Just cheered myself up by spending the wages from the job I mustn’t mention. A new edition of Family Tree Maker is on its way – my old edition was on floppies – yes really – edition 3! Also invested in Ronald Hutton’s The Ritual Year.

It really does look as if I have found gg grandad in the 1851 census – now all I need is a trip to Northumberland archives.

This is the only picture I have of great grandad John Hogg – together with my grandmother Bessie. My daughters and I are their only living descendants; so descendants of elusive gg grandad would be my closest relatives on this side of my family.