The Hampshire Family Historian | Volume 51 No.4 | March 2025

Local Group Programmes

Contact: Organiser: Kay Lovell Email: national@hgs-online.org.uk

All meetings are via Zoom and at various UK times to allow overseas members to join in, National Group

(January) Family history – What’s it all about? – Jackie Depelle Jackie’s talk was a good starting point for beginners and a useful revision exercise for others. The theory is that ‘Family History is easy! Not so, as many of us have experienced. The ‘MUST’ is to always record the sources of your information so that, if necessary, you can easily go back to find it again. Another hot tip is ‘always back up’ and do not just have one location for your work and your tree. Conservation is important – learn how to catalogue and safely preserve document and artefacts. Do not throw anything away and be sure to leave an organised storage system for your descendants. Starting with the basics, use your own, plus family, knowledge to create a chart and build a family tree. Draw up a birth brief, keeping it formal, where there are no siblings recorded, just a direct ancestral trail. Also, use timelines to put ancestors’ lives into context. When using BMD certificates, check all the details for accuracy; e.g. fathers’ names on marriage certificates can be incorrect or even fictitious. Over the decades of census returns, information varies but generally increases. Pre 1837, parish records are the sources to search and all research can be expanded using maps, voting lists, memorial inscriptions, wills and probate records. Add colour to your story using details from newspapers, heirlooms and travelling to the locations where ancestors had lived. DNA is a useful tool to verify your work but ‘think twice’ before testing – be prepared for what you may find out! Why do we do it? It’s fun, frustrating, thrilling, satisfying all in one. We develop the skills of a detective and become creative writers. Kay Lovell Forthcoming Meetings:

The Family History Revolution – Janet Few Family Photography; Past, Present and Future – Stephen Gill

Wednesday 5th March, 7.30 pm Wednesday 7th May, 7.30 pm

Have your Query published in the journal Please email it to: searchers@hgs-online.org.uk

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