Podcast · History

A Family History Of...

by Findmypast · English · History

Join host Jen Baldwin and special guests to uncover hidden stories from the archives that reveal the human side of British and Irish history. Each month, follow one story across several gripping episodes, and experience history through the eyes of those who lived it. Help us shape the future of A

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 31 min
Latest: 12 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026 · 41 minNew

The Woman Who Sold Fascism | East London vs The Fascists: A Family History of... Cable Street (Part 3)

Not everyone wanted the march to be stopped. As one of the British Union of Fascists' most prominent female organisers, Anne Brock-Griggs spent the 1930s campaigning, writing and recruiting in support of the movement. In this episode, host Jen Baldwin and the British Library’s Beth Gaskell examine Cable Street from a seldom-heard perspective, following Anne's story through family records, newspapers and political archives. What drew people towards fascism in Britain, and what happened when those beliefs collided with a community determined to resist them? Advisory note: This episode features…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E34 · 5 Oct 2026 · 32 min
The Battle After the Battle | East London vs The Fascists: A Family History Of... Cable Street
One day in 1936 would shape the rest of this young woman’s life. When Minnie Keeping joined the crowds on 4 October 1936, she was one of thousands opposing fascism on the streets of East London. The events of that day would remain with her for the rest of her life. Joined by British Library Lead Curator Beth Gaskell, host Jen Baldwin traces Minnie's journey from young activist to one of the people who helped preserve the memory of Cable Street for future generations. As the day itself recedes into the past, a different struggle begins: the fight over how it will be remembered. Host: Jen…
E33 · 28 Sep 2026 · 44 min
Arrested for Opposing the Fascists | East London vs The Fascists: A Family History Of... Cable Street
As tensions rise across East London, one family finds itself at the heart of the story. In October 1936, three brothers from a Jewish hairdressing family step out onto the streets of East London as tensions over a planned fascist march reach breaking point. By the end of the day, all three will be under arrest. Host Jen Baldwin and British Library Lead Curator Beth Gaskell uncover the story of the Jacobvitch family, exploring how ordinary residents became caught up in one of the most famous confrontations in modern British history. As East London prepares for a day of uncertainty, the…
23 Sep 2026 · 2 min
East London vs The Fascists | A Family History Of... Cable Street
As fascism advanced on East London, whole communities fought back. The Battle of Cable Street is remembered as the day East London stopped the fascists. But inside that famous story are very different lives, choices, and consequences. Host and genealogist Jen Baldwin and Beth Gaskell from the British Library uncover the history of this day through ordinary people: Jewish brothers arrested amid the disorder, a young activist who spent decades defending its legacy, and a woman helping build support for fascism itself. Together, their stories reveal a day of resistance, division and conviction,…
E32 · 22 Sep 2026 · 22 min
From the Postbox | Your Industrial Revolution Questions (Bonus)
Beyond the written record, the people of Ironbridge Gorge can still be found in the stories passed down through generations. In this special bonus episode, host Jen Baldwin is joined by her Producer, Ellie Ayton, to answer your questions about researching ancestors at the heart of the Industrial Revolution. Host: Jen Baldwin Guest: Ellie Ayton Editor: Caroline Harrower Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Social media: Sarah Cornes, Thomas Davis, and Ellie Ayton Executive…
E31 · 21 Sep 2026 · 36 min
Secrets of the Gorge | Rise, Power, Ruin: The Industrial Revolution (Bonus)
The furnaces have fallen silent – but the stories they left behind are just beginning to be uncovered. Curators, historians and researchers are still piecing together the lives of the families who shaped the Ironbridge Gorge. Forgotten workers. Remarkable archive discoveries. For this special episode, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin is joined by National Trust curators Helen Antrobus and Lauren Collier for a peek behind the scenes. They explore why the story of Ironbridge is far from finished... Host: Jen Baldwin Researcher: Jen Baldwin Guests: Helen Antrobus and Lauren Collier Editor:…
E30 · 14 Sep 2026 · 39 min
Paying the Price for Change | Rise, Power, Ruin: The Industrial Revolution (Part 3)
A soldier survives war, only to face his greatest struggle at home. Swapping the battlefield for the mines, British Army soldier Matthew Taylor returns home to build a new life. He is confronted by job insecurity and relentless pressure. Host and genealogist Jen Baldwin is joined by historian Alice Loxton to trace Matthew’s journey from soldier to coal miner. Can he survive such brutal conditions? What was the cost of Ironbridge’s rapid change for people like him? Host: Jen Baldwin Researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Alice Loxton Editor: Caroline Harrower Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy…
E29 · 7 Sep 2026 · 41 min
The Women Who Held Everything Together | Rise, Power, Ruin: The Industrial Revolution (Part 2)
At the Coalport China Works, three generations of the Austin family pass down an intricate craft. Their careful work travels the globe, and yet their names are lost to history... Historian Alice Loxton joins host and genealogist Jen Baldwin to uncover a hidden story of female labour. As the world changes around them, a key question emerges: what happens when a highly prized skill is no longer needed? Host: Jen Baldwin Researchers: Jen Baldwin Guest: Alice Loxton Editor: Caroline Harrower Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie…
E28 · 31 Aug 2026 · 43 min
Brothers of Iron and Ink | Rise, Power, Ruin: The Industrial Revolution (Part 1)
Born sixteen years apart, two brothers inherit the same world, but live very different lives. Harry Nicholas spends his days in the foundry. His younger brother follows a path of education and opportunity. Host and genealogist Jen Baldwin is joined by historian Alice Loxton to explore how two brothers navigate the same industrial community in very different ways, raising the question: how much say did ordinary workers have in their own futures? Host: Jen Baldwin Researchers: Jen Baldwin Guest: Alice Loxton Editor: Caroline Harrower Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine…
26 Aug 2026 · 2 min
Rise, Power, Ruin: A Family History of the Industrial Revolution | Trailer
Three families. One revolution. A lifetime of consequences. A story of skill and sacrifice in the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Historian Alice Loxton joins host and genealogist Jen Baldwin to trace three families whose lives were shaped by one of history’s greatest transformations. At Ironbridge Gorge, industry creates opportunity, security and prosperity. But what happens when change begins to leave communities behind? Listen to episode 1 from 1 September. Host: Jen Baldwin Researchers: Jen Baldwin Guest: Alice Loxton Editor: Caroline Harrower Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy…
E27 · 24 Aug 2026 · 21 min
Objects That Remain | Peterloo: Britain's Forgotten Massacre (Bonus)
Memories carved in wood and painted on china. Objects tell us a story of violence remembered and contested. Beyond the written record, Peterloo survives in the objects left behind. For this bonus episode, host Jen Baldwin is joined by Jenny Mabbott from Manchester’s People’s History Museum to explore how fascinating items in the museum’s Peterloo collection reveal the violence, memory, and meaning of the massacre. Through these physical traces, a different perspective emerges: one that captures not just what happened, but how people remembered it, and why. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin…
E26 · 17 Aug 2026 · 43 min
Petitions, Power, and Silence | Peterloo: Britain's Forgotten Massacre (Part 3)
The violence has stopped – but the fight is only just beginning. In the aftermath of Peterloo, William Cheatham’s story moves from the field into courts, petitions, and public debate. As he seeks recognition for what happened, his experience becomes part of a much larger struggle over how Peterloo will be understood. Joined by historian David Olusoga, host Jen Baldwin explores what justice looked like in 1819, and what happened when ordinary voices tried to be heard within systems determined to shut them out. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: David Olusoga Editor: Caroline Harrower…
E25 · 10 Aug 2026 · 36 min
The Charge | Peterloo: Britain's Forgotten Massacre (Part 2)
The crowd shifts. Panic spreads. Escape is no longer guaranteed. As events at St Peter’s Field spiral, William Cheatham is caught in a moment of sudden and overwhelming violence at the hands of the Yeomanry. What began as a peaceful gathering fractures into chaos as the crowd tries to break free. In the second episode of this series, host Jen Baldwin and historian David Olusoga trace how this violence unfolds - not just on the field, but beyond it - through witness accounts and surviving records. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: David Olusoga Editor: Caroline Harrower Script editors:…
E24 · 3 Aug 2026 · 46 min
A Lawful Assembly? | Peterloo: Britain's Forgotten Massacre (Part 1)
Men, women and children gather at St Peter’s Field, fuelled by hope, unaware of the chaos that’s to come. In August 1819, tens of thousands gather in Manchester for one of Britain’s largest ever peaceful protests. Among them is weaver William Cheatham, who has travelled miles to stand with the crowd. As anticipation builds at St Peter’s Field, host Jen Baldwin and historian David Olusoga explore the ideas, tensions, and fears surrounding this unprecedented meeting. Because before the violence begins, the conditions for it are already falling into place. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin…
29 Jul 2026 · 2 min
Peterloo: Britain's Forgotten Massacre | Trailer
An assault on men, women and children; one ordinary man’s fight for justice. Join host and genealogist Jen Baldwin and acclaimed writer, broadcaster and historian David Olusoga as they uncover one man’s experience of the Peterloo Massacre and its lifelong consequences. In August 1819, tens of thousands of people gathered in Manchester for one of the largest peaceful protests Britain had ever seen. William Cheatham was one of them. This single day would shape the rest of his life. Could such brutal violence ever be rectified? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
E23 · 28 Jul 2026 · 28 min
From the Postbox | Your Somme Stories (Bonus)
A heartfelt look at your stories and questions sparked by our Somme series. What does the Somme mean to you? How do you go about researching a First World War ancestor? In this bonus episode, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin is joined by her producer and history-lover, Ellie Ayton, to explore your questions and stories from the most recent series. From fresh perspectives on the Attenborough brothers’ experiences to some very poignant personal remembrances, their conversation is led by you, the listeners. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy…
E22 · 27 Jul 2026 · 45 min
Family Serving Side by Side | The Somme (Part 5)
A deeply personal story of sacrifice, brought into focus by the fragments that remain. In this special episode, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin turns to a wartime story that’s closer to home - one discovered within the family tree of her guest, Harvey Henson, Somme specialist and volunteer with the Commonwealth Graves Commission. Harvey joins Jen to trace the story of his ancestor, Private Harold Ranson, who was killed during the Battle of the Somme. What did he experience during the First World War? What did his family endure after his tragic death? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy…
E21 · 20 Jul 2026 · 28 min
What Remains? | The Somme (Part 4)
Three brothers. A legacy of love and loss. The war has transformed life on Druid Street. After the Armistice, how does the Attenborough family navigate the lasting impact of years of conflict? In this final chapter of their story, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin and her guest Harvey Henson, Somme expert and Commonwealth War Commission Communications Coordinator, explore some poignant moments of remembrance. The fighting had stopped, but not before leaving a painful mark on the Attenboroughs. While navigating unimaginable loss, how does an ordinary family carve out a new normality for…
E20 · 13 Jul 2026 · 31 min
Two Tragic Telegrams | The Somme (Part 3)
The Somme offensive unfolds, and life upends for the Attenborough family. September 1916 marks another devastating chapter for the Attenborough family. As the fighting on the Somme intensifies, the war’s reach into one Midlands household becomes impossible to escape. Host and genealogist Jen Baldwin is joined by Somme specialist and Commonwealth War Commission Communications Coordinator, Harvey Henson, to examine how this heartbreaking story unfolded, from the shattered landscape of Ginchy to the first tanks that appeared at Flers-Courcelette. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Harvey…
E19 · 6 Jul 2026 · 29 min
The War Comes Home | The Somme (Part 2)
With the Battle of the Somme almost a year away, tragedy hits the Attenborough family for the first time. One Attenborough brother faces weaponised gas at Loos – the biggest battle of the war so far. Will he make it home? Join host and genealogist Jen Baldwin and her guest Harvey Henson, Somme specialist and Commonwealth War Commission Communications Coordinator, to examine the chaos that unfolded at Loos, and its effects on one ordinary Leicestershire family. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Harvey Henson (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall…
E18 · 29 Jun 2026 · 32 min
What really happened at the Somme? | Part 1
Did the headlines tell the whole story? In this episode, we’re joined by Somme specialist Harvey Henson to uncover the real stories behind one of the First World War’s deadliest battles. Using British military records, wartime evidence and expert insight, we follow three Leicestershire brothers who went to war - and reveal what happened to them beyond the history books. Start listening now. Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Harvey Henson (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine…
24 Jun 2026 · 2 min
A Family History Of... The Somme | Trailer
One family. A battle that would shape generations. History remembers battles. Families remember absence. Over the course of a single year, three telegrams arrived at the Attenborough family home on Druid Street, Hinckley. Three brothers - Walter, Arthur and Richard Attenborough - were swept into the upheaval of the First World War, serving in different regiments as the conflict intensified from Loos to the Somme. Across four episodes, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin is joined by Somme expert and Commonwealth War Graves Commission Communications Coordinator, Harvey Henson, to explore the…
E17 · 22 Jun 2026 · 17 min
What Naval Records Reveal | Gallipoli (Part 4)
Gallipoli may dominate the history books. But the records tell the rest of the story. Gallipoli is one of those moments in history that can seem enormous when we look back at it now. But when we delve into the naval records of the men who actually experienced it, something surprising happens – it barely interrupts the page at all. In this bonus episode, host and expert genealogist Jen Baldwin steps back from this defining First World War campaign to explore what family history records can reveal when we look beyond the big moments we already know. Through the wider context of Gallipoli, this…
E16 · 15 Jun 2026 · 32 min
Aftershocks of the Campaign | Gallipoli (Part 3)
Gallipoli is over. But its effects ripple on. After the chaos of the Dardanelles, HMS Prince George limps into Malta, a harbour strained by wounded men, damaged ships, and the unrelenting work of repair. For Nelson Langsford, the danger gives way to a different kind of pressure, as engineers and dockyard crews work around the clock to keep the fleet afloat. Joined by naval historian Charlotte Ward‑Kelly, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin explores how these quieter weeks appear, and often disappear, in the records. Back home, as Nelson moves from frontline service into instruction and…
E15 · 8 Jun 2026 · 29 min
Into the Dardanelles | Gallipoli (Part 2)
The battle for Gallipoli begins. As war comes knocking, Nelson Langsford moves from routine service into active conflict aboard HMS Prince George . Tasked with carrying troops and patrolling hostile waters, the ship turns toward the Dardanelles, a narrow strait Britain hopes to force open and end the war quickly. But it won’t be that simple. Joined by naval historian Charlotte Ward‑Kelly, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin delves deeper, uncovering what it was like to experience this gamble far below deck. As mines detonate, shells strike, and ageing battleships strain under impossible…
E14 · 1 Jun 2026 · 33 min
The Calm Before the Storm | Gallipoli (Part 1)
A childhood shaped by industry. A Navy on the brink of change. Nelson Langsford grows up at National Trust’s Cotehele Mill, as part of a family rooted for generations in skilled work. Beyond the mill, Britain is entering a new industrial age, and the Royal Navy is transforming with it. Joined by naval historian Charlotte Ward‑Kelly, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin explores how Nelson’s early life prepared him for a very different world. As steam power replaces sail and engineering skill becomes vital to Britain’s global reach, Nelson steps into the engine rooms of a modernising Navy while…
27 May 2026 · 2 min
A Family History Of... Gallipoli | Trailer
Gallipoli thunders on the waves. The engine room endures below deck. Gallipoli was one of the First World War’s most devastating campaigns; it’s a story usually told through strategy, maps, and failure. But for thousands of families, Gallipoli was experienced through service in the Royal Navy, far below deck and far from the history books. In this series of A Family History Of ..., follow the story of Nelson Langsford, who grew up at National Trust’s Cotehele Mill before joining a rapidly modernising Royal Navy. As the First World War begins, Nelson’s technical skills take him into the…
E13 · 25 May 2026 · 15 min
The Battle for Public Opinion | The General Strike (Part 5)
The General Strike wasn’t just fought on the picket line. It was also fought in the headlines. In this bonus episode, host and expert genealogist Jen Baldwin explores how newspapers shaped public understanding of the 1926 General Strike as it unfolded. Drawing on contemporary press coverage and the words of union leader Will Lawther, she examines how competing narratives influenced opinion, legitimacy, and memory, and why the story of the Strike can look very different depending on who was telling it. This reflective final chapter shows why newspapers don’t just record history. They help…
E12 · 18 May 2026 · 29 min
The Strike's Long Shadow | The General Strike (Part 4)
In the wake of defeat, one man does what he’s always done: he keeps going. In the long aftermath of the 1926 General Strike, the banners are folded away, but the hardship isn’t over. As unemployment bites and the Means Test humiliates families across the country, Will Lawther steps once more into the halls, meetings, and street corners where miners gather to make sense of a world that suddenly feels smaller. Joined again by historian Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum), host and genealogist Jen Baldwin explores how Will rebuilt his life after defeat, rising from local organiser to…
E11 · 11 May 2026 · 30 min
Enemy of the State | The General Strike (Part 3)
The General Strike begins. Britain comes to a standstill. It’s 1926, and the nation is unrecognisable. Trains idle, newspapers fall silent. In the middle of it, Will Lawther, councillor and trusted voice of the miners, finds himself pulled into confrontations charged with fear. Joined once more by historian Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum), host and genealogist Jen Baldwin follows the evidence that traces Will’s sudden collision with state power. In a week when authority is contested at every crossroads, Will becomes a symbol of something larger: a community standing firm as the…

About A Family History Of...

A Family History Of... is a English history podcast from Findmypast. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Findmypast
Language: English
Category: History
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 31 min
Latest episode: 12 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1878336326

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