News & Information

   August is always a quiet month where family history is concerned.  We do not have a monthly meeting but that does not mean that research stops.  The Help Sessions continue in the Library every Saturday from 2.00 pm until 3.30 pm.  If you have not been in before, why not come in one Saturday to discuss your research - you do not have to be a member to come in for help.   There is a bonus if you are researching a local family because there is a wealth of information in the Local Studies Library.    This includes family trees of local families which have been produced by Life Member, Brian Austin as well as his transcriptions of other documents the originals of which are in the Somerset Heritage Centre. 

 Last month the Library Staff gave a tea-party as a “Thank you” for all the volunteers who help out in the library. You can see that we were well represented – just count the blue shirts – and two of our members were not wearing their shirts that afternoon!    

July saw our Open Day and to echo Brian Airey’s words of thanks at the last meeting - We were very grateful for all the help given in setting up and running the event and thanks also go to those members of other Societies who travelled to Weston to demonstrate what they had to offer.  Although there was free entry to the Open Day we covered our costs – thanks to the draw, the refreshments, the sales from the stand and a couple of new members. There are a few photographs elsewhere on this site.  The WW1 Memories exhibition which was a major part of the Open Day has moved to Weston Library during August – if you couldn’t get to the Open Day, do go and spend some time looking at the exhibits and perhaps reading some of the research which has been undertaken by members. 

Just after the Open Day we were saddened to hear of the death of Sheila Anderson.  With a Membership No of 2, Sheila was a founder member (and honorary life-member) of our Society.  Her experience of family history research, which dated back to before Computers, resulted in knowledge and understanding of records which she willingly shared with other members.  She was a committee member for many years and filled the roles of Secretary and Chair at various times.  Sheila was frequently to be seen behind the stand at Family History Fairs and was well known to other Societies. 

 Another life member, Brian Austin, was our speaker at the July meeting giving a thought provoking talk about what we can expect to discover about our families if we rely on the reported word.  Like Sheila he started researching his family and the local area many years ago.  Brian has become the local expert in Weston Families.  Over the past 50 years he has seen many changes not only in society itself but also in the methodology of research.  He questioned whether there had been an improvement!

The BBC programme “Who do you think you are?” is celebrating 10 years and 100 episodes with a look back at its past programmes on August 6th and will start Series 11 on August 7th with a look at the ancestry of the actress Julie Walters.  This usually means that this will encourage some new people to start their family history research because it all looks so easy on the TV!  The reality is that although you can make a rapid and encouraging start there will come a time when you will need all the perseverance and lateral thinking you can muster.  This is where a Family History Society can be a tremendous help.  To be able to talk to others who have met with the same problems and can offer suggestions is one of the benefits of membership.  Come to a meeting, describe your stumbling block on our Research Forum or come into the library where two or more brains are often better than one. 

If you have found a resource which is new to you please share it with the rest of us – you can use the Research Forum to do this.

• The North Somerset Library Services online services offers a wide range of options which can be used at home using your library card number.  Until it was pointed out to me at the last meeting I had overlooked the very last item on this page – The Zinio eMagazine – this enables you to read online 25 different current magazines including “Your Family Tree” and other magazines which may interest you.  If you live in another area check with your own library to see what it offers.
• The Chapel in the Cemetery will be open to the public on Saturday afternoon of August 9th from 2.00pm – If you haven’t seen inside now is the time to do so and perhaps check up where either your ancestors or other well known Weston forefathers were buried. 
• Whilst considering resources for WW1 Research I was recently made aware that the Commonwealth War Grave Commission has introduced a section entitled “Discover 14-18” which gives greater detail about the course of the war.
• With more images of original documents becoming available you might find this free online course from the National Archives on how to read old hand writing helpful. It is a step by step guide to various styles of writing which allows you to attempt to transcribe various samples.  It certainly takes practice to read some of them but there are some helpful tips.   There is also a course for reading Latin
• If any of you have Scottish relatives who died in WW1 you will find this site useful.  It has been created to collect together all the many and various memorials to the servicemen and women of World War 1

Looking forward to September

• Look out for the Heritage Open Days during the weekend of 11th-14th September.   To discover what will be open in Bristol take a look at this web site  and for places to visit during Somerset Open Doors see this site
• Bristol & Avon FHS will be holding their Open Day on Saturday 27th at  The University of the West of England Conference Centre, Frenchay, Bristol BS34 8QZ. Open 10.00am to 4.00pm For more details and a list of all the exhibitors see their website.
• Our speaker at the end of September will be Andrew Janes who will be talking about tracing members of his family From Farmers Fields to Flanders Fields.

If you are using the holiday season to visit those parts of the country well known to your ancestors don’t forget that local history groups as well as local libraries and museums may well have the answer to your questions. Come back refreshed and ready to knock down those brick walls!