Hi Reader,

You know that moment when you're staring at a census record you've read a dozen times, and suddenly you notice something you've never seen before? Not new information - the same facts you've read repeatedly - but you're finally understanding them differently.

That happened to me recently, but it wasn't from reading another record. It was from standing in the actual place where my ancestor lived.

Not because being there was "magical" or "emotional" (though it was both those things). But because for the first time, I was experiencing his world with all five senses instead of just reading about it with my eyes.

And that sensory context completely changed what I was looking for in records.

🎬 NEW BLOG POST & VIDEO

THE 5 SENSES FRAMEWORK FOR BETTER RESEARCH

Documents tell you WHAT happened. Sensory context tells you WHY. Understanding the physical environment - the geography, climate, sounds, and textures your ancestor experienced daily - transforms how you interpret the records you've already found.

Heritage travel (or even virtual exploration) isn't about emotional connection - it's about engaging all five senses to understand the physical reality that shaped your ancestors' decisions. That sensory context changes what you look for in records and how you interpret what you find.

What's covered in this week's NEW video and blog post:

• How the "5 senses" framework improves record analysis
• Applying this approach even if you never travel
• Research questions that surface when you think beyond documents
• Tools for experiencing ancestors' worlds from home

Before London, I'd used Ancestry and Findmypast primarily for names and dates. But preparing for the trip, I started looking at old maps, street directories, and business registers differently - not just for facts, but for sensory context. Where was the Thames? How close were markets? What sounds, smells, and sights would have defined daily life? Those platforms suddenly became tools for understanding environment, not just extracting data.

📝 Read: 5 Unexpected Lessons From Walking My Ancestor's Streets (That Changed How I See Heritage Travel)​

🎬 Watch: What I Learned on My Heritage Trip (And How You Can Plan Yours)​

🔍 GENEALOGY TIP

APPLY THE 5 SENSES TO YOUR RESEARCH

You don't need to visit London to use this approach. Here's how to add sensory context to your research right now:

👀 SIGHT: Beyond photos, look at maps, architectural drawings, street views. What did your ancestor see daily?

👂 HEAR: Research the soundscape - church bells, factory whistles, market sounds, languages spoken in their neighborhood.

🤚 TOUCH: Consider weather data, clothing records, housing descriptions. What textures defined their life?

👃 SMELL: Urban vs rural environments, occupational smells, seasonal agriculture, industrial pollution.

👅 TASTE: Food availability, regional cuisines, economic access to different foods.

The action step: Pick one ancestor. Spend 15 minutes researching ONE sense beyond sight. Google Earth their location. Find weather data for their region. Research typical foods from their culture and time period. See what new research questions surface.

Knowing that Barnabus ran a coffee house near the Thames meant I needed to research London's coffee culture in the 1690s, river commerce patterns, and how the Great Fire affected businesses in that area. Those questions only emerged when I thought about his daily sensory experience - not just the facts in parish registers.

That's it for this week - I'm keeping things focused while you're also getting the Family History Month exploration emails.

Keep discovering,
Lisa

P.S. This "5 senses" framework works for any ancestor in any location - even if you only know the general region where they lived. 🙂

Lisa Lisson Genealogy Researcher, Author & Speaker