Family History – Update April 2025

The Group continues to meet every Friday afternoon at Noelene’s house. Most members come every week (is it a social occasion?) and others come when they are in Spain or need help. Obviously group leaders, Lyndsay, Brian and Noelene work one to one as all families are different and researchers want to find out different things.

Some want to go as far back as they can and perhaps find links to royalty! Others wish to trace family who have gone abroad or disappeared and several have wanted to find out about a father who they never knew. (we have reunited a family split since 1982)

David and Val researched their trees many years ago when the Group started and have now found time to continue. Val is researching the Jones family in Wales!! Her grandfather was a twin, one of 4 sets her great grandmother had along with several other children! This is a challenge.

One branch of David’s family was easily traced in Devon but the Irish side is more difficult as Irish records don’t go back beyond 1845 unless you can find a rare church record, written in Latin with a quill pen!

Caroline joined the group recently and is making great strides with her Irish connections. Her surname can be spelled several ways so finding family can be tricky.

Paul is writing separate histories to give to family members. This is a good idea as not everyone wants a Family History with thousands of meaningless names.

Maureen said we would never find anything out about her grandfather but we have! Contrary to what is thought, our ancestors moved around looking for work so researching in one place does not always produce results.

At present we have enough members for our internet connection to support and to keep us busy and our brains active!

By Noelene Cummings