Keeping it in the family Heirlooms for family historians

Welcome

What are you looking forward to focusing on with your family history this spring? From digging deeper into the parish records, to tackling DNA, and deciding how best to write up your family history – we’ve got so many ideas to help you get miles more from your family tree discoveries

NEWS

Karen Clare reports on the latest genealogy news. Got

Dear Karen

Karen Clare discovers some incredible tricks of fate in this issue’s column of genealogical delights

20 things you need to know to research family history for free

Tracing your roots doesn’t have to cost the earth with these simple tips, says Katie Byrne, so jump right in and make a start on finding out about your family history today

Where to find parish registers

Parish registers are recordsof baptisms, marriages and burials created by local churches that can help you trace your ancestors to before civil registration – and back to Tudor times. Chris Paton gives the lowdown on what’s available online

FOUND! Family treasure on a Durham Shore

Maggie B Dickinson is on a quest to trace the true tale behind a family memento, found on the shore many years ago. Let’s catch up with her, ‘at the coast’

Twiglets

Diarist Gill Shaw charts the rollercoaster ride of researching her family history

Revealed… Top tips for how to write your family history

Discover the secrets for making the dream of writing up your family history a reality: with Ruth Badley, Jackie Depelle, Diane Lindsay, David Ryan and Mike Sharpe – 5 specialists whose unique take on preserving the stories of the past we hope will inspire you to write your own family histories

Tales from my tree

Last year we challenged Family Tree readers to write their family history in only 1,000 words. Kate Holloway picked up the gauntlet… and here are some stories about her family’s lives

Books

With Helen Tovey and Karen Clare

The Family Tree SUBS CLUB EXCLUSIVE OFFERS!

Welcome to the Family Tree Subscriber Club. Members

One hundred years of memories

As a keen local and family historian, Lisa Edwards

DIARY DATES

Find or post diary dates at www.family-tree.co.uk/Events

Your LETTERS

Memories of sporting hero ancestors, missing servicemen found and an enormous surname study

THE FAMILY TREE NOTICE BOARD

The first step to encouraging your family and friends

Some are born great…

Diane Lindsay is intensely proud of her most humble ancestors, but surely a family historian can dream…

Your digital family tree helpdesk

Practical projects & advice to get more from your digital family tree

The lunch hour genealogist

Being busy doesn’t mean you have to neglect your favourite hobby, you can still learn in your lunch break! Squeeze just 60 minutes of family history into your daily routine and you’ll soon start to see your tree blossom. It’s time to tuck into Rachel Bellerby’s genealogy treats

Your DNA Workshop

Welcome to the DNA Workshop!

Spotlight on… The Family History Federation

We take a look at the valuable and varied work of the Family History Federation, a charitable organisation that works to support its member societies around the country, liaising with archives and government bodies to look after the interests of genealogists everywhere

Give your family history research a spring clean!

Genealogy tech guru Paul Carter advises how best to organise your digital family history research so you can reap the benefits of a clutter-free computer that is easy to search and update as you grow your tree

Join the Family Tree Academy & become a skilled family historian

With professional researcher David Annal as tutor in

GUARDIANS OF THE HOUSE OF WORSHIP

For centuries, churchwardens ensured that parishes kept the records of baptisms, weddings and burials that are now vital for tracing our ancestors. But who were these church officials, and was your ancestor one of them? Simon Wills explains

EXPLORING ADDITIONAL RECORDS TO FIND YOUR ANCESTORS

Nick Thorne digs deeper into the online records

Your questions answered

With our experts Jayne Shrimpton and Graham Caldwell