Research into the Euridge & Uridge family name started in 1980 after we had stillborn twins. The doctors advised us to look into our family history to see if there was a genetic reason. We never found any reason but instead started a life-long interest in family history.

I knew very little about my paternal ancestors, my father Reginald 'Red' Euridge had left his home in Burton upon Trent Staffordshire, at an early age to join the Royal Marines. His parents disapproved of his marriage to my mother Kathleen *Kay* Veasey and there was a rift in the family. Tragically, on December 23, 1958 Red was killed in a motor-scooter accident, leaving Kay a widow at 34, with nine children to care for. So I knew very little about my father, or his ancestors.

Fortunately my paternal aunt 'Lizzie' had kept in touch with the family and I contacted her. She told me that my great-great-grandfather was French. I assumed this meant that the family came from France. However later I found that my 3 x great-grandfather had the forename French Uridge, and was baptized on 8 March 1789 at Eynsford, Kent. He spent all of his comparatively short life there and was buried on 11 November 1835, at the age of 46.

Originally I focused my research in the Kent area, however I quickly expanded my interests to include EURIDGEs and URIDGEs globally and became a member of the Guild of One-Name Studies in 1982.