Thank you to all those members who brought in items at our last meeting - it was really interesting to hear about them and the part they played in the history of your families. The journal coming at that meeting is like an additional Christmas present. Life member Brian Austin was delighted to find a photograph of his father included in Colin Middle's feature on postcards - apparently his father played violin in Harry Burgess's Orchestra - he was 2nd from the left in the 2nd row!.
Although we do not have a monthly meeting during December the volunteers will still be in the Library each Saturday except for December 28th to help anyone who wants to look again at their research or has reached a stumbling block. It is very encouraging to see people leave the library with a smile on their faces because a suggestion has been made about where to look next or because a discovery has been made of a lost (or mislaid) relation.
If you cannot get to the Library, but have a problem, you can always try using our Research Forum – that way your query will reach a wider audience and all our members have the opportunity then to make suggestions for future research routes. Please write the SURNAMES of the families you are researching in capital letters – that way they stand out and attract the attention of the casual reader.
- I’m not sure how many of you use a Kindle or similar for your reading matter these days but you may be interested in this offering written by one of our affiliate members – who has contributed to our Research Forum in the past. Called “To Weston with Love” it is an affectionate look at Weston-super-Mare. Why not download a version and treat yourself to this over Christmas?
- The North Somerset Archivist will be in Weston Library on Thursday Dec 5th. Book your requirements with her before Wednesday. Please contact Jane de Gruchy, North Somerset Archivist; Tel: 01823 278805 or by email
- For those of you who missed seeing the Weston-super-Mare Carnival in November you might like to take a look at this video it gives some idea of the spectacle which the Winter Carnival offers. What a pity we can't look back and see what was happening in Weston and district in the 19th Century but the newspapers do give us a little insight into life then.
- If any of you are researching family in Gloucestershire the index to births, marriages and deaths to be found here not only gives the maiden names of mothers from 1837 but also the actual churches where marriages took place. The same may apply to other counties who have participated in the UKBMD scheme (lots of useful information and links from this page). There is a multi region search link covering 10 different counties but it is worth looking for other counties to see if they have a separate entry.
- We have taken a stand at the free Your North Somerset Event 2014 – which will take place on Sunday 26th January 2014 at the Winter Gardens in Weston. By doing this we hope to raise awareness in North Somerset of what we have to offer and possibly to attract new members. It should be an interesting and very varied day – do support us and it!
While you are enjoying Christmas just give some thought to which of your ancestors you would have liked to have invited to spend Christmas with you. Perhaps they could be the basis of an interesting article for the next edition of Buckets and Spades the dead line for which is the 31st January. What makes them interesting? - how did you find out about them?
We all wish you a very happy Christmas season with perhaps the opportunity to ask some of your relations those all important questions about what they can remember about your family and then you will never have to say “Oh I wish I’d asked them while I had the chance!”
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