Birmingham Post

How I Uncovered My Extraordinary Connection with the Pounds 5 Note ; Jo Ind Traces Her Family Tree and Discovers She Is the Great-Great- Great- Greatgranddaughter of the Prison Reformer Elizabeth Fry

I am embarrassed by the paltry knowledge I have of my family tree. I don't even know my mum's date and place of birth. She died some time ago and sadly I have lost contact with the only relative she knew. My dad can remember when and where he was born and the names of his parents, but nothing else. So when I meet up with family historian Paul Wilkins to begin to trace my ancestors, I have to confess I can't even go back one generation. How shockingly ignorant is that? But as we sit in Birming...

A Very Personal Journey ; Family Historian Paul Wilkins Tells Jo Ind Why We Should Know Who We Really Are

Paul Wilkins gives people something that money can't buy - a sense of belonging and identity. The 49-year-old is a professional family historian, which means he helps people trace their family trees. He is not interested in doing the job for them, though that would be an easy way to earn money. His passion is empowering any and everyone to find out for themselves who they really are. "It's about getting people to embark on a journey," says Paul, who works part-time for Birmingham City Council...

Something Old, Something New ; Clive Platman Assesses the Spiritual Allure of Spain's Priorat Wines, Enjoying Renown After 800 Years

The paradox of Priorat is that it is both Spain's oldest and newest fine wine region. It was first settled by Carthusian monks as long ago as the 12th century in an attempt to introduce Christianity following the expulsion of the Moors. They established a Priory (hence the name Priorat), and called it Scala Dei (God's Ladder). According to winemaker Alvaro Palacios, there is still a spirituality and mysticism that makes it special.

Rick Stein Signs His Latest Book

Rare Cognac Up for Auction

Cognac lovers will be able to bid online for some of the world's rarest bottles when they go under the hammer on Thursday, September 17, in the La Part des Anges Charity Auction to fund French heritage restoration. The auction is named after the so-called Angels' Share - the natural evaporation that takes place while Cognac is ageing. For more information, visit the www.

Morrisons' Boost for Local Produce

Supermarket chain Morrisons is stocking a new range of local produce in its Midland stores following a tie-up with Heart of England Fine Foods. Sixteen HEFF producers with more than 50 product lines are now represented in six stores. Products include cakes from Fatherson Bakery, Warwickshire; yoghurts from The Dairy House, Herefordshire; sausages, ham and black pudding from Buttercross Farm Foods, Shropshire; chutneys and pickles from Kit's Kitchen, Worcestershire; and fruit cordial from Pixl...

Spanish Wine Tasting Gets Added Sparkle

Spanish sparkling winemaker Codornu is holding a masterclass with TV wine expert Joe Wadsack at the Hotel du Vin, Birmingham, on October 8. Wadsack will guide wine enthusiasts and novices through the winemaking heritage of Codornu, one of the oldest family-owned companies in the world. Guests will be able to try seven Codornu products and learn about tasting sparkling wines, what to look for when evaluating them, the differences in sparkling wine making techniques and different blends of grap...

Great Recovery

THE AA's commitment to service has seen it top Which? magazine's annual survey of breakdown providers for the third year running. The UK's biggest breakdown service is named best breakdown provider in the August issue of Which?, with a customer score of 86 per cent.

Map Back-Up for Sat-Nav Drivers

Even with nearly half of motorists on the road owning sat-nav systems, reliance on a good quality road map is still very high, according to research by the AA. The group says three quarters of satnav owners in the UK still carry a road atlas in their cars.

New Skoda Yeti's Licence to Roam

Skoda's new Yeti crossover vehicle has received insurance ratings ranging from group three to nine. The newcomer, which goes on sale in September, has a line-up starting with a 1.2-litre petrol engine on the lowest rating.

Silent Running ; Chris Russon Checks Out Wind Turbulence with the Roof Down On the Lexus Is 250c Coup

The kings of quietness at Lexus have worked their magic to create what is possibly the most refined convertible in the world. Roof up and the Lexus IS 250C is as eerily silent as any other model from Toyota's luxury brand. Roof down - and with the windows open - wind turbulence is at a minimum.

Jane Joins Ford As New Mobility Ambassador

Paralympian Jane Sowerby has become the newest Ford Mobility ambassador. Jane, who is part of the British Disabled Ski Team, has chosen the Ford S-MAX to help her complete training for the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver next March.

Giveaway Glamour ; Updating Your Wardrobe Need Not Cost the Earth, As Anuji Varma Discovers the Matalan's New Range

here's no need to splurge this autumn and winter when updating your wardrobe. THead down to Matalan where you can revamp your threads for a fraction of the price.

A Dying Art ; Puppetry Traditions Are in Danger Now That Tv Pulls the Strings. Richard Edmonds Explains

Asian Theatre Puppets by Paul Lin, Robin Ruizendaal and Wang Hanshun Thames and Hudson: pounds 32 Television has now spread its tentacles everywhere and, whether for good or bad, the mish-mash of images which stream out continually from the world's TV studios have removed innocence and simplicity from people's lives, replacing it frequently with the tawdry images familiar to mass media and its exploitative values.

Thrilling Journey of Mystery and Adventure

CHILDREN'S BOOK Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick Orion Books, pounds 6.99 Marcus Sedgwick is an excellent teller of stories. His writing is evocative, his stories are well-paced and edgy, and he knows how to put a spiky twist in the tale.

I Spy a Hot Read

Passion by Louise Bagshawe Headline Review, pounds 6.99. A fast-paced love story from the queen of blockbusters, Passion is a perfect beach read. Millionaires, MI6 and murders litter the pages of this fabulous romp, making her 13th novel a steamy and exciting pageturner.

It's a Funny Old Game ; the Memory of Long-Lost Bar Room Sports Will Live On, Says Terry Grimley

If you have enjoyed a game of Old English skittles lately, it probably means you were visiting the Freemason's Arms on the edge of London's Hampstead Heath. It is one of many traditional sports or games associated with pubs which are either quivering on the verge of extinction or have already passed into oblivion. Lawn Billiards, once also a feature of the Freemason's Arms, has been dead and gone for 30 years, while Knur and Spell, alias poor man's golf, was last glimpsed being played outside...

Uncovering the Art of Enamelling

Bilston, traditional centre of the West Midlands enamelling trade, will host a major exhibition reviewing the contemporary state of the art from next weekend. Playing with Fire, at Bilston Craft Gallery from September 5, features 15 of the best enamellers in the country, selected by an internationally-respected panel.

Warwick Group's Special Guest

Having helped Warwick's Armonico Consort achieve lift-off eight years ago, Dame Emma Kirkby is returning to help raise money for its educational work next month. The consort gives more than 50 performances each year and also delivers free singing and drama workshops to more than 10,000 children nationwide, with more than 400 children singing each week in one of their AC Academy children's choirs.

A Life of Solitude, Peace and Quiet ; Reclusive Individuals Are Not a Modern Phenomenon. Chris Upton Looks Back Over Centuries of Hermits

We have always been in awe of the individual who elects to cut himself off from the madding crowd. The bearded chap who lived for years in a tent on the Wolverhampton ring road had his status upgraded from vagrant to holy man simply because of the length of time he spent there. It was certainly not because of his spirituality. Hardly a week goes by without news of someone (usually an ex-magician) declaring this intention to live high up on a wall, or in a glass box, or hanging from a bridge, ...