Traditionally, in this country, September is the start of the academic year and those of you with children and grandchildren still in the system will see the shops full of “back to school” offers. September is also a good time to start or renew your family history research. During July and August I followed the free online course offered by Strathclyde University. Actually, I’m still catching up on some of the items included which I didn’t have time to cover during the 6 weeks course, but it is proving a worthwhile exercise. It was an interesting experience and flagged up areas with which I am not familiar such as the value of DNA testing to augment traditional methods, as well as reinforcing the need to note the sources of information we use. The date of the next course hasn’t been announced yet but however experienced you are I think you would find it useful and certainly thought provoking.
The speed with which genealogical research can now be initially achieved by the availability of online indexes (sometimes backed up with digital images) seems to have removed the realisation that you do need to understand why the original documents were created and what you can expect to learn from them. This involves us being able to interpret the past in a way which shows us how it was then and that it’s not just an older version of today!
When an article from Buckets & Spades about Laura Buildings was added to the Journal Articles I received several comments about it and it reminded me how the study of a single road can show a great deal about the area. Some streets such as Holland Street in Weston have a fascinating past not only because of their architecture but also when you study what occupations their residents had. Censuses of Holland Street show that while the men folk were mainly employed at the local pottery most of the women took in washing which they did in stone outbuildings at the bottom of their long gardens (ideal for long washing lines). I know that member, Colin Middle, has researched Stradling Avenue in great depth. Have any other members been tempted to research their roads? What did you find out?
Irish Research
The Irish Genealogy site is really helpful when it comes to looking for Irish relations . Do try this site as a starting point for your research. It includes RC Church records as well as the Irish Civil Registration Index (giving actual date of birth and date of the marriage) and many other resources.
American Research
Family History Daily, an American site lists 50 free genealogy sites which although primarily North American does include Canadian, Romany, Jewish and UK sites in its listings. Well worth considering.
South American Research
This is a little late but have you seen the FFHS Newsletter for July? If you watched any of the Olympics or as you watch the Paralympics in September take a thought for all the British emigrants to South America – this newsletter opens up some avenues for research wherever your relations ended up.
North Somerset Local History
For those of you with family connections a little nearer to Weston-super-Mare here are some local history sites which you may find helpful in bringing you some background information. These are just a few of the sites available - if any one can recommend other sites in the area we cover please let me know
- For Clevedon you will find the web site of the Clevedon Civic Society very useful. The Local History Section contains postcards and a potted history of Clevedon including the Oaklands Hospital and the Home Guard
- Congresbury, a staging post between Bristol and Weston where horses were changed at the Ship and Castle, has a History Group web site where you can discover a little of the history of Congresbury.
- Winscombe and Sandford has a very active Local History Group and their web site is very informative giving anyone with ancestors from Winscombe a fascinating insight into its history – not forgetting the Strawberry Line.
- Cheddar, apart from its obvious link to Cheddar Cheese is historically very important – Archaeological evidence of early man living in one of the caves has established through DNA testing that some local residents share ancestors with “Cheddar Man” which probably is as far as anyone will get with their family history!
- Nailsea & District Local History Group has on its web site free access to a number of ebooks and articles including some about Wraxall, Tickenham, Chelvey and Flax Bourton
- The Gordano Society has been in existence for 60 years starting as the Portishead Preservation Society but earlier this year changed its name to the Gordano Civic Society. It covers Portishead and surrounding settlements. Its web site has a brief history of Portishead and lists other relevant publications.
- A brief history of Burnham on Sea can be viewed on the Burnham on Sea and Highbridge pages of this web site
- East Brent Parish Council has developed an East Brent Portal which includes information about the places and people who inhabit the parish and its environs.
Research Forum.
Unfortunately no one seems to have recognised the house which I put on recently and here is an even more obscure request. Who is this sailor? The name of his boat was “Salus” – Any suggestions? 
Free Help Sessions
Don’t forget that any local people reading this are welcome to attend any of the Free Help Sessions at Weston, Portishead, Worle Libraries or the Healthy Living Centre – You don’t have to be a member to come along and ask for help. The very varied requests for help we get are challenging but equally satisfying if we can solve a problem or make suggestions for successful future research. You don’t have to book just come along.
Next Society Meeting
Our next meeting will be at our new venue of the Vintage Church in Hughenden Road shown on this Google map by its old name of the “The Purple Sheep Centre”. It will be on the 4th Tuesday of September – the 27th September at 7.30 pm (doors open 7.00pm)- when the speaker will be Peter de Dulin, our Vice Chair with the intriguing title “From Emperor to Workhouse” and is an investigation of his own ancestors.
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