WITH cross referenced computer records and private companies researching our history, it’s a relatively easy task these days to trace our forebears.

Lemon Tree Passage’s Mark Skidmore is one local resident who has traced both sides of his family tree extensively, with one of the branches leading all the way back to Catherine Parr.

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Catherine was the last wife of Henry VIII and survived the chopping block as she outlived him.

She was also the most married queen of England, having a total of four husbands before her untimely death in childbirth at the age of 36.

Mark’s research discovered other prominent relatives while peeling back the pages.

A certain Rev John Ashley founded the Mission for Seafarers in the 1800s and before him, Dr Stephen Radcliffe was a judge in Ireland in the 1700s.

The royal connection came in the 1400s when documents revealed that a Radcliffe was the cousin of Catherine.

Another family history researcher, Sean Brennan, has the unusual distinction of having two relatives who were transported on the First Fleet.

They ended up marrying one another.

Another Port Stephens Family History Society member many years ago travelled to the UK to trace her roots.

In the olden times, families stayed in the small villages where they were born for countless generations as trains and motor vehicles hadn’t been invented.

In her village church, she was able to trace her ancestry back some 1000 years!

With residents locked down and looking for something to do, a bit of trawling through the shipping records or the births, deaths and marriage records might get you started.