| Status: | Active, open to new members |
| Leader: |
Dennis Cook
Tel: 07711 386 958
|
| Group email: | Family History group |
| When: | Monthly on Wednesday mornings 10:00 am-12:00 pm 4th Wednesday. No meetings in July, August or December. |
| Venue: | Methodist Church (GG) (School Room) |
| Cost: | £2 |
This group has been running since the very start of the U3A. The group members consist of a mixture of experienced and beginners in their knowledge of family history research. Our meetings are in the Methodist Hall in Great Glen, opening to set up equipment at 9.30 for a meeting start at 10.00, finishing at around 12.00 noon. Our meetings are a mixture of talks and presentations given by our members, and informal practical meetings where we can talk to each other about our problems and try to find solutions.
The aim of the meetings is to enhance our knowledge in methods of researching our own ancestors – not only their names, but adding everything we can find about their lives. We do this by sharing our finds to the group, of people and places where our ancestors lived. This is what makes their stories real. Just having a string of names on a tree is meaningless.
In the past we transcribed graves from 15 churchyards around Great Glen, and members have added these grave inscriptions to a free grave web site called ‘Find A Grave’. Last summer we visited St Helen's Church, Saddington, adding photographs to the website. So at the same time as helping others to access what we have achieved, we are enhancing our computer skills. Take a look below to see books of all the church graveyards we have done previously.
Family history has moved on over the years, and now it is so much easier with records once hard to access, now readily available on line. So having basic computer skills is a great help.
Meetings
We meet on the 4th Wednesday of the month, except for a summer break. New members are welcome at our meetings. We can share our knowledge and help you to get started with your own family research. Remember that even the most experienced group members once started with a clean sheet. We all have to start somewhere, and this is a good chance to be pointed in the right direction.
Dennis Cook, Group Leader
Our research undertaken by early members of the group.
