On WDYTYA 2012: Follow-up

“Unfortunately, I’m not attending WDYTYA Live this year, mostly because I’m a bit skint! However, I am reflecting on what I would be doing if I were there, and, crucially, what I intend to do to fulfil the same needs instead...”

I haven’t been idle, and I’m slowly ticking things off the list. Here’s my progress update:

Must visit stands and must buys

I am formulating a shopping list / reading list. I will be ordering the FLH Handbook after my next payday. I am still considering storage solutions but intend to invest in the next few months, probably once I’ve got my record-keeping strategy finalised.

Historical Maps – How to find out more about Family History

I have found this rather useful guide to getting started. It’s really a project in itself so I’m saving it for a later date, but I’ll let you know how I get on!

Family history and education

I have been on the Making History website, and I have signed up for newsletter. 

Reading the writing of the past – Paleaography

I will be taking the National Archives web tutorial in Paleography, and also in Latin, at some point in the near future.

Organising your research with technology (12 p.m.)

I actually have been dedicating more time to this than originally planned, and after a bit of research I decided to go my own way. Read about my shiny new index here!

Keynote workshop: Breaking the Barriers with Social Networking – Strategies and Tips

As you might have noticed, Probably Arboreal is now on Twitter – support from my readers much appreciated! A Facebook page will hopefully follow shortly. I have also joined Genealogy Wise, so I’m looking forward to making use of it!

Exploring  Google+ as a Tool for Family Research

I have signed up, but haven’t got much further than that yet! I’m slightly frustrated that if I connect it into my blog my Google+ profile will automatically supersede my Blogger profile. It seems like it’s quite difficult to keep my online identities separate from one another.

Google Search Strategies for the Family Historian

I have done a bit of research – see my recent post On my friend Google for a few tips. I will keep collecting and keep sharing anything useful!

On WDYTYA Live 2012: Must-see workshops – Sunday:

Wow, Fantasy WDYTYA Live is exhausting – so much to think about already and still Sunday to get through. Here we go...

What’s in a name? (11 a.m.) – I find names an extremely interesting subject.  It would be incredibly useful for my research to know a little bit more about localised names, for example.  This talk also touches on the one-name study concept, which I would like to know more about, and hopefully I might learn some basic methodology that I could then apply to my own research.

The plan: Find a book. Maybe I could find a one-name researcher and ask them for some general advice on some of my projects where their methodology might help? (If anyone reading can help, I’d love to hear from you!)

Harnessing the Facebook Generation (2 p.m.) – a talk looking at the ways in which genealogy is changing and the ways in which it can appeal to the ‘Facebook Generation’. I suppose I would almost count as a member of it, so I’d be interested to see how others, and perhaps older genealogists, see things...

The plan: Keep doing it, and keep talking about it...!

Charts to Visualise Your Family Tree (3 p.m.) – as I mentioned in On writing it all down 2. Paper family trees, I like a visual layout, and I’ve recently begun experimenting with new formats for presenting information, so I’d be looking for new ideas and tips for improving those charts I already have.

The plan: Maybe some online research could yield some interesting examples I could try?

‘By her labour’: finding female forebears (4 p.m.) – regular readers will know that this is a topic I’ve discussed a couple of times. Women are notoriously more difficult to find, because their maiden names are easily lost and there is less occupation information available for them. I’d be most interested to see what this talk could suggest.

The plan: Keep muddling through, I suppose! Make notes of what has worked for me and others to refer to as needed. Maybe I’ll write a post on it once I’m confident!

So, plenty to be getting on with then! Reminds me why WDYDTYA Live is so important. Next year I will definitely be there!

L x

On WDYTYA Live 2012: Must-see workshops – Saturday

On reflection, I think Saturday would have been my choice of day to attend. I would have hit all the stands in the first couple of hours, and then spent most of my afternoon in workshops. There are some fascinating things going on, and in a couple of places I was really torn in my workshop choices. Fortunately, as I’m not actually going I can work on them all! Here’s my not-at-all realistic Saturday workshop plan:

Organising your research with technology (12 p.m.) – Although I prefer to keep my own records on paper and electronic files (Word, Excel, etc.), I’d be interested to see if there’s anything I’m missing out on, in particular new software I might not be aware of.

The plan: A bit of internet research should get me up-to-speed, but it’s not something I’m likely to dedicate much time to at the moment, which is exactly why a summary in workshop form would have been so helpful!

Keynote workshop: Breaking the Barriers with Social Networking – Strategies and Tips (1 p.m.) – For one thing, this is the keynote, so I’d expect it to be pretty special. Also, despite being relatively young and a Facebook user (and now blogger), I’m not really using Facebook for genealogical purposes, nor am I currently on Twitter, which I suspect would be central to some of this workshop. This would be my absolute must-see of the weekend I think!

The plan: I suppose I  need to get tweeting, get Probably Arboreal onto Facebook and see what happens. I usually find it easier to learn this sort of thing by doing, as I have recently with blogging, so I suppose I just need to set aside some time and dive in! Anyone got any tips?

Irish research online (3 p.m.) – As I do have a couple of Irish ancestors and haven’t managed to get any further back on either of their lines after they arrived in the UK, this would probably be the most useful workshop I could attend all weekend. I did attend an Irish genealogy  workshop last year, but didn’t come away with anything that particularly helped, but this seems much more focused on doing research online and from a distance, so hopefully it would be able to provide me with some useful leads.

The plan: Basically, I need to do some thorough research to come up with ideas about where to start. Plus there must be loads of Irish genealogists out there, and there’s no language barrier, so I probably need to get chatting!

Exploring  Google+ as a Tool for Family Research (4 p.m.) – don’t know a lot about Google+, so this would be very interesting. As I already use Facebook for social purposes and LinkedIn for work purposes, perhaps Google+ could become my genealogical equivalent. I want to know more...

The plan: Check out Google+. There’s plenty of buzz in the blogging world at the moment if the articles LinkedIn are suggesting to me are anything to go by, so I just need to do a bit of digging and then make an assessment of how useful it might be and how to use it.

Google Search Strategies for the Family Historian (4 p.m.) – I have no idea why this and the Google+ workshop were scheduled at the same time, as they seem to me like they might be of relevance to a similar demographic. Forced to choose, I probably would have gone for this one on balance, just because I know how useful Google can be (I’d say I’m an ‘intermediate’ user), and I want to know how to make it even more efficient at telling me what I want. I really hope this wouldn’t have disappointed...

The plan: I already have some useful tips on using Google search. What I need to do is keep collecting them, and start putting them into practice until they become second nature. And of course, they’re exactly the kind of thing I should be blogging about, once they’re tried and tested.

Moving from amateur to professional genealogist: Are you ready? (5 p.m.) – My attendance here would be more out of curiosity than anything else. I suspect that the answer is currently no, I’m not ready. But I hope to be one day, and I’d like to be prepared to recognise when, and know what I need to do to achieve it! Fortunately I should have about fifty years ahead of me to get there!

The plan: I think this is something I can look into and work towards quite slowly, but I should definitely be drawing up a list of things that I need to know more about and getting to work on them.

See you tomorrow for my final day of fantasy WDYTYA Live!

On WDYTYA Live 2012: Must-see workshops – Friday

Almost impossible to decide, as there are so many I would have liked to see, and across all three days as well – in fact, had I been going, choosing which day to attend would have been almost impossible! Here is what would be my perfect workshop calendar for Friday:

Historical Maps – How to find out more about Family History (10.30 a.m.) – Old maps are fascinating things, but beyond checking out proximity of location I’ve  never come up with a particularly useful way of using them, so I’d be interested to see what suggestions this  workshop has.

The plan: Find a book / website that can offer some beginners guidance on this, then put it into practice. I don’t use old maps enough, and I need to change that!

Surnames, DNA and family history (12.30 p.m.) – a talk on ‘the link between surnames and DNA, what it tells us about history of surnames in Britain as well as famous cases and unexpected results involving this research’. To be honest, it might not be the most useful lecture, but I reckon it will probably be the most interesting of the weekend!

The plan: There must be a fascinating book on this topic somewhere...

Family history and education (2.30 p.m.) – I totally support the idea of making genealogy part of mainstream education. What a fascinating thing to have done at school, and how relevant so many of its skills are to History and other subjects. A proper family history project in a classroom environment could be so engaging. I’d be interested to find out more about the ‘campaign’.

The plan: Check out the Making History project online. Maybe even get involved, if I can...

Reading the writing of the past – Paleaography (4.30 p.m.) – an essential skill as a genealogist, but one in which I have never been given much guidance. Although I’ve read a lot of material about doing genealogical research, there’s never been any real focus on this, so I’d like to learn a few basics and find out how I could learn more.

The plan: I think a book might be the way forward, or maybe even a course of some description. I need to look into this...

Come back tomorrow to see my ideal Saturday sessions...

On WDYTYA Live 2012: Must-visits and must-buys

Unfortunately, I’m not attending WDYTYA Live this year, mostly because I’m a bit skint! However, I am reflecting on what I would be doing if I were there, and, crucially, what I intend to do to fulfil the same needs instead...

First up, my must-visit stands:

Archives for London

BALH

British Deaf History Society - Last year I spoke to a them about my Birchall Geoghegan ancestors, many of whom were deaf and dumb from birth. I now know a lot more about these ancestors, including that they attended a specialist school in Manchester, so I would hope to pursue this further with the society and see if they could give me any further historical contextual info and tell me what records might be available and where to find them.

East Surrey FHS

Family History Bookshop

Lincolnshire FHS

Manchester and Lancashire FHS 

North of Ireland Family History Society

OxfordShire FHS

Pahro Teaching and Tutoring Ltd– they advertise ‘short and reasonably priced online family history courses’, which are certainly what I am looking for in terms of training, so I’d definitely be picking up some literature from them and chatting to them about their courses.

Somerset and Dorset FHS – as I’ve recently added teeny-weeny Somerset village to my family origins, I’d probably be looking to get my hands on a CD of parish records if possible

Surrey History Centre

Yorkshire Ancestors (Stand 27–28) – Given that Yorkshire is probably my key research area, I’d be mad not to look at what they could offer me, in terms of materials to buy and what they have in their library.

The plan: Websites, to begin with. I should be making notes of what they have that might be of use, and following up by contacting them where necessary.

And my must-buys:

Books  - I can’t even begin to list the books I might buy, the possibilities are endless. I’d be picking up stuff that would be of use to my research, or just of general historical interest. Or indeed of genealogical research interest.

Family and Local History Handbook – This is one book I would definitely be buying. I bought the entire back catalogue last year, so I’d be looking to top up with new editions, including the newly launched Irish edition. I highly recommend it – see their website

Magazines – I would consider a subscription for the right magazine. Though I don’t really buy them at the moment, I do tend to scan them and occasionally buy if something appeals.  At the show I would definitely be scanning any available back issues for anything particularly useful and purchasing if so.

Storage solutions – I’d be looking for an inexpensive storage solution, but most importantly one that I felt would work, as I’m sure it’s quite a personal thing. (Anything has to be better than my current selection of falling apart folders and envelopes stuffed full of barely-organised paper!)

The plan:

Books are not an issue, I buy them constantly anyway. I should probably start taking more note of what I actually want in terms of specific books or general topics. I might order the FLH Handbook online in due course.

I am also going to start following the websites of some magazines and buy a few issues, and see if there is anything I would consider subscribing to long-term. More likely though I will just pick and mix, as one magazine is not always going to cover areas of interest.

Storage solutions require some consideration and research before I make an investment. However, it is a priority because my current system is untenable. Plus it will force me to sort through the paperwork and electronic files I already have, which will probably help my research.

Pop back shortly to find out about my WDYTYA Live fantasy workshop programme...

On getting hooked on genealogy

I am always interested to hear the reasons people give for having started their family history research. Often they have been provoked by some specific event in their life, or some chance discovery that made them curious. I’d love to hear from all of you – why did you start your research?

Personally, I don’t really know why I started. It was 2006, and Who Do You Think You Are had not long hit our screens. When it first started, I remember watching it with my mum and both of us saying that we were going to do it one day.

I’m generally very close to my family, but in terms of its history this was always stronger on my mum’s side. I grew up in a large-ish village, where my maternal grandmother’s family, at least, always seemed to be quite deeply rooted (this turned out to be entirely correct – I’ve got one line back to at least 1750 living there!)

As a young child I can remember being around many, many ‘aunties’. We’d just bump into them in the street. My mum’s older cousin was a bus driver; she used to let us on for free whenever she picked us up. When I got a bit older many of the older relatives died. But still I remember my mum saying hi to apparent strangers in the street. When I’d ask who they were she’d only be able to give me a vague idea as to how we were related to them. I would mention names of people from school, to be told that they were in some way connected to the family. My last surviving great-aunt died when I was fourteen. She was in her eighties. I used to sit listening to her talk about her childhood and find it absolutely fascinating. I only regret that I didn’t write any of it down!

So, the background for my starting to research my family history was there. It was this particular line that I started with. I was lucky in that I’d grown up knowing the names of my ancestors; or at least, knowing that certain names were connected with my family. These interesting ‘orphan’ facts were invaluable when I was first starting out.

As to what happened to particularly set me on the path on the day that I first started my family history, I still struggle to say. I was living in France at the time, teaching for 12 hours a week, with little else to do, with limited funds but a free internet connection. I guess you might conjecture that being far away from my family might have prompted me to want to find out about their history, but I can’t say that I remember thinking that at the time.

I remember that the 1881, 1891 and 1901 census were all free to non-member on Ancetry.co.uk as part of some promotion. I guess that probably helped (like I said in On being a young genealogist – the internet makes the research both easier and cheaper). But I really don’t remember why or how I ended up on their website, or what I was even doing online before I got there...

I do, however, remember being almost instantly hooked!

I think this was partly because it was quite easy to begin with, but yet I did have to use my brain. I’d liken it to when I first learnt to do Sudoku. It’s requires just a bit of brain power, but then you get a little adrenaline hit from the achievement. And then you get hooked into ever trickier puzzles, and each time you solve one you get that little rush of adrenaline.

And it’s the gift that keeps on giving. You never ‘finish’ your family tree. Not even if you’re Brooke Shields (if you haven’t seen that episode of WDYTYA USA, you really should!) One line might be really extraordinary. But what about all those other lines you haven’t followed yet? With each generation, your number of ‘lines’ doubles, and so does the fun!

L x

Next time: What is family history?

On being a young genealogist

The idea of blogging about family history first occurred to me nearly a year ago now, after my first visit to Who Do You Think You Are Live. I went alone and was highly unprepared. As I result I spent much of the day just meandering around and trying to restrain myself from buying too many books. But I also had some fascinating conversations with visitors and stallholders, most of whom were seasoned genealogists – much older than me and far more experienced.

It wasn’t until I got home that it struck me. I hadn’t seen a single person my age all day, except perhaps the odd child with their parents or grandparents.

I should say now, I am 26  – hardly a teenager, but still a good 15 years younger at least than anyone I had spoken to. And while I’ve been researching my family history for about five years now, I am still decidedly an amateur with a hell of a lot to learn!

I suppose the absence of young people at WDYTYA Live shouldn’t really surprise me – after all Genealogy is widely regarded as an ‘old people’s’ hobby, isn’t it?

I disagree. With a show like WDYTYA bringing genealogy to the prime time telly audience, and the internet making it easier and, importantly, cheaper than ever before to get involved, I refuse to believe that there aren’t even a few genealogists out there in their twenties!

So I decided that blogging might be a good way to reach out. Not just to people my own age – I don’t intend to dwell on this topic indefinitely, I just wanted to explain what got me started with the blog, really.

However, I suppose my age is likely to be a factor in my approach and in terms of what I find interesting. I hope that if any of you are closer in age to me that I can find some perhaps less traditional stuff to share. In fact, I really hope that older family historians won’t dismiss me instantly simply because I’m younger and relatively inexperienced. I really want to stress that I would love to hear from fellow family historians of all ages – genealogy isn’t always the most social of hobbies!

In this blog I intend to write about my research (not to bore you with the details, mind, just interesting snippets), relevant news or sources I come across, other people’s genealogy stories, and anything else that occurs to me, really.

For the time being, my family history agenda is to book my tickets for WDYTYA 2012 (February 24­–26 – I haven’t decided which day I’m attending yet), and do a better job of preparing for it than I did last year! Hope to see some of you there!

L x

Next time – Find out why it took me a year to actually start blogging...