When researching ancestors we did not know personally, we rarely see them on an average day.
We may see them at the best of times: when they get married, when they have a child, or when they receive a medal. Or we may see them at the worst of times: when they lose a child, when they go bankrupt, or are prosecuted for a crime.
Average days typically do not create many records. If we are lucky, we might find a witness statement where they were going about their normal work when something unusual happened that they testified about. This is one reason why I like criminal court records. They do not only capture details about the criminals, but also about their victims or witnesses of the crimes. For those witnesses, it would still not be an average day, but at least it gives us a chance to catch them in their normal routine.
Beggar and child, 1630s. Credits: Pieter Jansz. Quast, collection Rijksmuseum (public domain)
About Yvette Hoitink
Interesting article