Family history articles
Here are some articles I wrote for family history magazines on trade union and company records, electoral records and the difficulties of putting modern values on historical prices.
Trade union records (Family History Detective)
People have always joined forces to fight for their rights. The records left by trade unions can tell us much about how they lived their lives
Your Family Tree
January 2006, issue 33
A fair day’s pay?
How did our ancestors’ wages compare with ours? Mark Crail opens up pay packets from the past
Ancestors (The National Archives)
March 2010, issue 93
Read the article (PDF)
Capital and labour
Londoners have always occupied a unique place at the heart of the trade union movement. Mark Crail uses union records to research labouring Londoners
Ancestors (The National Archives)
London special 2010, issue 92
Read the article (PDF)
Election special
As we prepare to head to the polls, delve into the records to find out who your ancestors voted for, follow their movements and learn about their changing social status
Your Family Tree
May 2010, issue 90
Read the article (PDF)
Company records (Family History Detective)
Could a pile of old share certificates make you the heir to a fortune? Maybe not, but company records can still enrich your family’s history
Your Family Tree
Christmas 2005, issue 32
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