Genealogy Research. Grave Hunts. Throughout Yorkshire and Beyond.
Tee Bylo is a Professional Family History Sleuth, Writer, Public Speaker and Founder of The Polite Tourist.
For all who relish the adventures of long forgotten ancestors or the curious folk unable to resist the temptation to eavesdrop on unquiet family history and for those smitten with the genealogy bug – welcome to a little slice of the web that a Dead Sleuth has claimed as her own.
See YOU on the other side?
Tee Bylo is a seeker of elusive ancestors and a wanderer of graveyards.
With access to the local repositories and archives throughout Yorkshire and beyond – Tee loves working with those who wish to solve the mysteries, riddles and absurdities of their own family history.
And as an enthusiastic taphophile – Tee can also be found with notebook and camera in hand as she goes in seach of those final resting places of the long forgotten dead.
AMBLE.
Among the Unquiet Dead with the Graveyard Squirrel.
EXPLORE.
The Gnarled Branches and Fallen Leaves of Family History.
SIGN UP.
For those Whispers from the Graveyard– This Silent Land?
WALK.
Explore the Grim Shadows of VictorianTrue Crime.
Panel 1
Tee Bylo. Dead Sleuth.
DEAD – adjective.
No longer alive.
SLEUTH – noun.
A person who investigates mysteries.
As a professional genealogist with an interest in tombstone symbolism – Tee Bylo is a seeker of elusive ancestors and a wanderer of graveyards.
With her passion for family history, storytelling and Victorian crime – Tee is the creative director for The Polite Tourist which offers unique walks through the unquiet streets of York, Scarboro’ and beyond.
A fierce admirer of the poet Lord Byron – Tee is the author of The Regency Recondite and the curator for Nicole Brown Simpson Remembered.
Tee is also a sometime artist and her work includes ‘Small Worlds’ in 12th scale and figurative clay sculpture.
Tee resides among the many ghosts of her home town in the ancient City of York.
“If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you May as well make it Dance.
Bernard Shaw
Thegenealogist.
Is there a mystery, or a riddle or even an absurdity about your family history which has you intrigued or perplexed?
Or are you in search of that final resting place of an ancestor from the ancient City of York or beyond?
As a professional genealogist with an interest in tombstone symbolism – Tee could be just THE family history sleuth you need by your side.
To consult with Tee about genealogy or family history, chat about her research in progress or make an enquiry concerning a public talk – please use the message board below:
research in progress:
The genealogical stories of prostitutes from the Victorian era in YORK, SCARBORO’, LEEDS and GLASGOW.
A study of the the surname HITCHING for the Guild of One-Name Studies.
The social history of the coastal town of SCARBOROUGH in North Yorkshire from the Regency to the Edwardian era for the Society of One-Place Studies.
Curating the story of NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON (1959-1994) through published media.
The life of LADY FRANCES CAROLINE WEBSTER-WEDDERBURN née Annesley (1793-1837)
As my interest has been piqued as of late by the welcome appearance of thrice-wed grandmothers, social reformers, lunatics and unmarried mothers – my feelings of female solidarity have been awakened.
At dusk, it is possible to catch a glimpse of a celebrated miniaturist and storyteller wandering through the unquiet streets and secret passages of York, Scarboro’ and beyond in a quest to wake the dead.
Have you ever heard the one about how there are only two things that are certain to us? The first one being that we are all subject to some form of taxation and the second is that one day we WILL all die.
Her passion for the craft and attention to detail is incredible.’
— Christine from Yorkshire
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
‘Professional to THE core.
AND one of the nicest genealogists to work with too!’
— Katherine from USA
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
‘Tee’s discoveries about some of the lost members of my family has been truly amazing.
She’s brilliant!’
— Jean from York
Tee’s tip jar!
As every penny I earn keeps me happy with access to genealogical research, parish records, newspaper archives, and probate deeds along with precious opportunities to explore those graveyards – every lovely human who believes in my work makes me VERY happy too!
Although I have been ‘properly’ researching the history of my family since 2004 – my interest in the gnarled branches and fallen leaves of my family tree began in the early teenage years.
And having always been a diligent hoarder of the scraps of family keepsakes that have come my way; those numerous large boxes of files, papers, books, photographs and other assorted genealogical matter that I have shifted down and up several sets of stairs with every house move over the years has NOT been for the faint-hearted!
King George VI once stated that “the history of York is the history of England’ and this ancient city is not only the place of my birth but also for many of those Bensons, Dalbys, Edesons and Peacocks to whom I have since laid claim – although some of whom certainly add more than a little colour to those fallen leaves.
And even though there is MORE than enough to to occupy me within the walls of this chocolate box city – I have also been very busy elsewhere.
As my interest has been piqued as of late by the welcome appearance of several Yorkshire lasses within my clan recently discovered including thrice-wed grandmothers, social reformers, lunatics and unmarried mothers – my feelings of female solidarity have been awakened.
And with the floors of my den now littered with the fruits of my genealogical findings – I’m off in search of a more feminine line.
NOT that I believe that my female ancestors were actually deadlier than their male counterparts!
‘You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again that you did not know.’
~ William Wilberforce
Many years ago as my Grandmother was regaling me with a myriad of family tales and folklore over tea and homemade cake that my interest was piqued at the first mention of ‘Poor Clarice’.
For as every family history sleuth knows – there is usually always a least one ancestor who ignites a strange curiosity leading to that irresistible urge to discover more about their life and I’ve been desperately seeking Clarice through the mists of time ever since.
Situated on the exhilarating coastline of North Yorkshire and affectionately known as the ‘Queen of English watering places’ – Scarborough occupies a fascinating place within the history of seaside resorts.
And along with a history of besieged castles, dinosaur remains, literary prodigies, fishing ports, religious persecution, folklore, medicinal drinking waters, smuggling, and pirate radio – Scarborough enjoys an enduring charm.
From a population of just over 32,000 in 1801 – Scarboro’ Gothic is a record of this unique town, its history and the local characters from the heady days of the Georgian era until the dawn of the Edwardian epoch.
Panel 3
A Wanderer of Graveyards
‘What is this Death? – a quiet of the heart?
The whole of that of which we are a part?
For life is but a vision – what I see
Lord Byron
The Graveyard Squirrel. Tombstone Tourist.
Have you ever heard the one about how there are only two things that are certain to us?
The first one being that we are all subject to some form of taxation and the second is that one day we WILL all die.
As a genealogical researcher my time is usually spent grappling with the mystery of death.
And if I’m not in search of a missing ancestor or researching another life long lost to history – I will be poring over the details on a newly discovered and often indecipherable certificate of death or trawling through the parish records in search of a burial entry.
Being able to locate the final resting place of those from my research endeavours has always been an important task and an unsuccessful search is disappointing as the final piece of the jigsaw remains missing.
However, if you struggle with the thought of death and have no wish to contemplate it – MY world is probably NOT for you!
This Silent Land?
As I love nothing more than a ramble through a graveyard and have been pottering among the tombstones for as long as I can remember – I will be sharing the tales and triumphs of family history and the images and podcasts of my wanderings among the dead.
The author Lailah Gifty Akita once said that – “The graveyard is an everlasting home of every man” and within most of our cemeteries there is evidence of spectacular craftsmanship, awe inspiring stonework, history, sublime words of poignancy AND the occasional flashes of humour ALL just waiting to be discovered!
For all of those genealogy tales, ancestor gossip AND the whispers from the graveyard – subscribe to This Silent Land? AND bring forth EVERY snippet of chatter direct to your inbox!
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#Graveyardsquirrel #TeeAndTombstones #deadsleuth
Panel 4
Waking the Dead of York, Scarboro’ and Beyond
WITH THE COMING OF DUSK…
And with the door of an atelier closed for the day – it is possible to catch a glimpse of a celebrated miniaturist and storyteller clad in her distinctive black feline boots wandering through the unquiet streets and secret passages of York, Scarboro’ and beyond in a quest to wake the dead.
ORDINARY FOLK. EXTRAORDINARY DEATHS.
And for those of a curious and hardy temperament – why not come along and listen to the Lady Brigante as she shares with you the tales of the illustrious, the miscreants, artists, misfits and those ordinary folk who have ALL been lost to history – until now!
However, for those of a sensitive nature who are averse to real stories of tears, heartache and tragedy – a meander through the fascinating streets of York, Scarboro and beyond with the Lady Brigante may NOT be to your taste.
WHO OR WHAT IS The Polite Tourist?
The Polite Tourist offers true crime walks through Victorian history. Through York, Scarboro’ and beyond.
Innovative, meticulously researched and inspired by true crime stories from the Victorian era and through the tales of those ordinary people woven into the rich fabric of an ancient city or town’s social history – our walks are designed to offer an informative and unique experience with a professional and spirited storyteller.
THE BÊTE NOIRE OF THE DEAD. SOMETIME ARTIST.
The Lady Brigante loves nothing more than shocking unsuspecting folk with the tale that she was abandoned at birth by gypsies and raised en famille with kindly mice in the crypt of an old church.
Alas! The truth is altogether more unremarkable!
Described as the bête noire of the long forgotten dearly departed – our storyteller, the Lady Brigante is a spiritual sleuth, sometime artist and a seeker of the dead.
She is also something of a miniaturist and sculptor.
For those of a curious mind – why not cross the threshold of a twilight world nestled inside a little slice of the web to which the Lady B has since laid claim?
With Quill and Ink By Candlelight. ‘Fac Quod Faciendum Est.’
