I undertook the search for the Bartons - my wife's paternal ancestors - to learn the methods and resources available to the amateur genealogist. The family were from the Colchester and Tendring peninsular area so I could find out about Records Offices and Family History centres without much travelling.

My brother-in-law, Fred Barton, now living in New Zealand, had already done full searches and recorded the Barton line back to 1530. I worked through the births, marriages and deaths records in Colchester Records Office and reached a John Barton at the beginning of the 18th Century. I then became confused and after asking Fred for his records I can see why. The Christian names of sucessive generations went: Thomas, Thomas, John, Francis, Francis, John.

The main line of Bartons found by Fred:

• Thomas BARTON
  born: abt. 1530
  spouse: Eleanor


• Thomas BARTON
  born: abt. 1585
  spouse: Bridget WHARTON


• John BARTON
  born: abt. 1618
  spouse: Elizabeth


• Francis BARTON
  born: abt. 1647
  spouse: Elizabeth SPARLING
  born: 10 August 1647


• Francis BARTON
  born: abt. 1675
  spouse: Elizabeth HAM


• John BARTON
  baptised: 27 August 1712
  spouse: Margaret ABBOT
  born: 3 April 1713


• Bartholemew BARTON
  born: 1742
  spouse: Sarah Bradbrook CROOKS


• Martin BARTON
  born: 3 March 1782
  married: 3 November 1812
  spouse: Elizabeth STONE


• Martin BARTON
  born: 1813
  married: 7 April 1849
  spouse: Mary Ann LAMB


• Charles BARTON
  born: 6 September 1843
  spouse: Sarah SADLER
  born: 15 April 1843


• Harry Charles BARTON
  born: 1875
  married: 2 June 1904
  spouse: Kate DAWSON
  born: 1 December 1869


• Charles Halls BARTON
  born: 19 March 1910
  died: 13 November 1997
  spouse: Barbara Olive BUSSEY
  born: 4 January 1913
  Children
  1. Fredrick Charles BARTON - 1940
  2. Pamela BARTON
     born: 20 July 1944
     married: 29 December 1981
     spouse: Terence GARLAND
     born 6 January 1949
  3. Valerie BARTON - 1948