Hello from London!

Hi everyone! Dr. Harris asked me to contribute to the blog and share some of my experiences.

My time here in England so far has been fantastic! I love the people, sights, and history that surrounds me 24/7. It has been a marvelous experience that I still can't believe is taking place.

This past week I traveled from London to Shropshire to do some personal family history research as part of my internship. I first traveled to Ludlow where my ancestors, James and Ann Price, lived. After having researched this line for about a year now, this trip was very special to me. I stepped off the train onto the abandoned platform, and as the train faded away behind me, I was left with just the sound of birds chirping around me and a sign saying "Welcome to Ludlow" in front of me. I couldn't believe I was there!



I then toured the remarkable, fantasy-like town, stopping at all the important landmarks and strolling through the streets and "shuts" (a.k.a. "allies"). It was incredible to walk where they walked and to witness what life was like for them. It gave me a whole new perspective and appreciation.

Here is a picture of me on the street where my ancestor's lived, a shot of the town, and a picture of me in front of the St Lawrence Ludlow Parish Church.




I then took a tour of the castle ruins still standing from the 12th century! (You know a castle is old when people in the 1700s called it "a relic.") I climbed the tiny, warped, muddy stairs up to the top of the castle tower and was blown away by the vista before me. I instantly fell in love and have claimed Ludlow as one of my all time favorite places in the world. It is remarkable to believe my ancestors left this for the promises that awaited them in the New World.











Lastly I spent three days at the Shropshire Archives in the medieval town of Shrewsbury. This was another marvelous experience that I could not have had anywhere else. Not only did I gain a better understanding of my ancestors' world by researching primary documents, but I also learned a lot about different types of records: how they look, what they contain, how they are useful, etc. I also gained a better understanding of the archive process and how best to maximum my time there. I could not have asked for a better experience!

Well cheerio for now!