Episode one: Suzannah's surprising family story

Today we’re in Avebury, a small historic farming community in Wiltshire. Most people know Avebury for the ancient stone circle that encompasses much of the village, and forms part of the wider Stonehenge World Heritage Site. In this episode, we’ll be exploring a family that has the rich soil of the Wiltshire countryside running through its veins. Today’s guest and her family are an amazing example of the lives led by farm workers in a ‘closed’ agricultural community, passing down farming skills and a worker’s cottage uninterrupted for almost 200 years. What if you could follow in the footsteps of your ancestors and reveal the hidden tales behind some of the UK’s fascinating historical locations? Join historian Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and the experts at Findmypast as they visit a range of locations cared for by the National Trust, to uncover the stories that took place there. Each episode will explore the family tree of a guest whose ancestors played a key role in the history of the property. If you’ve ever wondered about your own family history, enjoy thinking about some of the mysteries lost to time, or are fascinated by historical records, why not Step into the Past with us.

In today's episode, we're in Birmingham to explore Jan Daniells' family story which is deeply connected to the city's industrial, social, and religious history. We'll uncover what life was like for the millions of industrial workers living in "Back to Backs" - poor-quality housing built around a shared courtyard. Where will your past take you? Discover your own story for free on Findmypast at www.findmypast.co.ukWith huge thanks to the National Trust for all their help with this episode. What if you could follow in the footsteps of your ancestors and reveal the hidden tales behind some of the UK’s fascinating historical locations? Join historian Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and the experts at Findmypast as they visit a range of locations cared for by the National Trust, to uncover the stories that took place there. Each episode will explore the family tree of a guest whose ancestors played a key role in the history of the property. If you’ve ever wondered about your own family history, enjoy thinking about some of the mysteries lost to time, or are fascinated by historical records, why not Step into the Past with us.

Suzannah and her guest Sandy travel to the not-so-stately home of Calke Abbey in Derbyshire to discover Sandy’s family’s longstanding connection to the estate and its early Baptist congregation. Calke Abbey has undergone many transformations in its long history, moving from religious priory to sprawling stately home, and forming the core of the community in all its guises for hundreds of years. Sandy discovers that her family were skilled workers and faithful retainers, who honed their crafts over generations and were rewarded for their expertise and dedication by their wealthy patrons. Over 200 years, members of the family were embedded in the fabric of this community, enjoying the employment opportunities and patronage offered by Calke Abbey. Sandy also learns of their non-conformist beliefs, at a time when Baptism was on the rise among skilled working classes, and how this threatened the established order.Where will your past take you? Discover your own story for free on Findmypast at www.findmypast.co.ukWith huge thanks to Karen Kreft atticknalllife.co.uk, and Julie Griffith and Alanna Rasen of the National Trust for all their help with this episode.Music: March For The Derbyshire Cavalry Regiment by J. Haydn (All efforts have been made to establish copyright for this recording. Please get in touch if you believe that you are the owner). /

A family divided. Two divergent paths. Rags and riches. In episode three, Suzannah meets Charlotte, the 4 x great-granddaughter of poet and national treasure William Wordsworth. Exploring Wordsworth House and the surrounding streets in Cockermouth, they retrace the steps of Charlotte's ancestors and discover how two branches of this famous family had very different fates. As the story comes full circle, where will we find the Wordsworth relatives in the 1921 Census. What if you could follow in the footsteps of your ancestors and reveal the hidden tales behind some of the UK’s fascinating historical locations? Join historian Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and the experts at Findmypast as they visit a range of locations cared for by the National Trust, to uncover the stories that took place there. Each episode will explore the family tree of a guest whose ancestors played a key role in the history of the property. If you’ve ever wondered about your own family history, enjoy thinking about some of the mysteries lost to time, or are fascinated by historical records, why not Step into the Past with us.

In collaboration with the National Trust, we meet David Higginson, whose ancestors lived and worked at Quarry Bank, one of Britain's greatest industrial heritage sites. Suzannah and David amble around Quarry Bank's vast estate and immerse themselves in the sights and sounds his ancestors experienced. Stopping by key places along the way, including the cottage his 5 x great-grandparents lived in, David learns more about his family's remarkable past. By telling David's story, we're telling thousands of connected British family stories. Stories that echo through time and affect how we view the world around us today.

Ellie from Findmypast chats with Step into the Past host Suzannah Lipscomb about the family history that has made her, her. Suzannah's stories take us from London to India and the United States and we introduce her to some new relatives along the way. We hear how wartime bravery, family tragedy and adventurous ancestors have shaped fascinating chapters of her past. How will Suzannah feel when we reveal her mother's adoption papers could be hiding a secret?

Hello and welcome to Step into the Past – the podcast where we take you back in time to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors, brought to you by Findmypast. Throughout this series we’ll be uncovering the family tree of a different guest each week, and we’ll be visiting a central location in the lives of their ancestors - a location cared for by the National Trust. What secrets can these locations reveal about the lives of people who lived or worked there through the generations? Hosted by historian, author and TV presenter Professor Suzannah Lipscomb we'll be uncovering the mysteries behind family history and how these can be pieced together using historical records, which we’ll be doing plenty of throughout this series.