8 September 2006
Public Archives Help Grow Family Trees
As this week sees the return of the BBC series ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’, which follows the journeys of celebrities as they trace their family trees, research carried out by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) reveals that 13% of people have explored their own family’s history. This reflects a growing popularity in amateur genealogy.
The third series featured Barbara Windsor last night with future episodes to include David Tennant, David Dickinson, Jeremy Irons, Julia Sawalha, Robert Lindsay, Colin Jackson and Nigella Lawson. The new series coincides with the launch of the annual Archives Awareness Campaign, supported by MLA, where local archives will host special events such as family days, courses on family tree research, talks on local history, introductory sessions and treasure trails.
One of the key barriers to researching the family tree is that people find it hard to know where to start. The main place to find information relating to the lives of ordinary people is the local authority public archive, also known as public or county record office. Public archives contain a wealth of documents that have been created by governments, individuals, families, businesses, clubs or other organisations and have been specially chosen to be kept permanently. They can be written papers, illustrations, photographs or visual and sound recordings. This information is free and readily available to members of the public. Staff are on hand to help beginners with their research.
Additionally, registered information on births, marriages and deaths is available and census information can be accessed when it is 100 years old.
Justin Cavernelis-Frost, MLA Head of Archive Policy, commented: “Tracing our roots has become a popular past-time because it appeals to the curious side of human nature. People love to find out about their roots and how things in the past relate to their lives today. The information held in archives and public record offices reflects the lives of ordinary citizens, so archives can make a huge difference for those tracing their family tree. And it is always exciting to find information that relates directly to you! What makes archive resources unique is the fact that this history directly relates to you!”
Top tips for planting and growing your own family tree:
· start in the present day and work your way back in time;
· talk to your relatives - you may find a relation who is also putting their family tree together and you can share information;
· find out who your oldest living relative is and make a record of all they can remember about the family;
· join a society - organisations like the Federation of Family History Societies may be able to put you in touch with people whose family trees link in with yours;
· make the most of the information held at public archives, also known as public record offices - there are over 2,000 in the country. To search the database and gain access to their websites visit
· take part in an event run as part of the Archives Awareness Campaign.
Find out more at www.archiveawareness.com
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