Family History 1

Contact: Mary Hambleton
See Newsletter for contact details or
Email:   with “Family History 1 enquiry” as the subject

My group is open both to beginners in Family History and to those who have already made some progress but need an update on the resources available, or help with a specific problem. At each meeting we start off round the table  for general discussion, then gather at the computer to hunt for information for everybody in turn on Ancestry, Find my Past and other websites. I photocopy or email any key findings for each participant and encourage them to follow up leads on their own at home or in the library. Meetings are on at least two Wednesday afternoons each month from 2pm to 4pm. The dates are flexible and decided amongst ourselves so that every member can get to one meeting per month. To ensure there are no more than six participants at a time I hold extra meetings if necessary. New members are very welcome.

Looking back on 2024

We are 10 in number at present but continue to meet in small subgroups as this gives everybody more opportunity to share experience and get advice from each other and the various family history websites I can access.  Our special interests last year were the 1921 census and DNA analysis which several of us have undertaken. Fortunately no nasty shocks such as mistaken paternity have emerged. The DNA report can accurately confirm ancestral origins, in my case not just Scotland but Sutherland in the far north. Another feature identifies hitherto unknown relations anywhere in the world.. It is fun to correspond with these “DNA matches” and often discover new facts about the shared family history. We continue to discuss ways of recording our findings. Most people use the service provided by a family history website but it is important to check the veracity of their information by referring to original documents wherever possible.