School history lesson

[chrissy1]

I was working in a school and listening attentively to a history teacher encouraging her pupils to draw up a family tree in preparation for learning about the Kings and Queens of England. She was an experience FH researcher and hearing that I was interested in tracing my family tree, she introduced me to the IGI and then offered to accompany me to York Library and the Borthwick Record Office and help me to get started, as it turned out that we both had family from Yorkshire. That was ca 1987/8 and I never looked back........ What took me 10 years to achieve during lengthy visits to record offices in Devon, Gloucestershire, Essex and York could be done in a few days on the internet now, but I have had the satisfaction of seeing the actual areas where my ancestors lived.

 

[Margery]

seeing the actual areas where my ancestors lived

I agree, Chrissy. My husband and I have had some enjoyable times tramping around cemeteries looking for an elusive grave - and the thrill of discovery! We have searched for a Gully in an old goldmining area, which was named after his g.g.grandfather (emigrated to Oz in 1856), unsuccessfully, I might say. Searches at the Mitchell Library in Sydney have also lead to some great discoveries. We are getting a bit old for it now but nothing beats primary research!