- DURATION 4 x 60 mins
Event Description
This course is designed to guide you through some of the main genealogy websites to help you become a more proficient and successful researcher. It will help you navigate the countless online records available and give you tips on overcoming transcription errors – the scourge of the online researcher!
It is an interactive course so you will have the opportunity to ask questions about your own research.
First session - 7th July
Civil Registration
Learn how to access birth, death and marriage certificates, what period they cover and what information they contain.
Second session -14th July
Census Returns: Learn where to find census returns and what information each census will give you as you take your family tree back to 1841.
Third session - 21st July
Parish Records: Learn where to access these documents which are the key to tracing your family back to the 1700s.
Fourth session - 28th July
Wills: Learn how to find these fascinating documents and how they can help you fill in some gaps in your family tree. Be prepared for some big surprises!
In order to really get the most from this course, it would be well worth having a live subscription to Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.co.uk/) and/or Find My Past (https://www.findmypast.co.uk/) for the duration. If you do not already have a subscription, you can get a month’s subscription at the start of this four week course.
Once signed up for this course, you will have access to an introductory handout (see below)
- Duration: 4 x 60 mins
- Online Zoom event: Join from your computer, phone or tablet (no replay available)
Meet the Host, Ben
Ben Nicholls has been researching his own family history since 2001. His paternal grandfather was a shadowy figure who died long before his birth and his journey into his family’s past started with his grandfather’s birth certificate. Ben has gone on to learn about the lives of thousands of his relatives throughout the centuries and connected with many living cousins across the world. He is an established public speaker and has written three novels based on family history.
Preparing for the Event
For the best experience, you will need to have Zoom downloaded onto your computer. Please ensure you're connected to broadband/wifi rather than using your mobile phone connection (3G/4G).
We also recommend that pets are either calmly sitting on your lap or in another room, and any refreshments you may require are within your reach!
Resources
Branching Out: Learning How to Research Your Family Tree has supplementary learning materials provided by the event host. Once you book an event, you will get access to these resources.
More Information
What if I can’t make the event?
If a recording’s available for the event, you can still register for it and we will send you an email with a link to a recording shortly after it ends.
Will my camera be on and will I be visible to the other people?
Your camera and microphone does not need to be on for you to enjoy the event. The choice about whether to do this is completely yours.
How do I watch the live event?
Rest Less events are hosted on Zoom, a computer application that allows you to attend online events just by clicking a link. For detailed instructions, please go to our "FAQ" page, which you can find a link to in the nav bar at the top of the page.
How do I sign-up for and access the recording? (Recorded events only)
Book the event as normal (as if you are attending live). After the event ends you will automatically receive a post-event email with a link to the recording, as long as the event was recorded. You do not need to do anything else and there is no separate booking process for recordings only. Please note it can take up to 24 hours for Zoom to process recordings.