A Family History Of...

A childhood shaped by industry. A Navy on the brink of change. Nelson Langsford grows up at National Trust’s Cotehele Mill, as part of a family rooted for generations in skilled work. Beyond the mill, Britain is entering a new industrial age, and the Royal Navy is transforming with it. Joined by naval historian Charlotte Ward‑Kelly, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin explores how Nelson’s early life prepared him for a very different world. As steam power replaces sail and engineering skill becomes vital to Britain’s global reach, Nelson steps into the engine rooms of a modernising Navy while the First World War looms on the horizon. How does an ordinary upbringing prepare one man for the dangers of conflict, and a campaign that will leave a lasting mark on his family history? Host and researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Charlotte Ward-Kelly Editor: CM87Edits Script editors: Niall Cullen, Daisy Goddard, and Madeleine Gilbert Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Social media: Sarah CornesExecutive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James 

Gallipoli thunders on the waves. The engine room endures below deck. Gallipoli was one of the First World War’s most devastating campaigns; it’s a story usually told through strategy, maps, and failure. But for thousands of families, Gallipoli was experienced through service in the Royal Navy, far below deck and far from the history books. In this series of A Family History Of..., follow the story of Nelson Langsford, who grew up at National Trust’s Cotehele Mill before joining a rapidly modernising Royal Navy. As the First World War begins, Nelson’s technical skills take him into the engine rooms of battleships bound for the Dardanelles, and into the heart of the Gallipoli campaign. Across four episodes, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin and guest naval historian Charlotte Ward‑Kelly trace Nelson’s journey through the war. A First World War story told through the eyes of one man, and the family history he left behind. 

The General Strike wasn’t just fought on the picket line. It was also fought in the headlines. In this bonus episode, host and expert genealogist Jen Baldwin explores how newspapers shaped public understanding of the 1926 General Strike as it unfolded. Drawing on contemporary press coverage and the words of union leader Will Lawther, she examines how competing narratives influenced opinion, legitimacy, and memory, and why the story of the Strike can look very different depending on who was telling it. This reflective final chapter shows why newspapers don’t just record history. They help decide how it’s remembered. Host: Jen Baldwin Researchers: Jen Baldwin and Barry Kline Oral History Credits: Northumberland Archives Editor: CM87Edits Script Editors: Niall Cullen, Madeleine Gilbert, and James Plumb Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James

In the wake of defeat, one man does what he’s always done: he keeps going. In the long aftermath of the 1926 General Strike, the banners are folded away, but the hardship isn’t over. As unemployment bites and the Means Test humiliates families across the country, Will Lawther steps once more into the halls, meetings, and street corners where miners gather to make sense of a world that suddenly feels smaller. Joined again by historian Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum), host and genealogist Jen Baldwin explores how Will rebuilt his life after defeat, rising from local organiser to national union leader, and eventually to a knighthood that never quite pulled him from his roots. This final chapter follows a man shaped by struggle, anchored by community, and defined by the dignity he fought for long after the General Strike ended. Host: Jen Baldwin Researchers: Jen Baldwin and Barry Kline Oral History Credits: Northumberland Archives Guest: Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum)Editor: CM87Edits Script Editors: Niall Cullen, Madeleine Gilbert, and James Plumb Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James

The General Strike begins. Britain comes to a standstill.  It’s 1926, and the nation is unrecognisable. Trains idle, newspapers fall silent. In the middle of it, Will Lawther, councillor and trusted voice of the miners, finds himself pulled into confrontations charged with fear. Joined once more by historian Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum), host and genealogist Jen Baldwin follows the evidence that traces Will’s sudden collision with state power. In a week when authority is contested at every crossroads, Will becomes a symbol of something larger: a community standing firm as the country tilts into crisis. But raising his voice comes at a cost. Host: Jen Baldwin Researchers: Jen Baldwin and Barry Kline Oral History Credits: Northumberland Archives Guest: Jonathan Kindleysides Editor: CM87Edits Script Editors: Niall Cullen, Madeleine Gilbert, and James Plumb Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James 

A boy raised in the shadow of the mines. A world forged in defiance.Will Lawther grows up in Northumberland, in a vast mining household where every day begins and ends with the rhythm of the pit. But his life will take an unusual turn. Joined by historian Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum), host and genealogist Jen Baldwin walks us through terraced streets, dark mines, and the rise of early labour politics. They explore how danger, community, and responsibility shaped Will’s life long before the chaos of the 1926 General Strike. How does a childhood forged underground prepare a young man for leadership during one of Britain’s most historic moments?Host: Jen BaldwinResearchers: Jen Baldwin and Barry KlineOral History Credits: Northumberland ArchivesGuest: Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum)Editor: CM87EditsScript Editors: Niall Cullen, Madeleine Gilbert, and James PlumbProducers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James PlumbDesigner: Michael McCoshExecutive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James

A boy raised in the shadow of the mines. A world forged in defiance. Will Lawther grows up in Northumberland, in a vast mining household where every day begins and ends with the rhythm of the pit. But his life will take an unusual turn. Joined by historian Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum), host and genealogist Jen Baldwin walks us through terraced streets, dark mines, and the rise of early labour politics. They explore how danger, community, and responsibility shaped Will’s life long before the chaos of the 1926 General Strike. How does a childhood forged underground prepare a young man for leadership during one of Britain’s most historic moments? Host: Jen Baldwin Researchers: Jen Baldwin and Barry Kline Oral History Credits: Northumberland ArchivesGuest: Jonathan Kindleysides Editor: CM87Edits Script Editors: Niall Cullen, Madeleine Gilbert, and James Plumb Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James 

One working-class mining family, and nine days that reshaped a nation’s history. Humble miner Will Lawther rose from the pit to face the frontlines of the 1926 General Strike, swapping coal dust for politics. Across four episodes, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin is joined by historian Jonathan Kindleysides (Beamish Museum) to trace how one family and one determined young man met an extraordinary moment in British history. Together, they uncover how a week‑long national strike redefined identity and the meaning of standing together. Listen to Part 1 from 28 April - follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode.

When records are fractured, biased, or simply gone, how do you tell a true family story?  In this final part of A Family History of the Irish Famine, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin steps into the silences surrounding Archibald MacKenzie’s life. Through the archives, the missing lines, and the traces that remain, she asks what survival really meant, and what it cost the countless families who left no trail behind. Host and Researcher: Jen Baldwin  Editor: CM87Edits Script Editors: Niall Cullen, Madeleine Gilbert, Daisy Goddard, and Ellie Ayton Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James