WELCOME

When a DNA test was first used on Who Do You Think You Are? in 2006 it was to reveal the ethnic mix of former Olympian Colin Jackson. It caused a bit of a stir, with some experts questioning the accuracy of such tests for ethnicity. But it encouraged a lot of people, including myself, to get a test done. I remember the disappointment when my results arrived. I couldn’t really understand them. How could I be 14.6 per cent Basque when my family history didn’t back that up?

Fast forward ten years and things have really changed. Our understanding of biogeographical markers has increased enormously, to the point where I can see where my family came from within the past ten generations (courtesy of LivingDNA). And, as more and more people are taking DNA tests, we can make new breakthroughs that paper records may never solve by adding our results to vast databases. I’ve just tried an AncestryDNA test and I can’t wait to see whether it reveals new cousins for me and new avenues for my research.

I hope you also enjoy our article about film archives. As more old films go online, family historians should treat them as a key resource. I remember my excitement when I found a film on YouTube of one of my Wortleys ( Eric) talking about farming in Methwold at the ripe old age of 99. Even if you don’t find family members, films can enrich your understanding of how people lived in the past and breathe new life into your research.

Sarah Williams, Editor sarah.williams@immediate.co.uk