When you start doing your family tree you think you know where you came from - and can be surprised to discover that you're really only au-fait with what the last 2-3 generations have done and if you come from one area you might think they've lived there forever!
Having found an ancestor, you'll naturally want to then fill in the gaps of their siblings. Who were their brothers? Who where their sisters? Then, "Where did they go then?" If you just trace a single line upwards then your job is made harder because you've no clues, no "reason" why they do some things, or where they go to.
If you simultaneously track, trace and stalk all their siblings and families, you start to get a better overall family picture.
I've found that at least two of my GG-grandmother's brothers took their families off to Lincolnshire. When you cross a border, you then have to "start from scratch" in compiling your list of sources and resources for that county as every county's different. Maybe they'll have better records, maybe not! It's a whole new challenge.
I found the 50th wedding anniversary of one of my GG-gm's brothers was reported in the local newspapers. They'd sent out a journalist and a photographer, so I've now got a great article that gives a bit more information about their lives. You get details you'd have not gained by any other method, which is great, except it's just opened up a new query for me as the wife said that "two brothers married two sisters" - and, as the records in that county aren't as accessible in the home county, I'm struggling to find out who this second couple are.
While I've certainly got two brothers also in the county, with wives, I can't tie those wives back to the 50th anniversary woman! Also, I can't be sure if she was talking of herself, or maybe the other two! I'll solve it one day.
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