart on a piece of letter sized paper that my Aunt had created for me, and an old family album that I had heard about.

I went to my grandmother's for a visit a few years ago, at the start of my newest quest, and scanned some of the pictures from her father's photo album. I can remember when I got that first glimpse of the album, it was OLD, and quite beautiful. It's not the type of album you see these days. It's strange, but I felt somehow honoured that I got to touch it, in a sense, to touch real history. Try to imagine the number of family members that had possibly held this same book in their hands. I couldn't wait to get a peek at the treasures that I was certain would be waiting inside. I was lucky that many of the pictures had partial names or a general idea of who they were "my mothers, sisters, brother". I hear stories from many people who have old albums, but have no idea now who the people are inside. So here's a lesson for you, please mark the names of the people in your photo albums, so your children's, children will know who they are, and so that Uncle Fred won't become the "unknown guy". Poor Uncle Fred!

At the time, the pictures had no real "personalities" they were just wonderful old pictures. In a sense, traces of my genetic history. Just to touch them and see what was on the back of each was quite a thrill. Even then, I don't think I appreciated what the pictures represented as much as I do now. They are real CONNECTIONS! I'll explain more about this later on.

I also wanted to mention the incredible indenture paper that my grandmother saved along with my grandfathers actual birth certificate (no kidding). Now those were two very unexpected and special treasures.

So here I am, armed with a flow chart and some pictures, now how do I begin. Well, I meet a cousin from England at my grandmother's 90th birthday celebration, she has also been doing research on our family tree (but not the Adlam's), and another of my Aunt's that is also at the celebration, is an amazing genealogist. So thanks to both, I truly get inspired, and figure I'll get a family Newsletter going (uh, huh).

OK...... where the heck do I start?

I began my journey on the Internet in 2004, searching for "the Adlam's". I first checked the 1901 census records, where I found my great grandfather Walter Adlam living with his parent's Walter and Emily and two brother's, William and George. The family were residing at 7 Alma Street in Shoreditch, London. I confirmed that Walter Adlam Sr. was a Printer by trade as noted by our family. Walter Joseph Adlam would shortly become apprenticed to the Printing trade as well.

I then accessed the 1881 census, which gave me the names of my great, great grandfather's immediate family. Walter's father, Joseph Adlam, was a Cordwainer (a what?), sorry, a bootmaker, and his mother's name was Louisa, for now...just Louisa. This is where my research ended for the moment.

I then tracked down the GRO reference for the marriage of Joseph Adlam, and sent for the marriage certificate. The certificate helps us go back in time one more generation. It gave me the details of Joseph's fathers name and occupation, as well as Louisa's maiden name and her father's name and occupation, and the rest was history.....