My family tree

        I have always thought that there was one good idea the Mormons have, that we should all trace our family trees.  Many cultures have the similar ideas, that we owe something to our ancestors.  At least we should know their names.  I started working on my family tree just before my wife and I left England in 1979, but have done little since because the records are all in the U.K and we now live in the U.S.A.  This is something the internet will eventually change. Below is what I have.  With the exception of one generation, which is the generation that was living at about the time records were being moved from local offices to the Central Registry Office in London, I can trace my ancestors back to the seventeenth century.

~1980                   Andrew, born 2 September 1976, Stockport, U.K.
son of Hazel and Derek Sears
Christopher, born 29 March 1980, Los Angeles, California, USA
                son of Hazel and Derek Sears
David, born 16 June 1984, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
   son of Hazel and Derek Sears

~1950                    Derek, born 18 December 1948, Maidstone, Kent, U.K.
  son of Sidney and Eileen Sears
                                  married Hazel Bent, 31 July 1971
Malcolm, born 14 February 1951, Maidstone, Kent, U.K.
       son of Sidney and Eileen Sears
                                  married Angela Lury, xx July 1974 

~1910                    Sidney, born 25 December 1915, died August 1974, Maidstone, Kent, U.K.
     son of William and Cecilia Sears
                                 married Eileen Bird
                             Lewis, born in 1913, Maidstone, Kent, U.K.
son of William and Cecilia Sears

~1880                   William, born 1875, died 1958, Maidstone, Kent, U.K.
     son of Lewis and Caroline Sears
                                 married (1) Cecilia Lott (1874-1917)
                                 married (2) Edith Aslam Brown (1879-1952).
                              Alfred (Henry), born 1876, a cripple, died when he was about 14.
son of Lewis and Caroline Sears
                              Emily, born 1878.
                             married in 1910
daughter of Lewis and Caroline Sears
                              Harriet, born 1879.
daughter of Lewis and Caroline Sears

~1865                   Lewis, deceased by ~1906, of Maidstone, Kent, U.K.
     son of Lewis and Mary Sears
                                 married Caroline Cogger in 1871

~1845                   Lewis, born before 1850, of Maidstone, Kent, U.K.
     son of Charles Sears
                                 married Mary Phipps in 1844

~1825                  Charles, born before 1850, of Maidstone, Kent, U.K.
     son of missing link
                                 married 1820-1825

~1800                  Missing Link 

~1780                   Christopher, born 1759, Hucking, Near Maidstone, Kent, U.K.
     son of Christopher and Sarah Sears 
                                 married Elizabeth Kerby of Huckinge, 21 Mar 1781

~1750                   Christopher, born 1729, died before 1763, Huckinge, Near Maidstone, Kent, U.K.
     son of Christopher and Elizabeth Sears 
                                 married (1) Sarah Parks of Broomfield, at Broomfield, 11 April 1758, Christopher Sears Sr.
                                        bondsman
                                 married (2) Ann Allen, 28 Oct 1759
Robert, of Huckinge, Near Maidstone, Kent, U.K.
     son of  Christopher and Elizabeth Sears
                                 married Ann Sears, 17 Oct 1763, Cleaveland Sears of Huckinge, husbandsman, bondsman.

~1720                   Christopher, of Huckinge, Near Maidstone, Kent, U.K.
                                 married Elizabeth, ~1738

Prior to the establishment of the Central Registry Office in London, records were kept by the local diocese, which is my case was Canterbury.  I located a great many records for marriages between Sears (or Seeres, Sear, Seares), some of which appear above, from the "Canterbury Marriage Licences" by A. J. Willis, published by Phillimore, in 1967, 1969, 1971 and could track their movements on county maps.  During the period 1568 to 1676, Sears were located in southern Kent and  northeast Kent, during the period 1677-1750 they spread out fairly widely acorss the county bu many were in the north downs region, and the then during the 1751-1837 they concentrated near and around Maidstone, the county town.

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