I have lived in Clayton le Woods for 40 years and have an ancestral connection going as far back as the 1700s on my maternal side.

I attended Manor Road Primary School and then Parklands High School

I have always had a keen interest in genealogy, local, WW1 and WW2 history.

Most of my spare time I spend researching war history which started originally whilst researching the war history of family members.

As an amateur genealogist, I have spent the past 20 years or so mostly on my own family tree.

However, as I became more experienced I began transcribing documents for Ancestry.co.uk and recently helping other such enthusiasts with research via websites such as The Great War Forum.

When I discovered TOM PEEL, a relative, on the war memorial at Whittle le Woods, it inspired and motivated me to research all the men on the memorial, something only the local Parish Councils have done.

I have since discovered I am related to plenty more of the men and their families

My traditional and modern approach to research, googe searches, piles of paperwork, emails, books and personal visits continue to help my ongoing progress

If I am not spending time on the "Clayton and Whittle at War" website development I am usually 

'Gone Fishing' or preparing for a trip to the battlefields.

John Melling, 2022