After a decade of diligent research, Brian Laurie-Beaumont's significant brick wall was his maternal grandfather - a total unknown. Turning to DNA was the final attempt to break through. A year elapsed before a useful DNA match and a further two years of research to provide the supporting information to verify. And more time to convince the new relations. Brian will lay out the process, the stumbling blocks, and how he utilized DNA, traditional documentation, and deductive reasoning to eventually establish his relationship to a family of vaudevillians, early motion pictures and television entertainers, and one of the most important circus families of 19th century Europe.

 

 

Brian Laurie-Beaumont has an honours degree in history with post-graduate work in international affairs focused on macroeconomics. He worked 38 years in the federal government as the Director of Heritage Services as well as Senior Planning Advisor for heritage facility development, including giving workshops in North America and Europe. Afterwards he consulted on heritage projects across Canada before succumbing to the detective challenges of genealogical research. His own family is traced back to 17th century England and Wales while his wife Deirdre descends from some of the first settlers in Plymouth (1621) and New Amsterdam (1624), the latter leading him to be an early member of the British Colonial America SIG.  He now spends the majority of his time doing genealogy or travelling to dog shows across eastern North America.