The Hampshire Family Historian | Vol.49 No.1 | June 2022

Local Group Programmes

Canada found that MyHeritage was better for her British and European lines. The genetic linkage (DNA matches) between people is measured in centimorgans (cM), the larger the figure the closer the relationship. A parent /child would be between 3300-3720 cM, a grandparent/child would be 1150-2300 cM, 2nd cousins are typically 50-515 cM. Neil considered that matches of less than 120 cM would not be worth pursuing. Once a sample of DNA has been taken the results can become the property of the company. It is important to read the small print before choosing. Each company only compares DNA with those in its database, so the larger the company the more chance of finding a match. Some companies will allow the transfer of the results for a search on their database. There maybe restrictions on transferring information between companies. GEDmatch is a free site to analyse test results. Neil recommended proceeding with caution and approach people as you would expect them to contact you. Be mindful of emotions that could be stirred up by unexpected test results and tread carefully when making your approach. Consider using an intermediary for potentially sensitive situations. As always use DNA to establish leads and then back it up with the paperwork. (March) Members Meeting, Follow-up on DNA This was held at Fair Oak Church Hall and was a member’s meeting on the subject of DNA to follow on from last month’s meeting. It was surprising to some that that only 20% of the attendees had taken a DNA test. The family history media seemed to suggest that DNA testing is more widespread. Phil came up with his fishing analogy when deciding which company to choose. The bigger the pond the more fish. He would recommend Ancestry because it is the largest and the results can be uploaded to some of the other main testing companies (MyHeritage, Family Tree DNA and Living DNA), but you can't do the same in reverse. Another big player (the second biggest pond) is 23AndMe but results from here are not transferable. With Ancestry you can also link your Ancestry tree to your results. He also said DNA doesn’t lie. Paul mentioned the International Society for Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG), which advertises itself as 'the first society founded to promote the use of DNA testing in genealogy'. This website has lots of educational resources: https://isogg.org (April) Southampton City Buses in the Post-War Period – David Hutchings April’s meeting was one postponed from 2020 when Covid struck. David Huchings from Southampton and District Transport Heritage Trust gave a talk about Southampton City buses in the post-war period. The society has its origins in 1976 but has since joined with other similar groups in the area. It’s aim is the preservation of former Southampton buses and other vehicles from around the local area. At present it has around 20 vehicles stored at two depots –the Bursledon Brickworks Museum and at Medstead. Before Covid the Trust attended 30 events per year and in 2022 expects to restart its events programme. David’s

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