SOCIETY OF GENEALOGISTS

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? MAGAZINE

w whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/getting-started/starting-your-family-tree

We seldom blow our own trumpet in these pages, but for a starting-out guide, you can’t beat Laura Berry’s article on our recently revamped website. Laura is a freelance historical researcher, house historian and writer, and at the time lead genealogist on the programme Who Do You Think You Are?. This guide is split into various sections – ‘Gathering evidence’, ‘Choosing a website’, ‘Using the census’ etc – but again, scores over its rivals because of the clarity with which it’s written. The ‘Births, marriages and deaths’ section in particular will help you to take those first wary steps into the murky waters of civil registration.

w sog.org.uk/learn/help-getting-started-with-genealogy

The London-based society has been very active online during lockdown, and while the website is geared towards encouraging membership, there’s lots of free material too, including advice for newcomers. The above web address is a good starting point, through which visitors will find updated record guides on the free public ‘Learn’ pages. Meanwhile the team has also uploaded more talks for members; linked more digital books from the library catalogue; and taken the lecture programme onto Zoom, delivering talks to members and non-members alike. And the blog has highlighted free searches and help within the members-only section ‘SoG Data Online’.