Have you ever wondered about your ancestors; who they were, where they came from, where they lived, what their occupations were and even what they looked like?
Perhaps, like me, you have stored away old photos and pieces of paper recording events that your parents or grandparents left you. Or, maybe, you do not know anything about your family. Whatever the reason and whoever you are, your Family History is guaranteed to be interesting and will, by its very nature, be unique; a hobby that will bring you pleasure and will benefit future generations who will treasure your efforts when you are long gone.
I remember going into a very old Bric–a–Brac shop in Wales many years ago – one where the owner had emptied deceased people’s properties for relatives who wanted to clear them quickly. In the center of the shop was a very old, large farmhouse table covered with postcards, photos, birth, marriage & death certificates, old love letters and cards etc; treasured possessions of those who had tried to hold on to “Who they were”. We all have these items boxed away, not in any order, all with their own individual personal memories. What will happen to them, especially now we are all living so far away from our families? How much will a certain airline charge to get them back to the UK?
You now have the opportunity to preserve what you know and to discover what you don’t know and at the same time produce a priceless heirloom to pass down to your grandchildren. The pleasure and excitement of discovering a new ancestor, family or living relative is impossible to describe in this article.
So where do you begin?
Here are a few Golden Rules.
Always work backwards methodically.
Talk to your family and gather all the information you can.
Talk to the older members before it’s too late.
Be organized and write everything down.
Use a tape recorder to record stories being told.
Collect and label/name old photos.
Do not take everything that members of your family tell you as fact. Check everything.
See if your family has already started a family tree.
Is there an old family bible in your family with generations already recorded.
Decide which side of the family you wish to start with.
Like a jigsaw puzzle, start at the outside edges and work inwards as you put each piece together.
Is it still possible to research your Family from here in Spain? A common question and the answer is YES.
Cañadas del Romero is providing four week introductory courses for those people wishing to start or progress further with this hobby. A reliable Genealogy Computer Program is provided with the course to enable you to organize your information and will eventually provide you with the ability to produce a visual chart. Instructional Handouts are provided both for the computer program and your personal research and individual guidance is given at every stage. Although no personal or laptop computer is obligatory, it would be beneficial to have access to either, to use the program provided.
The next 4 week class will be 11th, 18th and 25th October and 1st November, all between 10am and 12 noon. Further information and enrolments can be made at the Mercadillo at Cañadas del Romero on Sunday 7th October or by phone 660 38 47 78. Numbers are limited so places must be secured by prepayment. If this is not your cup of tea it may appeal to someone you know. Why not enroll them as a personal gift?