With the use of PowerPoint and projector, our meetings have now changed, meaning that examples of documents, photographs and other ephemera can be shown, which in turn gives both groups an idea of what to expect regarding information.

The May meetings were quite emotive, the topic being children’s home and child migration which prompted serious discussion and exchanges of experiences, both personally and those of our ancestors. Being able to show a child’s personal documents from their stay at Dr Barnardo's was especially important as these records are extremely difficult to get hold of. The meetings ended with a short excerpt from Gordon Brown’s apology speech to child migrants, some of whom were sent overseas as young as 3 years old and without their parent’s permission.

The Family History Group for Beginners is popular, at the time of writing there is just one place remaining. Along with PowerPoint, our chat includes problems, discoveries and how to break down those unfamiliar brick walls.

Earlier in the year one of the members of the Family History Group talked to us about her voluntary work with Find a Grave and gave us help in how to use the website and add to it ourselves. Since their inception the initial Family History Group have spent time delving into Victorian and later records, but now it is time to say ‘bye Victoria’ and ‘hello George’, with apologies to William IV who will not be forgott