Janice Heppenstall
@janiceheppenstall.bsky.social
writer, genealogist, family historian, rejoiner, book lover, lifelong learner, needleworker... web/blog: https://englishancestors.blog/ author at: https://sussexbylines.co.uk/author/janice-heppenstall/
Okaaay... so with 3 hrs 18 mins to spare I've just placed my final pre-price-hike order for Probate docs. Seventeen wills at a total of £25.50, instead of the £272 it would cost to buy them after midnight. A saving of £246.50. Hope I didn't forget any.
Buy yours right now if you need them!
Buy yours right now if you need them!
November 16, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Okaaay... so with 3 hrs 18 mins to spare I've just placed my final pre-price-hike order for Probate docs. Seventeen wills at a total of £25.50, instead of the £272 it would cost to buy them after midnight. A saving of £246.50. Hope I didn't forget any.
Buy yours right now if you need them!
Buy yours right now if you need them!
Yes, I agree.
Before Monday’s shocking price rise, 6 direct line ancestor wills ordered. 4 came back instantly, having already been digitised, so akin to the automated digitised wills service for #WW1 soldiers. Begs the question why pricing isn’t graded akin to GRO Digital Images & PDFs #Probate #FamilyHistory
November 15, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Yes, I agree.
Reposted by Janice Heppenstall
Starbucks’ CEO makes 6,666x what the average @sbworkersunited.org barista does. It would take less than one day of sales to finalize a fair contract.
Baristas at Starbucks corporate stores nationwide are on strike to fight this corporate greed and get the fair contract they deserve.
Baristas at Starbucks corporate stores nationwide are on strike to fight this corporate greed and get the fair contract they deserve.
November 14, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Starbucks’ CEO makes 6,666x what the average @sbworkersunited.org barista does. It would take less than one day of sales to finalize a fair contract.
Baristas at Starbucks corporate stores nationwide are on strike to fight this corporate greed and get the fair contract they deserve.
Baristas at Starbucks corporate stores nationwide are on strike to fight this corporate greed and get the fair contract they deserve.
Reposted by Janice Heppenstall
We concur! A #OnePlaceStudy can help you to identify the people your ancestors lived alongside, worked with and for, teamed up with for sports or social events, worshipped with, and associated with in other ways, breaking down brick walls along the way.
Genealogist Elizabeth Shown Mills popularized the concept of the FAN Club. These people often appear in your ancestor’s records and can be key to solving tough questions.
Look for familiar names in land records, witnesses on documents, and census neighbors. Your ancestor didn’t live in a vacuum!
Look for familiar names in land records, witnesses on documents, and census neighbors. Your ancestor didn’t live in a vacuum!
November 14, 2025 at 6:36 PM
We concur! A #OnePlaceStudy can help you to identify the people your ancestors lived alongside, worked with and for, teamed up with for sports or social events, worshipped with, and associated with in other ways, breaking down brick walls along the way.
My latest blog post has just published. It's about preparing to visit houses and places where our ancestors lived. englishancestors.blog/2025/11/14/a...
Ancestral Tourism 4: Houses & Business Premises
This is part four in my ‘Ancestral Tourism’ series. It follows on from Part 1: Churches and Churchyards, Part 2: Municipal & other Public Cemeteries and Part 3: Graves and Gravestones. The focu…
englishancestors.blog
November 14, 2025 at 6:46 PM
My latest blog post has just published. It's about preparing to visit houses and places where our ancestors lived. englishancestors.blog/2025/11/14/a...
Reposted by Janice Heppenstall
My takeaway from every new Epstein revelation is that some powerful people victimized many powerless young women, many more knew, some actively enabled it--and we're still being told that MeToo and accountability for sexual violence have gone too far
November 12, 2025 at 5:05 PM
My takeaway from every new Epstein revelation is that some powerful people victimized many powerless young women, many more knew, some actively enabled it--and we're still being told that MeToo and accountability for sexual violence have gone too far
Let's hope Hell hath no fury like a Broadcasting Corporation scorned.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c2...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c2...
New Epstein emails that mention Trump released by House Democrats - live updates
The White House says the victim - whose name is redacted in the emails - is the late Virginia Giuffre.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Let's hope Hell hath no fury like a Broadcasting Corporation scorned.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c2...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c2...
This is what a (young, perfectly imperfect, real) Nobel Peace Prize recipient looks like. youtu.be/_tDeOeYdoHU?...
Malala: “Would I have chosen a different life?“
YouTube video by The News Agents
youtu.be
November 9, 2025 at 11:26 AM
This is what a (young, perfectly imperfect, real) Nobel Peace Prize recipient looks like. youtu.be/_tDeOeYdoHU?...
Just published by Sussex Bylines, this is written by a founder member of No One Above, a collective of survivors of organized abuse and trafficking at Fayed-controlled organisations. It describes the barriers that survivors have faced in their battle to bring the abusers to justice.
Survivors of abuse connected to Mohamed Al Fayed’s Harrods empire are discovering what “no one is above the law” really means | "Isabella"
When power is untouchable: the legal abyss facing Harrods survivors
Survivors of abuse connected to Mohamed Al Fayed’s Harrods empire are discovering what “no one is above the law” really means
sussexbylines.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Just published by Sussex Bylines, this is written by a founder member of No One Above, a collective of survivors of organized abuse and trafficking at Fayed-controlled organisations. It describes the barriers that survivors have faced in their battle to bring the abusers to justice.
Deeply wrong, obscene and dangerous for the world.
It is both ethically wrong & fundamentally anti-democratic for one man to command this much wealth and power.
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Elon Musk's $1tn pay deal approved by Tesla shareholders
The richest man in the world will get hundreds of millions of new shares if he hits his targets.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Deeply wrong, obscene and dangerous for the world.
Whopping rise in cost of digital copy wills for England & Wales. Up from £1.50 to £16 from 17th November.
www.family-tree.co.uk/news/probate...
www.family-tree.co.uk/news/probate...
Probate price shock: What it means for family historians — and how to stay ahead
From 17 November the fee for a copy of a will increases from £1.50 to £16. Read on for practical advice from Fraser & Fraser to help you plan and budget.
www.family-tree.co.uk
November 4, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Whopping rise in cost of digital copy wills for England & Wales. Up from £1.50 to £16 from 17th November.
www.family-tree.co.uk/news/probate...
www.family-tree.co.uk/news/probate...
Reposted by Janice Heppenstall
Reposted by Janice Heppenstall
What he said: 💯 🎯
November 1, 2025 at 6:55 PM
What he said: 💯 🎯
Reposted by Janice Heppenstall
Between 1645 and 1647, more than 100 people in East Anglia were executed for witchcraft – most of them women.
Their only crime was being accused.
Stuart Burrell tells their story.
Their only crime was being accused.
Stuart Burrell tells their story.
The Witchfinder General: East Anglia’s dark secret
As we tell ghost stories to children, it is time to remember a true horror that stalked these lands
eastangliabylines.co.uk
October 30, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Between 1645 and 1647, more than 100 people in East Anglia were executed for witchcraft – most of them women.
Their only crime was being accused.
Stuart Burrell tells their story.
Their only crime was being accused.
Stuart Burrell tells their story.
My latest article for Sussex Bylines has just published.
It's not your usual 'spooky' Hallowe'en tale.... It's far more horrifying than that.
It's not your usual 'spooky' Hallowe'en tale.... It's far more horrifying than that.
The real danger to human rights is from individual governments intent on authoritarian power and control | Janice Heppenstall
Something wicked this way comes
The real danger to human rights is from individual governments intent on authoritarian power and control
sussexbylines.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 12:13 PM
My latest article for Sussex Bylines has just published.
It's not your usual 'spooky' Hallowe'en tale.... It's far more horrifying than that.
It's not your usual 'spooky' Hallowe'en tale.... It's far more horrifying than that.
Reposted by Janice Heppenstall
This is a disgrace they need to fire the person at the BBC who is charge of the News, they are clearly biased.
September 18, 2025 at 6:06 PM
This is a disgrace they need to fire the person at the BBC who is charge of the News, they are clearly biased.
My latest blogpost has just published. It's aimed at Intermediate level family history researchers or people moving on from Beginners to Intermediate, and looks at how we can layer up and cross reference information from burial records.
englishancestors.blog/2025/10/24/g...
englishancestors.blog/2025/10/24/g...
Getting the most from cemetery records
Today’s post is an interloper amongst my little ‘Ancestral Tourism’ series. It follows on from Part 1: Churches and Churchyards, Part 2: Municipal & other Public Cemeteries an…
englishancestors.blog
October 24, 2025 at 6:14 PM
My latest blogpost has just published. It's aimed at Intermediate level family history researchers or people moving on from Beginners to Intermediate, and looks at how we can layer up and cross reference information from burial records.
englishancestors.blog/2025/10/24/g...
englishancestors.blog/2025/10/24/g...
Any potential 'citizen journalists' out there in Sussex, Hampshire and Isle of Wight area? Take a look at this.
Even if you're not in this region, your own Bylines region may also need more writers and others to help with the process.
Even if you're not in this region, your own Bylines region may also need more writers and others to help with the process.
New one from me. Come on, all you writers
With the mainstream media steadily moving to the right, it is more urgent than ever that we have independent, ethical media outlets willing to speak truth to power. Citizen journalism can be a powerful force for good and James Joughin issues a call to arms in his piece for @sussexbylines.co.uk
October 23, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Any potential 'citizen journalists' out there in Sussex, Hampshire and Isle of Wight area? Take a look at this.
Even if you're not in this region, your own Bylines region may also need more writers and others to help with the process.
Even if you're not in this region, your own Bylines region may also need more writers and others to help with the process.
Fantastic article by my friend at Sussex Bylines, Viv Griffiths. Kier Starmer and his government have started to dare to utter the B word. It's time now to move away from Reform UK's narrative altogether, and to speak the truth about the positive aspects of migration for our country.
October 18, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Fantastic article by my friend at Sussex Bylines, Viv Griffiths. Kier Starmer and his government have started to dare to utter the B word. It's time now to move away from Reform UK's narrative altogether, and to speak the truth about the positive aspects of migration for our country.
Reposted by Janice Heppenstall
Reform UK intends to withdraw our human rights
They want us to join Russia and Belarus as the only European states not signed up to the ECHR.
They want us to join Russia and Belarus as the only European states not signed up to the ECHR.
Reform UK intends to withdraw our human rights
They want us to join Russia and Belarus as the only European states not signed up to the ECHR
sussexbylines.co.uk
September 20, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Reform UK intends to withdraw our human rights
They want us to join Russia and Belarus as the only European states not signed up to the ECHR.
They want us to join Russia and Belarus as the only European states not signed up to the ECHR.
My latest blog post has published. It’s about understanding what you find when visiting a cemetery where your ancestors are buried.
englishancestors.blog/2025/09/23/a...
englishancestors.blog/2025/09/23/a...
Ancestral Tourism 3: How to read a cemetery
Ryde Cemetery, Isle of Wight. © Janice Heppenstall This is the third in my ‘Ancestral Tourism’ series, and follows on from posts about preparing for visiting Churches and Churchyards an…
englishancestors.blog
September 23, 2025 at 1:48 PM
My latest blog post has published. It’s about understanding what you find when visiting a cemetery where your ancestors are buried.
englishancestors.blog/2025/09/23/a...
englishancestors.blog/2025/09/23/a...
Reposted by Janice Heppenstall
There is no world in which it is normal for the president to publicly call upon his attorney general to hurry up and prosecute his political foes. It’s like the Watergate tapes but posted on social media. Let’s get a grip on what’s happening here.
September 21, 2025 at 12:56 AM
There is no world in which it is normal for the president to publicly call upon his attorney general to hurry up and prosecute his political foes. It’s like the Watergate tapes but posted on social media. Let’s get a grip on what’s happening here.
Reposted by Janice Heppenstall
Appalled by the violent scenes of police being attacked at the Tommy Robinson rally today. Those responsible should face the full force of the law.
These far right thugs do not speak for Britain.
These far right thugs do not speak for Britain.
September 13, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Appalled by the violent scenes of police being attacked at the Tommy Robinson rally today. Those responsible should face the full force of the law.
These far right thugs do not speak for Britain.
These far right thugs do not speak for Britain.
Reposted by Janice Heppenstall
"…and Magda Goebbels made a great strudel.”
September 13, 2025 at 3:27 PM
"…and Magda Goebbels made a great strudel.”