The Geography

This map pretty much encompasses the known ancestral roots of Charles Albert Eldridge on both his maternal and paternal sides, from Canterbury in the east to Mortlake and Putney just south-west of London. The lines stretch back some twenty generations, but it should be kept in mind that once parish records become the main source of information that dates of birth and baptism are often assumed to be approximately the same. In point of fact, a baptism could take place some years after the birth, meaning  individuals may have been born considerably earlier than the dates given.

For the earlier generations, I have relied almost entirely on researchers on Ancestry, on the records available at Family Search, and on other family websites. With a tree this size, one can hardly entirely vouch for its accuracy, and it is a slightly depressing but inevitable reality that one false turn can open up a lengthy but entirely counterfeit line. Nevertheless, we will take the plunge, and take at least an overview of what has emerged.