Expert’s Choice
Hilary Groves, co-founder of the Who When Where Genealogy Forum
When you’re trying to break through a brick wall, websites dedicated to specific subjects can often provide the eureka moment that we all hope and look for, but sometimes just a fresh pair of eyes can be all that is needed. That’s why I have chosen the forum that I helped launch, and one that I couldn’t do without: the Who When Where Genealogy Forum ( whowhenwheregenealogy.org.uk).
We set up the website to fill the gap left when the Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine forum sadly closed in 2020. The new forum has already proved popular for both experienced and new researchers, and for some family historians a forum is preferable to social media when asking for help.
The site is divided into various sub-forums enabling any users to target their question to the correct area of expertise, including military questions, photo identification, useful resources, wanted/unwanted certificates and, of course, DNA. The site also has useful areas listing specialist websites whose details one can never remember when needed, and a ‘Genealogy Chat’ section where (polite!) comments on any aspect of genealogy can be posted.
Many members of the forum are experienced researchers who enjoy the challenge of breaking down brick walls for others as well as themselves, and will happily contribute to discussions on any question posed. For the novice researcher, the wealth of information and experience that the members have is invaluable.
The Who When Where Genealogy Forum is free to join and very friendly, so whether you’re new to the hobby or an experienced family historian you’ll find that we’re well worth bookmarking.