The Hampshire Family Historian | Vol.49 No.2 | September 2022

Local Group Programmes

Meetings Some groups are having their meetings online or as hybrid with people at the venue and via Zoom, to join these please email the group leader for details. Please check the HGS Website for latest details of where / how the meetings will take place. You can join in with the or international or national group meetings by zoom.

Contact: Jane Hurst – 82, The Butts, Alton, Hants GU34 1RD Tel: 01420 86701 Email: janehurst1@gmail.com

Alton Meetings are normally held monthly on the second Monday at 7:30 p.m. in All Saints Church Hall, Queens Road, Alton.

No reports received. Forthcoming Meetings:

No details available

Contact: Ann McKenzie, Tel: 07880 591051, E-mail: andover@hgs-online.org.uk

Andover Meetings are normally held on the second Thursday, September to July, commencing 7.30p.m. at The Fairground Hall, Weyhill, Andover SP11 0QN

Report by Ann McKenzie (May) Documenting your Family History – or how to get all your stuff organised – Jane Fox We were delighted to welcome back Jane, although sorry it couldn’t be in person. However, her subject “attracted also members around the country and overseas. It’s pertinent to all: experienced researchers who benefit from a ‘refresher’ as well as ‘newbies’. Jane started with what needs recording and why. After a quick review of the many types of documents and ensuring we know how to distinguish between primary & secondary sources, plus identifying questionable ones, she outlined the reasons for being methodical. These include being able to prove your facts, analysing, making connections, and avoiding duplicating your researches – so saving precious time. Then Jane talked about the how & where. There are a number of ways of recording the information: whether on paper, on a family history website, on specialist software. Jane went through the merits of each, and what we need to bear in mind when choosing what’s right for us. As an example, she showed us her preferred way of referencing. The key factor is to opt for one, then be consistent. This is particularly important if one is sharing results with others. She emphasised the necessity of saving downloads (clearly identified, of course) and of backing up everything. She concluded with “Don’t trust your memory, jot it all down.” We now have no excuse for carelessness or inefficiency!

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